Taetae ni Kiribati
Gilbertese
Austronesian (Micronesian)
Gilbertese (Te taetae ni Kiribati) is the national language of Kiribati and has an unusually small consonant inventory of only about 13 consonants; combined with a five-vowel system that distinguishes length, this gives it roughly 23 phonemes overall. It is also the only major Micronesian language with significant communities outside its core area, with established speaker bases in Fiji's Rabi Island (resettled Banabans) and Solomon Islands' Choiseul. Gilbertese has VOS word order and a rich Austronesian system of inclusive/exclusive pronouns and possessive classifiers.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Gilbertese
Sources
- Trussel, S. (ed.), A Combined Kiribati-English Dictionary based on Bingham (1908) and Sabatier (1971), trussel.com/kir/dic (via Wayback); ABVD 346 (same source)
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Austronesian (Micronesian)
| Meaning | Gilbertese | Tuvaluan | Tokelauan | Cook Islands Māori | Samoan | Tongan | Māori |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ran /ɾan/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | wai /wai/ |
| Fire | ai /ai/ | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ | aʻi /aʔi/ | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ | ahi /ahi/ |
| Sun | taai /taːi/ | laa /laː/ | lā /laː/ | rā /raː/ | lā /laː/ | laʻā /laʔaː/ | rā /ɾaː/ |
| Moon | namwakaina /namʷakaina/ | masina /masina/ | māhina /maːhina/ | marama /marama/ | māsina /maːsina/ | māhina /maːhina/ | marama /maɾama/ |
| Star | itoi /iˈtoi/ | fetū /fetuː/ | fetu /fetu/ | etū /etuː/ | fetū /fetuː/ | fetuʻu /fetuʔu/ | whetū /ɸetuː/ |
| Night | bong /boŋ/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ |
| Rain | karau /kaˈɾau/ | ua /ua/ | ua /ua/ | ua /ua/ | ua /ua/ | ʻuha /ʔuha/ | ua /ua/ |
| Snow | tinoo /siˈnoː/ | kiona /kiona/ | kiona /kiona/ | kiona /kiona/ | kiona /kiona/ | sinou /sinou/ | hukarere /hukaɾeɾe/ |
| Wind | ang /aŋ/ | matagi /mataŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ | matangi /mataŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ | matangi /mataŋi/ | hau /hau/ |
| Earth | tano /tano/ | kelekele /kelekele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ | one /one/ | ʻeleʻele /ʔeleʔele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ | oneone /oneone/ |
| Stone | atibu /aˈsibu/ | fatu /fatu/ | fatu /fatu/ | toka /toka/ | maʻa /maʔa/ | maka /maka/ | kōhatu /koːhatu/ |
| Mountain | maunga /mauŋa/ | mauga /mauŋa/ | mauga /mauŋa/ | maunga /mauŋa/ | mauga /mauŋa/ | moʻunga /moʔuŋa/ | maunga /mauŋa/ |
| Sea | marawa /maɾawa/ | tai /tai/ | moana /moana/ | tai /tai/ | sami /sami/ | tahi /tahi/ | moana /moana/ |
| Mother | tina /ˈsina/ | maatua /maːtua/ | mātua /maːtua/ | māmā /maːmaː/ | tinā /tinaː/ | faʻē /faʔeː/ | whaea /ɸaea/ |
| Father | tama /tama/ | tamana /tamana/ | tamana /tamana/ | pāpā /paːpaː/ | tamā /tamaː/ | tamai /tamai/ | matua /matua/ |
| Daughter | natiu te aine /nasiu te aine/ | tama fafine /tama fafine/ | afafine /afafine/ | tamaine /tamaine/ | afafine /afafine/ | ʻofefine /ʔofefine/ | tamāhine /tamaːhine/ |
| I | ngai /ŋai/ | au /au/ | au /au/ | au /au/ | aʻu /aʔu/ | au /au/ | au /au/ |
| You | ngkoe /ŋkoe/ | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ | ʻoe /ʔoe/ | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ |
| We | ngaira /ŋaira/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | kitautolu / kimautolu /kitautolu / kimautolu/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ |
| Name | ara /ˈara/ | igoa /iŋoa/ | igoa /iŋoa/ | ingoa /iŋoa/ | igoa /iŋoa/ | hingoa /hiŋoa/ | ingoa /iŋoa/ |
| Person | aomata /aomata/ | tino /tino/ | tagata /taŋata/ | tangata /taŋata/ | tagata /taŋata/ | tangata /taŋata/ | tangata /taŋata/ |
| Head | atu /ˈatu/ | ulu /ulu/ | ulu /ulu/ | upoko /upoko/ | ulu /ulu/ | ʻulu /ʔulu/ | upoko /upoko/ |
| Eye | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | karu /kaɾu/ |
| Ear | taninga /taniŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ | taringa /taɾiŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ | telinga /teliŋa/ | taringa /taɾiŋa/ |
| Nose | bwairi /bʷairi/ | isu /isu/ | ihu /ihu/ | putāngiʻu /putaːŋiʔu/ | isu /isu/ | ihu /ihu/ | ihu /ihu/ |
| Tooth | wi /wi/ | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ | niʻo /niʔo/ | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ | niho /niho/ |
| Tongue | newe /newe/ | alelo /alelo/ | alelo /alelo/ | arero /aɾeɾo/ | laulaufaiva /laulaufaiva/ | ʻelelo /ʔelelo/ | arero /aɾeɾo/ |
| Hand | bai /bai/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | rima /ɾima/ | lima /lima/ | nima /nima/ | ringa /ɾiŋa/ |
| Foot | wae /wae/ | vae /vae/ | vae /vae/ | vae /vae/ | vae /vae/ | vaʻe /vaʔe/ | waewae /waewae/ |
| Heart | nano /nano/ | fatu /fatu/ | fatu /fatu/ | ngākau /ŋaːkau/ | loto /loto/ | loto /loto/ | ngākau /ŋaːkau/ |
| Bone | ri /ri/ | ivi /ivi/ | ivi /ivi/ | ivi /ivi/ | ivi /ivi/ | hui /hui/ | kōiwi /koːiwi/ |
| Blood | rara /ɾaɾa/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ |
| Poop | butae /butae/ | tae /tae/ | tae /tae/ | tūtae /tuːtae/ | tae /tae/ | taʻe /taʔe/ | tūtae /tuːtae/ |
| Love | tangira /taŋiɾa/ | alofa /alofa/ | alofa /alofa/ | aroʻa /aɾoʔa/ | alofa /alofa/ | ʻofa /ʔofa/ | aroha /aɾoha/ |
| Tree | kai /kai/ | laakau /laːkau/ | lākau /laːkau/ | rākau /raːkau/ | laʻau /laʔau/ | ʻakau /ʔakau/ | rākau /ɾaːkau/ |
| Dog | kamea /kamea/ | kuli /kuli/ | kuli /kuli/ | puakaoa /puakaoa/ | maile /maile/ | kulī /kuliː/ | kurī /kuɾiː/ |
| Cat | katama /katama/ | pusi /pusi/ | puhi /puhi/ | ngiao /ŋiao/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | ngeru /ŋeɾu/ |
| Fish | ika /ˈika/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ | iʻa /iʔa/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ |
| Bird | mannikiba /mannikiba/ | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ | manupuna /manupuna/ | manu /manu/ |
| Butterfly | bwebwe /bʷebʷe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pūrerehua /puːɾeɾehua/ |
| Egg | bunnimoa /bunːiˈmoa/ | fuamoa /fuamoa/ | fuāmoa /fuaːmoa/ | ua /ua/ | fuamoa /fuamoa/ | foʻi moa /foʔi moa/ | hēki /heːki/ |
| Bear | bea /bea/ | pea /pea/ | pea /pea/ | pea /pea/ | pea /pea/ | pea /pea/ | pea /pea/ |
| Horse | aoti /aosi/ | solofanua /solofanua/ | holofanua /holofanua/ | ʻoroʻenua /ʔoɾoʔenua/ | solofanua /solofanua/ | hoosi /hoːsi/ | hōiho /hoːiho/ |
| House | auti /ˈausi/ | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ | ʻare /ʔaɾe/ | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ | whare /ɸaɾe/ |
| Milk | miriki /miɾiki/ | susu /susu/ | huāhuhu /huaːhuhu/ | ū /uː/ | susu /susu/ | huʻakau /huʔakau/ | miraka /miɾaka/ |
| Honey | meri /meɾi/ | hani /hani/ | meli /meli/ | meri /meri/ | meli /meli/ | hone /hone/ | miere /mieɾe/ |
| Salt | taoro /taoro/ | masima /masima/ | māhima /maːhima/ | miti /miti/ | masima /masima/ | māsima /maːsima/ | tote /tote/ |
| Wine | wain /wain/ | uaina /uaina/ | uaina /uaina/ | uaina /uaina/ | uaina /uaina/ | uaine /uaine/ | wāina /waːina/ |
| Rice | raiti /ɾaisi/ | laisi /laisi/ | — | raiti /ɾaiti/ | alaisa /alaisa/ | laise /laise/ | raihi /ɾaihi/ |
| Iron | biti /ˈpisi/ | fiti /fiti/ | ukamea /ukamea/ | ʻāuri /ʔaːuri/ | uʻamea /uʔamea/ | ukamea /ukamea/ | rino /ɾino/ |
| Wheel | wira /wiɾa/ | teka /teka/ | uili /uili/ | porotātā /poɾotaːtaː/ | uili /uili/ | veʻeteka /veʔeteka/ | wīra /wiːɾa/ |
| Silk | tirika /siɾika/ | silika /silika/ | hilika /hilika/ | tīrika /tiːɾika/ | silika /silika/ | silika /silika/ | hiraka /hiɾaka/ |
| Book | boki /ˈboki/ | tusi /tusi/ | tuhi /tuhi/ | puka /puka/ | tusi /tusi/ | tohi /tohi/ | pukapuka /pukapuka/ |
| Eat | amwarake /amʷaɾake/ | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ | ʻai /ʔai/ | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ |
| Drink | nima /nima/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ |
| Sleep | matu /ˈmatu/ | moe /moe/ | moe /moe/ | moe /moe/ | moe /moe/ | mohe /mohe/ | moe /moe/ |
| One | teuana /teuana/ | tasi /tasi/ | tahi /tahi/ | taʻi /taʔi/ | tasi /tasi/ | taha /taha/ | tahi /tahi/ |
| Two | uoua /uˈoua/ | lua /lua/ | lua /lua/ | rua /rua/ | lua /lua/ | ua /ua/ | rua /ɾua/ |
| Three | tenua /teˈnua/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | toru /toɾu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | toru /toɾu/ |
| Four | aua /aua/ | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ | ʻā /ʔaː/ | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ | whā /ɸaː/ |
| Five | nimaua /nimaua/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | rima /ɾima/ | lima /lima/ | nima /nima/ | rima /ɾima/ |
| Hundred | tebubua /tebuˈbua/ | selau /selau/ | helau /helau/ | ʻānere /ʔaːnere/ | selau /selau/ | teau /teau/ | rau /ɾau/ |
| Hello | mauri /mauɾi/ | taalofa /taːlofa/ | malo ni /malo ni/ | kia orāna /kia oɾaːna/ | talofa /talofa/ | mālō e lelei /maːloː e lelei/ | kia ora /kia oɾa/ |
| Thank you | ko rabwa /ko ɾabʷa/ | fakafetai /fakafetai/ | fakafetai /fakafetai/ | meitaki /meitaki/ | faʻafetai /faʔafetai/ | mālō /maːloː/ | ngā mihi /ŋaː mihi/ |
| Good | raoiroi /ɾaoiɾoi/ | lei /lei/ | lelei /lelei/ | meitaki /meitaki/ | lelei /lelei/ | lelei /lelei/ | pai /pai/ |
| New | bou /bou/ | fou /fou/ | fou /fou/ | ʻou /ʔou/ | fou /fou/ | foʻou /foʔou/ | hou /hou/ |
| Red | uraura /uɾaˈuɾa/ | kula /kula/ | kukula /kukula/ | muramura /muɾamuɾa/ | mūmū /muːmuː/ | kulokula /kulokula/ | whero /ɸeɾo/ |
| White | mainaina /mainaina/ | kena /kena/ | paepae /paepae/ | teatea /teatea/ | paʻepaʻe /paʔepaʔe/ | hinehina /hinehina/ | mā /maː/ |
| Black | roro /ɾoɾo/ | uli /uli/ | uli /uli/ | kerekere /keɾekeɾe/ | uliuli /uliuli/ | ʻuliʻuli /ʔuliʔuli/ | mangu /maŋu/ |
| Green | mawawa /mawawa/ | lanu lau niu /lanu lau niu/ | lanu meamata /lanu meamata/ | matie /matie/ | lanumeamata /lanumeamata/ | lanu mata /lanu mata/ | kākāriki /kaːkaːɾiki/ |
| Blue | mawawa /mawawa/ | lanu moana /lanu moana/ | lanumoana /lanumoana/ | auīka /auiːka/ | lanumoana /lanumoana/ | lanu moana /lanu moana/ | kahurangi /kahuɾaŋi/ |
| Computer | kaombiuta /kaombiuta/ | komupiuta /komupiuta/ | komepiuta /komepiuta/ | rorouira /ɾoɾouiɾa/ | komipiuta /komipiuta/ | komipiuta /komipiuta/ | rorohiko /ɾoɾohiko/ |
| Tea | ii /iː/ | tī /tiː/ | — | tī /tiː/ | tī /tiː/ | tī /tiː/ | tī /tiː/ |
| Coffee | kobe /kobe/ | kofe /kofe/ | — | kaope /kaope/ | kofe /kofe/ | kofi /kofi/ | kawhe /kaɸe/ |
| Sugar | tioka /sioka/ | suka /suka/ | — | tuka /tuka/ | suka /suka/ | suka /suka/ | huka /huka/ |
| Orange | aoranti /aoɾansi/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | ʻānani /ʔaːnani/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | ārani /aːɾani/ |
| Ninety-nine | ruabwi ma ruaiwa /ruabʷi ma ruaiwa/ | iva sefulu iva /iva sefulu iva/ | iva hefuluiva /iva hefuluiva/ | iva ngaʻuru mā iva /iva ŋaʔuɾu maː iva/ | ivasefulu ma le iva /ivasefulu ma le iva/ | hivangofulu mā hiva /hivaŋofulu maː hiva/ | iwa tekau mā iwa /iwa tekau maː iwa/ |
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