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Learn Nobiin

Where it's spoken
Northern Sudan along the Nile, and southern Egypt around Aswan and Kom Ombo
Speakers
roughly 500,000 to 1 million
Writing system
Latin and Arabic scripts today; historically its own Old Nubian alphabet

Nobiin is the living descendant of Old Nubian, the language of the medieval Christian kingdoms of Nubia — one of the very few African languages with its own written record going back more than a thousand years. Many Nubian families were displaced by the Aswan High Dam, so learning it is closely tied to keeping that heritage alive.

What makes Nobiin different

Your first Nobiin phrases

Each phrase is written the way it's spelled, then respelled for English speakers with the stressed syllable in capitals.

Want the full list? Read the free Nobiin phrasebook with pronunciation, grab the free printable Nobiin starter kit, or compare SemaSoma with other African language apps.