The Kunama language is categorized under the Nilo-Saharan family and is spoken by less than 260,000 population living both in Eritrean and Tigrai.
The language has several dialects including: Barka, Marda, Aimara, Odasa, Tika, Lakatakura, Sokodasa, Takazze-Setit and Tigray.
There have been some use of the Kunama language in publications. “The first Bible translation product in Kunama was the Gospel of Mark prepared by Andersson and published in 1906.”
Consonants
| Labial | Alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Glottal | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stop | voiceless | t | tʃ | k | ||
| voiced | b | d | dʒ | g | ||
| Fricative | f | s | ʃ | (h) | ||
| Nasal | m | n | ɲ | ŋ | ||
| Rhotic | r | |||||
| Lateral | l | |||||
| Approximant | w | j | ||||
- /h/ is only of marginal status.
- /k, ɡ/ are labialized as [kʷ, ɡʷ] after back vowels.
- /k/ is heard as aspirated [kʰ] in syllable-initial position.
Vowels
| Front | Central | Back | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close | i iː | (ɨ) | u uː |
| Mid | e eː | (ə) | o oː |
| Open | a aː |
- /i, e/ can be heard as [ɨ, ə] when in unstressed syllable position.
Some Kunama words with English translation
| # | English | Kunama |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hello | Inkedino |
| 2 | Where Are You From | Inkankin Nono |
| 3 | God | Anna |
| 4 | God Bless You | Annam Eshodi |
| 5 | Tigrai is My Country | Tigrai Laganga |
| 6 | I Am Proud to be Tigraian | Tigrai dina nashama si anda gogonake |
| 7 | I Am Happy | Aba Anda Gogonake |
| 8 | What Is Your Name? | Kideya Nano? |
| 9 | Peace Be Upon You | Sulluma Emette Kisha |
| 10 | Tooth | Mayya |
| 11 | Behave | Adaba |
| 12 | I Like This Music | Ananenasi Anda Nameyke |
| 13 | Understand? | Bina? |
| 14 | Round | Gugula |
| 15 | Fear | Kalia |
| 16 | To Chew | Kayo |
| 17 | Tongue | Nela |
| 18 | You Are Beautiful | Anda Kelake |
| 19 | Happy | Gogoda |
| 20 | Man | Abisha / Adda |
| 21 | Woman | Darka / Kisha |
| 22 | Strong | Gudurta |
| 23 | Dancing | Kubula Ba |
| 24 | I Am Handsome | Aba Deda Tokoma |
| 25 | I | Aba |
| 26 | You Are Welcome | Tagama Kosimme |
| 27 | Elbow | Ukunkula |
| 28 | Hand; Arm | Kona |
| 29 | One | Ella |
| 30 | Chin; Beard | Goma |
| 31 | I have Many Cows | Aba Aila Fauda Na-ina-ke |
| 32 | Can You please Help Me? | Shonki Adadina Tori? |
| 33 | White (color) | Aroro |
| 34 | Father | Ewwa |
| 35 | Mother | Enenga |
| 36 | Yes | Ye |
| 37 | No | Ayya |
| 38 | Please | Tori |
| 39 | Tigrai Has 6 Main Languages | Tigrai Gele Dinise kōntállê Kinnake |
| 40 | Water | Biya |
| 41 | What Time is it? | Sate inkalleno |
| 42 | Where Are You Going? | Inka Ganno |
| 43 | Who Are You? | Inkalle Nokosso? |
| 44 | Daughter | Akka |
| 45 | Rod; Wand; Crutch | Tinkisha |
| 46 | Those Taking Care of the Land | Laga Kokki Naumme |
| 47 | Those Who Control The Land | Laga Kokki Hakumomme |
| 48 | Sun | Wookiira; Iikiira |
| 49 | Moon | Teera |
| 50 | Fire | Toma |
