The Tumbuka language is a Bantu language which is spoken in parts of Malawi, Zambia, and Tanzania.
The language of the Tumbuka people is called chiTumbuka - the 'chi' in front of Tumbuka meaning 'the language of', similar to 'ki' in kiSwahili or 'se' in seTswana.
The World Almanac (1998) estimates approximately 2,000,000 Tumbuka speakers exist in the aforementioned three countries.
There are substantial differences between the form of Tumbuka spoken in urban areas (which borrows some words from Chichewa/Nyanja) and the "village" or "deep" Tumbuka spoken in villages. The Rumphi variant is often regarded as the most "linguistically pure", and is sometimes called "real Tumbuka".
Linguistic descriptions
Helpful Phrases
- Enya = Yes
- Yayi = No
- Yewo = Thank you
- nkumba chakurya! = I want some food !
- munga nipako chakurya? = could you give me some food?
- Ine nkhuyowoya chiTumbuka yayi! = I do not speak chiTumbuka!
- Yendani makola. = Travel well.
- Nkhukumba madzi yakumya. = I would like water to drink.
Greetings
- Mwawuka uli ? = Good morning. (How did you wake up?)
- Tawuka makola. Kwali imwe? = Fine. And you? (I woke up well. I don't know about you?)
- Tawuka makola = I am fine. (I woke up well.)
- Muli uli ? = How are you?
- Nili makola. Kwali imwe? = I am fine. How are you?
- Mwatandala uli? = Good afternoon. (How did you spend the day?)
- Natandala makola. Kwali imwe? = Good afternoon. How are you? (I spent the day well. I don't know about you?)
- Monile. = somewhat more formal than "Hi." Perhaps best translated as "Greetings."
- Tisanganenge = We shall meet again.
People
- Ba nyamata = boys
- mu nyamata = boy
- Ba sungwana = girls
- mu sungwana = girl
- ba mwali = young ladies
- ba mama = mother
- ba dada = dad
- ba gogo = grandmother
- ba buya = grandmother, also used when addressing old female persons
- ba sekulu = grandfather
- ba nkazi = paternal aunty
- ba mama ba choko / kulu = maternal aunty usually your mother's younger/older sister
- ba sibweni = maternal uncle
- ba dada ba choko/kulu = paternal uncle usually your father's younger/older brother
- mu dumbu wane = my brother/ sister ( for addressing sibling of the opposite sex )
- mu choko wane = my brother/ sister ( for addressing sibling of the same sex)
Verbs
- Kusebela = to play
- Kuseka = to laugh
- Kurya = to eat
- Kugona = to sleep
- Kwenda = to walk
- Kuchimbila = to run
- Kulemba = to write
- Kuchapa = to do laundry
- Kugeza = to bath
- Kupika = to cook
- Kulima = to dig / cultivate
- Kupanda = to plant
- Kuvina = to dance
- Kwimba = to sing
Animals
- Fulu = Tortoise
- Kalulu = Hare
- Chimbwi = hyena
- njoka = Snake
- nkhumba = pig
- n'gombe = cow
- nchebe = dog
- chona/pusi = cat
- mbelele = sheep
- nkalamu = lion
- mbuzi = goat
See also
External links
Malawi
Zambia
Tanzania 
