Niger Languages

Niger

Languages

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Description

French, inherited from the colonial period, is the official language. It is spoken mainly as a second language by people who have received an education (20% of Nigeriens are literate in French, and even 47% in cities, growing quickly as literacy improves). Although educated Nigeriens still constitute a relatively small percentage of the population, the French language is the language used by the official administration (courts, government, etc.), the media, and the business community.

Niger has ten official national languages. They include the following:

• Hausa - 55.4%
• Zarma & Songhai - 21% (considered together)
• Tamasheq - 9.3%
• Fulfulde - 8.5%
• Kanuri - 4.7%
• Arabic - 0.4%
• Gourmanchéma - 0.4%
• Tebu - 0.4%
• Other - 0.1%

Word List(s)

French

• French Genealogical Word List
• Useful French Phrases (Omniglot)

Hausa

• Useful Phrases in Hausa Omniglot)
• An English Guide To Everyday Hausa Phrases (StCommunications)

Alphabet and Pronunciation

French

• French Phonology (Wikipedia)
• French Alphabet (Wikipedia)
• French Alphabet and Pronunciation (Omniglot)
• French Pronunciation Dictionary (Forvo)

Hausa

• Hausa Phonology (Wikipedia)
• Hausa Alphabet and Pronunciation (Omniglot)
• Ahmad, Buhari Bello. Direct access into phonetics and phonology through Hausa language. [Nigeria] : [Buhari Bello Ahmad?], [2015] ©2015. Available at WorldCat

Language Aids and Dictionaries

French

• French Handwriting
• French Letter Writing Guide
• English to French Dictionary (Glosbe)
• Learn French (duolingo)
• Learn French (Babbel)

Hausa

• English to Hausa Dictionary (Glosbe)
• Hausa dictionary (Lexilogos)
• Robinson, Charles H; W H Brooks; William Henry Brooks; Charles Henry Robinson; and Hausa Association, London. Dictionary of the Hausa language / Vol. 2: English-Hausa. Cambridge : University Press, 1900. Available at WorldCat

Additional Resources

• Niger (Britannica)
• Niger (Wikitravel)
• Williamson, Kay. Languages of the Niger Delta. Nigeria magazine. no. 97, June-August 1968, pages 124-130. Available at WorldCat