Bena (Kibena)

Bena is a Northeast Bantu language spoken by about 600,000 Wabena people in southern Tanzania, particularly in the Njombe District in the south of the Iringa Region.

Bena is known as Kibena, Hibena, Ikibena or Ekibena. Dialects include Ilembula, Kilavungi, Kinamanga, Lupembe, Masakati, Masitu, Maswamu, Mavemba, Ngaveeta, Nyikolwe, Sovi, Twangabita and Ulanga.

A way to write Bena with the Latin alphabet was developed in the early 20th century by German missionaries. Various other othographies have been used, and the current one was created in the early 21st century.

Bena alphabet and pronunciation

Bena alphabet and pronunciation

Download an alphabet chart for Bena (Excel)

Sample videos in Bena

Information about Bena | Numbers

Links

Information about Bena
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bena_language
https://www.ethnologue.com/language/bez/
https://lughayangu.com/bena
https://tanzaniascripture.com/languages/bena/
https://scholarship.rice.edu/handle/1911/70359

Bantu languages

Bangi, Basaa, Bemba, Bena, Benga, Bhaca, Bube, Bukusu, Bulu, Central Teke, Chichewa, Chokwe, Chuwabu, Comorian, Digo, Duala, Eton, Ewondo, Fang, Ganda/Luganda, Gogo, Gusii, Gwere, Haya, Hehe, Herero, Ibinda, Ikizu, Ikoma, Jita, Kamba, Kiga, Kikuyu, Kimbundu, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Kisi, Kogo, Kongo, Konjo, Koti, Kukuya, Kunda, Kuria, Lambya, Lingala, Loma, Lozi, Luba-Katanga, Luchazi, Lunda, Luvale, Makaa, Makonde, Makhuwa, Mandekan, Maore, Masaaba, Mbukushu, Mbunda, Mende, Mongo, Mushungulu, Mwani, Nambya, Nande, Ngoni, Nkore, North Teke, Northern Ndebele (South Africa), Northern Ndebele (Zimbabwe), Northern Sotho, Nyamwezi, Nyakyusa, Nyemba, Nyole, Nyungwe, Nzadi, Oroko, OshiWambo, Pagibete, Punu, Ronga, Safwa, Sena, Sengele, Shona, Soga, Songe, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Sukuma, Swahili, Swati, Tanga, Tembo, Tonga, Tshiluba, Tsonga, Tswa, Tswana, Tumbuka, Umbundu, Venda, Vwanji, Xhosa, Yao, Yasa, Zigula, Zinza, Zulu

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page created: 24.05.23. Last modified: 24.05.23

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