Bahsa Acèh
Acehnese
Austronesian (Chamic)
Acehnese (Bahsa Acèh) is the language of the Aceh Special Region of northern Sumatra, Indonesia, with ~3.5M speakers. Linguistically unusual among Indonesian languages — it belongs to the Chamic branch of Austronesian (along with Cham of Vietnam/Cambodia and Jarai), indicating ancient migration from mainland Southeast Asia (Funan/Champa) to Sumatra around the 1st millennium CE. Has a complex 10-vowel system (with high/low oral and 4 nasalized vowels), an unusual two-way pharyngealization contrast, and a focus-marking system. Historically written in Jawi (Arabic-derived script) for Islamic texts; today usually in Latin script with é è ô. The Aceh Sultanate (1496–1903) was a major Islamic regional power.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Acehnese
Water
ie
/ie/
Fire
apui
/apui/
Sun
mata uroe
/mata uɾoe/
Moon
buleun
/bulɯn/
Mother
mak
/maʔ/
Father
ayah
/ajah/
Eat
pajôh
/padʒoh/
Drink
jep
/dʒep/
Love
gaséh
/ɡaseh/
Heart
até
/ate/
Tree
bak
/baʔ/
House
rumoh
/ɾumɔh/
Dog
asèe
/asɛː/
Cat
miong
/mioŋ/
Hand
jaroe
/dʒaɾoe/
Eye
mata
/mata/
Hello
assalamualaikum
/assalamualaikum/
Thank you
trimong gaséh
/tɾimoŋ ɡaseh/
One
sa
/sa/
Good
gèt
/ɡɛt/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Austronesian (Chamic) languages
| Meaning | Acehnese | Sasak | Minangkabau | Banjar | Patani Malay | Malay | Iban |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ie /ie/ | aiq /aiʔ/ | aia /aia/ | banyu /baɲu/ | ayé /ajeʔ/ | air /ˈa.ir/ | ai /ai/ |
| Fire | apui /apui/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ |
| Sun | mata uroe /mata uɾoe/ | mataari /mataari/ | matoari /matoaɾi/ | matahari /matahari/ | matari /mataʁe/ | matahari /matahari/ | mata-ari /mataari/ |
| Moon | buleun /bulɯn/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulé /buleʔ/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ |
| Mother | mak /maʔ/ | inaq /inaʔ/ | amak /amaʔ/ | uma /uma/ | emak /əmaʔ/ | ibu /ibu/ | indai /indai/ |
| Father | ayah /ajah/ | amaq /amaʔ/ | abak /abaʔ/ | abah /abah/ | aboh /aboh/ | ayah /ajah/ | apai /apai/ |
| Eat | pajôh /padʒoh/ | mangan /maŋan/ | makan /makan/ | makan /makan/ | makae /makajɛ/ | makan /makan/ | makai /makai/ |
| Drink | jep /dʒep/ | nginem /ŋinəm/ | minum /minum/ | nginum /ŋinum/ | minon /minon/ | minum /minum/ | ngirup /ŋirup/ |
| Love | gaséh /ɡaseh/ | tresne /tresne/ | cinto /tʃinto/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | cinto /tʃinto/ | cinta /tʃinta/ | rinduai /rinduai/ |
| Heart | até /ate/ | ate /ate/ | ati /ati/ | ati /ati/ | ati /ati/ | hati /hati/ | ati /ati/ |
| Tree | bak /baʔ/ | lolon kayu /lolon kaju/ | kayu /kaju/ | batang /bataŋ/ | pokok /pokoʔ/ | pokok /pokoʔ/ | kayu /kaju/ |
| House | rumoh /ɾumɔh/ | bale /bale/ | rumah /ɾumah/ | rumah /rumah/ | rumoh /rumoh/ | rumah /rumah/ | rumah /rumah/ |
| Dog | asèe /asɛː/ | aco /atʃo/ | anjiang /aɲdʒiaŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjeng /andʒeŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | ukui /ukui/ |
| Cat | miong /mioŋ/ | meong /meoŋ/ | kuciang /kutʃiaŋ/ | pusa /pusa/ | kuche /kutʃeʔ/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | mayau /majau/ |
| Hand | jaroe /dʒaɾoe/ | ime /ime/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tagae /taŋajɛ/ | tangan /taŋan/ | jari /dʒari/ |
| Eye | mata /mata/ | mate /mate/ | mato /mato/ | mata /mata/ | mato /mato/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ |
| Hello | assalamualaikum /assalamualaikum/ | salam /salam/ | salam /salam/ | salam /salam/ | nyaman ka /ɲaman ka/ | hai /hai/ | salam /salam/ |
| Thank you | trimong gaséh /tɾimoŋ ɡaseh/ | tampi asih /tampi asih/ | tarimo kasiah /taɾimo kasiah/ | tarima kasih /tarima kasih/ | terimo kasih /tərimo kaseh/ | terima kasih /tərima kasih/ | terima kasih /terima kasih/ |
| One | sa /sa/ | esa /esa/ | ciek /tʃieʔ/ | asa /asa/ | satu /satu/ | satu /satu/ | satu /satu/ |
| Good | gèt /ɡɛt/ | solah /solah/ | rancak /ɾantʃaʔ/ | bagus /baɡus/ | baghuh /baɣuh/ | baik /baiʔ/ | manah /manah/ |
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