Embu, also known as Kîembu, is a Bantu language of Kenya. It is spoken by the Embu people, also known as the Aembu (sg. Muembu). Speakers of the Embu language can also be found in neighboring districts/counties and in the diaspora.

Embu
Kiembu
Native toKenya
RegionEastern Province, Embu District
EthnicityEmbu, runyejes people
Native speakers
320,000 (2009 census)[1]
Dialects
  • Mbeere
  • Embu proper
Language codes
ISO 639-3ebu
Glottologembu1241
E.52[2]

The language is closely related to the Kikuyu and Kimeru languages.

Dialects

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Embu has two known dialects; Mbeere (Mbere, Kimbeere) and Embu proper.[1][3] Native Embu speakers can also tell apart a speaker from areas close to Mount Kenya, because they speak with a slight dialect locally called Kiruguru (Kirũgũrũ).

Sample Translations

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Sample translations of words from English to Kiembu. Note: Accented characters or diacritical mark are not shown[why?] in the following two tables.

English Kiembu
mouth kanyua
eye; eyes ritho; metho
head; heads kiongo; ciongo
hair njuiri (no plural)
tooth; teeth igego; magego
tongue; tongues rurimi; irimi
nose; noses inyiuru; manyiuru
ear; ears gutu; matu
neck; necks ngingo (no plural)
hand; hands njara (no plural)
throat; throats mumero; mimero
breast; breasts nyondo
arm; arms kivi;ivi
claw; claws ngunyu
nail; nails ngunyu
leg; legs kuguru; maguru
foot; feet kuguru; maguru or gitende; itende
buttock; buttocks itina; matina
belly, stomach nda, ivu
navel ikonye
intestines mara
blood nthakame
urine mathugumo
bone; bones ivindi; mavindi
skin ngothi
wing; wings ithagu; mathagu
feather; feathers ivuta; mavuta
school cukuru
church kanitha
horn; horns ruvia; ivia, mvia
tail; tails mukia; mikia
human being(s)/person(s) mundu; andu
man; men mundu murume; andu arume
woman; women mutumia; atumia or mundu muka; andu aka
husband; husbands muthuri; athuri
child; children mwana; ciana
name; names riitwa; mariitwa
sky matu/iguru
night utuku
moon mweri
sun riua
wind ruvuvo
cloud; clouds itu; matu
dew ime
rain mbura
ground nthi
sand muthanga
path/road gacira/njira
water manji or mai
stream/river karunji/runji
sweat nthithina
hill/mountain karima/kirima
house; houses nyomba
fire mwaki
firewood ruku (singular); nguu (plural)
smoke ndogo
ash muu
knife; knives kaviu; tuviu
rope; ropes mukanda; mikanda
spear; spears itumu; matumu
war mbaara
animal; animals nyamu
meat nyama
dog; dogs ngui
elephant; elephants njogu
goat; goats mburi
bird; birds giconi; iconi
tortoise nguru
snake njoka
fish nthamaki
louse; lice muthui; mithui
egg; eggs itumbi; matumbi
tree; trees muti; miti
bark ikoni

                                                    

English Kiembu
lake/sea/ocean iria
lakes/seas/oceans maria
leaf; leaves ithangu; mathangu
root; roots muri; miri
salt cumbi
oil/fat maguta
hunger(general)  ng’aragu
hunger for meat  ngumba
iron (metal) cuma
one Imwe
two Igiri
three Ithatu
four Inya
five Ithano
six Ithathatu or Ithanthatu
seven Mugwanja
eight Inyanya
nine Kenda
ten Ikumi
come uka
send tuma
walk thii
fall gua
leave uma
fly guruka
pour iturura
strike ringa
bite ruma
to strike kugoma
wash (tr.) thambia
split atura
give va
steal iia
squeeze vivinya
cultivate rima
bury (tr.) thika
burn (tr.) vivia
eat ria
drink nyua
vomit I tavika
vomit II mataviko
suck I onga
suck II onga
spit (saliva) tua
blow (on) vuva
swell imba
give birth ciara
die kua
kill uraga
push tindika
pull gucia
sing ina
play (game) thaaka
be afraid itigire
want enda
say uga
smell (something) nungira
see ona
show onia
hear igua
know menya
count tara
advice utaro
advise taara

Sample Phrases

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English Kiembu Gĩkũyũ Kiswahili
How are you? Ũvoro waku? or Kũvana atĩa? Ũhoro waku? or Kũhana atĩa? Habari yako? or U hali gani?
(Please) give me some water Mve/mva maĩ. or Ngundia maĩ. He maĩ. Tafadhali nipe maji. or Naomba unipe maji.
How are you doing? Wi mwaro? Ũrĩ mwega? or Wi mwega? Uko mzima? or U hali gani?
I am hungry. Nĩ mũvũtu. Ndĩ mũhũtu. (Mimi) niko na njaa.
Help me. Ndethia. Ndeithia. Nisaidie.
I am good. Nĩ mwaro. Ndĩ mwega. Sijambo or Mimi mzima.
Are you a friend? Wĩ mũrata? Wĩ mũrata? Wewe ni rafiki?
Bye, be blessed. Tigwa na wega. or Tigwaa na thayũ. Tigwo na wega. or Tigwo na thaayũ. Kwaheri, na ubarikiwe.
I love you. Nĩngwendete. Nĩngwendete. (Mimi) nakupenda.
Come here. Ũka ava. or Ũkava. Ũka haha. Njoo hapa.
I will phone you. Nĩngũkũvũrĩra thimũ. Nĩngũkũhũrĩra thimũ. Nitakupigia simu.
I am blessed. Nĩmũrathime. Ndĩmũrathime. (Mimi) nimebarikiwa.
God is good. Ngai ni mwaro. Ngai ni mwega. Mungu ni mwema.
Give me some money. Mve mbeca. or Mva mbia. He mbeca. Nipe pesa.
Stop the nonsense. Tiga wana. or Tigana na ũrimũ. Tiga wana. Wacha upuuzi.
You are educated. Wi műthomű. Wi műthomű. Umeelimika (umesoma sana).

References

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  1. ^ a b Embu at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
  3. ^ The Harmonization and Standardization of Kenyan Languages: Orthography and Other Aspects. CASAS. 2012.