Kimbundu

Kimbundu, or North Mbundu, one of two Bantu languages called Mbundu (see Umbundu), is the second-most-widely spoken Bantu language in Angola. It is concentrated in the north-west of the country, notably in the Luanda Province, Bengo Province, Malanje Province and the Cuanza Norte Province. It is spoken by the Ambundu.

If the i or u comes before another vowel, they are pronounced as /y/ and /w/ (ex: iiii {yee-yee}, uiua {wee-wah}). Within double vowels, each vowel is pronounced individually, unlike a diphthong. Accents include the acute /á/, grave /à/, and circumflex /â/. At the end of a word, the accent rests on the first vowel (ex: rikau, sai {rikáu, sái}). In the middle of a word, the second vowel has the accent (ex: bauka, sai-ku {kubaúka, saí-ku}).