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
20 core words in Ngaju
Water
danum
/danum/
Fire
apui
/apui/
Sun
matanandau
/matanandau/
Moon
bulan
/bulan/
Mother
indu
/indu/
Father
bapa
/bapa/
Eat
kuman
/kuman/
Drink
mihop
/mihop/
Love
sinta
/sinta/
Heart
atei
/atei/
Tree
kayu
/kaju/
House
huma
/huma/
Dog
asu
/asu/
Cat
posa
/posa/
Hand
lengen
/ləŋən/
Eye
mate
/mate/
Hello
tabea
/tabea/
Thank you
sahindai
/sahindai/
One
ije
/ije/
Good
bahalap
/bahalap/
Words compared
Compared with related Austronesian (West Barito) languages
| Meaning | Ngaju | Iban | Musi | Old Malay | Lampung | Mandar | Minangkabau |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | danum /danum/ | ai /ai/ | ayek /ajek/ | ayar /ajar/ | way /waj/ | uai /uai/ | aia /aia/ |
| Fire | apui /apui/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | apui /apui/ | api /api/ | api /api/ |
| Sun | matanandau /matanandau/ | mata-ari /mataari/ | matahari /matahari/ | matari /matari/ | matarani /matarani/ | mata allo /mata alːo/ | matoari /matoaɾi/ |
| Moon | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulang /bulaŋ/ | bulan /bulan/ |
| Mother | indu /indu/ | indai /indai/ | mak /mak/ | ibu /ibu/ | ina /ina/ | indo /indo/ | amak /amaʔ/ |
| Father | bapa /bapa/ | apai /apai/ | bapak /bapak/ | bapa /bapa/ | kemamang /kemamaŋ/ | ama /ama/ | abak /abaʔ/ |
| Eat | kuman /kuman/ | makai /makai/ | makan /makan/ | makan /makan/ | nganik /ŋanik/ | ma'ande /maʔande/ | makan /makan/ |
| Drink | mihop /mihop/ | ngirup /ŋirup/ | minum /minum/ | minum /minum/ | nginum /ŋinum/ | minung /minuŋ/ | minum /minum/ |
| Love | sinta /sinta/ | rinduai /rinduai/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | gawoh /ɡawoh/ | mappinawa /mapːinawa/ | cinto /tʃinto/ |
| Heart | atei /atei/ | ati /ati/ | hati /hati/ | hati /hati/ | hati /hati/ | ate /ate/ | ati /ati/ |
| Tree | kayu /kaju/ | kayu /kaju/ | kayu /kaju/ | kayu /kaju/ | batang kayu /bataŋ kaju/ | kaju /kaju/ | kayu /kaju/ |
| House | huma /huma/ | rumah /rumah/ | rumah /rumah/ | rumah /rumah/ | lamban /lamban/ | boyang /bojaŋ/ | rumah /ɾumah/ |
| Dog | asu /asu/ | ukui /ukui/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | asu /asu/ | asu /asu/ | anjiang /aɲdʒiaŋ/ |
| Cat | posa /posa/ | mayau /majau/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | mio /mio/ | kuciang /kutʃiaŋ/ |
| Hand | lengen /ləŋən/ | jari /dʒari/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tangan /taŋan/ | pungow /puŋow/ | lima /lima/ | tangan /taŋan/ |
| Eye | mate /mate/ | mata /mata/ | mato /mato/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mato /mato/ |
| Hello | tabea /tabea/ | salam /salam/ | halo /halo/ | — /—/ | tabik /tabik/ | salama' ma'ondong /salamaʔ maʔondoŋ/ | salam /salam/ |
| Thank you | sahindai /sahindai/ | terima kasih /terima kasih/ | terimo kasih /terimo kasih/ | — /—/ | tarima kasih /tarima kasih/ | kuru' sumanga' /kuɾuʔ sumaŋaʔ/ | tarimo kasiah /taɾimo kasiah/ |
| One | ije /ije/ | satu /satu/ | siko /siko/ | sa /sa/ | sai /sai/ | mesa /mesa/ | ciek /tʃieʔ/ |
| Good | bahalap /bahalap/ | manah /manah/ | bagus /baɡus/ | baik /baik/ | hayep /hajep/ | macoa /matʃoa/ | rancak /ɾantʃaʔ/ |
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