| Embu | |
| Nativename: | Kiembu |
| States: | Kenya |
| Region: | Eastern Province, Embu District |
| Ethnicity: | Embu, runyejes people |
| Date: | 2009 census |
| Ref: | e18 |
| Familycolor: | Niger-Congo |
| Fam2: | Atlantic–Congo |
| Fam3: | Volta-Congo |
| Fam4: | Benue–Congo |
| Fam5: | Bantoid |
| Fam6: | Southern Bantoid |
| Fam7: | Bantu |
| Fam8: | Northeast Bantu |
| Fam9: | Thagiicu |
| Fam10: | West Thagiicu |
| Fam11: | Kikuyu-Embu |
| Dia1: | Mbeere |
| Dia2: | Embu proper |
| Iso3: | ebu |
| Glotto: | embu1241 |
| Glottorefname: | Embu |
| Guthrie: | E.52 |
Embu, also known as Kîembu, is a Bantu language of Kenya. It is spoken by the Embu people, also known as the Aembu (sg. Muembu). Speakers of the Embu language can also be found in neighboring districts/counties and in the diaspora.
The language is closely related to the Kikuyu and Kimeru languages.
Embu has two known dialects; Mbeere (Mbere, Kimbeere) and Embu proper.[1] Native Embu speakers can also tell apart a speaker from areas close to Mount Kenya, because they speak with a slight dialect locally called Kiruguru (Kirũgũrũ).
Sample translations of words from English to Kiembu. Note: Accented characters or diacritical mark are not shown in the following two tables.
| English | Kiembu | |
|---|---|---|
| mouth | kanyua | |
| eye; eyes | ritho; metho | |
| head; heads | kiongo; ciongo | |
| hair | njuiri (no plural) | |
| tooth; teeth | igego; magego | |
| tongue; tongues | rurimi; irimi | |
| nose; noses | inyiuru; manyiuru | |
| ear; ears | gutu; matu | |
| neck; necks | ngingo (no plural) | |
| hand; hands | njara (no plural) | |
| throat; throats | mumero; mimero | |
| breast; breasts | nyondo | |
| arm; arms | kivi;ivi | |
| claw; claws | ngunyu | |
| nail; nails | ngunyu | |
| leg; legs | kuguru; maguru | |
| foot; feet | kuguru; maguru or gitende; itende | |
| buttock; buttocks | itina; matina | |
| belly, stomach | nda, ivu | |
| navel | ikonye | |
| intestines | mara | |
| blood | nthakame | |
| urine | mathugumo | |
| bone; bones | ivindi; mavindi | |
| skin | ngothi | |
| wing; wings | ithagu; mathagu | |
| feather; feathers | ivuta; mavuta | |
| school | cukuru | |
| church | kanitha | |
| horn; horns | ruvia; ivia, mvia | |
| tail; tails | mukia; mikia | |
| human being(s)/person(s) | mundu; andu | |
| man; men | mundu murume; andu arume | |
| woman; women | mutumia; atumia or mundu muka; andu aka | |
| husband; husbands | muthuri; athuri | |
| child; children | mwana; ciana | |
| name; names | riitwa; mariitwa | |
| sky | matu/iguru | |
| night | utuku | |
| moon | mweri | |
| sun | riua | |
| wind | ruvuvo | |
| cloud; clouds | itu; matu | |
| dew | ime | |
| rain | mbura | |
| ground | nthi | |
| sand | muthanga | |
| path/road | gacira/njira | |
| water | manji or mai | |
| stream/river | karunji/runji | |
| sweat | nthithina | |
| hill/mountain | karima/kirima | |
| house; houses | nyomba | |
| fire | mwaki | |
| firewood | ruku (singular); nguu (plural) | |
| smoke | ndogo | |
| ash | muu | |
| knife; knives | kaviu; tuviu | |
| rope; ropes | mukanda; mikanda | |
| spear; spears | itumu; matumu | |
| war | mbaara | |
| animal; animals | nyamu | |
| meat | nyama | |
| dog; dogs | ngui | |
| elephant; elephants | njogu | |
| goat; goats | mburi | |
| bird; birds | giconi; iconi | |
| tortoise | nguru | |
| snake | njoka | |
| fish | nthamaki | |
| louse; lice | muthui; mithui | |
| egg; eggs | itumbi; matumbi | |
| tree; trees | muti; miti | |
| bark | ikoni |
| English | Kiembu | |
|---|---|---|
| lake/sea/ocean | iria | |
| lakes/seas/oceans | maria | |
| leaf; leaves | ithangu; mathangu | |
| root; roots | muri; miri | |
| salt | cumbi | |
| oil/fat | maguta | |
| hunger(general) | ng’aragu | |
| hunger for meat | ngumba | |
| iron (metal) | cuma | |
| one | Imwe | |
| two | Igiri | |
| three | Ithatu | |
| four | Inya | |
| five | Ithano | |
| six | Ithathatu or Ithanthatu | |
| seven | Mugwanja | |
| eight | Inyanya | |
| nine | Kenda | |
| ten | Ikumi | |
| come | uka | |
| send | tuma | |
| walk | thii | |
| fall | gua | |
| leave | uma | |
| fly | guruka | |
| pour | iturura | |
| strike | ringa | |
| bite | ruma | |
| to strike | kugoma | |
| wash (tr.) | thambia | |
| split | atura | |
| give | va | |
| steal | iia | |
| squeeze | vivinya | |
| cultivate | rima | |
| bury (tr.) | thika | |
| burn (tr.) | vivia | |
| eat | ria | |
| drink | nyua | |
| vomit I | tavika | |
| vomit II | mataviko | |
| suck I | onga | |
| suck II | onga | |
| spit (saliva) | tua | |
| blow (on) | vuva | |
| swell | imba | |
| give birth | ciara | |
| die | kua | |
| kill | uraga | |
| push | tindika | |
| pull | gucia | |
| sing | ina | |
| play (game) | thaaka | |
| be afraid | itigire | |
| want | enda | |
| say | uga | |
| smell (something) | nungira | |
| see | ona | |
| show | onia | |
| hear | igua | |
| know | menya | |
| count | tara | |
| advice | utaro | |
| advise | taara |
| English | Kiembu | Gĩkũyũ | Kiswahili | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English: How are you? | Ũvoro waku? or Kũvana atĩa? | Kikuyu; Gikuyu: Ũhoro waku? or Kikuyu; Gikuyu: Kũhana atĩa? | Swahili: Habari yako? or Swahili: U hali gani? | |
| English: (Please) give me some water | Mve/mva maĩ. or Ngundia maĩ. | Kikuyu; Gikuyu: He maĩ. | Swahili: Tafadhali nipe maji. or Swahili: Naomba unipe maji. | |
| English: How are you doing? | Wi mwaro? | Kikuyu; Gikuyu: Ũrĩ mwega? or Kikuyu; Gikuyu: Wi mwega? | Swahili: Uko mzima? or Swahili: U hali gani? | |
| English: I am hungry. | Nĩ mũvũtu. | Kikuyu; Gikuyu: Ndĩ mũhũtu. | Swahili: (Mimi) niko na njaa. | |
| English: Help me. | Ndethia. | Kikuyu; Gikuyu: Ndeithia. | Swahili: Nisaidie. | |
| English: I am good. | Nĩ mwaro. | Kikuyu; Gikuyu: Ndĩ mwega. | Swahili: Sijambo or Swahili: Mimi mzima. | |
| English: Are you a friend? | Wĩ mũrata? | Kikuyu; Gikuyu: Wĩ mũrata? | Swahili: Wewe ni rafiki? | |
| English: Bye, be blessed. | Tigwa na wega. or Tigwaa na thayũ. | Kikuyu; Gikuyu: Tigwo na wega. or Kikuyu; Gikuyu: Tigwo na thaayũ. | Swahili: Kwaheri, na ubarikiwe. | |
| English: I love you. | Nĩngwendete. | Kikuyu; Gikuyu: Nĩngwendete. | Swahili: (Mimi) nakupenda. | |
| English: Come here. | Ũka ava. or Ũkava. | Kikuyu; Gikuyu: Ũka haha. | Swahili: Njoo hapa. | |
| English: I will phone you. | Nĩngũkũvũrĩra thimũ. | Kikuyu; Gikuyu: Nĩngũkũhũrĩra thimũ. | Swahili: Nitakupigia simu. | |
| English: I am blessed. | Nĩmũrathime. | Kikuyu; Gikuyu: Ndĩmũrathime. | Swahili: (Mimi) nimebarikiwa. | |
| English: God is good. | Ngai ni mwaro. | Kikuyu; Gikuyu: Ngai ni mwega. | Swahili: Mungu ni mwema. | |
| English: Give me some money. | Mve mbeca. or Mva mbia. | Kikuyu; Gikuyu: He mbeca. | Swahili: Nipe pesa. | |
| English: Stop the nonsense. | Tiga wana. or Tigana na ũrimũ. | Kikuyu; Gikuyu: Tiga wana. | Swahili: Wacha upuuzi. | |
| English: You are educated. | Wi műthomű. | Kikuyu; Gikuyu: Wi műthomű. | Swahili: Umeelimika (umesoma sana). |