Basa Bali
Balinese
Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian)
Balinese is the language of Bali and parts of Lombok, mother tongue to roughly three million people. Like Javanese, it has elaborate speech levels (ngoh, kasar, alus, singgih) reflecting caste and social context, and uses the Balinese script (Aksara Bali) alongside Latin. Sanskrit and Old Javanese loanwords are extensive in religious and literary registers, supporting traditional kakawin poetry, shadow-puppet theatre (wayang), and the temple ceremonies that define Balinese Hindu life.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Balinese
Water
yeh
/jeh/
Fire
api
/api/
Sun
matanai
/matanai/
Moon
bulan
/bulan/
Mother
meme
/meme/
Father
bapa
/bapa/
Eat
ngajeng
/ŋadʒeŋ/
Drink
nginem
/ŋinem/
Love
tresna
/tɾesna/
Heart
manah
/manah/
Tree
punyan
/puɲan/
House
umah
/umah/
Dog
cicing
/tʃitʃiŋ/
Cat
meong
/meoŋ/
Hand
tangan
/taŋan/
Eye
mata
/mata/
Hello
om swastiastu
/om swastiastu/
Thank you
matur suksma
/matuɾ suksma/
One
besik
/besik/
Good
becik
/betʃik/
Words compared
Compared with related Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) languages
| Meaning | Balinese | Musi | North Moluccan Malay | Old Malay | Ambon Malay | Banjar | Indonesian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | yeh /jeh/ | ayek /ajek/ | aer /aer/ | ayar /ajar/ | aer /aer/ | banyu /baɲu/ | air /ˈa.ir/ |
| Fire | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ |
| Sun | matanai /matanai/ | matahari /matahari/ | matahari /matahari/ | matari /matari/ | mata hari /mata hari/ | matahari /matahari/ | matahari /matahari/ |
| Moon | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ |
| Mother | meme /meme/ | mak /mak/ | mama /mama/ | ibu /ibu/ | mama /mama/ | uma /uma/ | ibu /ibu/ |
| Father | bapa /bapa/ | bapak /bapak/ | papa /papa/ | bapa /bapa/ | papa /papa/ | abah /abah/ | ayah /ajah/ |
| Eat | ngajeng /ŋadʒeŋ/ | makan /makan/ | makang /makaŋ/ | makan /makan/ | makang /makaŋ/ | makan /makan/ | makan /makan/ |
| Drink | nginem /ŋinem/ | minum /minum/ | minong /minoŋ/ | minum /minum/ | minong /minoŋ/ | nginum /ŋinum/ | minum /minum/ |
| Love | tresna /tɾesna/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | cinta /tʃinta/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | cinta /tʃinta/ |
| Heart | manah /manah/ | hati /hati/ | hati /hati/ | hati /hati/ | hati /hati/ | ati /ati/ | hati /hati/ |
| Tree | punyan /puɲan/ | kayu /kaju/ | pohong /pohoŋ/ | kayu /kaju/ | pohon /pohon/ | batang /bataŋ/ | pohon /pohon/ |
| House | umah /umah/ | rumah /rumah/ | ruma /ruma/ | rumah /rumah/ | ruma /ruma/ | rumah /rumah/ | rumah /rumah/ |
| Dog | cicing /tʃitʃiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ |
| Cat | meong /meoŋ/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | ikung /ikuŋ/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | pusa /pusa/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ |
| Hand | tangan /taŋan/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tangang /taŋaŋ/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tangang /taŋaŋ/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tangan /taŋan/ |
| Eye | mata /mata/ | mato /mato/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ |
| Hello | om swastiastu /om swastiastu/ | halo /halo/ | cerang /tʃeraŋ/ | — /—/ | hela /hela/ | salam /salam/ | halo /ˈhalo/ |
| Thank you | matur suksma /matuɾ suksma/ | terimo kasih /terimo kasih/ | tarima kase /tarima kase/ | — /—/ | tarima kase /tarima kase/ | tarima kasih /tarima kasih/ | terima kasih /tərima kasih/ |
| One | besik /besik/ | siko /siko/ | satu /satu/ | sa /sa/ | satu /satu/ | asa /asa/ | satu /satu/ |
| Good | becik /betʃik/ | bagus /baɡus/ | bae /bae/ | baik /baik/ | bagus /baɡus/ | bagus /baɡus/ | baik /baiʔ/ |
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