Chiyao
Yao
Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Yao-Makonde)
Yao (Chiyao, also spelled Ciyawo) is a Bantu P21 language straddling the Mozambique-Malawi-Tanzania tri-border at the southern end of Lake Malawi. The Yao were major caravan-trade leaders in the 19th century, controlling the route from the Zanzibar coast to Lake Malawi — one reason Yao spread as a regional lingua franca. They are predominantly Muslim (a notable exception in the largely Christian or animist surrounding Bantu populations). The unyago female initiation rite is a defining cultural institution. Tonal with five contrastive heights.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Yao
makumi nsano ni ncece kwisa nsano ni ncece
makumi nsano ni ntʃetʃe kwisa nsano ni ntʃetʃe
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Yao-Makonde)
| Meaning | Yao | Makonde | Nyamwezi | Chewa | Nyaturu | Tumbuka | Shambala |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | mesi /mesi/ | medi /medi/ | minzi /minzi/ | madzi /madzi/ | maji /madʒi/ | maji /madʒi/ | mazi /mazi/ |
| Fire | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ |
| Sun | lyuwa /ʎuwa/ | liduva /liduva/ | lyuba /ljuβa/ | dzuwa /dzuwa/ | yura /juɾa/ | zuŵa /zuβa/ | zuwa /zuwa/ |
| Moon | mwesi /mwesi/ | mwedi /mwedi/ | ngʼwezi /ŋweːzi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | umweri /umweɾi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | ṅwezi /ŋwezi/ |
| Star | ndondwa /ndondwa/ | inondwa /inondwa/ | nsonda /nsonda/ | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ | njota /ndʒota/ | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ | ntondwe /ntondwe/ |
| Night | chilo /tʃilo/ | chilo /tʃilo/ | buziku /buziku/ | usiku /usiku/ | utiku /utiku/ | usiku /usiku/ | kilo /kilo/ |
| Rain | ula /ula/ | imbula /imbula/ | mvula /mvula/ | mvula /ˈmvula/ | mbura /mbura/ | vula /ˈvula/ | fula /fula/ |
| Wind | mbungo /mbuŋɡo/ | lipungo /lipuŋɡo/ | myaga /mjaɡa/ | mphepo /ˈmpʰepo/ | mpefo /mpefo/ | mphepo /ˈmpʰepo/ | mpeho /mpeho/ |
| Earth | litaka /litaka/ | ulongo /uloŋɡo/ | bulongo /buloŋɡo/ | dothi /ˈdotʰi/ | irongo /iɾoŋɡo/ | dongo /doŋɡo/ | shanga /ʃaŋɡa/ |
| Stone | liganga /liɡaŋɡa/ | liyanga /lijaŋɡa/ | iwe /iwe/ | mwala /ˈmwala/ | igwe /iɡwe/ | libwe /liˈɓwe/ | iwe /iwe/ |
| Mountain | litumbi /litumbi/ | lichinga /litʃiŋɡa/ | lugulu /luɡulu/ | phiri /ˈpʰiɾi/ | gitanto /ɡitanto/ | phiri /pʰiɾi/ | muima /muima/ |
| Sea | bahali /bahali/ | bahali /bahali/ | nyanza /ɲanza/ | nyanja /ɲandʒa/ | irambo /iɾambo/ | nyanja /ɲandʒa/ | bahali /bahali/ |
| Mother | amao /amao/ | mama /mama/ | mayu /maju/ | amayi /amaji/ | mama /mama/ | amama /amama/ | mama /mama/ |
| Father | atati /atati/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | abambo /abambo/ | tata /tata/ | adada /adada/ | baba /baba/ |
| Daughter | mwanache jwamkongwe /mwanatʃe dʒwamkoŋɡwe/ | nahaku /nahaku/ | mwana mukima /mwana mukima/ | mwana wamkazi /mwana wamkazi/ | muncha /muntʃa/ | mwana msungwana /mwana msuŋɡwana/ | ṅwana ywa kindele /ŋwana jwa kindele/ |
| I | une /une/ | une /une/ | nene /ˈnene/ | ine /ine/ | une /une/ | ine /ine/ | niye /nije/ |
| You | mmwe /mːwe/ | uve /uve/ | gwegwe /ˈɡweɡwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | uwe /uwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | weye /weje/ |
| We | uwe /uwe/ | hwetu /hwetu/ | iswe /iswe/ | ife /ife/ | sese /sese/ | ise /ise/ | ishwi /iʃwi/ |
| Name | lina /lina/ | lina /lina/ | lina /ˈlina/ | dzina /dzina/ | rina /ɾina/ | zina /zina/ | zina /zina/ |
| Person | mundu /mundu/ | munu /munu/ | munhu /munhu/ | munthu /muntʰu/ | muntu /muntu/ | munthu /muntʰu/ | mntu /mntu/ |
| Head | mtwe /mtwe/ | muti /muti/ | mtwe /mtwe/ | mutu /mutu/ | itwe /itwe/ | mutu /mutu/ | mtwi /mtwi/ |
| Eye | liso /liso/ | liso /liso/ | liso /liso/ | diso /diso/ | riho /riho/ | jiso /dʒiso/ | zisho /ziʃo/ |
| Ear | liwiwi /liwiwi/ | likutu /likutu/ | itwi /itwi/ | khutu /kʰutu/ | ikutwi /ikutwi/ | khutu /kʰutu/ | shikio /ʃikio/ |
| Nose | lupula /lupula/ | imula /imula/ | nindo /nindo/ | mphuno /mˈpʰuno/ | mpura /mpuɾa/ | mphuno /mpʰuno/ | mpua /mpua/ |
| Mouth | kang'wa /kaŋwa/ | kanya /kaɲa/ | mulomo /mulomo/ | kamwa /ˈkamʷa/ | momo /momo/ | mlomo /m̩lomo/ | kanwa /kanwa/ |
| Tooth | liino /liːno/ | lino /lino/ | lino /lino/ | dzino /dzino/ | ino /ino/ | jino /dʒino/ | zino /zino/ |
| Tongue | lulimi /lulimi/ | lulimi /lulimi/ | lulimi /lulimi/ | lilime /lilime/ | urimi /urimi/ | lulimi /lulimi/ | ulimi /ulimi/ |
| Hand | nkono /nkono/ | nkono /nkono/ | kukono /kukono/ | dzanja /dzandʒa/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ | woko /woko/ | mkono /mkono/ |
| Foot | lukongolo /lukoŋɡolo/ | likambatu /likambatu/ | kugulu /kuɡulu/ | phazi /ˈpʰazí/ | mughuu /muɣuː/ | lundi /lundi/ | mulundi /mulundi/ |
| Heart | mtima /mtima/ | ntima /ntima/ | moyo /mojo/ | mtima /mtima/ | umutima /umutima/ | mtima /m̩tima/ | moyo /mojo/ |
| Bone | liupa /liupa/ | ligwangwa /liɡwaŋɡwa/ | iguha /iɡuha/ | fupa /fupa/ | ikufa /ikufa/ | chiwangwa /tʃiwaŋɡwa/ | vuha /vuha/ |
| Blood | miasi /miasi/ | myadi /mjadi/ | magazi /maɡazi/ | magazi /maɡazi/ | sakami /sakami/ | ndopa /ndopa/ | phome /pʰome/ |
| Poop | manyi /maɲi/ | mavi /mavi/ | maafi /maːfi/ | matuvi /matuvi/ | — | mavi /mavi/ | mavi /mavi/ |
| Love | unonyelo /unoɲelo/ | kupenda /kupenda/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ | chikondi /tʃikondi/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ | kutemwa /kutemwa/ | kukunda /kukunda/ |
| Tree | mtela /mtela/ | nnandi /nːandi/ | mti /mti/ | mtengo /mteŋɡo/ | umuti /umuti/ | khuni /kʰuni/ | mti /mti/ |
| Dog | mbwa /mbwa/ | nshenye /nʃeɲe/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | galu /ɡalu/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | ncheŵe /ntʃeβe/ | kuli /kuli/ |
| Cat | paka /paka/ | imaaka /imaːka/ | paka /paka/ | mphaka /mpʰaka/ | paka /paka/ | chona /tʃona/ | nyau /ɲau/ |
| Fish | somba /soːmba/ | homba /homba/ | somba /soːmba/ | nsomba /nsomba/ | somba /somba/ | somba /somba/ | samaki /samaki/ |
| Bird | cijuni /tʃidʒuni/ | chuni /tʃuni/ | noni /noni/ | mbalame /mɓaˈlame/ | nyonyi /ɲoɲi/ | chiyuni /tʃijuni/ | deghe /deɣe/ |
| Butterfly | chipuluputwa /tʃipuluputwa/ | lipuluputu /lipuluputu/ | — | gulugufe /ɡuluˈɡufe/ | — | bulawura /bulawuɾa/ | hoho /hoho/ |
| Egg | lindanda /lindanda/ | liye /lije/ | igi /iɡi/ | dzira /dzira/ | ighe /iɣe/ | sumbi /sumbi/ | tagi /taɡi/ |
| Horse | falasi /falasi/ | falasi /falasi/ | falasi /falasi/ | hatchi /hatʃʰi/ | nyumbu /ɲumbu/ | hachi /hatʃi/ | faashi /faːʃi/ |
| House | nyumba /ɲumba/ | ing'ande /iŋande/ | numba /numba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ |
| Milk | maŵele /maβele/ | mavele /mavele/ | mabeele /maβeːle/ | mkaka /m̩kaka/ | maya /maja/ | mkaka /m̩kaka/ | mele /mele/ |
| Honey | uchi /utʃi/ | uchi /utʃi/ | buuki /buːki/ | uchi /utʃi/ | ruke /ruke/ | uchi /utʃi/ | woki /woki/ |
| Salt | njete /ndʒete/ | munyu /muɲu/ | munu /munu/ | mchere /mtʃere/ | munyu /muɲu/ | mchere /m̩tʃere/ | munyu /muɲu/ |
| Wine | divai /divai/ | divayi /divaji/ | mvinyo /mviɲo/ | vinyo /viɲo/ | divai /divai/ | vinyo /viɲo/ | mvinyo /mviɲo/ |
| Rice | mpunga /mpuŋɡa/ | nnyele /nɲele/ | — | mpunga /mpuŋɡa/ | — | mpunga /mpuŋɡa/ | muhunga /muhuŋɡa/ |
| Iron | chisyano /tʃisjano/ | chitale /tʃitale/ | kisinza /kisinza/ | chitsulo /tʃiˈtsulo/ | ichuma /itʃuma/ | chisulo /tʃiˈsulo/ | kiama /kiama/ |
| Wheel | wilo /wilo/ | — | — | gudumu /ɡudumu/ | — | khwiro /kʰwiro/ | — |
| Silk | halili /halili/ | halili /halili/ | — | silika /silika/ | hariri /haɾiɾi/ | siliki /siliki/ | halili /halili/ |
| Book | chitabu /tʃitabu/ | chitabu /tʃitabu/ | kitabu /kitabu/ | buku /ˈbuku/ | gitabu /ɡitabu/ | buku /buku/ | kitabu /kitabu/ |
| Eat | kulya /kuʎa/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kudya /kudja/ | kuria /kuɾia/ | kurya /kuɾja/ | kuya /kuja/ |
| Drink | kumwa /kumwa/ | kukumbila /kukumbila/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ |
| Sleep | kugona /kuɡona/ | kugona /kuɡona/ | kulala /kulala/ | kugona /kuˈɡona/ | kurara /kuɾaɾa/ | kugona /kuˈɡona/ | kugosha /kuɡoʃa/ |
| One | mo /mo/ | nimo /nimo/ | imo /imo/ | chimodzi /tʃimodzi/ | umwe /umwe/ | chimoza /tʃimoza/ | imo /imo/ |
| Two | iŵili /iβili/ | vavili /vaʋili/ | ibili /iβili/ | awiri /awiri/ | aviri /aβiri/ | viŵiri /viβiɾi/ | mbili /mbili/ |
| Three | sitatu /sitatu/ | nnaatu /nːaːtu/ | idatu /idatu/ | zitatu /zitatu/ | itatu /itatu/ | vitatu /vitatu/ | katatu /katatu/ |
| Four | ncece /ntʃetʃe/ | ncheche /ntʃetʃe/ | inne /inːe/ | zinayi /zinaji/ | inne /inːe/ | vinayi /vinaji/ | kane /kaːne/ |
| Five | nsano /nsano/ | mwaanu /mwaːnu/ | itaano /itaːno/ | sanu /sanu/ | itano /itano/ | vinkhonde /viŋkʰonde/ | kashano /kaʃano/ |
| Hundred | mia /mia/ | miya /miːja/ | igana /iɡana/ | zana /zana/ | ighana /iɣana/ | zana /zana/ | gana /ɡana/ |
| Hello | salama /salama/ | nakushukuru /nakuʃukuɾu/ | mwadita /mwadita/ | moni /moni/ | mbukire /mbukiɾe/ | monire /moniɾe/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | — /—/ | nashukuru /naʃukuɾu/ | twabakaba /twaβakaβa/ | zikomo /zikomo/ | asante /aˈsante/ | yewo /jewo/ | asante /asante/ |
| Good | chambone /tʃambone/ | mbone /mbone/ | soga /soɡa/ | chabwino /tʃabwino/ | kihi /kihi/ | chiweme /tʃiweme/ | mtana /mtana/ |
| New | jasambano /dʒasambano/ | chahambi /tʃahambi/ | pya /pja/ | chatsopano /tʃatsopano/ | mpya /mpja/ | chiphya /tʃipʰja/ | mpya /mpja/ |
| Red | cheejewu /tʃeːdʒewu/ | nahuvi /nahuvi/ | laluku /laluku/ | chofiira /tʃofiːra/ | ntune /ntune/ | swesi /swesi/ | nkundu /nkundu/ |
| White | cheswela /tʃeswela/ | naswe /naswe/ | pe /pe/ | yoyera /joˈjeɾa/ | njeru /ndʒeru/ | tuŵa /tuβa/ | yengʼaa /jeŋaː/ |
| Black | chepiliu /tʃepiliu/ | napi /napi/ | pi /pi/ | chakuda /tʃakuda/ | njiutiki /ndʒiutiki/ | fipa /fipa/ | size /size/ |
| Blue | buluwu /buluwu/ | — | bululu /bululu/ | wobiriwira /wobiriwira/ | — | bululu /bululu/ | — |
| Computer | kompyuta /kompjuta/ | — | — | kompyuta /kompjuta/ | — | kompyuta /kompjuta/ | — |
| Tea | tiyi /tiji/ | — | — | tiyi /ˈtiji/ | — | tiyi /tiji/ | — |
| Coffee | kofi /kofi/ | — | — | kofi /kofi/ | — | khofi /kʰofi/ | — |
| Sugar | sukali /sukali/ | — | — | shuga /ʃuɡa/ | — | shuga /ʃuɡa/ | — |
| Orange | mlalanje /mlalandʒe/ | — | — | lalanje /lalandʒe/ | — | olenji /olendʒi/ | — |
| Ninety-nine | makumi nsano ni ncece kwisa nsano ni ncece /makumi nsano ni ntʃetʃe kwisa nsano ni ntʃetʃe/ | tisini na tisa /tisini na tisa/ | makumi kenda na kenda /makumi kenda na kenda/ | makumi asanu ndi anayi mphambu zisanu ndi zinayi /makumi asanu ndi anaji mpʰambu zisanu ndi zinaji/ | makumi kenda na kenda /makumi kenda na kenda/ | makhumi ghankhonde na ghanayi na vinkhonde na vinayi /makʰumi ɣaŋkʰonde na ɣanaji na viŋkʰonde na vinaji/ | milongo kenda na kenda /miloŋɡo keːnda na keːnda/ |
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