Languages of Niger
See language map.[See also SIL publications on the languages of Niger.]
Republic of Niger, République du Niger. 13,264,000. National or official languages: French, Arabic, Fulfulde, Gourmanchéma, Hausa, Manga Kanuri, Tamajaq, Zarma. Literacy rate: 17%. Information mainly from J. Applegate 1970; J. Bendor-Samuel and Hartell 1989; K. Isaac and E. Johnson 2007; J. Lukas 1937; R. Nicolai 1979, 1981, 1983; D. Sapir 1971. Blind population: 30,000 (1998). Deaf population: 20,000 (1998). The number of individual languages listed for Niger is 21. Of those, all are living languages.
| Arabic, Algerian Saharan Spoken | [aao]
10,000 in Niger (1998). Northwest, Agadez area.
Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
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| Arabic, Hassaniyya | [mey]
10,000 in Niger (1998).
Alternate names: Hasanya, Hassani, Maure, Mauri, Moor, Sulaka.
Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
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| Arabic, Libyan Spoken | [ayl]
5,000 in Niger (1998). East, north of N’guigmi near Ngourti.
Alternate names: Libyan Vernacular Arabic, Sulaimitian Arabic.
Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
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| Arabic, Shuwa | [shu]
5,000 in Niger (1998). East.
Alternate names: Arabe Choa, Chadic Arabic, Shua, Shuwa Arabic.
Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
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| Dazaga | [dzg]
50,000 in Niger (2007 SIL). East, north of Goure; south near Chad border.
Alternate names: Daza, Toubou, Tubu.
Dialects: Kashirda, Azzaga.
Classification: Nilo-Saharan, Saharan, Western, Tebu
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| French | [fra]
6,000 in Niger (Johnstone 1993).
Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French
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| Fulfulde, Central-Eastern Niger | [fuq]
450,000 (1998). Central and east, Dogondoutchi area east to Chad border.
Alternate names: Fula, Fulani, Fulbe, Peul, Peulh.
Dialects: Wodaabe. Culturally distinct from other Fulfulde varieties.
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Northern, Senegambian, Fulani-Wolof, Fula, East Central
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| Fulfulde, Western Niger | [fuh]
450,000 in Niger (2007). Population total all countries: 1,230,000. West, Burkina Faso border east to Dogondoutchi area. Also in Benin, Burkina Faso.
Alternate names: Fula, Fulani, Fulbe, Gorgal Fulfulde, Northeastern Burkina Faso Fulfulde, Peul, Peulh.
Dialects: Dallol, Bitinkoore, Tera.
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Northern, Senegambian, Fulani-Wolof, Fula, East Central
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| Gourmanchéma | [gux]
30,000 in Niger (1998). Southwest, near Burkina Faso border.
Alternate names: Goulimancema, Gourma, Gourmantche, Gurma.
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, North, Gur, Central, Northern, Oti-Volta, Gurma
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| Hausa | [hau]
5,460,000 in Niger (2006). Central, along Nigeria border; widespread in cities.
Alternate names: Haoussa, Hausawa, Haussa.
Dialects: Dawra, Katsina, Damagaram, Gobirawa, Aderawa, Arewa, Kurfey, Gaya.
Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Chadic, West, A, A.1
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| Kanuri, Bilma | [bms]
20,000 (2003). Northeast, Kawar region.
Alternate names: Bla Bla, Kanouri, Kanoury.
Dialects: Bilma, Fachi. A member of the Kanuri subgroup.
Classification: Nilo-Saharan, Saharan, Western, Kanuri
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| Kanuri, Central | [knc]
80,000 in Niger (1998). East, along Nigeria border.
Alternate names: “Beriberi” , Bornouans, Bornu, Kanouri, Kanoury, Kole, Sirata, Yerwa Kanuri.
Dialects: Movar (Mowor, Mober, Mobber, Mavar).
Classification: Nilo-Saharan, Saharan, Western, Kanuri
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| Kanuri, Manga | [kby]
280,000 in Niger (1998). Population total all countries: 480,000. East, along Nigeria border. Also in Nigeria.
Alternate names: Kanouri, Kanoury, Manga.
Dialects: Manga, Dagara. Part of a dialect subgroup that includes other Kanuri varieties and Kanembu [kbl] in Chad.
Classification: Nilo-Saharan, Saharan, Western, Kanuri
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| Kanuri, Tumari | [krt]
40,000 (1998). 50% monolingual. Tumari in N’guigmi; dialects in neighboring villages.
Alternate names: Kanambu, Kanembu.
Dialects: Tumari, Sugurti (Suwurti), Kubari (Kuwuri). Not the same as Kanembu [kbl] in Chad, although referred to as ‘Kanembu’ in Niger. There is a gradual differentiation between Kanembu in Chad and Kanuri dialects. Most similar to Manga Kanuri [kby].
Classification: Nilo-Saharan, Saharan, Western, Kanuri
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| Tagdal | [tda]
26,900 (2000). Between Tahoua central, Agadez north central, and Ingall northeast.
Dialects: Azawagh (Southern Tagdal), Air (Northern Tagdal). Tagdal lexicon is about 75%–80% Berber. Everyday vocabulary is about 50% Berber and 50% Songhay.
Classification: Mixed language, Songhay-Berber
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| Tamahaq, Tahaggart | [thv]
20,000 in Niger (1998).
Alternate names: Tamachek, Tamashekin, Tamasheq, Tomachek, Touareg, Tourage, Tuareg.
Dialects: Hoggar (Ahaggaren, Ajjer, Tahaggart), Ghat (Ganet, Djanet).
Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Tamasheq, Northern
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| Tamajaq, Tawallammat | [ttq]
450,000 in Niger (1998). Population total all countries: 640,000. Eastern dialect in central, Tahoua area from Ingal to Mali border; western in west, north and northwest of Niamey. Also in Mali, Nigeria.
Alternate names: Amazigh, Tahoua Tamajeq, Tahoua, Tamachek, Tamashekin, Tamasheq, Tewellemet, Tomacheck, Touareg, Tourage, Tuareg.
Dialects: Tawallammat Tan Dannag (Ioullemmeden), Tawallammat Tan Ataram.
Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Tamasheq, Southern
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| Tamajeq, Tayart | [thz]
250,000 (1998). Central, Agadez area.
Alternate names: Amazigh, Tamachek, Tomacheck, Touareg, Tuareg.
Dialects: Air (Agadez, Tayart, Tayert, Tamestayert), Tanassfarwat (Tamagarast).
Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Tamasheq, Southern
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| Tasawaq | [twq]
8,000 (1998 SIL). Central Niger, Ingal and Teguidda-n-Tessoumt, near Agadez.
Alternate names: Ingelshi.
Dialects: Similar to Tagdal [tda], Tadaksahak [dsq] of Mali, and Korandje [key] of Algeria.
Classification: Nilo-Saharan, Songhai, Northern
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| Tedaga | [tuq]
10,000 in Niger (1998 SIL). Seguedine, Bilma, Termit-Kaoboul.
Alternate names: Tebu, Teda, Tibbu, Toubou, Tubu.
Classification: Nilo-Saharan, Saharan, Western, Tebu
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| Zarma | [dje]
2,350,000 in Niger (2006). Population total all countries: 2,438,400. Southwest. Also in Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria.
Alternate names: Adzerma, Djerma, Dyabarma, Dyarma, Dyerma, Zabarma, Zarbarma, Zarmaci.
Dialects: Kaado. In Niger, dialects from Dendi [ddn] and Songai blend into Zarma. Intelligibility is high, although they use ethnic names ‘Dendi’ or ‘Songai’ for themselves. Cannot understand Gao Songai [ses] in Mali.
Classification: Nilo-Saharan, Songhai, Southern
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