Where to Start Learning Nobiin and Andaandi: The Nile Nubian Languages

Since the 20th-century, Sudanese people have been interested in the study of their native languages, be they one of many dialects of Arabic, or one of the other 80+ local languages. While not used in official contexts, these are the languages of Sudanese home, work, poetry and music. They are also the cornerstones of ethnic identities that predate and transcend Sudan’s borders. 

The Nobiin and Andaandi languages are no exception, being a key component of identity for Nubians in the Halfa-Mahas and Dongola areas respectively. Driven by a love of Nubian culture and history, as well as resistance to state-sponsored Arabisation, Nubian scholars have been making dictionaries, textbooks, and online courses to teach their languages. Thanks to their hard work, there are more ways to learn them than ever.

Nothing can replace the need to be in Nubian community to master these languages. That said, the books and videos that follow can serve as helpful jumping off points for your Nobiin and Andaandi-learning journey. 

Both Languages

While linguists often consider Nobiin and Andaandi separate languages, Nubians very often treat them as dialects of one language. As a result, many learning resources encapsulate both languages, allowing learners to see the connections between these closely-related ways of speaking. 

DORE KOLOD YouTube Channel

For nearly 10 years, DORE KOLOD has been a master class in documentation of Egyptian Nubian heritage, transcribing hundreds of Nubian-language songs and translating them to Arabic. The channel also features a brief, beginner Nubian language course on both Fadicca (Nobiin dialect of Egypt) and Mattokki (Andaandi dialect of Egypt). While they differ from Sudanese dialects in some vocabulary and pronunciation, the course is still useful for learning the basics of Nobiin and Andaandi, with the bonus that it provides abundant practice material and an introduction to Egyptian Nubian music.

Nubi App

Created eight years ago by Egyptian Nubian developer Mo’men Talloush, Nubi is a charming Nobiin/Andaandi/Mattokki learning app for children. While lacking in grammatical explanation, the app provides opportunities to hear and master basic phrases. It also takes the opportunity to highlight icons of Egyptian and Sudanese Nubian music. The app is available in both Arabic and English, although the Arabic is noticeably better written.

Yousif Sambaj’s Nubian Dictionary

Published in 1998, this book is a rare case of an Arabic and English resource for both Nobiin and Mattokki, although the English translation is noticeably flawed. Regardless, the book features a wealth of key Nubian vocabulary and final sections that present key aspects of Nubian grammar. It also features an intro where the author, Egyptian Nubian social worker and activist Yousif Sambaj, lays out his own theories of Nubian origin, which are interesting, albeit not widely accepted among lay Nubians or Nubian scholars.

Honourable Mention: An English-Nubian Comparative Dictionary by GW Murray

This list will focus on Nubian-created resources; that said, non-Nubian researchers have undoubtedly produced insightful studies into Nubian. This comes with the drawback that they are targeted to Western academics rather than Nubians or non-Nubian lay people. Scottish archaeologist’s GW Murray’s 1923 dictionary is one such example. It is the most comprehensive Nubian dictionary to date, listing vocabulary from Nobiin, Andaandi, Mattokki, and some Western Sudanese Nubian languages such as Midob. The book also studies this vocabulary in the context of other indigenous languages spoken in the region, such as the Nilotic and Cushitic languages. Made freely available through UNESCO’s Memory of the World library (like most of the books on here), Murray’s dictionary is an essential resource for learners and scholars alike.

Andaandi resources

Andaandi is the smaller of the two Nubian languages spoken along the Nile, with over 35,000 speakers concentrated in the Dongola area. The language is near-identical to the Egyptian Mattokki dialect (see this comparison for reference), so I will also include a Mattokki-learning resource below.

Anter Alsharif’s Course

With 10 lessons over 12 minutes each, Sudanese YouTuber Anter Alsharif offers a more comprehensive Arabic-language look at Andaandi than the resources listed above. Use it to strengthen your Nubian listening and grammar skills.

YouTube: youtube.com/@anteralsharif8354/videos

Abo Omer Mohammed Nour’s Course

Structured as 46 rapid-fire lessons, this Mattokki-course by Egyptian Nubian YouTuber Abo Omer Mohammed Nour is a great way for Arabic speakers to build their Andaandi-Mattokki vocabulary, particularly at stages where you may not be able to commit as much time.

YouTube: youtube.com/@mosabomer/videos

Yousif Abdalla’s Andaandi Course

Through this seven-part, Arabic-language course that teaches both basic Andaandi and Nubian literacy, Sudanese Nubian language activist Yousif Abdalla’s Andaandi gives an insight into Nubian history in addition to an overview of Andaandi grammar and vocabulary. Beyond this course, the channel is a treasure trove, translating Andaandi music and uploading short videos on Nubian history, giving learners an opportunity to practice and deepen their understanding of Nubian culture.

Andaandi: A Visual Dictionary by El-Shafie El-Guzuuli

Published in 2012, this is a brief dictionary that lays out the Nubian alphabet, and has the reader practice their skills by matching visuals to Andaandi words written in the Nubian script. The vocabulary focuses on common concepts in Dongolawi daily life, making it a great way to study essential Andaandi vocabulary and Nubian literacy. It is one of two parts of Sudanese Nubian scholar El-Shafie El-Guzuuli’s Andaandi book series, however I’ve left the other part unlisted as it’s meant for teaching those fluent in Andaandi how to read it, rather than teach the language itself.

Honourable mention: The Armbruster Books

Published post-humuously in 1960, colonial-era British officer Charles Armbruster’s grammar and lexicon of Andaandi are comprehensive, but less learner-friendly, studies of Andaandi. The books are explicitly written in the mold of earlier colonial studies of Nobiin and the Kordofani Nubian languages, and as a result reflects the Western colonial lens in its introduction, where Armbruster presents his understanding of Nubian history and society. Despite its age, it is a worthy companion to the resources listed before, providing a level of grammatical depth and vocabulary breadth that has yet to be matched by later works. Like the Murray book, it also studies Nubian in the context of not just Arabic, but other indigenous languages spoken in East Africa.

Nobiin resources

Nobiin is the largest Nubian language, spoken by over 100,000 people in Sudan and 400,000 in Egypt. As Nobiin is so widespread, it’s unsurprising that there’s a variety in Nobiin vocabulary and pronunciation; regardless, however, Nobiin speakers can all understand each other, so don’t turn down a learning resource because it’s in Sikkotawi when you want to learn Halfawi.

NubaTube Writing Course

A 13-part series dedicated to basic Nobiin reading, writing, and speaking, taught entirely in Fadicca with English and Arabic subtitles (as always, the Arabic is better written). In terms of freely available, online courses, few bring together the same variety in Nobiin skills as this course. Don’t neglect the rest of the channel, where you can find interviews, stories, and poems in Nobiin, as well as a short documentary series on the Nubian villages of Egypt.

The Nubian Language, The Nubian Language Dictionary, and Read in Nubian by Muhammad Mitwalli Badr

Muhammad Mitwalli Badr is one of the pioneers of Sudanese Nubian language studies, studying science at the University of Khartoum, but being much better known for his series of books on the Nubian language. 

The most comprehensive of these books is The Nubian Language, published in 1955. It presents both an introduction to Nubian history and description of the Nubian languages, as well as a Nobiin glossary and grammar overview. The book also draws comparisons and contrasts between Halfawi Nobiin (the focus of the book) and Fadicca, Andaandi, and Mattokki, thus encapsulating a broader range of Nubian varieties than most studies. A useful starting point, the book is worth it for Badr’s insights into Nubian history alone.

In 1976, Badr published Read in Nubian, which feels like a simpler, more visual version of The Nubian Language. It lacks the same grammatical detail and breadth of vocabulary, yet, it remains a useful, beginner-friendly jumping in point for Nobiin, although the abundance of typos can make it hard to rely on for correct pronunciation. 

The Nubian Language Dictionary is a handwritten dictionary by Badr. On account of its handwritten nature, it can be a bit hard to read, but overall, it’s a useful dictionary to keep in your arsenal.

Nobiinga Kullan! (Learn Nobiin) by Nubantood Khalil

Nubantood Khalil is an independent scholar and head of the Nubian Language Society, an organisation dedicated to the promotion of all Nubian languages in Egypt and Sudan. His learning textbook, published in 2021, makes a lot of advances compared to preceding Nubian language learning resources. It features the most detailed investigation of Nobiin pronunciation, teaches, in detail, Nubian writing, while not neglecting a beginner friendly approach to basic grammar and vocabulary. This is easily one of the best resources on this list, well worth the price on Amazon or Google Books if you can afford it.

The Nubian Language: How Do We Write It? by Mukhtar Khalil Kabbara

This revolutionary book from the 90s is credited with reviving the Old Nubian script and simplifying it for modern Nubians. The book mainly focuses on describing how to read this new Nubian orthography, which is important, as it laid the foundation for most Nubian alphabet writing today. It does, however, feature some sentences and their grammatical breakdowns, so it can still serve to reinforce lessons learned from the other resources listed above.

Honourable mention: Basic Nubian Language and Grammar by Taharqa Sa Amun

Although made somewhat obsolete by Nubantood Khalil’s book, American scholar Taharqa Sa Amun’s book represents a detailed overview of basic Nobiin. Like Murray and Armrbruster’s aforementioned works, it represents a non-Nubian perspective, although this time an Afrocentric, Black American lens as opposed to the Western lens of colonial-era works. It is primarily aimed towards those with an interest in Nobiin history, drawing most of its examples from a 19th-century Nobiin text. However it’s still a useful source for practice and worth its price for the dedicated Nobiin learner.

While posing no material benefit, learning Nubian languages is a fantastic way for young Nubians to connect with their family and homeland, and for non-Nubians to open their world to Nubian perspectives and living. Whether you’re looking to reconnect with your Mahasi or Halfawi heritage, or deepen your understanding of Sudan beyond what Arabic and English can offer, there’s no better time to start learning a Nubian language and learning about the rich Nubian reality.

500WM Columnist Hatim Eujayl is a Sudanese-American writer involved in various projects to promote Sudanese culture. His most famous works include the Sounds of Sudan YouTube channel, the Geri Fai Omir Kickstarter, and the Sawarda Nubian font. More of his writing can be found on his Substack, ‘My Sudani-American LiFE,’ where he discusses Sudanese literature and cinema. He can be reached on Instagram @massintod or by email at [email protected]

Hatim Eujayl

500WM Columnist Hatim Eujayl is a Sudanese-American writer involved in various projects to promote Sudanese culture. His most famous works include the Sounds of Sudan YouTube channel, the Geri Fai Omir Kickstarter, and the Sawarda Nubian font. More of his writing can be found on his Substack, ‘My Sudani-American LiFE,’ where he discusses Sudanese literature and cinema. He can be reached on Instagram @massintod or by email at [email protected].