# Notes on Samba Leko as spoken in Donga

Jakob Lesage

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Jakob Lesage. Notes on Samba Leko as spoken in Donga. 2020. hal-05438562

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# Notes on Samba Leko as spoken in Donga

Jakob Lesage

CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

LLACAN (Langage, Langues et Cultures d'Afrique)

INALCO (Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales)

E-mail address: jakob.lesage@gmail.com

October 2020 version

## Background notes

I compiled the following notes at the request of Ulrich Kleinewillinghöfer, who contacted me in 2016, before I left on my first field trip to collect data on Kam. The items included here are based on his word list of Kam (2015).

In May 2017, I met Prince Sambo, the son of the Chamba chief of Donga. He told me that Chamba Leko is no longer widely spoken in Donga. The speakers have massively shifted to the local variety of Jukun. A year later, together with Prince Sambo, I contacted two other people born in Donga who remembered some words. On 23-05-2018, a session with Mr. Inusa, (63 years old at the time; traditional name: *nyà gārgā*) allowed me to collect only 12 words. He was not confident enough to translate the other 27 items I tried to elicit. Two days later, Prince Sambo and Mr. Inusa introduced me to David Waziri. David Waziri was 36 years old in 2018. He was born and raised in Jos rather than in Donga, but his parents, who both grew up in Donga, raised him in the variety of Chamba Leko they spoke in Donga. All of my informants, including Prince Sambo and Mr. Inusa, were confident that David Waziri spoke the variety that I was looking for.

I wish to thank David Waziri, Prince Sambo, Mr. Inusa, and all people that I have encountered in the days that I was looking for speakers of Chamba Donga.

What follows is a short English-Chamba Donga word list with some notes and some sentences. I recorded each of these entries after the session, but I have not yet transcribed and compared the recording with these notes. I compared a sample of my words with those published in Meek (1931), and while there
are some differences, many of the words are very similar. I want to compare my data with Meek's notes and other sources on Samba Leko in more detail at a later date for a later version of this manuscript.

<table><thead><tr><td>English</td><td>Chamba Donga</td><td>Notes and example sentences</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>person</td><td>núwà</td><td>plural: nû brā; Donga people = nébrā dóngà rārā</td></tr><tr><td>man</td><td>nû vāndùwā</td><td>literally: ‘male person’ vámbrà dōŋgà rārè = group of adult males</td></tr><tr><td>woman</td><td>nû kyéndùwā</td><td>literally ‘female person’ plural: kyémbrà</td></tr><tr><td>fish</td><td>díbəá = a fish dībā = just fish</td><td>no plural</td></tr><tr><td>bird</td><td>núwà</td><td>núwàbrà = plural, but not generally used (?)</td></tr><tr><td>louse</td><td>lāwā</td><td>no plural</td></tr><tr><td>dog</td><td>yòwlá</td><td>no plural</td></tr><tr><td>animal</td><td>ānzāzā</td><td>no plural</td></tr><tr><td>bush animal</td><td>gòʔfɔ̃wbà</td><td>no plural</td></tr><tr><td>domestic animal</td><td>ānzāzā yī lībà</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>goat</td><td>vōā</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>male goat</td><td>vó vándùwà</td><td>literally ‘goat male’</td></tr><tr><td>female goat</td><td>vó kêndùwà</td><td>literally ‘goat female’</td></tr><tr><td>cow</td><td>nàáh</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>chicken</td><td>kòá</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>duck</td><td>agwagwa</td><td>Hausa borrowing</td></tr><tr><td>meat</td><td>gòwā gòw</td><td>-a may be an article</td></tr><tr><td>food (tuwo)</td><td>gbèrá</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>horn</td><td>gàsàá</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>horn of goat</td><td>vō gāsàá</td><td>literally ‘goat horn’</td></tr><tr><td>horn of cow</td><td>nāá gàasàá</td><td>literally ‘cow horn’</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><thead><tr><th>English</th><th>Chamba Donga</th><th>Notes and example sentences</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>tail</td><td>dímǎ = a tail<br>dîm = just tail</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>egg</td><td>bōràá</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>chicken egg</td><td>kō bōràá</td><td>literally ‘chicken egg’</td></tr><tr><td>feather</td><td>bíòuql = feather<br>bíôuqlà = a feather</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>slaughter</td><td>yélù = slaughtering (possibly nominalized)</td><td>ñ yélú kòá ‘slaughter a chicken!’<br>ñ yélú kò rā ‘slaughter this chicken!’<br>wā kyén dē yélú â kō rā à ‘the woman slaughtered a chicken’</td></tr><tr><td>kill</td><td>lô</td><td>ñ lǒ rā nú rè ‘kill that person!’</td></tr><tr><td>bite</td><td>lûm<br>lâm</td><td>yōuql lûm nú nîŋ à ‘the dog bit someone’</td></tr><tr><td>fly</td><td>lárâ lēāx (?)</td><td>nú à lā fətà kənə ‘a bird flew by (up)’</td></tr><tr><td>get up</td><td>zá pǒ</td><td>ì zá pǒ ‘get up!’</td></tr><tr><td>tree</td><td>tíé<br>tíyé</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>root</td><td>tiè lígrá</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>bark</td><td>tié kúlá</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>fresh bark</td><td>tié kúl bòrò à</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>dry bark</td><td>tié kúl wàrkè à</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>leaf</td><td>tié yísà</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>sand (elicited with ‘earth’)</td><td>nyá màsā</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>place (to live, to sit) (elicited with ‘earth’)</td><td>zɔŋ<br>zòŋā ‘a place’</td><td>someone’s place, or a general place, even for example a chair someone is sitting in.</td></tr><tr><td>seed</td><td>lómà<br>lómā ‘a seed’</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>grain</td><td>ǎlísà</td><td>same as general food</td></tr><tr><td>fire</td><td>làá</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><thead><tr><td>English</td><td>Chamba Donga</td><td>Notes and example sentences</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>smoke</td><td>lēʃə</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>ash</td><td>tēmā</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>groundnut</td><td>wàrà ‘a groundnut’<br>wàr</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>fat</td><td>gòw nūrā ‘meat fat’ (?)<br>nūrā<br>nūr</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>bee</td><td>nūr</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>groundnut oil</td><td>wār kí lím<br>wār kí límá</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>star</td><td>zùzùr</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>moon</td><td>sòá</td><td>sò bīrē ‘full moon, bright moon’</td></tr><tr><td>month</td><td>sō</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>sun</td><td>nyǎm làá</td><td>literally ‘day fire’, also used for ‘sunlight’</td></tr><tr><td>day</td><td>nyām</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>God</td><td>nyǎ pô</td><td>pô = ‘up’ (see zá pǒ ‘get up’)</td></tr><tr><td>cloud</td><td>léu̯</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>rain</td><td>ǔwán<br>ǔwànā ‘it’s rain’</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>night</td><td>tīgīlə̄</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>road</td><td>kpáŋ<br>kpáŋî ‘this road’<br>kpáŋ áwárə (rə) ‘that road’</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>path</td><td>kpáŋ</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>water</td><td>wòlā<br>wòl = when used in a sentence</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>river</td><td>ṁŋgbǎ</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>stream</td><td>dèrē</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>mountain</td><td>kwàl<br>kwàlə̄</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><thead><tr><td>English</td><td>Chamba Donga</td><td>Notes and example sentences</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>back of head</td><td>kwàlā<br/>kwǎl</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>hill</td><td>kwàl</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>grass</td><td>fòuqā</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>bush</td><td>fòuq</td><td>can also be used for ‘grass’</td></tr><tr><td>stone</td><td>bǎŋ<br/>bàŋā</td><td>bàŋ bírō ‘white stone’</td></tr><tr><td>white</td><td>bírō</td><td>yòuqìl bírō á ‘white dog’</td></tr><tr><td>house</td><td>līx</td><td>yì līk ‘(I’m going) home’<br/>lìuq bírō ‘white house’<br/>lìuq mâ ‘my house’<br/>gār lìuq, ‘king’s house’</td></tr><tr><td>king’s house</td><td>gàr kàrš</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>king</td><td>gàr<br/>gàrā ‘a king’</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>black</td><td>díŋrò<br/>díŋrò ā</td><td>líuq díŋrò ā ‘black house’<br/>bǎŋ díŋrò ā ‘black stone’<br/>yōuqīl díŋrò ā ‘black dog’</td></tr><tr><td>red</td><td>yáló<br/>yálóā ‘red color’</td><td>yóuqíl yálòā ‘red dog’<br/>For colors, ā always has to be<br/>added to make a sentence.<br/>Without a it is not a complete<br/>reply/sentence.</td></tr><tr><td>tall</td><td>búròā<br/>bûr (when is it used?)</td><td>nó bùrù rà vàà nyīnā ‘The tall<br/>man died yesterday.’</td></tr><tr><td>dead</td><td>vāl</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>sit</td><td>kúmà<br/>kùm sítí yúò ‘to be sitting’</td><td>kúm yúò ‘to sit down’<br/>ŋ kùm yúò ‘sit down!’</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><thead><tr><th>English</th><th>Chamba Donga</th><th>Notes and example sentences</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>standing</td><td>dí pô</td><td>literally ‘to stand up’<br>ń dí pò ‘stand up!’<br>cf. ñ zá pò ‘get up!’<br>wàkyén dì dìsī tī pò ‘the woman is standing up’<br>(nǒ kyēn dò à) dì sītī pò ‘she is standing’<br>nǒ vándùwā dì sītī pò ‘the man is standing’</td></tr><tr><td>I (1SG)</td><td>mâ<br>me<br>márà</td><td>má kùm sī tī yūò ‘I’m standing up’<br>má màsì nī ‘I did this’</td></tr><tr><td>you (2SG)</td><td>ám<br>ámdà<br>ṁ</td><td>reply to a question (= independent pronouns)<br>ṁ màsì nī ‘You did this’</td></tr><tr><td>he (3SG)<br>she (3SG)</td><td>ám<br>ṁ</td><td>nírí màsì ànē? ám ‘Who did this? He!’<br>màsì nī ‘he did this’</td></tr><tr><td>we/us (1PL)</td><td>àbó ábírà<br>àbábáà ‘ours’<br>bá</td><td>bá dì sī tī pò ‘we are standing up’<br>bá dì zā pò ‘we stood up’</td></tr><tr><td>you (2PL)</td><td>érà<br>ɛ</td><td>translated as ‘you people’<br>è zá pò ‘you stood up’</td></tr><tr><td>they (3PL)</td><td>ébâ</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>sleep</td><td>lìmā,</td><td>ì lé ô ‘lie down!’</td></tr><tr><td>hear</td><td>kî,</td><td>ìj kì kínè ‘listen!’<br>ìj kīyē? ‘did you hear?’</td></tr><tr><td>know</td><td>gàb</td><td>ìj gàb ká nè ‘know this’</td></tr><tr><td>say</td><td>bà</td><td>ìn bà ká nè ‘say this’</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><thead><tr><th>English</th><th>Chamba Donga</th><th>Notes and example sentences</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>eat</td><td>lí</td><td>ì lí ká nà ‘eat this!’<br/>ì lí kàn ‘eat this!’ (fast speech)</td></tr><tr><td>eat meat</td><td>fú ‘eat, chew’</td><td>ń fú gòuqā ‘eat meat!’</td></tr><tr><td>eat food</td><td>lí ‘eat food/tuwo’</td><td>ń lí à lìsā ‘eat food!’</td></tr><tr><td>drink</td><td>nyī</td><td>ì nyì wólá ‘drink water!’<br/>wól nyí bà ‘drinking water’</td></tr><tr><td>my grandfather</td><td>dómâ</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>my grandmother</td><td>kámâ</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>see</td><td>mbé</td><td>m bé ànēè? ‘did you see this<br/>(thing)?’<br/>ì bé nú à ‘see the bird’<br/>nú à àyé rā ‘see this bird’</td></tr><tr><td>look</td><td>yōuq</td><td>ì yòuq mágè ‘look at me’<br/>ì yòuq mákánè ‘look at me’<br/>ì yòuq nú wà (rā) → ‘look at this<br/>bird’</td></tr><tr><td>give</td><td>pí</td><td>ì pí má ‘give me’<br/>ì pí ú ká nà ‘give him’</td></tr><tr><td>swim</td><td>ʃè</td><td>ì ʃè wó lá ‘swim!’<br/>wól ʃé bà ‘swimming’</td></tr><tr><td>the fire burned</td><td>là lí</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>the man burned the house</td><td>wà ván ſáŋ dùā lìx yà</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>forest</td><td>tán<br/>tànā</td><td>tān dā kàŋā ‘the forest is big’<br/>tān dā kàŋ ʃe ‘the forest is not<br/>big’</td></tr><tr><td>walk</td><td>nyàm</td><td>nyàm ſāuqā kpàŋ ‘walking’<br/>má kpāŋ nyāmā ‘I will travel’,<br/>compare má ſàn zānā ‘I will<br/>travel’</td></tr><tr><td>come</td><td>nya<br/>nyá kónè</td><td>ì nyá wè ‘come here’<br/>ì nyá zāŋɛ̃ ‘come here’</td></tr><tr><td>husband</td><td>néb līg βè</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><thead><tr><td>English</td><td>Chamba Donga</td><td>Notes and example sentences</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>wife</td><td>kyêm (also plural)<br/>kyê</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>child</td><td>wàà</td><td>yàbèrā ‘children’</td></tr><tr><td>my child</td><td>wàmâ</td><td>yàb má bèrā ‘my children’</td></tr><tr><td>head</td><td>yíl (head of a company, head of an object)<br/>yílsè (head of a living thing)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>my head</td><td>yílmâ<br/>yílsómâ</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>your head</td><td>zòóm yílá<br/>yílámè</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>his head</td><td>zòó yíl sèrè<br/>yílù, yílúà</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>our head</td><td>yílà bā<br/>yíl sè à bābā</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>your people's head</td><td>yílébè</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>their head</td><td>yílà bà</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>bone</td><td>nīŋṣā</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>eye</td><td>núà,</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>eyeball</td><td>nú lèàŋ</td><td>lean ‘one’</td></tr><tr><td>ear</td><td>túŋ</td><td>túŋbèrà ‘ears’</td></tr><tr><td>nose</td><td>nyîwàl</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>mouth</td><td>gùṣā</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>tongue</td><td>myāl</td><td>also ‘language’</td></tr><tr><td>tooth</td><td>lák</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>hair (head)</td><td>yíl gísá ‘head hair’</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>hair (body)</td><td>ʃî gísá ‘body hair’</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>neck</td><td>gâl (general)<br/>gàlā ‘throat’</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>breast</td><td>vâm<br/>vámá ‘a breast’</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>milk</td><td>vámwòl</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><thead><tr><td>English</td><td>Chamba Donga</td><td>Notes and example sentences</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>heart</td><td>tèám yíl</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>liver</td><td>tèám</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>belly</td><td>bòuqlá<br>bōuql</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>abdomen</td><td>fīfīl</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>hand, arm</td><td>nyén<br>nyénà</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>finger</td><td>nyén wà yīl</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>finger nail</td><td>nyèn gísá ‘hair of hand’</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>palm of hand</td><td>nyèn tèám ‘liver of hand’</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>leg</td><td>dún<br>dūnā</td><td>dūmā ‘my leg’</td></tr><tr><td>toe nail</td><td>dún wà yīl gīsā<br>dùn gísá</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>sole of foot</td><td>dùn tèám</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>foot</td><td>dūn</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>knee</td><td>dùn lí gbàr</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>shift</td><td>gbàr</td><td>ìgbà dá kènè ‘shift!’</td></tr><tr><td>blood</td><td>nyà līm</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>all</td><td>kín k’mā</td><td>k is pronounced while the mouth is closed<br>k’má sōnā ‘all is good’</td></tr><tr><td>many</td><td>gbă kè</td><td>yòuql bà gbă kè ‘many dogs’</td></tr><tr><td>big</td><td>gbárò<br>dōrò ‘biggest’</td><td>yòuql gbárò ‘big dog’<br>lìgbárò ‘big house’<br>yòuql dōrò ‘biggest dog’<br>lìgbōrò ‘biggest house’<br>kyém gbárò ‘biggest woman’</td></tr><tr><td>small</td><td>fitáwà<br>fī ‘tiny, very small’</td><td>yòuql fitáwà ‘small dog’<br>lìgbítáwà ‘small house’</td></tr><tr><td>long</td><td>búrò</td><td>cf. ‘tall’</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><thead><tr><td>English</td><td>Chamba Donga</td><td>Notes and example sentences</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td rowspan="2">new</td><td>púa ‘new thing’</td><td>lìg púa ‘new house’</td></tr><tr><td>pú ‘new’</td><td>tié pùà ‘new tree’</td></tr><tr><td>dry</td><td>wàrkē</td><td>gòuq wárkéá ‘dry meat’<br/>nyámè sá wàrkéá ‘dry sand’</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">hot</td><td>pípkê</td><td>zóm pípkê ‘hot weather’<br/>wól pípkê ‘hot water’<br/>zóm pípkê ‘hot place’</td></tr><tr><td>tyàpkê</td><td>wól tyàpkê ‘cold water’<br/>zóm tyápkê ‘cold place’</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">good</td><td>swǎnkè ‘good thing’</td><td>nû swàngkèà ‘good person’<br/>líg swàngkèá ‘good house’</td></tr><tr><td>swân ‘good’</td><td>zòng swángkéá ‘good place’<br/>yóuql swàngkèá ‘good dog’</td></tr><tr><td>fool</td><td>kyěr</td><td></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">full</td><td>nyì fál ‘fullness’</td><td rowspan="2">mág nyì zā ‘full calabash’</td></tr><tr><td>nyì zâ ‘fullness’</td></tr><tr><td>calabash</td><td>mâg</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>who?</td><td>néré</td><td>néré yà sà ‘who came?’</td></tr><tr><td>what?</td><td>ní, ní ù</td><td>ní màsà ‘what happened?’</td></tr><tr><td>that</td><td>àná (far away)</td><td>ànà ò ré ‘that thing’</td></tr><tr><td>this</td><td>àné</td><td>àné kè ànà ò ré ‘this and that’</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">arrow</td><td rowspan="3">fír</td><td>fír díŋròā ‘black arrow’</td></tr><tr><td>fír bàsā bà ‘iron arrow’</td></tr><tr><td>fír swàn kè ‘good arrow’</td></tr><tr><td>stream</td><td>dèrā</td><td>also ‘fadama area’</td></tr><tr><td>witch</td><td>dérè</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>bow</td><td>tābtiē</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>quiver</td><td>gàn yíl</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>shit</td><td>gúrù</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>flour</td><td>zeām</td><td>powder, like maize flour or<br/>other flour; this is the general<br/>name</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><thead><tr><td>English</td><td>Chamba Donga</td><td>Notes and example sentences</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>fly</td><td>sâx<br/>sáuqă</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>forehead</td><td>gbísùāl</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>guinea corn</td><td>yèrā</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>mosquito</td><td>nyànyáàā</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>cook food</td><td>gá àn līsā</td><td>ŋzá gá mé à līsā ‘cook food for me’<br/>á lísá gâb ‘cooked food’<br/>wàkyén dà, gó à līsā ‘the woman, she cooked food’<br/>wà ván dò à, gó sèn à līsārè ‘it’s a boy who cooked food’</td></tr><tr><td>room</td><td>wúl<br/>wūlā</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>sheep</td><td>byárè</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>snake</td><td>bísè</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>stick</td><td>gbāsā</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>thing</td><td>án</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>something</td><td>án nîŋ</td><td>literally ‘thing one’</td></tr><tr><td>wind</td><td>ŋmwúl</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>tornado</td><td>ŋmwúl bèlbèl</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>thank you</td><td>mú gódè à</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>one</td><td>nîŋ nà</td><td>yòuql nîŋâ ‘one dog’<br/>lìg nîŋâ ‘one house’<br/>kyén nîŋâ ‘one woman’</td></tr><tr><td>two</td><td>yírá</td><td>lìg yírá ‘one house’</td></tr><tr><td>three</td><td>tórá</td><td>lìg tórá ‘three houses’</td></tr><tr><td>four</td><td>nárá</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>five</td><td>núnâ</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>six</td><td>náwǎ</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>seven</td><td>náŋ sínà</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>eight</td><td>dàwā</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><thead><tr><th>English</th><th>Chamba Donga</th><th>Notes and example sentences</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>nine</td><td>gbērī</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>ten</td><td>kúp̥</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>eleven and onward</td><td>kūb jè níŋ nà<br>kūb jè yírá<br>...</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>twenty</td><td>lá nîŋ</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>twenty one</td><td>là níŋ jè nīŋà</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>twenty two</td><td>là níŋ jè yīrā</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>thirty</td><td>lá tórá</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>forty</td><td>lá nárá</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>fifty</td><td>lá núnà</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>sixty</td><td>là náwà</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>seventy</td><td>là náŋ sínâ</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>eighty</td><td>là dàwà</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>ninety</td><td>là gbērī</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>hundred</td><td>là grì bīŋ</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>thousand</td><td>là grì bīŋ kūp̥</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

<table><tr><td>my room</td><td>wúl mâ</td><td></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">your room</td><td>wúlámè</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>zǒm wû</td><td></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">his room</td><td>zǒ wúlá</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>zǒ wû</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>wúlúà</td><td></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">our room</td><td>wúlà bâ</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>zò búū</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>your room (plural)</td><td>wúlébà</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>their room</td><td>wúlà bà</td><td></td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>build</td><td>wúl wóbǎ = building a house</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>build</td><td>wóbǎ</td><td></td></tr></table>
<table><tr><td>build a house!</td><td>nde wú lá</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>don't build a house</td><td>nde wú lǐ</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>he has built a house</td><td>wǒ rám líng yà</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>he has not built a house</td><td>wǒ líng jě</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>he has built a big house</td><td>wǒ lìng gbáròā</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>he is building a house</td><td>tílíng wō nà</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>he is not building a house</td><td>tílíng wǒ jě</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>he will build a house</td><td>dá líng wǒ nà</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>he will not build house</td><td>wǒ lǐng gā</td><td></td></tr></table>