How to Speak Basic Kunama

Eritrean Family From Barentu

How to Speak Basic Kunama


The Kunama language is categorized under the Nilo-Saharan family and is spoken by 2% of the Eritrean population.

Kunama Dialects and Related Languages.

There are appreciable dialect differentiation in Kunama, with Ilit and Sokodas (both sometimes refered to as "Western Kunama") being two Nilo-Saharan languages closely related to Kunama. Although similar in many ways, Kunama linguist such as John Abraha Ashkaba believe these two dialects form a different cluster from the Kunama language, which in distinction from Ilit and Sokodas, is generally refereed to as "Eastern Kunama". Studies conducted in the early 1990s show Ilit and Sokodas share 71% lexicon similarity with one another. The various Eastern Kunama dialects and Ilit share between 57% to 65% lexicon. While Eastern Kunama dialects and Sokodas share a higher lexicon rate between  60% to 70% .

Photo: Siegbert Uhlig, 2007

Although Ilit and Sokodas are geographically separated from the main Kunama groups, and  linguistically speak a very distinct language, both the Ilit and Sokodas speakers have a strong identity of "being Kunama". As a result of this, they generally consider their western Kunama dialects to be nothing more than dialects of the Eastern Kunama language.


Western Kunama Dialects ( languages related to Kunama)
*Illit - also spelled Elit                
*Sokodas

Eastern Kunama Dialects (standard Kunama)
*Barka
*Marda
*Aimara
*Odasa
*Tika
*Lakatakura
*Bitama

Table Below are words and sentences in Kunama with English translation.

#	English	Kunama
1	Hello	Inkedino
2	Where Are You From	Inkankin Nono
3	God	Anna
4	God Bless You	Annam Eshodi
5	Eritrea is My Country	Eritrea Laganga
6	I Am Proud to be Eritrean	Eritrea dina nashama si anda gogonake
7	I Am Happy	Aba Anda Gogonake
8	What Is Your Name?	Kideya Nano?
9	Peace Be Upon You	Sulluma Emette Kisha
10	Tooth	Mayya
11	Behave	Adaba
12	I Like This Music	Ananenasi Anda Nameyke
13	Understand?	Bina?
14	Round	Gugula
15	Fear	Kalia
16	To Chew	Kayo
17	Tongue	Nela
18	You Are Beautiful	Anda Kelake
19	Happy	Gogoda
20	Man	Abisha / Adda
21	Woman	Darka / Kisha
22	Strong	Gudurta
23	Dancing	Kubula Ba
24	I Am Handsome	Aba Deda Tokoma
25	I	Aba
26	You Are Welcome	Tagama Kosimme
27	Elbow	Ukunkula
28	Hand; Arm	Kona
29	One	Ella
30	Chin; Beard	Goma
31	I have Many Cows	Aba Aila Fauda Na-ina-ke
32	Can You please Help Me?	Shonki Adadina Tori?
33	White (color)	Aroro
34	Father	Iniga
35	Mother	Ewwa
36	Yes	Ye
37	No	Ayya
38	Please	Tori
39	Eritrea Has 9 Main Languages	Eritrea Gele Dinise Eldawde Kinnake
40	Water	Biya
41	What Time is it?	Sate inkalleno
42	Where Are You Going?	Inka Ganno
43	Who Are You?	Inkalle Nokosso?
44	Daughter	Akka
45	Rod; Wand; Crutch	Tinkisha
46	Those Taking Care of the Land	Laga Kokki Naumme
47	Those Who Control The Land	Laga Kokki Hakumomme
48	Sun	Wookiira;  Iikiira
49	Moon	Teera
50	Fire	Toma

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