Umbundu, or South Mbundu (autonym ''úmbúndú''), one of many

Bantu languages The Bantu languages (English: , Proto-Bantu language, Proto-Bantu: *bantʊ̀), or Ntu languages are a language family of about 600 languages of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern, East Africa, Eastern and Southeast Africa, South ...

, is the most widely-spoken autochthonous language of Angola. Its speakers are known as ''

Ovimbundu The Ovimbundu, also known as the Southern Mbundu, are a Bantu peoples, Bantu ethnic group who live on the Bié Plateau of central Angola and in the coastal strip west of these highlands. As the largest ethnic group in Angola, they make up 38 pe ...

'' and are an ethnic group constituting a third of Angola's population. Their homeland is the Central Highlands of Angola and the coastal region west of these highlands, including the cities of

Benguela Benguela (; Umbundu: Luombaka) is a city in western Angola, capital of Benguela Province. Benguela is one of Angola's most populous cities with a population of 555,124 in the city and 561,775 in the municipality, at the 2014 census. History Por ...

and

Lobito Lobito is a municipality in Angola. It is located in Benguela Province, on the Atlantic Coast north of the Catumbela Estuary. The Lobito municipality had a population of 393,079 in 2014. History The city was founded in 1843 and owes its existe ...

. Because of recent internal migration, there are now also large communities in the capital

Luanda Luanda ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Angola, largest city of Angola. It is Angola's primary port, and its major industrial, cultural and urban centre. Located on Angola's northern Atlantic coast, Luanda is Ang ...

and its surrounding province, as well as in

Lubango Lubango, formerly known as Sá da Bandeira, is a municipality in Angola, capital of the Huíla Province, with a population of 914,456 in 2022. The city center had a population of 600,751 in 2014 making it the second-most populous city in Angola a ...

Phonology

Consonants

Vowels

Tone

Umbundu has two

tone Tone may refer to: Visual arts and color-related * Tone (color theory), a mix of tint and shade, in painting and color theory * Tone (color), the lightness or brightness (as well as darkness) of a color * Toning (coin), color change in coins * ...

s: low and high. The first acute accent (á) in a word represents a high tone. The low tone is represented by a grave accent (à). Unmarked syllables carry the same tone as the preceding syllable.

Vocabulary

*Welcome – ("The guests have come") *Hello – (sg); (pl) *How are you? – (sg); (pl) *I'm fine thanks, and you? – ("I'm fine"); ("We're fine") *What's your name? – (frm); (inf) *My name is... – *Where are you from? – ("Where is your country?") *I'm from... – ("My country is...") *Good morning – *Good afternoon – *Good evening – *Good night – ("Sleep well") *Goodbye – ("I went") *Do you speak English? – *Do you speak Umbundu? – *Sorry – (sg); (pl) *Please – ("Give me pity2) *Thank you – (sg); (pl) *Reply –

Sample text

''Omanu vosi vacitiwa valipwa kwenda valisoka kovina vyosikwenda komoko. Ovo vakwete esunga kwenda, kwenda olondunge kwenje ovo vatêla okuliteywila kuvamwe kwenda vakwavo vesokolwilo lyocisola.'' Translation: "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood." (Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

References

External links

English-Umbundu language resources on the web (Mofeko)Educação
– Umbundu lessons at Nação Ovimbundu

– alphabet at omniglot.com
Dictionary Umbundu – Medical
Hospital Nossa Senhora da Paz, Cubal, Angola. Njila languages Languages of Angola Languages of Namibia {{Bantu-lang-stub