Word List
This glossary gives the basic meaning of the Noongar words that appear in the stories and songs on this site. The spelling and meaning given for each word are taken from the stories and songs themselves, in consultation with the Wirlomin Noongar Language and Stories Committee and CERG.
Although we have mostly employed the spelling system agreed upon at a 1992 Noongar community meeting in Narrogin and still used in school-based Noongar language teaching today, the Wirlomin dialect features sounds more like ‘t’ than ‘d’ and ‘p’ than ‘b’.
We have included some examples of alternate spelling to reflect this.
Click here to listen to words Iris Woods and Yibiyung Roma Winmar submitted to the 50 Words Project
B
D
NOONGAR | ENGLISH | AUDIO | DETAILS |
---|---|---|---|
Daa | mouth, language | READ MORE | |
Daalal, Daaliny, Taaliny | tongue | READ MORE | |
Daatj, Datj | meat | READ MORE | |
Dabakarn | slowly | READ MORE | |
Dalyal | green leaves | READ MORE | |
Dalyerak, Talyerak, Tjaltjraak | blue mallee, grows pink flowers | READ MORE | |
Dandang, Djandang | to climb | READ MORE | |
Dandanginy | climbing | READ MORE | |
Darbow | dive, pass through or under | READ MORE | |
Darep | enter, inside | READ MORE | |
Darlanginy | chase, chasing | READ MORE | |
Darlanginy wun | following, pursuing (emphasis) | READ MORE | |
Dat | quiet | READ MORE | |
Dat nyin | quietly sit; be quiet | READ MORE | |
Dawanbiny | becoming disappeared | READ MORE | |
Dawool | thigh | READ MORE | |
Dekin, Dakarn | break | READ MORE | |
Deman | grandparent, ancestor | READ MORE | |
Demangka | grandparents; the old people | READ MORE | |
Demi | grandparent | READ MORE | |
Dookeniny | cooking, fixing | READ MORE | |
Dowak | waddy | READ MORE | |
Doyntj-Doyntj | together | READ MORE |
DJ
NOONGAR | ENGLISH | AUDIO | DETAILS |
---|---|---|---|
Djaanak | ghost, spirit | READ MORE | |
Djen, Tjien | foot | READ MORE | |
Djenawirdoo | foot-tired | READ MORE | |
Djerang-apiny | fat-becoming | READ MORE | |
Djert | little bird | READ MORE | |
Dji-ak, Tji-ak | round leaf, has sweet (pink) berries | READ MORE | |
Djil | green leaves | READ MORE | |
Djinang | to see, to look | READ MORE | |
Djinanginy | seeing, looking | READ MORE | |
Djindji | exchange, marriage? | READ MORE | |
Djirrdi, Tjirrdi | feathers | READ MORE | |
Djoorl, Tjoorl | sweet bulb found in ground, round leaf | READ MORE |
DW
NOONGAR | ENGLISH | AUDIO | DETAILS |
---|---|---|---|
Dwongk-kaditj | hear, understand | READ MORE | |
Dwongka-bt | deaf, lit. ear-without | READ MORE | |
Dwoordbaalkaat | seal (lit. 'dog his head') | READ MORE | |
Dwoort, Twoort | dog | READ MORE |
K
KW
NOONGAR | ENGLISH | AUDIO | DETAILS |
---|---|---|---|
Kwadjangan | before, in front of | READ MORE | |
Kweidji | skinny | READ MORE | |
Kwetj-miny | thin (bone like) | READ MORE | |
Kwoka | quoka | READ MORE | |
Kwondong | wild cherry, wild peach | READ MORE | |
Kwoor | wallaby | READ MORE | |
Kwop | good | READ MORE | |
Kwopidak | very good | READ MORE | |
Kwordidjiny | throwing | READ MORE | |
Kworditj | to throw | READ MORE |
M
N
NOONGAR | ENGLISH | AUDIO | DETAILS |
---|---|---|---|
Naadjal | why | READ MORE | |
Naan | stop | READ MORE | |
Naatj | what | READ MORE | |
Nadjil | why, what for | READ MORE | |
Nan | stay, stop | READ MORE | |
Nanup | camp | READ MORE | |
Nidja | this, that | READ MORE | |
Nirnt, Nirrnt | tail | READ MORE | |
Nookert | sleep | READ MORE | |
Noongar | person, man | READ MORE | |
Norlak | shade-of | READ MORE | |
Noytj | dead | READ MORE |
NG
NOONGAR | ENGLISH | AUDIO | DETAILS |
---|---|---|---|
Ngaamar-miny | waterhole-like | READ MORE | |
Ngaan | to eat | READ MORE | |
Ngaanalangayny | all eating together | READ MORE | |
Ngaangk | mother, sun | READ MORE | |
Ngaard | down, below | READ MORE | |
Ngaardang | hunt, search, track | READ MORE | |
Ngaari | salmon | READ MORE | |
Ngaarniny | eating | READ MORE | |
Ngaat | beside | READ MORE | |
Ngaat | beside | READ MORE | |
Ngainy | I | READ MORE | |
Ngala | we, us | READ MORE | |
Ngalak | we | READ MORE | |
Ngan | my, mine, me | READ MORE | |
Nganalang | mine (emphasis) | READ MORE | |
Nganang | mine (lit. me-with) | READ MORE | |
Ngany | me | READ MORE | |
Ngarda | beneath | READ MORE | |
Ngardanginy | hunting | READ MORE | |
Ngardi | down | READ MORE | |
Ngayanginy | screaming | READ MORE | |
Ngaytj | I | READ MORE | |
Ngedik | sap of the yate tree. very sweet | READ MORE | |
Ngolang | after | READ MORE | |
Ngooloo | afraid ? | READ MORE | |
Ngoon | brother | READ MORE | |
Ngoorndiny | laying down, reclining, lying | READ MORE | |
Ngoornt | lay down | READ MORE | |
Ngweren | beautiful | READ MORE | |
Ngwerenbiny | becoming beautiful (ngerany) | READ MORE |
NY
NOONGAR | ENGLISH | AUDIO | DETAILS |
---|---|---|---|
Nyidiny | cold | READ MORE | |
Nyin | to sit, to be | READ MORE | |
Nyindi | shaved sticks? | READ MORE | |
Nyinelangayny | all together sitting, being | READ MORE | |
Nyininy | sitting, being | READ MORE | |
Nyirnem | grows on vines with a nutty taste | READ MORE | |
Nyoodan | sand hills | READ MORE | |
Nyoolanga | you all ? | READ MORE | |
Nyoonak | your | READ MORE | |
Nyoonang | yours; lit. you-with | READ MORE | |
Nyoondok | you | READ MORE |
W
Y
NOONGAR | ENGLISH | AUDIO | DETAILS |
---|---|---|---|
Yaak-ngat | stand next to, against | READ MORE | |
Yaakiny | standing | READ MORE | |
Yaang, Yoongama | to give | READ MORE | |
Yaanginy | giving | READ MORE | |
Yaarakoorl | run | READ MORE | |
Yala | wait | READ MORE | |
Yarang | on top, above | READ MORE | |
Yeyi | now | READ MORE | |
Yiardiny | sing | READ MORE | |
Yira | high | READ MORE | |
Yirang | at a height, up there (lit. high-with) | READ MORE | |
Yirangitja | up high | READ MORE | |
Yok, York, Yorka | woman | READ MORE | |
Yokanbindi | young woman | READ MORE | |
Yongka | kangaroo | READ MORE | |
Yooak | wild potatoes | READ MORE | |
Yoorlyang | kangaroo berries | READ MORE | |
Yoowarl | come hither, this way | READ MORE | |
Yoowarl-bili | this side | READ MORE | |
Yoowart | no, not, nothing | READ MORE | |
Yoran | content | READ MORE |