247 km away
A Bantu language used as a lingua franca across the western DRC and the Republic of the Congo, with Kinshasa as its largest urban centre. The language of much of Congolese popular music.
Kikongo
Also known as: Kongo
A Bantu language of the Kongo people, spoken across Angola, the DRC, and the Republic of the Congo. Carried abroad in the Atlantic slave trade and a major substrate in Caribbean and Brazilian creoles.
Shareable facts
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Frequently asked questions
What language is Kikongo?
Kikongo is a dialect of the Kikongo language.
Where is Kikongo spoken?
Kikongo is primarily spoken in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo.
Which region is Kikongo associated with?
Kikongo is part of the West & Central Africa region on DialectAtlas.
Is Kikongo known by other names?
Yes — Kikongo is also referred to as Kongo.
Nearby dialects
See on the atlas →307 km away
The Portuguese of Angola, used as a national lingua franca alongside Bantu languages such as Kimbundu and Umbundu, which have shaped both pronunciation and vocabulary.
307 km away
A Bantu language of north-western Angola including the Luanda hinterland. Around 4 million speakers; a major substrate in Brazilian Portuguese vocabulary through the Atlantic slave trade.
760 km away
A Bantu language and the most-spoken indigenous language of Angola, used across the central highlands around Huambo. Around 6 million speakers.
904 km away
A Bantu language of the Kasai region in the southern DRC and one of the four national languages of the country. Around 6 million speakers.
1,068 km away
A Bantu language cluster of the central Congo basin, spoken across the Cuvette and Équateur provinces of the DRC. Around 6 million speakers across a wide dialect chain.