Tsonga language

Tsonga
Changana
Xitsonga
Native toMozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe
RegionLimpopo, Mpumalanga
Native speakers
3.7 million (2006)
Official status
Official language in
 South Africa
Language codes
ISO 639-1ts
ISO 639-2tso
ISO 639-3tso
S.53 (S.52)[1]
Linguasphere99-AUT-dc incl. varieties 99-AUT-dca...
-dcg

Tsonga is a language of Bantu origin spoken primarily in South Africa and Mozambique. It is also known as Changana or Xangana.

Text example[change | change source]

The Lord's Prayer written in Tsonga:

Tata wa hina la nge matilweni,
vito ra wena a ri hlawuleke;
a ku te ku fuma ka wena;
ku rhandza ka wena a ku endliwe misaveni,
tanihi loko ku endliwa tilweni.
U hi nyika namuntlha vuswa bya hina bya siku rin'wana ni rin'wana;
u hi rivalela swidyoho swa hina,
tanihi loko na hina hi rivalela lava hi dyohelaka;
u nga hi yisi emiringweni,
kambe u hi ponisa eka Lowo biha,
Amen.

References[change | change source]

  1. Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online