Maasai (ɔl Maa)

Maasai language is a member of the East Nilotic branch of the Nilo-Saharan language family spoken by about 1.5 million people in mainly in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. There are also some Maasai speakers in central Kenya.

Maasai is also known as Masai or Maa, and the people who speak it call it ɔl Maa. The term Maasai refers to "one who speaks the Maa language". It is closely related to Samburu, Chamus and Parakuyu, which are also spoken in Kenya and Tanzania, and are collectively known as Maa languages, along with Maasai.

Maasai is written with the Latin script. It is taught in schools to some extent, though the languages of instruction are Swahili and English. There is a Maasai dictionary, a Maasai translation of the Bible, and a few other publications, but generally the language is not used in writing very much.

Maasai pronunciation

Maasai alphabet and pronunciation

Notes

In some text sh may be written ch, ŋ as ng, b as mb, d as nd, wu as ww, and yi as yy.

Tone indication

á = rising tone
a = level tone
à = low tone
â = falling tone

Download an alphabet chart for Maasai (Excel)

Sample text

Iyiolo iltung’anak pooki naa ketoiwuoki naa kenare enkishui o sipat. Naa kenare nikiyanyit irkulikae enaa ilalashera.

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Source: https://www.ohchr.org/en/human-rights/universal-declaration/translations/maa

Information about Maasai | Numbers

Links

Information about Maasai
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maasai_language
https://www.langcen.cam.ac.uk/resources/langm/maasai.html
http://www.uoregon.edu/~maasai
https://africageographic.com/stories/an-introduction-to-maa-language-maasai-samburu-people/

Maasai courses
https://www.livelingua.com/courses/Maasai

Online Maa (Maasai) dictionary
https://pages.uoregon.edu/maasai/Maa%20Lexicon/index-english/main.htm

Nilotic languages

Acholi, Adhola, Alur, Anuak, Ateso, Bari, Belanda Bor, Datooga, Dholuo, Dinka, Dongotono, Kakwa, Karamojong, Keiyo, Kipsigis, Kupsabiny, Lango (South Sudan), Lango (Uganda), Lopit, Lotuko, Maasai, Mandari, Markwet, Nandi, Nuer, Terik, Toposa, Turkana

Page last modified: 17.09.24

[top]


Green Web Hosting - Kualo

You can support this site by Buying Me A Coffee, and if you like what you see on this page, you can use the buttons below to share it with people you know.

 

The Fastest Way to Learn Korean with KoreanClass101

If you like this site and find it useful, you can support it by making a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or by contributing in other ways. Omniglot is how I make my living.

 

Note: all links on this site to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.fr are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission if you click on any of them and buy something. So by clicking on these links you can help to support this site.

[top]

iVisa.com