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Food and drinks in Fon

Nùɖúɖú (food) and Nùnunù (drinks) are pillars of Beninese culture. Meals are moments of intense sharing. Here is the essential vocabulary for the table.

schedule 5 min
signal_cellular_alt Beginner
translate 25+ words
1
Ingredients

Basic ingredients

AgbadéCorn (the king of grains)
AyikúnBeans
HwevíFish
LànMeat
Atakín / TakínChili pepper
Jɛ̀Salt
AmìOil
2
Dishes

Traditional dishes

The word Wɔ̌ refers to the dough or semolina that goes with most sauces:

Wɔ̌Corn dough
Amiwɔ̆Red dough (with oil and tomato)
Akansán / AkasáFermented corn dough
AblŏFermented corn bread
AnyàYam purée
AyikúnkpínkpánBean purée

These words spoken by a native speaker: Parlons Fongbe Academy — 79 video lessons with a native speaker.Discover

3
Drinks

Drinks (Nùnunù)

SìnWater
AtànPalm wine
AnɔsínMilk
AhanvivíSweet drink
AhànAlcohol / strong drink

Anɔsín literally means “breast water” — a fine example of the poetry of fɔ̀ngbè.

4
At the table

Verbs and expressions

ÐùTo eat
NùDrinking
Ðà nŭTo cook
Xovɛ́To be hungry
Xogɔ́To be full
Xovɛ́ ɖò nǔ wà nú mì
I’m hungry
Xò gɔ́ mì
I’m not hungry anymore

Savoring fɔ̀ngbè

Mastering food vocabulary gives you access to an essential dimension of Beninese culture: sharing around the table.

à ≠ ǎ
One tone, and everything changes
Parlons Fongbe Academy
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In Fon, the pitch of your voice changes the meaning: à asks a question, ǎ says no. The Academy explains 818 forms, one by one, carried by a native voice — never a word without its meaning.

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