Nheengatu language

The Nheengatu or Nenhengatu language (Tupi: [ɲɛʔɛ̃ŋaˈtu], Nheengatu from Rio Negro: yẽgatu, Traditional Nheengatu: nhẽẽgatú and Tapajoawaran Nheengatu: nheẽgatu), or Nenhengatu, also known as Modern Tupi and Amazonic Tupi, is a Tupi–Guarani language.

It is spoken throughout the Rio Negro region among the Baniwa, Baré and Warekena peoples, etc., mainly in the municipality of São Gabriel da Cachoeira, in the state of Amazonas, Brazil, where, since 2002 it has been one of the official languages (along with Baníwa, Yepá-masã, and Portuguese). In addition to being spoken in the Baixo Amazonas region (in the state of Amazonas), among the Sateré-Mawé, Maraguá and Mura peoples, and in the Baixo Tapajós, and in the state of Pará, where it is being revitalized among the different peoples of the region, like the Borari and the Tupinambá people, and also, among the riverside dwellers themselves. Currently, it continues to be spoken by approximately 20,060 people, in three linguistic variants in Brazil: that of the Rio Negro region, called Yẽgatu, that of the Baixo Amazonas, known as traditional Nheengatú, and that of the Baixo Rio Tapajós or Nheengatu tapajoawara, in addition of the foreign variants: Nheengatu from Venezuela (Ñeengatu) and Nheengatu from Colombia (Nyengatu). Technology further helps in the language's revitalization.