Afar language facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Afar |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qafaraf | ||||
| Native to | Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia | |||
| Region | Horn of Africa | |||
| Ethnicity | Afar | |||
| Native speakers | 1,990,800 (2017) | |||
| Language family |
Afro-Asiatic
|
|||
| Writing system | Latin | |||
| Recognised minority language in |  Djibouti Eritrea Ethiopia |
|||
|
||||
The Afar language (called Qafaraf by its speakers) is a language spoken in East Africa. It is used by the Afar people in three countries: Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Djibouti. About 1.5 million people speak Afar. It is part of a larger group of languages called Cushitic.
Contents
About the Afar Language
The Afar language is also known as ’Afar Af or Afaraf. It belongs to the East Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family. This means it shares some history with languages like Arabic and Hebrew.
Where is Afar Spoken?
Afar is mainly spoken in the Horn of Africa. This region includes parts of Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Djibouti. The Afar people live in these areas. They often live in dry, lowland regions.
Who Speaks Afar?
The Afar language is the native tongue of the Afar people. They are an ethnic group known for their nomadic lifestyle. Many Afar people are herders. They move with their animals to find food and water.
How Many People Speak Afar?
It is believed that around 1.5 million people speak Afar. This number includes people in all three countries. The language is very important to the Afar people's culture and identity.
What Languages are Similar to Afar?
The language most similar to Afar is the Saho language. Saho is spoken by the Saho people. They live mainly in Eritrea and Ethiopia. Afar and Saho are so similar that they are often grouped together. They form the Saho–Afar language group.
How is Afar Written?
The Afar language uses the Latin alphabet for writing. This is the same alphabet used for English. Before the Latin alphabet was widely adopted, Afar was mostly an oral language. This means it was spoken but not often written down.
See also
In Spanish: Idioma afar para niños
