Editing Zarma language (section)

{{Short description|Songhay language of southwestern Niger}}
{{Infobox language
| name             = Zarma
| altname          = Djerma, Zabarma
| nativename       = ''Zarma ciine, zarma sanni''<br>{{lang|dje|{{script/Arabic|زَرْمَ ݘِينٜ / زَرْمَ سَنِّ}}}}
| states           = [[Niger]], [[Mali]], [[Burkina Faso]], [[Nigeria]]
| region           = [[West Africa]]
| ethnicity        = [[Zarma people|Zarma]]
| speakers         = {{sigfig|5.990100|2}} million
| script          = [[Arabic alphabet|Arabic]] ([[Ajami script|Ajami]]) <br /> [[Braille]] <br />[[Latin alphabet|Latin]]
| date             = 2021
| ref              = e26
| familycolor      = Nilo-Saharan
| fam2             = [[Songhay languages|Songhay]]
| fam3             = [[Southern Songhay languages|Southern]]
| dia1             = [[Songhoyboro Ciine]]
| iso3             = dje
| glotto           = zarm1239
| glottoname       = Zarma<!--name as listed at Glottolog-->
| glottorefname    = 
| notice           = IPA
| map              = Songhay languages.svg
| mapcaption       = Location of [[Songhay languages]]<ref>This map is based on classification from Glottolog and data from Ethnologue.</ref><br />
'''Northwest Songhay:'''
{{legend|#002b00|[[Korandje language|Korandje]]}}
{{legend|#008000|[[Koyra Chiini language|Koyra Chiini]]}}
{{legend|#00ff00|[[Tadaksahak]]}}
{{legend|#55ff55|[[Tasawaq language|Tasawaq]]}}
{{legend|#aaffaa|[[Gadal language|Tagdal]]}}
'''Eastern Songhay:'''
{{legend|#2b0000|[[Tondi Songway Kiini]]}}
{{legend|#800000|[[Humburi Senni language|Humburi Senni]]}}
{{legend|#d40000|[[Koyraboro Senni]]}}
{{legend|#ff5555|Zarma language}}
{{legend| #ffff00|[[Songhoyboro Ciine]]}}
{{legend|#ffaaaa|[[Dendi language|Dendi]]}}
}}

'''Zarma''' (''Zarma Ciine/Sanni''; [[Ajami script|Ajami]]: {{lang|ms-ar|زَرْمَ ݘِينٜ / زَرْمَ سَنِّ}}) is one of the [[Songhay languages]]. It is the leading indigenous language of the southwestern lobe of the [[West African]] nation of [[Niger]], where the [[Niger River]] flows and the capital city, [[Niamey]], is located. Zarma is the second-most common language in the country, after [[Hausa language|Hausa]], which is spoken in south-central Niger. With over 6 million speakers, Zarma is the most widely spoken Songhay language.<ref name=e26/>

In earlier decades, Zarma was rendered ''Djerma'', using French orthography, but it is usually now 'Zarma', the form that the [[Zarma people]] use in their language.

Alternative names for Zarma are Djerma, Jerma, Dyabarma, Dyarma, Dyerma, Adzerma, Zabarma, Zarbarma, Zarmaci or Zerma<ref>{{Cite web |title=OLAC resources in and about the Zarma language |url=http://www.language-archives.org/language/dje |access-date=2025-05-29 |website=www.language-archives.org}}</ref>.