𐩪𐩨𐩱
Sabaean
Afro-Asiatic (Semitic, South, Old South Arabian) · historical / hidden variety
Sabaean is the most attested Old South Arabian language, used in tens of thousands of inscriptions across ancient Yemen — especially around the Marib dam, the engineering wonder that supported the Sabaean kingdom from c. 1000 BCE to its 6th-century collapse. The Musnad script (also called Old South Arabian) is the ancestor of Ge'ez script via early Aksumite contacts across the Red Sea, transmitting the alphabetic tradition into Ethiopia where it survives in Ethiopic Christian use today.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Sabaean
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Afro-Asiatic (Semitic, South, Old South Arabian)
| Meaning | Sabaean | Proto-Semitic | Quranic Arabic | Modern Standard Arabic | Ugaritic | Ge'ez | Punic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 𐩣𐩥 /maw/ | *māʔ- /māʔ/ | ماء /maːʔ/ | ماء /maːʔ/ | 𐎎𐎊 /maju/ | ማይ /maːj/ | 𐤌𐤌 /meːm/ |
| Fire | 𐩱𐩪 /ʔas/ | *ʔiš- /ʔiš/ | نار /naːr/ | نار /naːr/ | 𐎛𐎌𐎚 /ʔiʃt/ | እሳት /ʔəsaːt/ | 𐤀𐤔 /ʔeʃ/ |
| Sun | 𐩦𐩣𐩪 /ʃams/ | *šamš- /šamš/ | شمس /ʃams/ | شمس /ʃams/ | 𐎌𐎔𐎌 /ʃapʃ/ | ፀሐይ /sˤaħaj/ | 𐤔𐤌𐤔 /ʃameʃ/ |
| Moon | 𐩥𐩧𐩭 /warχ/ | *warḫ- /warḫ/ | قمر /qamar/ | قمر /qamar/ | 𐎊𐎗𐎈 /jaːriχ/ | ወርኅ /warχ/ | 𐤉𐤓𐤇 /jeraħ/ |
| Star | 𐩫𐩨𐩫𐩨 /kabkab/ | *kawkab- /kawkab/ | نجم /nadʒm/ | نجم /nadʒm/ | 𐎋𐎁𐎋𐎁 /kabkabu/ | ኮከብ /kokab/ | 𐤊𐤊𐤁 /koːkab/ |
| Night | 𐩡𐩺𐩡 /lajl/ | *layl- /lajl/ | ليل /lajl/ | ليل /lajl/ | 𐎍𐎍 /lajlu/ | ሌሊት /leːlit/ | 𐤋𐤋 /lajl/ |
| Rain | 𐩹𐩬𐩣 /ðanam/ | *maṭar- /maṭar/ | مطر /matˤar/ | مطر /matˤar/ | 𐎎𐎉𐎗 /maːˈtˤaru/ | ዝናም /zenam/ | 𐤌𐤈𐤓 /maˈtˤar/ |
| Earth | 𐩱𐩧𐩳 /ʔardˤ/ | *ʔarṣ̂- /ʔarsˤ/ | تراب /turaːb/ | تراب /turaːb/ | 𐎀𐎗𐎕 /ʔarsˤu/ | ምድር /mədr/ | 𐤀𐤓𐤑 /ʔarsˤ/ |
| Stone | 𐩱𐩨𐩬 /ʔabn/ | *ʔabn- /ʔabn/ | حجر /ħadʒar/ | حجر /ˈħadʒar/ | 𐎀𐎁𐎐 /ʔabnu/ | እብን /ʔəbn/ | 𐤀𐤁𐤍 /ʔaben/ |
| Mountain | 𐩲𐩧 /ʕar/ | — | جبل /dʒabal/ | جبل /ˈdʒabal/ | 𐎅𐎗 /harru/ | ደብር /dabr/ | — |
| Sea | 𐩨𐩢𐩧 /baħr/ | *tihām- /tihaːm/ | بحر /baħr/ | بحر /baħr/ | 𐎊𐎎 /jammu/ | ባሕር /baːħr/ | — |
| Mother | 𐩱𐩣 /ʔumm/ | *ʔimm- /ʔimm/ | أم /ʔumm/ | أم /ʔumm/ | 𐎜𐎎 /ʔumm/ | እም /ʔəmm/ | 𐤀𐤌 /ʔem/ |
| Father | 𐩱𐩨 /ʔab/ | *ʔab- /ʔab/ | أب /ʔab/ | أب /ʔab/ | 𐎜𐎁 /ʔabu/ | አብ /ʔab/ | 𐤀𐤁 /ʔav/ |
| Daughter | 𐩨𐩬𐩩 /bint/ | *bint- /bint/ | بنت /bint/ | بنت /bint/ | 𐎁𐎚 /bittu/ | ወለት /walat/ | 𐤁𐤕 /bat/ |
| I | 𐩱𐩬 /ʔana/ | *ʔanāku /ʔanāku/ | أنا /ʔanaː/ | أنا /ʔana/ | 𐎀𐎐𐎋 /ʔanaːku/ | አነ /ʔana/ | 𐤀𐤍𐤊 /ʔanoːk/ |
| You | 𐩱𐩬𐩩 /ʔanta/ | *ʔanta /ʔanta/ | أنتَ /ʔanta/ | أنتَ /ʔanta/ | 𐎀𐎚 /ʔatta/ | አንተ /ʔanta/ | 𐤀𐤕 /ʔatta/ |
| We | — /—/ | *niḥnu /niħnu/ | نحن /naħnu/ | نحن /naħnu/ | — /—/ | ንሕነ /nəħna/ | 𐤀𐤍𐤇𐤍 /ʔanaħnu/ |
| Name | 𐩪𐩣 /sim/ | *šim- /šim/ | اسم /ism/ | اسم /ism/ | 𐎌𐎎 /ʃumu/ | ስም /səm/ | 𐤔𐤌 /ʃem/ |
| Person | 𐩱𐩬𐩪 /ʔins/ | *ʔināš- /ʔinaːʃ/ | إنسان /ʔinsaːn/ | شخص /ʃaxsˤ/ | 𐎎𐎚 /mutu/ | ሰብእ /səbʔ/ | 𐤍𐤐𐤔 /nefeʃ/ |
| Head | 𐩧𐩱𐩪 /raʔs/ | *raʔš- /raʔš/ | رأس /raʔs/ | رأس /raʔs/ | 𐎗𐎛𐎌 /raʔʃu/ | ርእስ /rəʔs/ | 𐤓𐤀𐤔 /ruːʃ/ |
| Eye | 𐩲𐩺𐩬 /ʕajn/ | *ʕayn- /ʕayn/ | عين /ʕajn/ | عين /ʕajn/ | 𐎓𐎐 /ʕajnu/ | ዐይን /ʕajn/ | 𐤏𐤍 /ʕajin/ |
| Ear | 𐩱𐩹𐩬 /ʔuðn/ | *ʔuḏn- /ʔuðn/ | أذن /ʔuðun/ | أذن /ʔuðn/ | 𐎜𐎄𐎐 /ʔudn/ | እዝን /ʔezn/ | 𐤀𐤆𐤍 /ʔuzn/ |
| Mouth | 𐩰𐩣 /fam/ | *pay- /paj/ | — | فم /fam/ | 𐎔 /puː/ | አፍ /ʔaf/ | 𐤐 /peː/ |
| Tooth | 𐩦𐩬 /ʃinː/ | *šinn- /ʃinː/ | سن /sinː/ | سن /sinː/ | 𐎌𐎐 /ʃinːu/ | ስን /sənː/ | 𐤔𐤍 /ʃen/ |
| Tongue | 𐩡𐩪𐩬 /lisaːn/ | *lišān- /liʃaːn/ | لسان /lisaːn/ | لسان /lisaːn/ | 𐎍𐎌𐎐 /laʃaːnu/ | ልሳን /ləsaːn/ | 𐤋𐤔𐤍 /laʃon/ |
| Hand | 𐩺𐩵 /jad/ | *yad- /yad/ | يد /jad/ | يد /jad/ | 𐎊𐎄 /jadu/ | እድ /ʔəd/ | 𐤉𐤃 /jad/ |
| Foot | 𐩧𐩴𐩡 /riɡl/ | *rigl- /rigl/ | رجل /ridʒl/ | قدم /qadam/ | 𐎔𐎓𐎐 /paʕnu/ | እግር /ʔəɡr/ | 𐤐𐤏𐤌 /paʕam/ |
| Heart | 𐩡𐩨 /lubb/ | *libb- /libb/ | قلب /qalb/ | قلب /qalb/ | 𐎍𐎁 /libbu/ | ልብ /ləbb/ | 𐤋𐤁 /lib/ |
| Bone | 𐩲𐩼𐩣 /ʕaðˤm/ | *ʕaṯ̣m- /ʕaθˤm/ | عظم /ʕaðˤm/ | عظم /ʕaðˤm/ | 𐎓𐎑𐎎 /ʕaðˤmu/ | ዐፅም /ʕasˤm/ | 𐤏𐤑𐤌 /ʕasˤm/ |
| Blood | 𐩵𐩣 /dam/ | *dam- /dam/ | دم /dam/ | دم /dam/ | 𐎄𐎎 /damu/ | ደም /dam/ | 𐤃𐤌 /dam/ |
| Love | 𐩥𐩵𐩵 /wadda/ | — /—/ | حب /ħubb/ | حب /ħubb/ | 𐎜𐎈𐎁 /ʔaːhab/ | አፍቀረ /ʔafqara/ | — /—/ |
| Tree | 𐩲𐩳 /ʕaːdˤ/ | *ʕiṣ́- /ʕiṣ́/ | شجرة /ʃadʒara/ | شجرة /ʃadʒara/ | 𐎓𐎕 /ʕasˤu/ | ዕፅ /ʕasˤ/ | 𐤏𐤑 /ʕesˤ/ |
| Dog | 𐩫𐩡𐩨 /kalb/ | *kalb- /kalb/ | كلب /kalb/ | كلب /kalb/ | 𐎋𐎍𐎁 /kalbu/ | ከልብ /kalb/ | 𐤊𐤋𐤁 /kalb/ |
| Cat | — /—/ | — /—/ | قط /qitˤtˤ/ | قطة /qitˤtˤa/ | — /—/ | ድሙ /dəmmu/ | — /—/ |
| Fish | — /—/ | *nūn- /nuːn/ | حوت /ħuːt/ | سمكة /samaka/ | 𐎄𐎂 /daɡu/ | ዓሣ /ʕaʃaː/ | 𐤃𐤂 /daɡ/ |
| Horse | 𐩰𐩧𐩪 /faras/ | — | فرس /faras/ | حصان /ħisˤaːn/ | 𐎝𐎝𐎆 /suːsawu/ | ፈረስ /faras/ | — |
| House | 𐩨𐩺𐩩 /bajt/ | *bayt- /bayt/ | بيت /bajt/ | بيت /bajt/ | 𐎁𐎚 /bajtu/ | ቤት /beːt/ | 𐤁𐤕 /beːt/ |
| Milk | 𐩢𐩡𐩨 /ħalab/ | *ḥalab- /ħalab/ | لبن /laban/ | حليب /ħaliːb/ | 𐎈𐎍𐎁 /ħalabu/ | ሐሊብ /ħaliːb/ | 𐤇𐤋𐤁 /ħalab/ |
| Honey | — /—/ | *dibš- /dibʃ/ | عسل /ʕasal/ | عسل /ʕasal/ | 𐎐𐎁𐎚 /nubtu/ | መዓር /maʕaːr/ | 𐤍𐤐𐤕 /nofet/ |
| Salt | 𐩣𐩡𐩢 /milħ/ | *milḥ- /milħ/ | ملح /milħ/ | ملح /milħ/ | 𐎎𐎍𐎈𐎚 /milħatu/ | ጼው /sˤeːw/ | — |
| Eat | — /—/ | *ʔakal- /ʔakal/ | أكل /ʔakala/ | أكل /ʔakala/ | 𐎍𐎈𐎎 /laħam/ | በልዐ /balʕa/ | 𐤀𐤊𐤋 /ʔakal/ |
| Drink | 𐩪𐩩𐩺 /sataja/ | *šatay- /šatay/ | شرب /ʃariba/ | شرب /ʃariba/ | 𐎌𐎚𐎊 /ʃataju/ | ሰትየ /satja/ | 𐤔𐤕 /ʃat/ |
| One | 𐩱𐩢𐩵 /ʔaħad/ | *ʔaḥad- /ʔaḥad/ | واحد /waːħid/ | واحد /waːħid/ | 𐎀𐎈𐎄 /ʔaːħadu/ | አሐዱ /ʔaħadu/ | 𐤀𐤇𐤃 /ʔeħad/ |
| Two | 𐩻𐩬𐩺 /θanay/ | *ṯin- /ṯin/ | اثنان /iθnaːn/ | اثنان /iθnaːn/ | 𐎘𐎐 /θnaː/ | ክልኤ /kəlʔeː/ | 𐤔𐤍𐤌 /ʃnem/ |
| Three | 𐩻𐩡𐩻 /θalaːθ/ | *ṯalāṯ- /θalaːθ/ | ثلاثة /θalaːθa/ | ثلاثة /θalaːθa/ | 𐎘𐎍𐎘 /θalaːθu/ | ሠለስቱ /ʃalastu/ | 𐤔𐤋𐤔 /ʃaloːʃ/ |
| Four | 𐩱𐩧𐩨𐩲 /ʔarbaʕ/ | *ʼarbaʻ- /ʔarbaʕ/ | أربعة /ʔarbaʕa/ | أربعة /ˈʔarbaʕa/ | 𐎀𐎗𐎁𐎓 /ʔarbaʕu/ | አርባዕቱ /ʔarbaʕtu/ | 𐤀𐤓𐤁𐤏 /ʔarbaʕ/ |
| Five | 𐩭𐩣𐩪 /xams/ | *ḫamš- /χamʃ/ | خمسة /xamsa/ | خمسة /xamsa/ | 𐎃𐎎𐎌 /χamʃu/ | ኀምስቱ /xaməstu/ | 𐤇𐤌𐤔 /ħameʃ/ |
| Hundred | 𐩣𐩱𐩩 /miʔat/ | *miʾat- /miʔat/ | مائة /miʔa/ | مئة /miʔa/ | 𐎎𐎛𐎚 /miʔatu/ | ምእት /məʔət/ | 𐤌𐤀𐤕 /miʔat/ |
| Hello | 𐩪𐩡𐩣 /salaːm/ | — /—/ | السلام عليكم /assalaːmu ʕalajkum/ | مرحبا /marħaba/ | 𐎌𐎍𐎎 /ʃalaːmu/ | ሰላም /salaːm/ | 𐤔𐤋𐤌 /ʃaloːm/ |
| Thank you | 𐩢𐩣𐩵 /ħamad/ | — /—/ | الحمد لله /alħamdu lillaːh/ | شكرا /ʃukran/ | — /—/ | ምስጋና /məsɡaːnaː/ | — /—/ |
| Good | — /—/ | *ṭāb- /ṭāb/ | طيب /tˤajjib/ | جيد /dʒajjid/ | 𐎉𐎁 /tˤaːbu/ | ሠናይ /sanaːj/ | 𐤈𐤁 /tˤob/ |
| Red | — /—/ | *ʔadam- /ʔadam/ | أحمر /ʔaħmaru/ | أحمر /ˈʔaħmar/ | 𐎀𐎄𐎎 /ʔadam/ | ቀይሕ /qajːəħ/ | 𐤀𐤃𐤌 /ʔadom/ |
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