
Talking in Nkwen Language – Mǝ̀bòŋnǝ̀nǝ̀
Talking in Nkwen Language Mǝ̀bòŋnǝ̀nǝ̀
1. Mǝ̀tsὲ’ὲtənǝ̀: Common Greetings
Titles
- Ndə̀ – Madam/Sir ( short form of Ndə-ŋwa’arə̀ – Teacher or Instructor)
- Mma, Mabrә – mother
- Әtàà – Father
- Ndәmә wà – my brother/sister
- Ndì/Ndiwì – older sibling/relative
- Muwì – younger sibling/relative
- Tanka wà – my friend
- Ndә̀ – Instructor
a) Yǐ nshiˀinә̌ – Welcome
- Yǐ nshiˀinә̌ – À a (Ndə) Yes (Madam/Sir)
- Bù yǐ (lo) (You are welcome. Pl.) – À a (Ndə)̀. Yes Madam/Sir.
- Ò yìi (You are welcome. Sg. ) – À a. (Title or Name)
- A bù yǐ nshiˀinә̌. (You are welcome. Pl.) – À a. Mәyà. Yes. Thanks.
- Yǐ nshiˀinә̌ (Name): Mma, Mabrә – Welcome Mother
- Әtàà – Father
- Ndәmә wà – my brother/sister
- Muwì – younger sibling/relative
- Ndì/Ndiwì – older sibling/relative
- Tanka wà – my friend
- Ndә̀ – Instructor
Ǹjwelǎ? – Good morning
- Ǹjwelǎ – Ǹjwelǎ Good morning
- Ǹjwelǎ – À a. Ǹjwelǎ (Name) Yes. Good morning
- Ǹjwe zù lǎ/zinә lǎ Good morning to all/us – À a. Ǹjwelǎ (Name). Yes. Good morning, (name/title).
- Ǹjwelǎ (Name/title): Mma, Mabrә – mother
- Әtàà – Father
- Ndәmә wà – my brother/sister
- muwì – younger sibling/relative
- Ndì/Ndiwì – older sibling/relative
- Ndә̀ – Instructor
- Tanka wà – my friend
C. Ò zǐ? Good afternoon
- Ò zǐ – À a
- Bù zǐ – À a Ndə̀. Yes Madam/Sir.
- Ò zǐ – À a. Ò bǔ. Yes. Welcome back
- Ò zǐ (Name/title): Mma, Mabrә – mother
- Әtàà – Father
- Ndәmә wà – my brother/sister
- muwì – younger sibling/relative
- Ndì/Ndiwì – older sibling/relative
- Ndә̀ – Instructor
- Tanka wà – my friend
d. Ò bǔ? – Welcome back.
- Ò bû (welcome back sg.) – À a.
- Bù bû(welcome back pl.) – À a Ndə̀. Yes Madam/Sir.
- Ò bû(welcome back sg.) – À a. (Ò zǐ ?) Yes. (Good afternoon)
- Ò bû (Name): Mma, Mabrә – mother
- Әtàà – Father
- Ndәmә wà – my brother/sister
- muwì – younger sibling/relative
- Ndì/Ndiwì – older sibling/relative
- Ndә̀ – Instructor
- Tanka wà – my friend
e) Bù sa’à kə̀? How are you doing?
- Bù sa’à kə̀? How are you? Pl. – Bì bonə/Bì dzwi nshi’ìnǝ̌, We are fine, (Kə̀ sà’a bù lə?) and you?
- Ò sa’à kə̀? How are you? sg. – Mə̀ bonə/ Mə̀ ndzwi nshi’ìnǝ̌, I’m well, (Kə̀ sà’a bù lə?) and you?
- Bù sa’à kə̀? (name/Title): Mma, Mabrә – mother
- Әtàà – Father
- Ndәmә wà – my brother/sister
- muwì – younger sibling/relative
- Ndì/Ndiwì – older sibling/relative
- Ndә̀ – Instructor
- Tanka wà – my friend
f. Fəlye fwo/fu. Good night
Fəlye fwo/fu – À a. Fəlye (la). Yes. Good night.
Fəlye fwo/fu. – À a, nə fwo. Yes. Good night.
Fəlye fwo (Name/title): Mma, Mabrә – mother
- Әtàà – Father
- Ndәmә wà – my brother/sister
- muwì – younger sibling/relative
- Ndì/Ndiwì – older sibling/relative
- Ndә̀ – Instructor
- Tanka wà – my friend Talking in Nkwen Language Mǝ̀bòŋnǝ̀nǝ̀
g. A bәla? – How are you?
- A bәla? How are you? – A boŋə̀/ I’m fine
- A bәla? (title): Mma, Mabrә – How are you mother?
- Әtàà – Father
- Ndәmә wà – my brother/sister
- muwì – younger sibling/relative
- Ndì/Ndiwì – older sibling/relative
- Ndә̀ – Instructor
- Tanka wà – my friend
- Ò bәla? How are you? – Mə̀ ndzwi nshi’ìnə̀/ I’m fine.
- ǝ̀boo bi bәla? How are the children? – Bwodzwi nshi’ìnə.̀ They are well.
- Bә̀lә̀mә bwo bәla? How are your siblings? – Bwo dzwi nshi’ìnə.̀
- Bә̀ (Name) bәla? How are the children? – Bwodzwi nshi’ìnə.̀
- Mma wwo ̀̀ bәla? How is your mother? – À dzwi nshi’ìnə̀. She is well.
- Әtàa wwo ̀̀ bәla? How is your father? – À dzwi nshi’ìnə̀. He is well.
- Mma wwo ̀̀ bwo Әtàa wwò̀ bәla? How are your mother and father? – Bwodzwi nshi’ìnə.̀
h. Məyà wwò/wwu. Thank you.
- Məyà wwò. Thank you. sg. – À a. / À a, nə wwò. Yes, thank you too.
- Məyà wwu. Thank you. pl. – À a Mma/ǝtàà, etc. Yes, mother/father
- Məyà wwò (Name): Mma, Mabrә – mother
- Әtàà – Father
- Ndәmә wà – my brother/sister
- muwì – younger sibling/relative
- Ndì/Ndiwì – older sibling/relative
- Ndә̀ – Instructor
- Tanka wà – my friend
i. Ò/bù dzwi nshiˀinә̀? Are you well?
Ò dzwi nshiˀinә̀ /Bù dzwi nshiˀinә̀? – À a. Yes. / Ngaŋǝ. No.
-Ngaŋǝ. Mǝ̀ mbikakǝ nshi’inǝ̀ dzwi. No. I am not well.
-Ngaŋǝ. Bì bikakǝ nshi’inǝ̀ dzwi. No. We are not well.
Ò dzwi nshiˀinә̀? (Name/title): Mma, Mabrә – mother
- Әtàà – Father
- Ndәmә wà – my brother/sister
- muwì – younger sibling/relative
- Ndì/Ndiwì – older sibling/relative
- Ndә̀ – Instructor
- Tanka wà – my friend
Short conversation
Ò dzwi nshiˀinә̀ Ngu’u? – Ngaŋǝ. Mǝ̀ mbikakǝ nshi’inǝ̀ dzwi.
A zaŋǝ adi’i kǝ zhǝ? – Abwo za zaŋǝ.
Are you well Ngu? – No, I am not well.
What is hurting you? – My hand hurts/ pains.
j. Mə tsὲ’ὲtə̀ wwo/wwu
-Mə tsὲ’ὲtə̌ Greetings – À a. Yes./À a. A bə la?
-Mə tsὲ’ὲtə̌ wwò Greetings to you sg. – À a. A bə la? Yes. How are you?
-Mə tsὲ’ὲtə̌ wwu Greetings to you pl.
-Mə tsὲ’ὲtə̌ (Name): Mma, Mabrә – mother
- Әtàà – Father
- Ndәmә wà – my brother/sister
- muwì – younger sibling/relative
- Ndì/Ndiwì – older sibling/relative
- Ndә̀ – Instructor
- Tanka wà – my friend
Mǝ̀bòŋnǝ̀nǝ̀ – Conversation
- Ngǝmǝ̀nyi : Njwelǎ ǝ̀taa.
- Әtàà Azε’ε: À a moo wwa. Abǝla?
- Ngǝmǝ̀nyi: Aboŋǝ̀
- Әtàà Azε’ε : ǝtaa wwò bwo mma wwò dzwi nshi’inǝ̀?
- Ngǝmǝ̀nyi : A a, ǝ̀taa.
- Әtàà Azε’ε : Bǝ̀lǝ̀mǝ bwo mbǝ̀ la?
- Ngǝmǝ̀nyi : Bwo dzwi nshi’ine Әtàà.
- Әtàà Azε’ε : Tsε’εtǝ̀ wwa mba.
- Ngǝmǝ̀nyi : Ò la. Fǝlyǝ fwo. (Ò la – ok)
- Әtàà Azε’ε : Nǝ fwo.
Related:
- Nkwen Language Lessons And Podcast
- Speaking in Nkwen Language
- Gospel Readings in Nkwen Language For Year B
- Audio Visual Version Of The Nkwen Language Handbook
- https://youtube.com/c/TaminangThereseN
Talking in Nkwen Language