Teach yourself Luganda

Teach yourself Luganda

By Margaret Nankinga

2021

INTRODUCTION Learning a new language increases your connectivity in today’s world because “In today’s interconnected world, the ability to speak multiple languages and communicate across linguistic divides is a critical skill. Even partial knowledge of more than one language is beneficial. (Salzburg Global Statement 586- Multilingual World) • So, this is an opportunity to increase your connectivity by teaching yourself Luganda.

• Luganda, also known as Ganda or Oluganda [lug] is a Bantu language of Central Uganda, belonging to the Niger- Congo Bantu language family. It is spoken by over 6,564,750 L1 and L2 users within Uganda (Ethnologue).The language is also spoken in the Kagera region of Tanzania, Busia, Malaba and Bungoma in Kenya and Rwanda as a language of business.

• These lessons are aimed at enabling the reader understand and be able to construct simple sentences in Luganda, speak and understand the language.

•

Luganda vowel sounds (Double click on the voice symbols and listen)

Aa Ee Ii Oo Uu Luganda Long vowel sounds aa ee ii oo uu

The vowels are also the shortest syllables in Luganda.

The language alphabet has two semi vowels; Ww and Yy Margaret Nankinga

Luganda consonants/ syllable sounds Luganda consonants derive sound from vowels that is why they are called ‘Ensirifu’ meaning soundless.

The Luganda consonants are WYCHηBPVFMDTLRNZSJG K ny and nÿ When you combine a consonant with a vowel you get a syllable. Below are the consonant – vowel (CV) syllables in Luganda; (click twice to listen to the sounds) Wa Ya Ca

We Ye Ce

wi Yi Ci

wo

wu

Yo

Yu

Co

Cu

© Margaret Nankinga

Luganda consonants/ syllable sounds (cont’d) Da De Ta Te La Le Ra Re Na Ne Ni Za Ze Sa Se Ja Je Ga Ge Ka Ke Nya Nye Nÿa Nÿe

Di Ti Li Ri Zi Si Ji Gi Ki Nyi -

Do To Lo Ro No Zo So Jo Go Ko Nyo Nÿo

Du Tu Lu Ru Nu Zu Su Ju Gu Ku Nyu Nÿu

Monosyllabic words • In some instances, the Consonant- vowel (CV) syllables are full words. Examples: • Bo - Them • Si - Not • Ka - Home • Ki - What • Ta - Let go/ Release • Mu - In

Sounding Luganda consonants Luganda consonants derive sound from vowels. In Luganda, a consonant cannot be a syllable unless combined with a vowel.

The Luganda consonants are WYCHηBPVFMDTLRNZSJG K ny and nÿ When you combine a consonant with a vowel you get a syllable. These are the consonant – vowel (CV) sylabbles; (click twice to listen to the sounds) Wa Ya Ca

We Ye Ce

wi Yi Ci

wo

wu

Yo

Yu

Co

Cu

• • • • • • •

•

Ha ηa Ba Pa Va Fa Ma

He ηe Be Pe Ve Fe Me

Hi ηi Bi Pi Vi Fi Mi

Ho ηο Bo Po Vo Fo Mo

Hu ηu Bu Pu Vu Fu MU

© Margaret Nankinga

• • • • • • •

•

Ha ηa Ba Pa Va Fa Ma

He ηe Be Pe Ve Fe Me

Hi ηi Bi Pi Vi Fi Mi

Ho ηο Bo Po Vo Fo Mo

Hu ηu Bu Pu Vu Fu MU

© Margaret Nankinga

Sounding Luganda consonants Luganda consonants derive sound from vowels. In Luganda, a consonant cannot be a syllable unless combined with a vowel.

The Luganda consonants are WYCHηBPVFMDTLRNZSJG K ny and nÿ When you combine a consonant with a vowel you get a syllable. These are the consonant – vowel (CV) sylabbles; (click twice to listen to the sounds) Wa Ya Ca

We Ye Ce

wi Yi Ci

wo

wu

Yo

Yu

Co

Cu

Nasal- consonant -vowel syllables Luganda has nasals; M, N η.

Nasals are sometimes combined with consonants and vowels to make syllables.

Nasal M is only combined with bilabial consonant b and p. Nasal N is combined with consonants k,t,d,g.s.j,v, f, z.

Nasal η is never combined with any other consonant.

• When you combine a nasal with another consonant and vowel you get a syllable.

Letters l, r, h are never combined with any nasal.

• Mpa Mpe Mpi Mpo Mpu • Mba Mbe Mbi Mbo Mbu • Nsa Nse Nsi nso nsu • Nka Nke nki Nko Nku • Nta Nte Nti Nto Ntu • Nga Nge Ngi ngo ngu • Nca Nce nci nco ncu

Nasal- consonant- vowel syllables cont’d • • • • •

Nva Nfa Nda Nza Nja

nve nvi nfe nfi nde ndi nze nzi nje nji

nvo nfo ndo nzo njo

nvu nfu ndu nzu nju

© Margaret Nankinga

Double consonant syllable sounds In Luganda consonants are doubled to make strong sound. However, double consonants do not make a syllable unless combined with a vowel. Semi vowels; W Y are never doubled. Consonants; H, L and R are also never doubled.

Listen to the double consonants syllable sounds: Cca Cce Cci Cco Ccu ηηa Bba Ppa Vva Ffa Mma

ηηe Bbe Ppe Vve Ffe Mme

ηηi Bbi Ppi Vvi Ffi Mmi

ηηo Bbo Ppo Vvo Ffo Mmo

ηηu Bbu Ppu Vvu Ffu Mmu

© Margaret Nankinga

Dda Tta Nna Zza Ssa Jja Gga Kka

Dde Tte Nne Zze Sse Jje Gge Kke

Ddi Tti Nni Zzi Ssi Jji Ggi Kki

Ddo Tto Nno Zzo Sso Jjo Ggo Kko

Ddu Ttu Nnu Zzu Ssu Jju Ggu Kku © Margaret Nankinga

Monosyllabic ccv words/ sentences • Some double consonants- vowel (ccv) syllables are full words and some are full sentences.

• Examples: • Bba – Steal • Bba - Her husband • Ffu – It is dead.

• Dda - Come back.

• Tta – Kill • Zza – Bring back • Ssa - Put down or breath • Jjo – Yesterday • Kka – Come down.

- When? © Margaret Nankinga • Ddi

Consonant- semi vowel- vowel syllables

Nasal- consonant- semi vowel- vowel syllables In Luganda, the longest syllable comprises of different letters comprises of a nasal, consonant, semi vowel and a vowel.

Nasal m with bilabials b and p can be combined with semi vowels, w and y. When the semi vowel in the combination is w, all vowels can be applied except u and when the semi vowel is y any vowel can be applied except i.

Example Mbya Mbye Mbyo Mbyu Mbwa Mbwe Mbwi Mbwo Mpya Mpye Mpyo Mpyu Mpwa Mpwe Mpwi Mpwo

• In case of nasal n, in its combinations the y combination has an exception of vowel I and the w combination has vowel u as the exception.

• Examples • Nkya Nkye Nkyo Nkyu • Nkwa Nkwe Nkwi Nkwo • Ndya Ndye Ndyo Ndyu • Ndwa Ndwe Ndwi Ndwo • Ntya Ntye Ntyo Ntyu • Ntwa Ntwe Ntwi Ntwo

• • • • •

Nswa Ngwa Ngya Njwa Nzwa

Nswe Ngwe Ngye Njwe Nzwe

Nswi Ngwi Ngyo Njwi Nzwi

Nswo Ngwo Ngyu Njwo Nzwo

Some of thes syllables are full words and some are sentences.

Examples Nswa - White ant Mbwa - Dog Ngwa - I am falling. Ndwa – I am delaying.

Ntya - I fear.

Ndya - I am eating

• We can now start syllable combinations that form words.

• You can also follow this link to practice speaking short sentences from the lexicon.

• Try pronouncing this word Bbu + mbu + zzi = Bbumbuzzi = Wasp Try this song:

Consonant- semi vowel- vowel syllables In Luganda, the semi vowels can be combined with any consonant except l,r, v,f and h. When semi vowel w is combined with a consonant, it will be followed by any vowel except u. When semi vowel y is combined with a consonant, it will be followed by any vowel except i. Emi vowel y Cannot also be combined with s, j and z.

Examples Bwa bwe bwi bwo – Pwa pwe pwi pwo -

• • • • • • • • •

Mwa Dwa Twa Nwa Zwa Swa Jwa Gwa Kwa

Mwe Dwe Twe Nwe Zwe Swe Jwe Gwe Kwe

Mwi Dwi Twi Nwi Zwi Swi Jwi Gwi Kwi

mwo Dwo Two Nwo Zwo Swo Jwo Gwo Kwo

• • • • • • •

Bya Pya Mya Dya Tya Gya Kya

Bye Byo Pye Pyo Mye Myo Dye Dyo Tye Tyo Gye Gyo Kye Kyo

Byu Pyu Myu Dyu Tyu Gyu Kyu