Iban language

The Iban language is spoken by the Iban, a branch of the Dayak ethnic group formerly known as "Sea Dayak" who live in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, the Indonesian province of Kalimantan Barat and in Brunei. It belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family, and is related to Malay, more closely to Sarawakian Malay. The Iban language is also a subject tested in PMR and SPM, the Malaysian public examination for Form 3 and Form 5 students respectively. Students comment that questions from these exams mostly cover the classic Iban language, making them a daunting task for many who are more fluent in the contemporary tongue. The language is mostly taught to students in rural areas with a majority Iban population, including Baleh (Kapit), Betong, Saratok, Lubok Antu and Pelagus (Kapit).

Sample lexicon

agi - "again" (Malay lagi)

aja - "only" (Malay saja)

aku - "I; me" (same in Malay)

amat - "truly", "true"

au - "correct; that's right"

apai - "father" (Malay bapak)

asai - "feel" (Malay rasa)

bedau/apin - "not yet"

bai - "bring"

ba - "at"

baka - "like"

sebaka - "alike"

baka selama - "same as usual"

baka nya - "like that"

baru - "new; just about to" (Malay baru means new)

bejalai - "to walk or going on a sojourn"

belanda/belawa - "to run" (but in Malay belanda means "Dutch")

dani - "wake up"

lenyau - "lost"

makai - "eat" (Malay makan)

empa - "also eat but used in a different context"

ngelusu - "lazy (sometimes burok is also used to convey this meaning)

ngirup - "to drink" (Malay hirup ["to sip"])

nuan- is the formal and refine/polite "you" since it is mostly used in writing (dek is less formal but mostly used in speaking")

nyumai/berapi - "to cook"

tindok - "to sleep" (Malay tidur)

nemu - "know"

kemari - "yesterday"

gali - "lie down"

aram - "let's go"

dini - "where"

kamah - "dirty"

kemi - "pee"

mereti - "good behaviour"

reti - "the meaning of"

Sample phrases

Nama brita nuan? - "How are you?"

Sapa dama nuan? - "What is your name?"

Brapa rega utai tu? - "How much is this?"

Dini alai ___? - "Where is ___?"

Ari ni penatai nuan? - "Where are you from?"

Aku datai ari ___. - "I come from ___."

Pukul brapa diatu? - "What is the time now?"

Selamat lemai! - "Good evening!"

Selamat datai! - "Welcome!"

Anang manchal! - "Don't be naughty!"

Enda ulih datai - "cannot come"

Anang guai - "hold on" "Don't spoil it"

Nadai ngawa nya/enda ngawa - "nevermind that/it does not matter"

Nyamai, wai - "nice taste"

Pulai dulu-"I'm going back"

Aram bekelala-"Let's get to know each other"

Pengerindu-"Love, Passion"

Aku rindu ka nuan-"I love / like you"

Manah-"Good"

Jai-"Bad, damaged"

Sapa enggau nuan?-"Who came/is with you?"

Aku enggau ___-"I came / went with ___; I am with ___"

Alau dinga-"Please listen"

Anang inggar / ragak-"Silent, please"

Kini nuan?-"Where are you going?"

Mar amat! - "too expensive/difficult"

Tusah endar! - "too difficult"

Kapa nya! - "Couldn't be bothered/careless"

Selamat pagi, Pengajar. - "Good morning, Teacher."

Aku enda nemu - "I don't know"

Aram meh kitai ngirup - "Let's all drink"

Aku lelenggau ka nuan - "I miss you"

Sayau - "Love/Darling"

Aku ka mupok gawa - "I'm going to work"

Aku ka tindok - "I want to go to sleep/bed"

Sapa kitai manchal? - "Who is being naughty?"

Bajik amat nuan - "You are pretty/beautiful (for women)"

Mali - "taboo"

Sources

Anthony Richards, An Iban-English Dictionary. Oxford University Press, 1981. [Paperback reprint in the 1990s by Penerbit Fajar Bakti, Petaling Jaya.]

Otto Steinmayer, Jalai Jako' Iban, a basic grammar of the Iban language of Sarawak. Klasik Publishing House: Kuching, 1999.

Renang Anak Ansali, Jaku Iban serta basa kitai. University of London Magazine, 2002.