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Basic Umbundu phrases

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Basic Umbundu phrases

Hello everyone,

Sorry that I'm writing in English, but my Portuguese is very weak (even though I can read it, on account of having studied Italian and French).

I'm from Poland and I'm quite interested in linguistics in general and African languages in particular. I've been learning some Zulu and Xhosa for a while, but what I'd _really_ like to learn is Umbundu. Firstly, Angola is such a fascinating country with such interesting history and secondly, for a language this big and this important, Umbundu is seriously understudied.

As I haven't been able to locate any materials for learning (apart from this wonderful site of course), I'd like to ask you all for help. What I need the most is just the basic everyday phrases (the greetings and how to answer them; how to ask and answer how somebody is; how to thank etc.). I'd be very grateful for any help.

Tua pandula!

I'm sorry, I'm really without

I'm sorry, I'm really without enough time to come to Internet this days..
anyway...


Greetings:

Walale-po ciwa? [did you sleep well? "did you have a good night?"] I guess you know the meaning of that...
hë,ndalale-po Glossary Link nda l'ove. [I did, and you?]
Wakola-po ciwa? [you are in good health?] the same...
hë,ndakola-po Glossary Link nda l'ove. [I'm in good health and you?]


Farewells

Utanya-u [utanha is the sun, but the translation can be "i wish you a Good afternoon"]
Salapo ciwa [Good Bye]
Enda-po ciwa [go well, God be with you]
Answer: Lala-po, ndapandula [recognize this word?], a kuku.

Tua pandula!

Hacimueko.