Sooninkanxannen
Soninke
Niger-Congo (Mande, Western)
Soninke (Sooninkanxannen) is a Western Mande language of the Senegal River valley and adjoining Sahel. The Soninke people founded the medieval Ghana Empire (c. 300-1200 CE), the first major sub-Saharan empire to be widely documented in Arabic sources, with its capital at Koumbi Saleh. Soninke remained a major Sahel trade language thereafter, and Soninke merchants (Wangara) were instrumental in spreading Islam across West Africa. The N'Ko script (developed 1949 for Manding languages) is also used.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Soninke
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Niger-Congo (Mande, Western)
| Meaning | Soninke | Xaasongaxango | Mandinka | Dyula | Kita Maninkakan | Bambara | Eastern Maninka |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ji /dʒi/ | ji /dʒi/ | jiyo /dʒijo/ | ji /dʒi/ | ji /dʒi/ | ji /dʒi/ | ji /dʒi/ |
| Fire | yinbe /jimbe/ | ta /ta/ | dimbaa /dimbaː/ | tasuma /tasuma/ | tasuma /tasuma/ | tasuma /tasuma/ | ta /ta/ |
| Sun | kiye /kije/ | tili /tili/ | tiloo /tiloː/ | tile /tile/ | tle /tle/ | tile /tile/ | tele /tele/ |
| Moon | xaso /xaso/ | kalo /kalo/ | karoo /karoː/ | kalo /kalo/ | kalo /kalo/ | kalo /kalo/ | karo /karo/ |
| Star | saane /saːne/ | lolo /lolo/ | looloo /loːloː/ | lolo /lolo/ | lolo /lolo/ | dolo /dòlo/ | lolo /lolo/ |
| Night | wuro /wuro/ | su /su/ | suutoo /suːtoː/ | su /su/ | su /su/ | su /su/ | su /su/ |
| Rain | kanme /kanme/ | — | sanjiyo /sandʒijo/ | sanji /ˈsandʒi/ | sanji /saɲɟi/ | sanji /ˈsandʒi/ | sanji /saɲɟi/ |
| Snow | nesi /nesi/ | — | — | nɛzi /nɛzi/ | — | nɛzi /nɛzi/ | — |
| Wind | fanke /faŋke/ | — | foño /foɲo/ | fɔɲɔ /fɔɲɔ/ | fɔɲɔ /fɔɲɔ/ | fiɲɛ /fiɲɛ/ | fɔɲɔ /fɔɲɔ/ |
| Earth | ñiiñe /ɲiːɲe/ | — | bankoo /baŋkoː/ | dugukolo /duɡukolo/ | — | dugukolo /duɡukolo/ | duukolo /duːkolo/ |
| Stone | gide /ɡide/ | — | beroo /beroː/ | kabakuru /kabakuru/ | — | kaba /kaba/ | kaba /kaba/ |
| Mountain | segenda /seɡenda/ | — | konkoo /koŋkoː/ | kulu /kulu/ | — | kulu /kulu/ | kɔnkɛ /kɔŋkɛ/ |
| Sea | geeji /ɡeːdʒi/ | — | fankaasoo /faŋkaːsoː/ | kɔgɔji /kɔɡɔdʒi/ | — | kɔgɔji /kɔɡɔdʒi/ | kɔɔji /kɔːdʒi/ |
| Mother | ma /ma/ | ba /ba/ | baa /baː/ | ba /ba/ | ba /ba/ | ba /ba/ | ba /ba/ |
| Father | baaba /baːba/ | fa /fa/ | faa /faː/ | fa /fa/ | fa /fa/ | fa /fa/ | fa /fa/ |
| Daughter | renyaxare /renjaxare/ | — | dimmusoo /dimːusoː/ | denmuso /denmuso/ | — | denmuso /dɛnmuso/ | denmuso /dɛnmuso/ |
| I | in /in/ | ne /ne/ | nte /nte/ | n /ŋ́/ | ne /ne/ | ne /nè/ | ne /ne/ |
| You | an /an/ | i /i/ | ite /ite/ | i /í/ | i /i/ | i /í/ | i /i/ |
| We | o /o/ | an /án/ | ntolu /ntolu/ | an /án/ | an /án/ | an /án/ | an /án/ |
| Name | toxo /toxo/ | toxo /toxo/ | too /toː/ | tɔgɔ /tɔ́ɡɔ/ | tɔɔ /tɔː/ | tɔgɔ /tɔ̀ɡɔ/ | tɔɔ /tɔː/ |
| Person | sere /sere/ | — | moo /moː/ | mɔgɔ /mɔ̀ɡɔ/ | — | mɔgɔ /mɔ̀ɡɔ/ | mɔɔ /mɔː/ |
| Head | yinme /jinme/ | — | kuŋo /kuŋo/ | kunkolo /kunkolo/ | — | kun /kun/ | kun /kũ/ |
| Eye | yaaxe /jaːxe/ | ɲa /ɲa/ | ñaa /ɲaː/ | ɲɛ /ɲɛ/ | ña /ɲa/ | ɲɛ /ɲɛ/ | ɲa /ɲa/ |
| Ear | toro /toro/ | tulu /tulu/ | tuloo /tuloː/ | tulo /tulo/ | tulo /tulo/ | tulo /tulo/ | tolo /tolo/ |
| Nose | nuxune /nuxune/ | nun /nũ/ | nuŋo /nuŋo/ | nun /nũ/ | nun /nũ/ | nun /nũ/ | nun /nũ/ |
| Mouth | raqe /raqe/ | da /da/ | daa /daː/ | da /da/ | — | da /da/ | da /da/ |
| Tooth | kanbe /kambe/ | ɲin /ɲĩ/ | ñiŋo /ɲiŋo/ | ɲin /ɲĩ/ | ɲin /ɲĩ/ | ɲin /ɲĩ/ | ɲin /ɲĩ/ |
| Tongue | nene /nene/ | nɛn /nɛn/ | neŋo /neŋo/ | nɛn /nɛn/ | nɛn /nɛn/ | nɛn /nɛn/ | nɛn /nɛn/ |
| Hand | kitte /kitːe/ | bulu /bulu/ | buloo /buloː/ | bolo /bolo/ | bolo /bolo/ | bolo /bolo/ | bolo /bolo/ |
| Heart | sondome /sondome/ | dusu /dusu/ | sondomoo /sondomoː/ | dusu /dusu/ | dusu /dusu/ | dusu /dusu/ | jusu /dʒusu/ |
| Bone | xotte /xotːe/ | xulu /xulu/ | kuloo /kuloː/ | kolo /kolo/ | kulu /kulu/ | kolo /kolo/ | kolo /kolo/ |
| Blood | fare /fare/ | jelu /dʒelu/ | yeloo /jeloː/ | joli /dʒoli/ | joli /dʒoli/ | joli /dʒoli/ | jeli /dʒeli/ |
| Poop | xullu /xulːu/ | — | buwo /buwo/ | bo /bo/ | — | bo /bo/ | bo /bo/ |
| Love | xanuye /xanuje/ | kanu /kanu/ | kanu /kanu/ | kanu /kanu/ | kanu /kanu/ | kanu /kanu/ | kanin /kanĩ/ |
| Tree | yitte /jitːe/ | yiri /jiɾi/ | yiroo /jiroː/ | yiri /jiri/ | yiri /jiɾi/ | jiri /dʒiri/ | yiri /jiɾi/ |
| Dog | wulle /wulːe/ | wulu /wulu/ | wuloo /wuloː/ | wulu /wulu/ | wulu /wulu/ | wulu /wulu/ | wulu /wulu/ |
| Cat | muusine /muːsine/ | jakuma /dʒakuma/ | ñankuma /ɲankuma/ | jakuma /dʒakuma/ | ñaakuma /ɲaːkuma/ | jakuma /dʒakuma/ | ɲaari /ɲaːri/ |
| Fish | ñexe /ɲexe/ | ɲege /ɲeɡe/ | ñewo /ɲewo/ | jɛgɛ /dʒɛɡɛ/ | jɛgɛ /dʒɛɡɛ/ | jɛgɛ /dʒɛɡɛ/ | jɛɛ /dʒɛː/ |
| Bird | yeliŋe /jeliŋe/ | — | kunoo /kunoː/ | kɔnɔ /kɔnɔ/ | kɔnɔ /kɔnɔ/ | kɔnɔ /kɔnɔ/ | kɔnɔ /kɔnɔ/ |
| Egg | xabaane /xabaːne/ | — | kiloo /kiloː/ | sisɛfan /sisɛfã/ | — | shɛfan /ʃɛfã/ | kili /kili/ |
| Horse | si /si/ | — | suwoo /suwoː/ | so /so/ | — | so /so/ | so /so/ |
| House | kaa /kaː/ | so /so/ | buŋo /buŋo/ | so /so/ | so /so/ | so /so/ | bon /bon/ |
| Milk | xati /xati/ | nɔnɔ /nɔnɔ/ | nonoo /nonoː/ | nɔnɔ /nɔnɔ/ | nɔnɔ /nɔnɔ/ | nɔnɔ /nɔnɔ/ | nɔnɔ /nɔnɔ/ |
| Honey | yaage /jaːɡe/ | — | liyo /lijo/ | li /li/ | — | di /di/ | li /li/ |
| Salt | sape /sape/ | kɔgɔ /kɔɡɔ/ | koo /koː/ | kɔgɔ /kɔɡɔ/ | kɔgɔ /kɔɡɔ/ | kɔgɔ /kɔɡɔ/ | kɔɔ /kɔː/ |
| Rice | maaro /maːro/ | — | maanoo /maːnoː/ | malo /malo/ | — | malo /malo/ | malo /malo/ |
| Iron | mexe /mexe/ | nege /neɡe/ | nee /neː/ | nɛgɛ /nɛɡɛ/ | neke /neke/ | nɛgɛ /nɛɡɛ/ | nɛɛ /nɛː/ |
| Silk | soyi /soji/ | — | sooyoo /soːjoː/ | — | — | hadiri /hadiri/ | — |
| Book | kitaabe /kitaːbe/ | — | kitaaboo /kitaːboː/ | gafe /ɡafe/ | — | gafe /ɡafe/ | gbafe /ɡbafe/ |
| Eat | yiga /jiɡa/ | domu /domu/ | domo /domo/ | dun /dun/ | don /don/ | dun /dũ/ | domun /domũ/ |
| Drink | mini /mini/ | min /min/ | miŋ /miŋ/ | min /min/ | min /min/ | min /min/ | min /min/ |
| Sleep | xenqe /xeŋqe/ | — | siinoo /siːnoː/ | sunɔgɔ /sunɔɡɔ/ | — | sunɔgɔ /sunɔɡɔ/ | sunɔɔ /sunɔː/ |
| One | baane /baːne/ | kilin /kilin/ | kiliŋ /kiliŋ/ | kelen /kelen/ | kelen /kelen/ | kelen /kelen/ | kelen /kelen/ |
| Two | fillo /filːo/ | fula /fula/ | fula /fula/ | fila /fìla/ | fila /fila/ | fila /fìla/ | fila /fila/ |
| Three | sikko /sikːo/ | saba /saba/ | saba /saba/ | saba /saba/ | saba /saba/ | saba /saba/ | saba /saba/ |
| Four | naxato /naɣato/ | naani /naːni/ | naani /naːni/ | naani /naːni/ | naani /naːni/ | naani /naːni/ | naani /naːni/ |
| Five | karago /karaˈɡo/ | luulu /luːlu/ | luulu /luːlu/ | duuru /dúːru/ | loolu /lóːlu/ | duuru /duːru/ | loolu /lóːlu/ |
| Hundred | kame /kãme/ | keme /keme/ | keme /keme/ | kɛmɛ /kɛ̀mɛ́/ | — | kɛmɛ /kɛmɛ/ | kɛmɛ /kɛmɛ/ |
| Hello | an na siri /an na siɾi/ | i ni sogoma /i ni soɡoma/ | salaam /salaːm/ | i ni sɔgɔma /i ni sɔɡɔma/ | i ni soɣoma /i ni soɣoma/ | i ni ce /i ni tʃɛ/ | i ni se /i ni se/ |
| Thank you | inkawu /iŋkawu/ | i ni baara /i ni baːɾa/ | abaraka /abaraka/ | i ni ce /i ni tʃe/ | i ni baara /i ni baːɾa/ | i ni ce /i ni tʃɛ/ | i ni ce /i ni tʃe/ |
| Good | siita /siːta/ | nyi /ɲi/ | beteyaa /betejaː/ | ɲuman /ɲuman/ | ñuman /ɲuman/ | ka ɲi /ka ɲi/ | ka ɲi /ka ɲi/ |
| New | kurunba /kurunba/ | — | kuta /kuta/ | kura /kura/ | — | kura /kura/ | kuda /kuda/ |
| Red | dumbi /dumbi/ | wuleŋ /wuleŋ/ | wuleŋ /wuleŋ/ | bilen /bilen/ | bilen /bileɲ/ | bilen /bilen/ | wulen /wulen/ |
| White | xulle /xulːe/ | — | koyi /koji/ | gwɛ /ɡwɛ/ | — | jɛ /dʒɛ/ | gbɛ /ɡbɛ/ |
| Black | binne /binːe/ | — | fiŋ /fiŋ/ | fin /fin/ | — | fin /fin/ | fin /fiɲ/ |
| Green | xalle /xalːe/ | — | jambakere /dʒambakere/ | binkɛnɛman /binkɛnɛman/ | — | binkɛnɛman /binkɛnɛman/ | binkɛndɛlama /binkɛndɛlama/ |
| Tea | attaaye /atːaːje/ | — | — | dute /dute/ | — | dute /dute/ | dute /dute/ |
| Coffee | kefe /kefe/ | — | — | kafe /kafe/ | — | kafe /kafe/ | kafe /kafe/ |
| Sugar | sukkara /sukːara/ | — | sukuro /sukuro/ | sukaro /sukaro/ | — | sukaro /sukaro/ | — |
| Orange | lenburu /lemburu/ | — | — | lemuruba /lemuruba/ | — | lenburuba /lenburuba/ | — |
| Ninety-nine | tankabe do kabu /tãkabe do kabu/ | — | taŋ kononto niŋ kononto /taŋ kononto niŋ kononto/ | bikɔnɔntɔn ni kɔnɔntɔn /bikɔnɔntɔn ni kɔnɔntɔn/ | — | bikɔnɔntɔn ni kɔnɔntɔn /bikɔnɔntɔn ni kɔnɔntɔn/ | bikɔnɔndɔ ni kɔnɔndɔ /bikɔnɔndɔ ni kɔnɔndɔ/ |
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