Introduction

 

This practical dictionary is designed as a tool in the promotion of the Sango language, and as a reference guide for those who desire to write Sango correctly. The Sango entries are written following the official orthography as decreed in 1984. Although this dictionary is not exhaustive, it contains the most frequently used Sango words and idiomatic expressions.

Because each Sango entry has a French, English and German equivalent, this dictionary can be used as an aid to learning Sango, French, English or German.

The Sango alphabet contains the following 22 letters, all of which are also used in the French, English and German alphabets:

a b _ d e f g h i _ k l m n o p _ r s t u v w _ y z

The letters c, j, q and x, though not part of the Sango alphabet, are nevertheless used in loan words and in proper nouns.

The official orthography of a given word may be followed by an alternate acceptable pronunciation indicated in brackets: môlengê [mêlengê] "child". Cross-references are marked by (see...) and may clicked upon to follow the link.

Homonyms are listed separately: 1 längö "sleep" 2 längö "day".

Plural nouns and conjugated verbs are listed under their singular or infinitive verb forms. Therefore "anzere" ("it's delicious") and "âwâlï" ("women") may be found as "nzere" ("to be delicious") and "wâlï" ("woman").