Luba-Kasai language

Pidgin Chiluba
Pidgin Chiluba
Native to	DR Congo
Native speakers	None
Language family	Luba-based pidgin
Language codes
ISO 639-3	None (mis)
Glottolog	None
Guthrie code	L.30A

Tshiluba, Ciluba
Tshiluba, Ciluba
Native to	Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Region	Kasai Kasai-Occidental; Kasai-Oriental;
Ethnicity	Baluba-Kasai (Bena-kasai)
Native speakers	15 million (2024)
Language family	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Volta-Congo Benue–Congo Bantoid Southern Bantoid Bantu Luban Luba languages Tshiluba, Ciluba; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Dialects	Ciluba-Lubilanji /Cena-Lubilanji (in Mbuji-Mayi, Kinshasa as well as Tshilenge district, and western Gandajika territory); Cena-Lulua (in Kananga, central-northern Lulua district, and eastern Luebo territory); Cikwa-Nyambi (in Northern Kamonia territory & Tshikapa); Cikwa-Luntu (in Dimbelenge territory);
Official status
Official language in	Democratic Republic of Congo (national language)
Language codes
ISO 639-2	lua
ISO 639-3	lua
Glottolog	luba1249
Guthrie code	L.31
	Location of speakers: Luba-Kasai Luba-Katanga

Luba-Kasai, also known as Cilubà or Tshilubà, Luba-Lulua, is a Bantu language (Zone L) of Central Africa and a national language of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, alongside Lingala, Swahili, and Kikongo ya leta.

An eastern dialect is spoken by the Luba people of the East Kasai Region and a western dialect by the Lulua people of the West Kasai Region. The total number of speakers was estimated at 6.3 million in 1991.

Within the Zone L Bantu languages, Luba-Kasai is one of a group of languages which form the "Luba" group, together with Kaonde (L40), Kete (L20), Kanyok, Luba-Katanga (KiLuba), Sanga, Zela and Bangubangu. The L20, L30 and L60 languages are also grouped as the Luban languages within Zone L Bantu.