The Baale language, Baleesi or Baalesi, is an Eastern Sudanic language of Ethiopia and South Sudan, spoken by the Baale or Zilmamo people of Ethiopia and the Kachepo of South Sudan. It is a member of the Surmic cluster and is also known as Suri, which is an ethnonym that refers to the Tirma, Chai (or T'id), and Baale communities. There are currently 9,000 native speakers of Baleesi, 5,000 in South Sudan and 4,100 in Ethiopia, almost all of whom are monolingual.