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Dictionary structure

Noun Classes

Kimbundu noun classes help organize meaning and agreement. Use this section to browse vocabulary grouped by class and study recurring prefix patterns.

Class IAnimated beings, rational beings, people.

Prefix patterns

SingularPlural
mua
mutu – personatu – people
Open classLearn the rule
Class IIInanimate things; covers almost all trees and plants.

Prefix patterns

SingularPlural
mumi
mutue – headmitue – heads
Open classLearn the rule
Class IIIThings, and all augmentatives.

Prefix patterns

SingularPlural
kii
kima – thingima – things
Open classLearn the rule
Class IVobjects of magnitude

Prefix patterns

SingularPlural
dima
ditari – stonematari – stones
Open classLearn the rule
Class Vabstract terms

Prefix patterns

SingularPlural
umau
uta – weaponmauta – weapons
Open classLearn the rule
Class VIExtension objects

Prefix patterns

SingularPlural
lumalu
lumbu – wallsmalumbu – walls
Open classLearn the rule
Class VIIA very rare class.

Prefix patterns

SingularPlural
tumatu
tubia – firematubia – fires
Open classLearn the rule
Class VIIIVerbal nouns (infinitives).

Prefix patterns

SingularPlural
kumaku
kuria – foodmakuria – food
Open classLearn the rule
Class IXAnimals, things, people, foreign languages, etc...

Prefix patterns

SingularPlural
--ji
mbiji – fishjimbiji – fishes
Open classLearn the rule
Class XDiminutive

Prefix patterns

SingularPlural
katu
kahoji – little liontuhoji – little lions
Open classLearn the rule