Basa Ngaju
Ngaju
Austronesian (West Barito)
Ngaju is the largest Dayak language of Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, anchored along the Kapuas, Kahayan, and Barito rivers. It belongs to the West Barito branch of Austronesian — distantly related to Malagasy (an East Barito language) whose speakers crossed the Indian Ocean to settle Madagascar in the first millennium CE. The Kaharingan religion of the Ngaju is one of Indonesia's officially recognized indigenous faiths, contributing distinctive ritual vocabulary.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Ngaju
Water
danum
/danum/
Fire
apui
/apui/
Sun
matanandau
/matanandau/
Moon
bulan
/bulan/
Star
bintang
/bintaŋ/
Mother
indu
/indu/
Father
bapa
/bapa/
I
aku
/aku/
You
ikau
/ikau/
Name
aran
/aran/
Eye
mate
/mate/
Hand
lengen
/ləŋən/
Heart
atei
/atei/
Love
sinta
/sinta/
Tree
kayu
/kaju/
House
huma
/huma/
Dog
asu
/asu/
Cat
posa
/posa/
Eat
kuman
/kuman/
Drink
mihop
/mihop/
One
ije
/ije/
Two
due
/ˈdue/
Hello
tabea
/tabea/
Thank you
sahindai
/sahindai/
Good
bahalap
/bahalap/
Computer
komputer
/komˈputər/
Sushi
sushi
/ˈsuʃi/
Words compared
Compared with related Austronesian (West Barito) languages
| Meaning | Ngaju | Musi | Iban | Banjar | Lampung | Toraja-Sa'dan | Old Malay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | danum /danum/ | ayek /ajek/ | ai /ai/ | banyu /baɲu/ | way /waj/ | uai /uai/ | ayar /ajar/ |
| Fire | apui /apui/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | apui /apui/ | api /api/ | api /api/ |
| Sun | matanandau /matanandau/ | matahari /matahari/ | mata-ari /mataari/ | matahari /matahari/ | matarani /matarani/ | mata allo /mataʔalːo/ | matari /matari/ |
| Moon | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ |
| Star | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bintoen /bintɔɛn/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ |
| Mother | indu /indu/ | mak /mak/ | indai /indai/ | uma /uma/ | ina /ina/ | indo /indo/ | ibu /ibu/ |
| Father | bapa /bapa/ | bapak /bapak/ | apai /apai/ | abah /abah/ | bak /baʔ/ | ambe /ambe/ | bapa /bapa/ |
| I | aku /aku/ | aku /aku/ | aku /aku/ | aku /aku/ | nyak /ɲaʔ/ | aku /aku/ | aku /aku/ |
| You | ikau /ikau/ | kau /kau/ | nuan /nuan/ | ikam /ikam/ | niku /niku/ | iko /iko/ | kamu /kamu/ |
| Name | aran /aran/ | namo /namo/ | nama /nama/ | ngaran /ŋaran/ | gelagh /ɡəlaʁ/ | sanga /saŋa/ | ngaran /ŋaran/ |
| Eye | mate /mate/ | mato /mato/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ |
| Hand | lengen /ləŋən/ | tangan /taŋan/ | jari /dʒari/ | tangan /taŋan/ | pungow /puŋow/ | lima /lima/ | tangan /taŋan/ |
| Heart | atei /atei/ | hati /hati/ | ati /ati/ | ati /ati/ | hati /hati/ | penaa /penaː/ | hati /hati/ |
| Love | sinta /sinta/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | rinduai /rinduai/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | cinta /tʃinta/ | ma'pa'iya /maʔpaʔija/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ |
| Tree | kayu /kaju/ | kayu /kaju/ | kayu /kaju/ | batang /bataŋ/ | batang kayu /bataŋ kaju/ | kayu /kaju/ | kayu /kaju/ |
| House | huma /huma/ | rumah /rumah/ | rumah /rumah/ | rumah /rumah/ | lamban /lamban/ | banua /banua/ | rumah /rumah/ |
| Dog | asu /asu/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | ukui /ukui/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | asu /asu/ | asu /asu/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ |
| Cat | posa /posa/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | mayau /majau/ | pusa /pusa/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | serre /serːe/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ |
| Eat | kuman /kuman/ | makan /makan/ | makai /makai/ | makan /makan/ | nganik /ŋanik/ | kumande /kumande/ | makan /makan/ |
| Drink | mihop /mihop/ | minum /minum/ | ngirup /ŋirup/ | nginum /ŋinum/ | nginum /ŋinum/ | ma'iru /maʔiru/ | minum /minum/ |
| One | ije /ije/ | siko /siko/ | satu /satu/ | asa /asa/ | sai /sai/ | mesa /mesa/ | sa /sa/ |
| Two | due /ˈdue/ | duo /duo/ | dua /dua/ | dua /dua/ | rua /ruwa/ | dua /dua/ | dua /dua/ |
| Hello | tabea /tabea/ | halo /halo/ | salam /salam/ | salam /salam/ | tabik /tabik/ | tabe /tabe/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | sahindai /sahindai/ | terimo kasih /terimo kasih/ | terima kasih /terima kasih/ | tarima kasih /tarima kasih/ | tarima kasih /tarima kasih/ | kurre sumanga' /kurːe sumaŋaʔ/ | — /—/ |
| Good | bahalap /bahalap/ | bagus /baɡus/ | manah /manah/ | bagus /baɡus/ | hayep /hajep/ | melo /melo/ | baik /baik/ |
| Computer | komputer /komˈputər/ | komputer /komˈputər/ | komputer /komˈputər/ | komputer /komˈputər/ | komputer /komˈputər/ | komputer /komˈputər/ | — |
| Sushi | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | pekasam /pəkasam/ |
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