It is spoken in the West Nile region in northwestern Uganda, as well as the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Orientale Province with a little extension to the South Sudan as the Zande or Azande people.
[citation needed] Lugbara phrases are spoken in several dialects (clan-wise) but the Muni (Ayivu) version, from which many of the explanations below are based, is the one approved for teaching in schools.
The Simplified Lugbara alphabet has 28 letters minus ‘q’ and ‘x’ (Alamakanda in Aringa language), which means 24 like in English and four unique ones namely: ‘b like in ‘bua, ‘d like in ‘dia, ‘w like in ‘wara and ‘y like in ‘yeta.
Letters are pronounced as follows: Ah, Ba, Bha, Cha, Da, Dha, Eh, Fa, Ga, Ha, Ie, Ja, Ka, La, Ma, Na, Oh, Pa, Ra, Sa, Ta, Uw, Va, Wa, Wha, Ya, Yha, and Za.
Grandfather (a’bi, a'bipi) Grandmother (dede, e'di, edapi) Grandson (mvia) Granddaughter (zia) Father (ati, ata) Mother (andri, andre, ayia) Husband (agupi) Wife (oku) Son (agupiamva, mvi) Daughter (zamva, zi) Brother (adri) Sister (amvi) Uncles (atapuru (singular -paternal) atapuruka (plural - paternal), [maternal - adroyi (singular), maternal (plural) - adropi] Aunts (andrapuruka - plural: paternal and in some cases maternal), (andrapuru: singular), awupi - (singular: maternal aunt), awupika - (plural: maternal aunts) Cousin (atapurumva) Cousin brother (atapuruka anzi); also adri, adripika Cousin sister (atapuruka ezopi); also amvi, amvupika NB: Strictly speaking, the word cousin is alien in Lugbara culture.
Nephews (adro anzi) - maternal nephews Nieces (adro ezoanzi, ezapi) - maternal nieces Father-in-law (anya) Mother-in-law (edra) Brother-in-law (otuo) Sister-in-law (onyere) 1 week (Sabatu alu, sabiti alu) A day is called O’du in Lugbara.