Kajin Majeḷ
Marshallese
Austronesian (Micronesian)
Marshallese (Kajin M̧ajeļ) is the national language of the Marshall Islands, with ~55K speakers in the country and a substantial diaspora in the U.S. (especially Springdale, Arkansas, with ~15K). Co-official with English. Phonologically unusual for Micronesian, with a four-way velarized/palatalized contrast on consonants and a vowel system traditionally analyzed as having only 4 underlying vowels (with positional allophones). Two main dialects: Rālik (western) and Ratak (eastern). Uses an extended Latin script with sub-dotted/cedilla letters (ḷ, ṃ, ņ, ñ). The Compact of Free Association (1986) ties Marshallese closely to the U.S.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Marshallese
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Austronesian (Micronesian)
| Meaning | Marshallese | Pohnpeian | Kosraean | Chuukese | Gilbertese | Woleaian | Yapese |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | dān /tʲaːn/ | pihl /pihl/ | kof /kof/ | kkónik /kːonik/ | ran /ɾan/ | shal /ʃalʉ/ | raen /raen/ |
| Fire | kijeek /kʲideːk/ | ahi /ahi/ | e /e/ | ekkei /ekːei/ | ai /ai/ | yaf /jaːfi/ | nifiy /nifij/ |
| Sun | aḷ /alˠ/ | ketipin /ketipin/ | faht /fæt/ | akkar /akːaɾ/ | taai /taːi/ | yal /jal/ | yalʼ /jalʼ/ |
| Moon | aḷḷōñ /alˠːəŋ/ | maram /maram/ | malem /malem/ | maram /maɾam/ | namwakaina /namʷakaina/ | meram /meɻame/ | pul /pul/ |
| Star | iju /izʲiw/ | usu /usu/ | itu /itu/ | fúú /fɨː/ | itoi /iˈtoi/ | fius /fʉːs/ | tʼuuf /tʼuːf/ |
| Night | boñ /boŋ/ | pwong /pʷoŋ/ | fong /foŋ/ | pwiin /pʷiːn/ | bong /boŋ/ | bong /boːŋi/ | neapʼ /nɛapʼ/ |
| Rain | wōt /wɤt/ | keteu /ketew/ | af /af/ | wúút /wɨːt/ | karau /kaˈɾau/ | ut /uːte/ | nʼuw /nʔuw/ |
| Snow | jiṇo /tʲinˠo/ | sinoh /sinoː/ | — | sno /sno/ | tinoo /siˈnoː/ | — | — |
| Wind | an̄ /aŋ/ | kisinieng /kisinieŋ/ | eng /eŋ/ | eng /eŋ/ | ang /aŋ/ | yang /jaːŋi/ | nifeng /nifɛŋ/ |
| Earth | bwidej /bwidɛt/ | pwehl /pʷeːl/ | fohk /fok/ | pwpwún /pʷːɨn/ | tano /tano/ | bbel /bːəlʉ/ | buutʼ /buːtʼ/ |
| Stone | dekā /tɛˈkaː/ | takai /taˈkaj/ | eot /eot/ | faaw /faːw/ | atibu /aˈsibu/ | faiu /faːʉ/ | malaang /malaːŋ/ |
| Mountain | toļ /tˠɛlʷ/ | nahna /naːna/ | eol /eol/ | chuuk /tʃuːk/ | maunga /mauŋa/ | taiit /taiːt/ | burey /burej/ |
| Sea | lọjet /lɑzʲet/ | sehd /sɛːd/ | meoa /meoa/ | sáát /saːt/ | marawa /maɾawa/ | metaw /metaw/ | madaay /madaːj/ |
| Mother | jinō /tʲinə/ | nohno /nohno/ | nina /nina/ | iin /iːn/ | tina /ˈsina/ | sila /sila/ | chitiningin /tʃitiniŋin/ |
| Father | jemān /tʲemʲaːn/ | pahpa /paːpa/ | papa /papa/ | saam /saːm/ | tama /tama/ | tema /tema/ | chiitamoog /tʃiːtamoːɡ/ |
| Daughter | nejin kōrā /netʲin kərˠæ/ | nah serepein /nah sɛrɛpein/ | acn /ɛn/ | nengin /neŋin/ | natiu te aine /nasiu te aine/ | — | ppin ni fak /pːin ni fak/ |
| I | ña /ŋˠa/ | ngehi /ŋɛhi/ | nga /ŋa/ | ngang /ŋaŋ/ | ngai /ŋai/ | gaang /ɡaːŋ/ | gaeg /ɡaːɡ/ |
| You | kwe /kʷɛ/ | kowe /kowe/ | kom /kom/ | en /en/ | ngkoe /ŋkoe/ | geel /ɡeːle/ | guur /ɡuːr/ |
| We | kōj / kōm /kɔtʲ / kɔm/ | kitail / kiht /kitajl / kiht/ | kut /kut/ | kich / áám /kitʃ / aːm/ | ngaira /ŋaira/ | giish / gaamam /ɡiːʃ / ɡaːmam/ | gadaed / gamaed /ɡadɛːd / ɡamɛːd/ |
| Name | āt /æt/ | ede /ɛdɛ/ | ine /ine/ | iit /iːt/ | ara /ˈara/ | it /iːt/ | fithingan /fiθiŋan/ |
| Person | armej /arˠmʲetʲ/ | aramas /aramas/ | mwet /mʷet/ | aramas /aramas/ | aomata /aomata/ | yaremat /jaɻemat/ | girdiʼ /ɡirdiːʔ/ |
| Head | bar /pˠarˠ/ | moahng /mɔːŋ/ | insifac /insifɛ/ | mékúr /məkɨɾ/ | atu /ˈatu/ | shimw /ʃimʷ/ | lolug /loluɡ/ |
| Eye | mej /mʲetʲ/ | pwoarenmas /pʷɔrɛnmas/ | mutahl /mutæl/ | maas /maːs/ | mata /mata/ | mat /maːte/ | miit /miːt/ |
| Ear | lọjilñi /lɑzʲilŋi/ | salenge /salɛŋ/ | srwac /ʂwɛ/ | sening /seniŋ/ | taninga /taniŋa/ | taling /taliŋa/ | teel /teːl/ |
| Nose | bọti /pʷɑtʲi/ | tumwe /tumʷe/ | fwac /fwɛ/ | pwéét /pʷeːt/ | bwairi /bʷairi/ | boot /boːti/ | pʼeethunguun /pʼeːθuŋuːn/ |
| Mouth | lọñi /lɑŋi/ | ahu /ahu/ | oalu /oalu/ | aaw /aːw/ | — | yaw /jaw/ | lʼugun /lʼuɡun/ |
| Tooth | ñi /ŋi/ | ngih /ŋiː/ | wihs /wɨs/ | nii /niː/ | wi /wi/ | ngi /ŋiː/ | nguwol /ŋuwoːl/ |
| Tongue | lo /lo/ | loh /loː/ | loh /loh/ | chénnaaw /tʃenːaːw/ | newe /newe/ | lew /leːwe/ | balwoth /balwoθ/ |
| Hand | pā /pˠaː/ | peh /peh/ | poun /poun/ | paaw /paːw/ | bai /bai/ | paiu /paːʉ/ | paʼ /paʔ/ |
| Foot | ne /ne/ | patehn neh /pateːn neː/ | ne /ne/ | peche /petʃe/ | wae /wae/ | peshe /peʃe/ | ay /ʔaːj/ |
| Heart | bōro /pˠəɾə/ | mohngiong /moːŋioŋ/ | insiac /insiɛ/ | letip /letip/ | nano /nano/ | bun /buno/ | gam /ɡam/ |
| Bone | di /ti/ | tih /tiː/ | sri /ʂi/ | chuu /tʃɨː/ | ri /ri/ | shiu /ʃiu/ | yil /jil/ |
| Blood | bōtōktōk /bɔtɔktɔk/ | nta /nta/ | srah /ʂah/ | chcha /tʃːa/ | rara /ɾaɾa/ | cha /tʃa/ | rachaʼ /ratʃaʔ/ |
| Poop | kūbwe /kɯbwɛ/ | pwise /pʷise/ | — | — /—/ | butae /butae/ | pag /paɡ/ | taer /taːr/ |
| Love | yokwe /jokwe/ | limpoak /limpoːk/ | lungse /luŋse/ | tóng /təŋ/ | tangira /taŋiɾa/ | ffageo /fːaɡœː/ | tʼuf /tʼuf/ |
| Tree | wōjke /wətʲkʲe/ | tuhke /tuhke/ | sak /sak/ | irá /iɾaː/ | kai /kai/ | ira /iɻa/ | gekʼiy /ɡekʔij/ |
| Dog | kidu /kʲidˠu/ | kihdi /kihdi/ | kosro /kosro/ | konak /konak/ | kamea /kamea/ | gelaag /ɡelaːɡu/ | pilis /pilis/ |
| Cat | kuuj /kʲuːtʲ/ | kaht /kaht/ | katu /katu/ | kkááset /kːaːset/ | katama /katama/ | gaatu /ɡaːtu/ | katuu /katuː/ |
| Fish | ek /ek/ | mwahmw /mʷaːmʷ/ | ik /ik/ | iik /iːk/ | ika /ˈika/ | ig /iːɡe/ | nig /niːɡ/ |
| Bird | bao /pˠɑoː/ | menpihr /menˈpiːr/ | won /won/ | machang /matʃaŋ/ | mannikiba /mannikiba/ | mal /malʉ/ | archeʼ /ʔartʃəʔ/ |
| Butterfly | babbūb /bɑbːɯb/ | lipahrourou /lipaːrowrow/ | — | nipwisipwis /nipʷisipʷis/ | bwebwe /bʷebʷe/ | libegibeg /libeɡibeɡ/ | taloolbëy /taloːlbəj/ |
| Egg | lep /lʲɛpʲ/ | kutohr /kutoːr/ | ahtro /ætro/ | sókkun /səkːun/ | bunnimoa /bunːiˈmoa/ | siugiun /sʉɡʉn/ | faak /faːk/ |
| Bear | pāār /pʲæːrˠ/ | pehr /pɛːr/ | pacr /pɛr/ | pear /pear/ | bea /bea/ | — | bear /beːr/ |
| Horse | o̧o̧j /ɒːtʲ/ | oahs /ɔːs/ | — | arus /arus/ | aoti /aosi/ | yoas /jɒs/ | os /ʔoːs/ |
| House | eṃ /emˠ/ | ihmw /ihmʷ/ | lohm /lohm/ | iimw /iːmʷ/ | auti /ˈausi/ | imw /iːmʷe/ | naʼun /naʔun/ |
| Milk | milik /mʲilʲikʲ/ | milik /milik/ | titi /titi/ | milik /milik/ | miriki /miɾiki/ | milik /milik/ | milik /milik/ |
| Honey | ōne /ɤnʲe/ | sukehn loangalap /sukeːn lɔŋalap/ | — | chönün chunen /tʃənɨn tʃunen/ | meri /meɾi/ | — | — |
| Salt | jọọḷ /tʲɒːlˠ/ | soahl /sɔːl/ | sohl /sɔl/ | sóón /səːn/ | taoro /taoro/ | gasiiga /ɡasiːɡa/ | sool /soːl/ |
| Wine | wain /wɑin/ | wain /wain/ | wain /wain/ | wain /wain/ | wain /wain/ | waain /waːine/ | wayin /wajin/ |
| Rice | raij /rˠɑːitʲ/ | rais /rais/ | rais /rais/ | rais /ɾais/ | raiti /ɾaisi/ | peraas /peɻaːs/ | koomëy /koːməj/ |
| Chocolate | jọkleej /tʲɑkʷleːtʲ/ | sokoled /sokoled/ | — | — | — | — | chocolate |
| Iron | māāl /mʲaːlʲ/ | mete /ˈmete/ | osra /oʂa/ | mecha /metʃa/ | biti /ˈpisi/ | paarang /paːɻaŋ/ | waasëy /waːsəj/ |
| Wheel | wiiḷ /wiːlˠ/ | wihl /wihl/ | wil /wil/ | wiil /wiːl/ | wira /wiɾa/ | — | tayapyap /tajapjap/ |
| Silk | jelōk /tʲelək/ | silik /silik/ | silk /silk/ | silik /silik/ | tirika /siɾika/ | — | — |
| Book | bok /pˠokʷ/ | pwuhk /pʷuːk/ | puk /puk/ | puk /puk/ | boki /ˈboki/ | baabiyor /baːbijoɻ/ | baabiyor /baːbijor/ |
| Eat | ṃōñā /mˠəɲˠaː/ | mwenge /mʷeŋe/ | mongo /moŋo/ | mwéngé /mʷeŋːe/ | amwarake /amʷaɾake/ | mwongo /mʷoŋo/ | kay /kaj/ |
| Drink | idaak /idˠaːkʲ/ | nim /nim/ | nim /nim/ | wún /wɨn/ | nima /nima/ | iul /ʉlʉ/ | unum /unum/ |
| Sleep | kiki /ˈkiki/ | meir /mejr/ | motul /motul/ | méwúr /meˈwɨr/ | matu /ˈmatu/ | — | mool /moːl/ |
| One | juon /tʲuon/ | ehu /ehu/ | sefac /sefɛ/ | éét /eːt/ | teuana /teuana/ | yeta /jeta/ | reb /reb/ |
| Two | ruo /rˠuɔ/ | riau /riːau/ | luo /luo/ | rúúw /rɨːw/ | uoua /uˈoua/ | riuwa /ɻʉwa/ | lʼagruw /laʔɡruw/ |
| Three | jilu /tʲiluʷ/ | siluh /siluː/ | tolu /tolu/ | wúnú /wɨnɨ/ | tenua /teˈnua/ | yeli /jeli/ | dalip /daliːp/ |
| Four | emān /ɛmʲan/ | pahieu /paːieu/ | ahkosr /ækoʂ/ | fáán /faːn/ | aua /aua/ | fangi /faŋi/ | aningeg /ʔaniŋeːɡ/ |
| Five | ḷalem /lˠalˠɛm/ | limau /limaw/ | limekosr /limekoʂ/ | niim /niːm/ | nimaua /nimaua/ | lima /lima/ | lalʼ /laːlʼ/ |
| Hundred | jibukwi /tʲibukʷi/ | epwiki /epʷiki/ | siofok /siofok/ | ipwúkú /ipʷɨkɨ/ | tebubua /tebuˈbua/ | — | raʼay /raʔaj/ |
| Hello | yokwe /jokwe/ | kaselehlie /kaselehlie/ | lwen wo /lwen wo/ | ráán annim /raːn annim/ | mauri /mauɾi/ | faiisho /faiːʃo/ | mogethin /moɡetʰin/ |
| Thank you | koṃṃool /komˠːoːlˠ/ | kalahngan /kalahŋan/ | kulo /kulo/ | kinisou /kinisou/ | ko rabwa /ko ɾabʷa/ | — /—/ | kammagar /kamːaɡar/ |
| Good | eṃṃan /emˠːanʲ/ | mwahu /mʷahu/ | wo /wo/ | mwirinné /mʷirinːe/ | raoiroi /ɾaoiɾoi/ | gach /ɡatʃʉ/ | feelʼ /feːlʼ/ |
| New | kāāl /kʲaːlʲ/ | kapw /kapʷ/ | sasuh /sasʌ/ | ffé /fːe/ | bou /bou/ | feo /fœː/ | beʼech /beʔetʃ/ |
| Red | būrōrō /bɯrɤrɤ/ | weitahta /weiˈtahta/ | srusra /ʂuʂa/ | par /par/ | uraura /uɾaˈuɾa/ | cha /tʃa/ | roowroow /roːwroːw/ |
| White | mouj /mɔwɨtʲ/ | pwetepwet /pʷetepʷet/ | fasrfasr /faʂfaʂ/ | pwechepwech /pʷetʃepʷetʃ/ | mainaina /mainaina/ | besh /beʃe/ | wechwech /wetʃwetʃ/ |
| Black | kilmeej /kʲilmʲeːtʲ/ | toantoal /toːntoːl/ | sroalsroal /ʂoalʂoal/ | chochol /tʃotʃol/ | roro /ɾoɾo/ | chochoal /tʃotʃɒl/ | talumor /talumor/ |
| Green | maroro /mʲɑːrˠɔːrˠɔ/ | pohndipw /poːndipʷ/ | folfol sra /folfol ʂa/ | araw /araw/ | mawawa /mawawa/ | gaaraweraw /ɡaːɻaweɻaw/ | giriin /ɡiriːn/ |
| Blue | būļu /bʲɯlʲɯ/ | mei /mei/ | folfol /folfol/ | araw /araw/ | mawawa /mawawa/ | gaaraweraw /ɡaːɻaweɻaw/ | yarraq /jarːaʔ/ |
| Computer | kam̧putōr /kɑmbʲuːdˠʌrˠ/ | komputer /komputer/ | — | — | kaombiuta /kaombiuta/ | — | computer |
| Tea | ti /tˠi/ | — | ti /ti/ | ttii /tːiː/ | ii /iː/ | tti /tːi/ | tiy /tij/ |
| Coffee | kọpe /kɒːbʲe/ | koahpi /kɔːpi/ | kohfi /kɔfi/ | kofi /kofi/ | kobe /kobe/ | koofi /koːfi/ | koofiy /koːfij/ |
| Sugar | jukwa /tʲuɡʷɑ/ | suke /suke/ | suka /suka/ | suke /suke/ | tioka /sioka/ | — | suga /suɡa/ |
| Orange | oran /wɔrˠɑnʲ/ | — | — | kurukur /kuɾukuɾ/ | aoranti /aoɾansi/ | gurugur /ɡuɻuɡuɻu/ | goeluugaaw /ɡøluːɡaːw/ |
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