Fang language

Not to be confused with Fang language (Cameroon).

Fang
Pangwe
Native to	Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, and Cameroon
Ethnicity	Fang people
Native speakers	1 million (2006–2013)
Language family	Niger–Congo Atlantic–Congo Benue–Congo Southern Bantoid Bantu (Zone A) Beti Fang
Dialects	Southwest Fang
Language codes
ISO 639-2	fan
ISO 639-3	fan
Glottolog	fang1246
Guthrie code	A.75,751

Fang /ˈfɒŋ/ is the dominant Bantu language of Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. It is related to the Bulu and Ewondo languages of southern Cameroon. Fang is spoken in northern Gabon, southern Cameroon, and throughout Equatorial Guinea. This language is used in the song Zangalewa which Shakira sampled in her song, "Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)" as a tribute to African music.

There are many different variants of Fang in Gabon and Cameroon. Maho (2009) lists Southwest Fang as a distinct language. The other dialects are Ntumu, Okak, Make, Atsi (Batsi), Nzaman (Zaman), Mveny.

Common phrases for the Oyem area of northern Gabon include:

• Hello (for one person) = M'bolo
• Hello (for many people) = M'bolani
• Response = Am'bolo; Am'bolani
• How are you? = Y'o num vah?
• response = M'a num vah
• Where are you going = Wa kuh vay?
• I'm going home = Ma kuh Andah
• I'm going to school = Ma ke see-kolo
• I'm going for a walk = Ma ke ma woolou
• I'm hungry = Ma woh zeng
• I'm sick = Ma kwan
• I understand French = Ma wok Flacci
• I don't understand Fang = Ma wok ki Fang
• I don't speak Fang = Ma kobe ki Fang
• What did you say = Wa dzon ah dzeh?
• I said... = Ma dzon ah...
• Holy cow! = A tara dzam!
• I want to eat = Ma cuma adji
• Thank you = Akiba

See also

• Beti-Pahuin

External links

• http://monefang.com/dico/dico.php
• http://www.guinea-ecuatorial.info/Vocabulario_Castellano_Fang_Catala.html Vocabulario castellano-fang-catalán online
• Bantulanyi
• PanAfriL10n page on Beti (incl. Fang)
• http://www.dicts.info/1/fang.php