Enga
Trans-New Guinea (Engan)
Enga is the most widely spoken language of Papua New Guinea's Highlands and the largest Papuan (non-Austronesian) language by speaker count. Native to Enga Province around Wabag, it is the principal lingua franca of high-altitude Wapenamanda and Laiagam valleys. Enga reflects the extraordinary linguistic diversity of New Guinea — over 800 distinct languages — and forms part of the Trans-New Guinea phylum's Engan branch alongside Ipili and Huli.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Enga
Water
endaki
/endaki/
Fire
ita
/ita/
Sun
niko
/niko/
Moon
kana
/kana/
Star
kalyai
/kaljai/
Mother
ainya
/aiɲa/
Father
taata
/taːta/
I
namba
/namba/
You
emba
/emba/
Name
ingi
/iŋi/
Eye
lenge
/leŋɡe/
Hand
kingi
/kiŋɡi/
Heart
maita
/maita/
Love
mende
/mende/
Tree
ita
/ita/
House
anda
/anda/
Dog
yana
/jana/
Cat
pusi
/pusi/
Eat
nepenge
/nepeŋe/
Drink
na pee
/na peː/
One
mendeai
/mendeai/
Two
lapo
/lapo/
Hello
baa wa
/baː wa/
Thank you
yaku
/jaku/
Good
epe
/epe/
Words compared
Compared with related Trans-New Guinea (Engan) languages
| Meaning | Enga | Huli | Aymara | Kanite | Jaqaru | Tokelauan | Pitjantjatjara |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | endaki /endaki/ | iba /iba/ | uma /uma/ | nai /nai/ | uma /uma/ | vai /vai/ | kapi /kapi/ |
| Fire | ita /ita/ | tia /tia/ | nina /nina/ | lo /lo/ | nina /nina/ | afi /afi/ | waru /waɻu/ |
| Sun | niko /niko/ | nogo /noɡo/ | inti /inti/ | suka /suka/ | inti /inti/ | la /la/ | tjintu /cintu/ |
| Moon | kana /kana/ | hina /hina/ | phaxsi /pʰaχsi/ | ika /ika/ | phaxshi /pʰaχʃi/ | malama /malama/ | pira /piɻa/ |
| Star | kalyai /kaljai/ | hana /hana/ | warawara /waɾawaɾa/ | ka'nefi /kaʔnefi/ | wara /waɾa/ | fetu /fetu/ | kililpil /kiˈlilpil/ |
| Mother | ainya /aiɲa/ | ainya /aiɲa/ | mama /mama/ | nene /nene/ | mama /mama/ | mātua /maːtua/ | ngunytju /ŋuɲcu/ |
| Father | taata /taːta/ | aba /aba/ | tata /tata/ | nafa /nafa/ | awki /awki/ | tamana /tamana/ | mama /mama/ |
| I | namba /namba/ | i /i/ | naya /naja/ | nagaya /naɡaja/ | naya /naja/ | au /au/ | ngayulu /ŋajulu/ |
| You | emba /emba/ | í /í/ | juma /huma/ | kagaya /kaɡaja/ | juma /huma/ | koe /koe/ | nyuntu /ɲuntu/ |
| Name | ingi /iŋi/ | mini /mini/ | suti /suti/ | agi /aɡi/ | suti /suti/ | igoa /iŋoa/ | ini /ini/ |
| Eye | lenge /leŋɡe/ | ta /ta/ | nayra /najɾa/ | avu /avu/ | nayra /najɾa/ | mata /mata/ | kuru /kuɻu/ |
| Hand | kingi /kiŋɡi/ | ki /ki/ | ampara /ampaɾa/ | azana /azana/ | ampara /ampaɾa/ | lima /lima/ | mara /maɻa/ |
| Heart | maita /maita/ | hambu /hambu/ | chuyma /tʃujma/ | agu /aɡu/ | chuyma /tʃujma/ | fatu /fatu/ | kurunpa /kuɻunpa/ |
| Love | mende /mende/ | hando /hando/ | munasiña /munasiɲa/ | avesi /avesi/ | munasiña /munasiɲa/ | alofa /alofa/ | mukulya /mukuʎa/ |
| Tree | ita /ita/ | danda /danda/ | quqa /quqa/ | yafa /jafa/ | qhura /qʰuɾa/ | lakau /lakau/ | punu /punu/ |
| House | anda /anda/ | anda /anda/ | uta /uta/ | no /no/ | uta /uta/ | fale /fale/ | ngura /ŋuɻa/ |
| Dog | yana /jana/ | yamu /jamu/ | anu /anu/ | ovava /ovava/ | anu /anu/ | kuli /kuli/ | papa /papa/ |
| Cat | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | phisi /pʰisi/ | pusi /pusi/ | phishi /pʰiʃi/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ |
| Eat | nepenge /nepeŋe/ | na /na/ | manqʼaña /manqʼaɲa/ | ne /ne/ | mankaña /mankaɲa/ | kai /kai/ | ngalkuni /ŋalkuni/ |
| Drink | na pee /na peː/ | ila /ila/ | umaña /umaɲa/ | ne /ne/ | umaña /umaɲa/ | inu /inu/ | tjikini /cikini/ |
| One | mendeai /mendeai/ | mendene /mendene/ | maya /maja/ | magoke /maɡoke/ | maya /maja/ | tahi /tahi/ | kutju /kucu/ |
| Two | lapo /lapo/ | kira /kira/ | paya /paja/ | tole /tole/ | paya /paja/ | lua /lua/ | kutjara /kucaɻa/ |
| Hello | baa wa /baː wa/ | balu /balu/ | kamisaki /kamisaki/ | naipa /naipa/ | kamishti /kamiʃti/ | malo ni /malo ni/ | palya /paʎa/ |
| Thank you | yaku /jaku/ | wei /wei/ | yuspagara /juspaɣaɾa/ | susu /susu/ | yuspaa /juspaː/ | fakafetai /fakafetai/ | palya /paʎa/ |
| Good | epe /epe/ | poke /poke/ | suma /suma/ | knaga /knaɡa/ | shuma /ʃuma/ | lelei /lelei/ | palya /paʎa/ |
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