Busa (Bisã)

Busa is a Mande language spoken in Benin and Nigeria by about 110,000 people. It is spoken in what used to be the Borgu Emirate in western Nigeria, and in northern Benin. In particular, Busa speakers can be found in the Borgu Local Government Area (LGA) in Niger State, in the Bagudo LGA in Kebbi State, and in the Kaiama and Baruten LGAs in Kwara state of Nigera. In Benin it is spoken in the Alibori and Borgou departments.

Busa is also known as Busa-Bisã, Busanci, Busanchi, Bussanci, Bussanchi and Zugweya, and Busa speakers call their language Bisã and themselves Busano. Busa is written with the Latin alphabet.

The Bokobaru dialect of Busa is spoken in Kaiama and Baruten LGAs in Kwara State in western Nigeria. It is also known as Bokhobaru, and is classified as a separate language in some sources.

Busa alphabet and pronunciation

Download an alphabet chart for Busa (Excel)

High tones are marked with and acute accent (´) and low tones are marked with a grave accent (`).

Details of Busa pronunciation provided by Michael Peter Füstumum

Sample text

Akũ à pìńnɛ: Tó átɛn adua kɛ, àgɔ̃ pi: Baa, ǹ tó ògɔ̃ dɔ̃ kũ n tɔ́ adona. Ǹ tó kpata kũ à bò n kĩnaa bo gupuraa.
Ǹ ó gba pɔ́ kũ ónigɔ̃ ble lákũ gu dìgɔ̃ dɔ nà.
Ǹ ó durunnanɔ kɛ̃wá, zaakũ odì kɛ̃ gbɛ̃ kũ ò durunna kɛ̀wɛrɛnɔnɛ ń pínki. Ǹsun tó ò fu yɔ̃ogwanaaaro.

Source: https://www.bible.com/bible/3084/LUK.11.BB2005

Translation

And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
The Lord's Prayer - Luke 11: 2-4

Source: https://www.bible.com/bible/1/LUK.11.KJV

Sample video

Information about Busa | Tower of Babel

Links

Information about the Busa languages
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Busa_language_(Mande)
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Busa_(Sprache)
http://www.ethnologue.org/language/bqp
https://www.ethnologue.com/language/bus/
https://www.sil.org/resources/search/language/bus

Mande languages

Bambara, Bissa, Boko, Busa, Dan, Dioula, Duun, Guro, Kpelle, Loma, Mandinka, Maninka, Mano, Mende, Soninke, Susu, Vai, Yalunka

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page last modified: 01.09.26

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