[Vocabulary] Swadesh List Top 100

The Swadesh list is the result of linguistic researches including languages from all continents and determining the most common words used by humanity, somewhat a “universal vocab list”. Here’s the translation in Cilubà to add some words to your flashcards. 😉

Kifwebe_mask_-_Luba_-_RDC_-_Royal_Palace,_Brussels

English

Français

Cilubà

I moi mêma
You toi wêwa
we nous twêtu
this ceci eyi
that cela ayi
who? qui? nganyì?
what? quoi? cinganyì?
not pas to
all (of a number) tout -ônsu
many beaucoup -à/-a bûngì
one un ùmwà
two deux ibìdì
big gros(se) -nèna
long long(ue) -le(a)
small petit(e) -kesà
woman femme mukàjì
man homme mulùma
person personne muntu
fish poisson mushipa
bird oiseau nnyunyu
dog chien mbwa
louse pou lukùsù
tree arbre mucì
seed graine ditungù
leaf (botanics) feuille cibeji
root (botanics) racine muji
bark (of tree) écorce cipusu
skin peau dikòbà
flesh chair munyìnyi
blood sang mashi
bone os cifùbà
grease graisse dìfutà
egg œuf diyi
horn corne lusèngu
tail queue mukìla
feather plume disàlà
hair cheveux nsukì
head tête mutù
ear oreille dicì(ò)
eye œil dîsu
nose nez dyûlu
mouth bouche mukana
tooth dent dînu
tongue langue ludimi
claw griffe dìkama/luzàdi
foot pied dikàsà
knee genou cinù
hand main cyanza
belly (abdomen) ventre difù
neck (not nape!) cou nshìngù
breasts (female) poitrine mpàngà
heart cœur mucìma
liver foie mucìma
drink (verb) boire kunwà
eat (verb) manger kudyà
bite (verb) mordre kusùma
see (verb) voir kumona
hear (verb) entendre kumvwa
know (facts) savoir kumanya
sleep (verb) dormir kulala
die (verb) mourir kufwà
kill (verb) tuer kushipa
swim (verb) nager kwombela
fly (verb) voler kubùùka
walk (verb) marcher kwenda
come (verb) venir kulwa
lie (on side, recline) coucher kushima
sit (verb) asseoir kubwela
stand (verb) tenir debout kwimana shìmbàà
give (verb) donner kupeesha
say (verb)† dire kuamba
sun soleil dîba
moon lune ngondu
star étoile mùtôtù
water eau mâyi
rain pluie mvùla
stone pierre dibwa
sand sable lusenga
earth (=soil) terre buloba
cloud (not fog) nuage ditutu
smoke (noun, of fire) fumée  minshi
fire feu mudilu
ash(es) cendre(s) butù
burn (verb intr.!) brûler kwosha
path (road, trail) chemin njila
mountain (not hill) montagne mukùnà
red (colour) rouge -kùnze(a)
green (colour) vert -à/-a mâyààmatàmbà
yellow (colour) jaune -à/-a kàlaabi
white (colour) blanc -tòòka
black (colour) noir -fììka
night nuit bufùku
hot (of weather) chaud luuyà
cold (of weather) froid mashìka
full† plein -pasa
new nouveau -pya-pyà
good bon -ìmpà
round arrondi cijèngù
dry (substance!) sec -ûma
name nom dîna

[Vocabulary] Cimuma / Fruits

Obviously, to name a fruit that is not originally found in Congo, most of the time people will use the name used in the country it comes from or make a ciluba version of the french term to call it. But still, here’s a few terms.

cimuma/bimuma
fruit(s)

didima/madima
agrume(s) (citron, orange, etc.)
citrus (lime, orange, etc.)

(cimuma cya) mpoma
pomme
apple

cibòta/dibòta
banane(s)
banana(s)

dikonda/makonda
banane (s) plantain
plantain(s)

mandelenyi
mandarine

kalebefu
coeur de boeuf
custard apple

cikuyi/makuyi
figue(s)

ndingaya/mangaya
mangue(s)
mango(es)

ditondu/matondu
amande(s)
almond(s)

lungaji/nngaji
noix de palme
palm nut(s)

kabindi/tubindi, kambela/tumbela
nois d’arachide, cacahuète(s)
peanut(s)

lunyimu/nnyimu
pistache(s)
pistachio(es)

mupese
noyau
pit

luteta/nteta
pépin(s)
pip(s)

fruits

lungaji lwa coco
noix de coco
coconut

lungaji lwa nsukadi
datte
date

mbòmà
pamplemousse
grapefruit

cipapaya/dipapaya
papaye(s)
papaya(s)

cikàkà/dikàkà
ananas
pineapple(s)

kamuma/tumuma
baie(s)
berry(s)

diwoji dya nsukadi/mawoji aa nsukadi
melon(s)

-pya(e)
mûr
ripe

-bishi
vert
raw

-sheme
sucré
sweet

– a bululu
amer
bitter

-sapuluke
fade
tasteless

-a bwanji
acide
tart

[Vocabulary] Kulela/Couleurs/Colors

In Ciluba, like in many other languages, people refer to a common object to define a color, for example:

-a mayi aa mamvwa
couleur maïs / color of corn => jaune/yellow
-a mayi aa kamata
couleur tomate/ tomato color => rouge/red
-a mayi aa matàmbà/kaleji
couleur feuille de manioc / cassava leave color => vert/green

cercle-chromatique

But there are standard color names as well:

Cibundubundu

Gris Cendre / Ash grey

Kaki

Marron / Brown

Kàlaabi

Jaune / Yellow

Lubundubundu

Violet / Purple

Lumbidi

Orange

Mbùlê

Bleu / Blue

Mufika

Noir / Black

Mukùnze

Rouge / Red

Mutòòka

Blanc / White

To associate those colors with names, you have two options, according to the adjective you want to use:

  • you drop the prefix mu- and put instead the corresponding prefix, depending on the class the name is part of.
  • you add the particle -a + color

-fiike(a) = noir/black
-kùnze = rouge/red
-tòòke(a) = blanc/white
-a bùlê = bleu/blue
-a kàlaabi = jaune/yellow
-a lumbidi = orange
-a lubundubundu = violet/purple

example: ditumbu difiike
un chapeau noir/ a black hat

Biensûr, il existe des nuances:
-kùnze = rouge/red -kùnzùbìle = rougeâtre / redish
-tòòke = blanc; -tòòkòlòke = blanchâtre

[Vocabulary] Mubidi / Human Body / Le Corps Humain

mutu / mutu
tête / headlusuki / nsuki
cheveux / hair

mpala / mpala
front ou visage / forehead or face

disu / mesu
oeil-yeux/ eye(s)

dikiki / makiki
sourcil(s)/ eyebrow(s)

mukana
bouche / mouth

mushiku / mishiku
lèvre(s)/lip(s)

dinu / menu
dent(s)/ tooth-teeth

ludimi / ndimi
langue/tongue

ditama / matama
joue/cheeck

lubanga
menton/chin

dici / maci
oreille (s)/ear(s)

muminu
gorge/throat

nshingu
cou/neck

dikoshi
nuque/nape of the neck

cyadi / byadi
buste/chestdibeela / mabeela
poitrine/breast

difu
ventre/belly

mofu
nombril/belly button

nnyima
dos/back

cimono
les reins/lower back

diboku / maboku
bras/arm(s)

cyanza / byanza
main(s)/hand(s)

munu / minu
doigt(s)/finger(s)

luzadi / nzadi
ongle/nail

ditaku  / mataku
fesse(s)/buttock(s)

mukolu
jambe/leg

cinu / binu
genou/knee

dikasa / makasa
pied(s)/foot-feet

dikoba
peau/skin

Human_body
learn more body parts
sample sentences

[Vocabulary] Time / Diba / Temps

Here’s a vocabulary list with words related to time. click on the link at the bottom to find a few sample sentences.

dîba
temps / timecidimu
année/ year

ngondu, mwenji
mois / month

ditùku / matùku
jour(s) / day(s)

dîba
heure / hour

kasunsa
minute / minute

cidimu
saison / season

luuyà
été / summer (hot season)

mashika makole
hiver / winter

muvwa wa mvùla
saison des pluies / rainy season

muvwa wa mashìka
saison sèche / dry season

mààlabà, makèèlèlà mushààla
hier/yesterdayleelù
aujoud’hui / today

mààlabà, makèèlèlà
demain / tomorrow

dìndà
le matin / morning

mundaamuunyà
l’après-midi / afternoon

dilòòlù
le soir / evening

bufùku
la nuit / night

mpindyewu
maintenant/ now

pashììsha
plus tard / later

diba dyônso
n’importe quand / anytime

Cyongu (wa minanga)*
janvier / januaryLwîshi*
février / february

Lwabanya (nkasu)*
mars / march

Cisanga (nkasu)*
avril / april

Lumùngùlù*
mai / may

Kabalanshipu*
juin / june

Kashipu (nkenza)*
juillet / juillet

Cimungù (wa mashika)*
aout / august

Kabitenda*
septembre / september

Kaswamansensa*
octobre / october

Kaswàbàngà*
novembre / november

Ciswà munèna*
décembre / december

lumingu
semaine / weekdiimwe
lundi / monday

diibidi
mardi / tuesday

diisatu
mercredi / wednesday

diinayi
jeudi / thursday

diitanu
vendredi / friday

diisambombu
samedi / saturday

dyalumingu
dimanche / sunday

ndekelu wa lumingu
fin de semaine / weekend

time

*Baluba people traditionally call months by the event happening during the moon. for example Ciswa Munene, December, is the month where the big winged ants are out.

Time – Sample Sentences
Practice Counting in Ciluba

[Vocabulary] Tubalayi! / Let’s count! / Comptons!

0 cijèngù
1 ùmwà
2 ibìdì
3 isàtù
4 inaayi
5 itaanu
6 isambòmbò
7 mwandamutekèta
8 mwandamukùlù
9 citemba
10 diikùmi
11 diikùmi nè ùmwà
12 diikùmi nè ìbìdì
20 makùmi àbìdì
22 makùmi àbìdì nè ìbìdì
30 makùmi àsàtù
33 makumi asatu nè isatu
40 makùmi ànaayi
44 makùmi ànaayi nè inayi
50 makumi atanu
55 makumi atanu nè itanu
60 makùmi àsambòmbò
66 makumi asambombu nè isambombu
70 makumi mwanda muteketa
77 makumi mwanda muteketa nè mwanda muteketa
80 makumi mwanda mukulu
88 makumi mwanda mukulu nè mwanda mukulu
90 makumi citemba
99 makumi citemba nè citemba
100 lukama
101 lukama nè umwà
143 lukama nè makumi anayi nè isatu
200 nkama ibidi
201 nkama ibidi nè umwà
500 nkama itanu
1.000 cinunu
1.001 cinunu nè umwà
1.010 cinunu nè dikumi
1.111 cinunu nè lukama nè dikumi nè umwe
2.345 binunu bibidi nkama isatu makumi inayi nè itanu
10.000 binunu dikumi
20.000 binunu makumi abidi
54.321 binunu makumi atanu ne inayi nkama isatu makumi ibidi ne umwe
99.999 binunu makumi citemba ne citemba nkama citemba makumi citemba ne citemba
100.000 cishikula
1.000.000 mbombu (umwà)
2.000.000 mbombu ibidi
10.000.000 mbombu dikumi
100.000.000 mbombu lukama
1.000.000.000 citotu (cimwà)

numbers2

Note the forms mentioned there for numbers from 1 to 6, are the actual numbers, used as cardinal numeral pronouns or more commonly, nouns but used in a sentence as adverbs or adjectives, they will be modified accordingly to the nouns they follow…

ditala dimwe
un épi de maïs one corn cob
bintu bibidi
deux choses two things
bilamba bisatu
trois habits three clothes
mikanda inayi
quatre livres four books
mata atanu

 

cinq arcs five bows
tusuyu tusambombo
six haches six axes

Practice Counting in Ciluba

Sample Sentences