dorerin Naoero
Nauruan
Austronesian (Micronesian)
Nauruan (Nauruan: dorerin Naoero; ISO 639-1 na) is the Indigenous language of Nauru and a member of the Micronesian branch of the Austronesian family. Modern comparative work derives it from Proto-Micronesian, although extensive internal sound change long made its exact position within the branch difficult to determine. Its sound system distinguishes vowel length, includes complex contrasts among labial consonants, and uses weight-sensitive stress; these features make older descriptions and spellings difficult to interpret. Nauruan is written in the Latin script, but practice varies between the older missionary-based orthography and later reform proposals, so alternative spellings remain common. The constitution does not designate an official language: Nauruan remains central to community identity and everyday life, while English is widely used in government, commerce, and education, creating growing pressure on intergenerational transmission.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Nauruan
Water
ebok
/ebɔk/
Fire
e
/ʔe/
Sun
ekwan
/ekwan/
Moon
maraman
/maraman/
Star
edetong
/edetoŋ/
Mother
inen
/inen/
Father
etongin
/etongin/
I
a
/a/
You
awe
/awe/
Name
eg
/eŋ/
Eye
eme
/eme/
Hand
ebe
/ebe/
Heart
—
/—/
Love
ebonu
/ebonu/
Tree
—
/—/
House
—
/—/
Dog
robar
/roˈbaːr/
Cat
—
/—/
Eat
yeyi
/jeji/
Drink
ren
/ren/
One
aikwen
/aikwen/
Two
aro
/aro/
Hello
Ekamawir omo
/ekamawir omo/
Thank you
tubwa kor
/tubwa kor/
Good
omo
/omo/
Words compared
Compared with related Austronesian (Micronesian) languages
| Meaning | Nauruan | Tuamotuan | Phrygian | Proto-Austroasiatic | Yangkaal | Proto-Sino-Tibetan | Scythian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ebok /ebɔk/ | vai /wai/ | — /—/ | *ɗaːk /ɗaːk/ | ngogo /ŋoɡo/ | — /—/ | ap /ap/ |
| Fire | e /ʔe/ | afi /afi/ | — /—/ | *ʔuːs /ʔuːs/ | ngida /ŋida/ | *mey /mey/ | ātar /aːtar/ |
| Sun | ekwan /ekwan/ | ra /ra/ | — /—/ | *tŋiːʔ /tŋiːʔ/ | wargu /waɾɡu/ | *nəy /nəy/ | hvar /xʷar/ |
| Moon | maraman /maraman/ | marama /marama/ | masê /maˈseː/ | — /—/ | waldar /waldaɾ/ | *s-la /s-la/ | māh /maːh/ |
| Star | edetong /edetoŋ/ | fetū /feˈtuː/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | thurara /t̪uɾaɾa/ | *s-kar /s-kar/ | star /staːr/ |
| Mother | inen /inen/ | metua vahine /metua vahine/ | mater /ˈmater/ | *maʔ /maʔ/ | ngama /ŋama/ | *ma /ma/ | mātar /maːtar/ |
| Father | etongin /etongin/ | metua tane /metua tane/ | atas /aˈtas/ | — /—/ | kanda /kanda/ | *pa /pa/ | pitar /pitar/ |
| I | a /a/ | au /au/ | az /az/ | *ʔaɲ /ʔaɲ/ | ngada /ŋada/ | *ŋa /ŋa/ | azu /azu/ |
| You | awe /awe/ | koe /koe/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | nyingka /ɲiŋka/ | *naŋ /naŋ/ | tu /tuː/ |
| Name | eg /eŋ/ | ingoa /iˈŋoa/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | warra /wara/ | *r-miŋ /r-miŋ/ | nama /naːma/ |
| Eye | eme /eme/ | mata /mata/ | — /—/ | *mat /mat/ | miibul /miːbul/ | *s-mik /s-mik/ | čašm /tʃaʃm/ |
| Hand | ebe /ebe/ | rima /rima/ | — /—/ | *tiːʔ /tiːʔ/ | — /—/ | *lak /lak/ | zasta /zasta/ |
| Heart | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | zard- /zard/ |
| Love | ebonu /ebonu/ | aroha /ʔaroha/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Tree | — /—/ | rait /rait/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | *siŋ /siŋ/ | — /—/ |
| House | — /—/ | fare /fare/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Dog | robar /roˈbaːr/ | kuri /kuri/ | kan /kan/ | *cɔː /cɔː/ | — /—/ | *d-kʷəy /d-kʷəy/ | spaka /spaka/ |
| Cat | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Eat | yeyi /jeji/ | kai /kai/ | — /—/ | *ɟaː /ɟaː/ | — /—/ | *dzya /dzya/ | xwartan /xʷartan/ |
| Drink | ren /ren/ | inu /inu/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| One | aikwen /aikwen/ | tahi /tahi/ | — /—/ | *muːj /muːj/ | — /—/ | *tik /tik/ | aiwa /aiwa/ |
| Two | aro /aro/ | rua /rua/ | — /—/ | *ɓaːr /ɓaːr/ | kiyarrngka /kijaraŋka/ | *g-nis /g-nis/ | duva /duva/ |
| Hello | Ekamawir omo /ekamawir omo/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | tubwa kor /tubwa kor/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Good | omo /omo/ | maiata /maiata/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | vohu /wohu/ |
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