ܐܪܡܝܬ
Western Neo-Aramaic
Afro-Asiatic
Western Neo-Aramaic (autonymously Aramyt or Sūret) is the last surviving Western Aramaic language, spoken by around 3,000 people in the village of Maaloula and two adjacent villages of Bakhah and Jubb'adin in the Anti-Lebanon mountains of Syria, north of Damascus. It is a direct descendant of the dialect of Aramaic spoken by Jesus Christ in 1st-century Palestine — the closest living language to Jesus' native tongue. The Maaloula population is overwhelmingly Christian (Greek Catholic and Greek Orthodox), with the language having been preserved through religious-community isolation in the rocky mountain valleys. The 2013-14 Syrian War battle of Maaloula severely disrupted the speech community: many speakers were displaced or killed, religious sites were destroyed, and the village remained partially evacuated for years. Post-war revival efforts include the Maaloula Aramaic Language Academy and Damascus University Aramaic Studies department.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Western Neo-Aramaic
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Afro-Asiatic
| Meaning | Western Neo-Aramaic | Aramaic | Classical Syriac | Assyrian Neo-Aramaic | Turoyo | Mandaic | Old Aramaic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ܡܘܝܐ /moːja/ | ܡܝܐ /majjaː/ | ܡܝܐ /majjaː/ | ܡܝܐ /mijja/ | ܡܝܐ /majo/ | ࡌࡉࡀ /mia/ | מין /majin/ |
| Fire | — /—/ | ܢܘܪܐ /nuːraː/ | ܢܘܪܐ /nuːraː/ | ܢܘܪܐ /nura/ | ܢܘܪܐ /nuro/ | ࡍࡅࡓࡀ /nura/ | נור /nuːr/ |
| Sun | ܫܡܫܐ /ʃemʃaː/ | ܫܡܫܐ /ʃemʃaː/ | ܫܡܫܐ /ʃemʃaː/ | ܫܡܫܐ /ʃimʃa/ | ܫܡܫܐ /ʃamʃo/ | ࡔࡀࡌࡔࡀ /ʃamʃa/ | שמש /ʃamʃ/ |
| Moon | ܣܗܪܐ /sahraː/ | ܣܗܪܐ /sahraː/ | ܣܗܪܐ /sahraː/ | ܣܗܪܐ /sahra/ | ܣܗܪܐ /sahro/ | ࡎࡉࡓࡀ /sira/ | שהר /sahr/ |
| Star | ܟܘܟܒܐ /kawkba/ | ܟܘܟܒܐ /koːχβaː/ | ܟܘܟܒܐ /kawkβaː/ | ܟܵܘܟ݂ܒ݂ܵܐ /kawxva/ | ܟܟܒܐ /kəxwo/ | ࡊࡅࡊࡁࡀ /ˈkukba/ | כוכב /kawkab/ |
| Night | ܠܠܝܐ /lelja/ | ܠܠܝܐ /leljaː/ | ܠܠܝܐ /lelja/ | ܠܸܠܝܵܐ /lelja/ | ܠܠܝܐ /laljo/ | ࡋࡉࡋࡉࡀ /lilja/ | לליא /leːljaː/ |
| Snow | ܬܠܟܐ /ˈθelka/ | ܬܠܓܐ /talɡaː/ | ܬܠܓܐ /talɡaː/ | ܬܲܠܓܵܐ /talɡa/ | ܬܠܓܐ /talɡo/ | ࡕࡀࡋࡂࡀ /talɡa/ | 𐡕𐡋𐡂 /talɡ/ |
| Earth | ܐܪܥܐ /arʕɔ/ | ܐܪܥܐ /ʔarʕaː/ | ܐܪܥܐ /ʔarʕɑ/ | ܐܪܥܐ /ʔarʕa/ | ܐܪܥܐ /arʕo/ | ࡀࡓࡒࡀ /arqa/ | 𐡀𐡓𐡒 /ʔarq/ |
| Stone | ܟܐܦܐ /xefa/ | ܐܒܢܐ /ʔaβnaː/ | ܟܐܦܐ /keːpaː/ | ܟܐܦܐ /ˈkeːpa/ | ܟܐܦܐ /kefo/ | ࡂࡋࡀࡋࡀ /ɡlala/ | אבן /ʔaben/ |
| Mother | ܐܡܐ /emaː/ | ܐܡܐ /ʔemmaː/ | ܐܡܐ /ʔemmaː/ | ܝܡܐ /jimma/ | ܐܡܐ /imo/ | ࡀࡌࡀ /ama/ | אמ /ʔem/ |
| Father | ܒܒܐ /babːaː/ | ܐܒܐ /ʔabbaː/ | ܐܒܐ /ʔabbaː/ | ܒܒܐ /baba/ | ܒܒܐ /babo/ | ࡀࡁࡀ /aba/ | אב /ʔab/ |
| Daughter | ܒܪܬ̤ܐ /bertʃa/ | ܒܪܬܐ /bartaː/ | ܒܪܬܐ /bartaː/ | ܒܪܵܬܵܐ /ˈbrata/ | ܒܪܬܐ /barto/ | ࡁࡓࡀࡕࡀ /brata/ | ברת /bart/ |
| I | ܐܢܐ /ana/ | ܐܢܐ /ʔanaː/ | ܐܢܐ /ʔenaː/ | ܐܵܢܵܐ /ˈʔaːna/ | ܐܢܐ /ono/ | ࡀࡍࡀ /ˈana/ | אנה /ʔanaː/ |
| You | ܚܐܟ /ħatʃ/ | ܐܢܬ /ʔatt/ | ܐܢܬ /ʔat/ | ܐܲܢ݉ܬ /ʔat/ | ܗܬ /hat/ | ࡀࡍࡀࡕ /at/ | אנת /ʔantaː/ |
| We | ܐܢܚ /anaħ/ | ܐܢܚܢܢ /ʔanaħnan/ | ܚܢܢ /ħnan/ | ܐܲܚܢܲܢ /ˈʔaxnan/ | ܐܚܢܐ /aħna/ | ࡀࡍࡉࡍ /ˈanin/ | אנחנא /ʔanaħnaː/ |
| Name | ܐܫܡܐ /eʃma/ | ܫܡܐ /ʃmaː/ | ܫܡܐ /ʃmaː/ | ܫܸܡܵܐ /ˈʃɪmma/ | ܐܫܡܐ /eʃmo/ | ࡔࡅࡌࡀ /ˈʃuma/ | שם /ʃum/ |
| Person | ܒܪܢܫܐ /barnoːʃa/ | ܐܢܫܐ /ʔnaːʃaː/ | ܐܢܫܐ /ʔnaːʃaː/ | ܒܲܪܢܵܫܵܐ /barnaːʃa/ | ܢܫܐ /noʃo/ | ࡀࡍࡀࡔࡀ /anaʃa/ | אנש /ʔenaːʃ/ |
| Eye | ܥܝܢܐ /ʕajna/ | ܥܝܢܐ /ʕajnaː/ | ܥܝܢܐ /ʕajnaː/ | ܥܝܢܐ /ʕajna/ | ܥܝܢܐ /ʕajno/ | ࡏࡉࡍࡀ /ʔina/ | עין /ʕajn/ |
| Ear | ܐܕܢܐ /ʔiðnaː/ | ܐܕܢܐ /ʔedˈnaː/ | ܐܕܢܐ /ʔedˈnɑ/ | ܐܕܢܐ /ˈʔɪðna/ | ܐܕܢܐ /aðno/ | ࡏࡅࡃࡍࡀ /odna/ | 𐡀𐡃𐡍𐡀 /ʔuðnaː/ |
| Tooth | ܫܢܐ /ʃenːa/ | ܫܢܐ /ʃenːaː/ | ܫܢܐ /ʃenːaː/ | ܟܵܟܵܐ /kaka/ | ܐܪܫܐ /arʃo/ | ࡔࡉࡍࡀ /ʃinːa/ | שנא /ʃenːaː/ |
| Tongue | ܠܫܢܐ /liʃona/ | ܠܫܢܐ /liʃːaːnaː/ | ܠܫܢܐ /liʃːaːnaː/ | ܠܫܵܢܵܐ /liʃana/ | ܠܫܢܐ /liʃono/ | ࡋࡉࡔࡀࡍࡀ /liʃana/ | לשנא /liʃːaːnaː/ |
| Hand | ܐܝܕܐ /iða/ | ܐܝܕܐ /ʔiːðaː/ | ܐܝܕܐ /ʔiːðaː/ | ܐܝܕܐ /iːða/ | ܐܝܕܐ /iðo/ | ࡏࡃࡀ /ʔida/ | יד /jad/ |
| Heart | ܠܒܐ /lebaː/ | ܠܒܐ /lebbaː/ | ܠܒܐ /lebbaː/ | ܠܒܐ /libba/ | ܠܒܐ /lebo/ | ࡋࡉࡁࡀ /liba/ | לב /leb/ |
| Bone | ܓܪܡܐ /xerma/ | ܓܪܡܐ /ɡarmaː/ | ܓܪܡܐ /ɡarmaː/ | ܓܪܡܐ /ɡarma/ | ܓܪܡܐ /ɡarmo/ | ࡂࡉࡓࡌࡀ /ɡerma/ | גרמא /ɡarmaː/ |
| Blood | ܐܙܡܐ /ezma/ | ܕܡܐ /dmaː/ | ܕܡܐ /dmaː/ | ܕܡܵܐ /dɪmma/ | ܐܕܡܐ /admo/ | ࡆࡌࡀ /zma/ | דמא /dmaː/ |
| Love | ܚܘܒܐ /ħubaː/ | ܚܘܒܐ /ħubbaː/ | ܚܘܒܐ /ħubbaː/ | ܚܘܒܐ /xubba/ | ܚܘܒܐ /ħubo/ | ࡓࡅࡄࡌࡀ /ruhma/ | רחם /raħem/ |
| Tree | ܐܝܠܢܐ /elona/ | ܐܝܠܢܐ /ʔiːlaːnaː/ | ܐܝܠܢܐ /ʔiːlaːnaː/ | ܐܝܠܢܐ /ilana/ | ܐܝܠܢܐ /ilono/ | ࡏࡋࡀࡍࡀ /ilana/ | עץ /ʕeːsˤ/ |
| Dog | ܟܠܒܐ /kalbaː/ | ܟܠܒܐ /kalbaː/ | ܟܠܒܐ /kalbaː/ | ܟܠܒܐ /kalba/ | ܟܠܒܐ /kalbo/ | ࡊࡀࡋࡁࡀ /kalba/ | כלב /kalb/ |
| Cat | ܩܛܘܢܐ /qatˤuna/ | ܫܘܢܪܐ /ʃunnaːraː/ | ܫܘܢܪܐ /ʃunnaːraː/ | ܩܛܘ /qaːtˤo/ | ܫܘܢܪܐ /ʃunoro/ | ࡔࡅࡍࡀࡓࡀ /ʃunara/ | — /—/ |
| Fish | — /—/ | ܢܘܢܐ /nuːnaː/ | ܢܘܢܐ /nuːnaː/ | ܢܘܢܐ /nuna/ | ܢܘܢܐ /nuno/ | ࡍࡅࡍࡀ /nuna/ | נונא /nuːnaː/ |
| House | ܒܝܬܐ /bajθa/ | ܒܝܬܐ /bajtaː/ | ܒܝܬܐ /bajθaː/ | ܒܝܬܐ /beθa/ | ܒܝܬܐ /bajto/ | ࡁࡉࡕࡀ /bita/ | בית /beːt/ |
| Eat | ܐܟܠ /iʔχel/ | ܐܟܠ /ʔaːχel/ | ܐܟܠ /ʔeχal/ | ܐܟܠ /axil/ | ܐܟܠ /oxulo/ | ࡀࡊࡀࡋ /akal/ | אכל /ʔakal/ |
| Drink | ܫܬܐ /ʃetaː/ | ܫܬܐ /ʃtaː/ | ܐܫܬܝ /ʔeʃtiː/ | ܫܬܐ /ʃate/ | ܫܬܐ /ʃote/ | ࡔࡕࡀ /ʃta/ | שתה /ʃataː/ |
| Sleep | ܕܡܟ /dmeχ/ | ܕܡܟ /dmeχ/ | ܕܡܟ /dmeχ/ | ܕܡܟ /daːmeːx/ | ܕܡܟ /domaχ/ | ࡃࡌࡀࡊ /dmak/ | דמך /damek/ |
| One | ܐܚܕ /ʔaħːað/ | ܚܕ /ħað/ | ܚܕ /ħað/ | ܚܕ /xa/ | ܚܕ /ħað/ | ࡄࡀࡃ /had/ | חד /ħad/ |
| Two | ܐܬܪ /ʔeθər/ | ܬܪܝܢ /treːn/ | ܬܪܝܢ /treːn/ | ܬܪܹܝܢ /treːn/ | ܬܪܐ /tre/ | ࡕࡓࡉࡍ /tren/ | תרין /treːn/ |
| Three | ܬܠܬܐ /θlɒːθa/ | ܬܠܬ /tlaːθ/ | ܬܠܬ /tlaːt/ | ܬܠܵܬܵܐ /tˤlaːθa/ | ܬܠܬܐ /tloθo/ | ࡕࡋࡀࡕࡀ /tlata/ | תלת /tlaːt/ |
| Four | ܐܪܒ݆ܥܐ /ʔarpʕa/ | ܐܪܒܥ /ʔarbaʕ/ | ܐܪܒܥ /ʔarbaʕ/ | ܐܪܒܥܐ /arpa/ | ܐܪܒܥܐ /arbˤo/ | ࡀࡓࡁࡀ /arba/ | ארבע /ʔarbaʕ/ |
| Five | ܚܡܫܐ /ħamʃa/ | ܚܡܫ /ħamːeʃ/ | ܚܡܫ /ħamːeʃ/ | ܚܡܫܐ /xamʃa/ | ܚܡܫܐ /ħamʃo/ | ࡄࡀࡌࡔࡀ /hamʃa/ | חמש /ħamːeʃ/ |
| Hello | ܫܠܡܐ /ʃlomaː/ | ܫܠܡܐ /ʃlaːmaː/ | ܫܠܡܐ /ʃlaːmaː/ | ܫܠܡܐ /ʃlaːma/ | ܫܠܡܐ /ʃlomo/ | ࡔࡋࡀࡌࡀ /ʃlama/ | שלם /ʃəlaːm/ |
| Thank you | ܬܘܕܝ /tawdiː/ | ܬܘܕܝ /tawdiː/ | ܫܘܒܚܐ /ʃubħaː/ | ܒܣܝܡܐ /basima/ | ܬܘܕܝ /tawdi/ | ࡈࡀࡁࡅࡕࡀ /ʈabuta/ | — /—/ |
| Good | ܛܒܐ /tˤaːβa/ | ܛܒܐ /tˤaːβaː/ | ܛܒܐ /tˤaːβaː/ | ܛܒܐ /tˤaːwa/ | ܛܒܐ /tˤobo/ | ࡈࡀࡁࡀ /tˤaba/ | טב /tˤab/ |
| Red | ܣܡܩܐ /smaqa/ | ܣܘܡܩܐ /sumqaː/ | ܣܘܡܩܐ /sumːaqaː/ | ܣܡܘܩܐ /smuqa/ | ܣܡܘܩܐ /semoqo/ | ࡎࡅࡌࡒࡀ /sumqa/ | סמק /summaːq/ |
Open the interactive map: Word Map · HanMap · Name Map · Word Order · Tree
Part of LangMap — a linguistic visualization project. This is a static, crawlable summary; the interactive maps offer pronunciation audio, filters, and a globe view.
Made by Heuron Inc. · GitHub · cho@heuron.com · LangMap home