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 to | Kenya |
| Region | Eastern Province, Embu District |
| Ethnicity | Embu, runyejes people |
Native speakers | 320,000 (2009 census)[1] |
Niger–Congo?
| |
| Dialects |
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | ebu |
| Glottolog | embu1241 |
E.52[2] | |
The language is closely related to the Kikuyu and Kimeru languages.
Dialects
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
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
| 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). |