Beja language

Also known as: Bedawi language

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June 22, 2026

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The Beja language, also known as To Bedawi or Bedawi, is a Cushitic language spoken by the Beja people in southeastern Egypt, Sudan, and Eritrea. It is considered a distinct division within the Afro-Asiatic language family. While some Beja people speak Tigre or Arabic, a significant portion communicates in their native tongue. The Beja language is characterized by a complex phonetic and grammatical structure, including a variety of consonants and a tonal system for distinguishing word meanings. Nouns in Beja indicate case, number, and gender, and verbs have intricate morphology, with affixes denoting passive, causative, or reflexive actions. The typical word order is subject-object-verb.123

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Cushitic languages
…Cushitic family: North Cushitic, or Beja; Central Cushitic (also known as Agau [Agaw, Agew]), with languages such as Bilin, Kemant, Kwara, Xamtage, and Awngi; South Cushitic (spoken mainly in Tanzania), including Iraqw, Burunge, and Gorowa, the hybrid language Maʾa/Mbugu, and (in Kenya) Dahalo; Highland East Cushitic, including Burji,
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…Cushitic family: North Cushitic, or Beja; Central Cushitic (also known as Agau [Agaw, Agew]), with languages such as Bilin, Kemant, Kwara, Xamtage, and Awngi; South Cushitic (spoken mainly in Tanzania), including Iraqw, Burunge, and Gorowa, the hybrid language Maʾa/Mbugu, and (in Kenya) Dahalo; Highland East Cushitic, including Burji,
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Sudan
Ethnic groups
…pastoral nomads have retained their Bedawi language, which belongs to the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family. Another non-Arab Muslim people is the Fur; these sedentary agriculturalists live in or near the Marrah Mountains in the far west. North of the Fur are the Zaghawa, who are scattered in…
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…pastoral nomads have retained their Bedawi language, which belongs to the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family. Another non-Arab Muslim people is the Fur; these sedentary agriculturalists live in or near the Marrah Mountains in the far west. North of the Fur are the Zaghawa, who are scattered in…
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