{{Short description|Bantu language spoken in the Republic of Congo}} {{distinguish|Bembe language (Ibembe)|Bemba language}} {{Infobox language |name=Bembe |nativename=''Kibembe'' / ''Kibeembe'' |states=[[Republic of Congo]] |speakers=Bembe: {{sigfig|100,000|2}}<br />Kambba: {{sigfig|1,500|2}}<br />Doondo: {{sigfig|30,000|2}} |date=2007 census |ref=<ref name="Ethnologue">{{cite web |title=Bembe |url=https://www.ethnologue.com/language/beq |publisher=Ethnologue |year=2007}}</ref> |familycolor=Niger-Congo |fam2=[[Atlantic–Congo]] |fam3=[[Benue–Congo]] |fam4=[[Southern Bantoid]] |fam5=[[Bantu languages|Bantu]] ([[Guthrie classification of Bantu languages#Zone H|Zone H.10]]) |fam6=[[Kongo languages|Kongo]] |dia1=Beembe |dia2=Kamba-Doondo |dia3=Hangala (Ghaangala) |lc1=beq|ld1=Bembe |lc2=xku|ld2=Kamba |lc3=dde|ld3=Doondo |guthrie=H.11,111,112 |glotto=beem1239 |glottoname=Beembe |glotto2=kaam1238 |glottoname2=Kaamba |glotto3=doon1238 |glottoname3=Doondo }}
'''Bembe''' (''Kibembe'' or ''Kibeembe'') is a [[Bantu language]] spoken primarily in the [[Republic of Congo]]. It is closely related to [[Kongo language|Kikongo]] and forms part of the Kongo language cluster.
It should not be confused with the [[Bembe language (Ibembe)]] spoken in Congo-Kinshasa and Tanzania.
Maho (2009) considers Beembe, Kamba-Doondo, and Gangala (or Hangala, Gaangala, Haangala) to be distinct languages.
==Phonology== The language exhibits typical Bantu phonology, including a system of noun classes and verb conjugations. (Further details can be added as linguistic research becomes available.)
==Grammar== Bembe follows the noun class system characteristic of Bantu languages. Verbs are marked for tense, aspect, and subject agreement.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20160604073549/http://www.ncl.ac.uk/linguistics/assets/documents/TheNounPhraseinKiBembeD54.pdf The Noun Phrase in Kibembe (D54)] * [https://kibembe.com Official website for Kibembe language resources]
{{Narrow Bantu languages (Zones E–H)}} {{Authority control}} [[Category:Kongo language]] {{Bantu-lang-stub}}