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Noongar Glossary

We’d like to say audio icon yaankga (thank you) to Brenda and George who have graciously recorded the following Noongar terms and phrases used throughout this course.

Photograph of George Walley George has taught conversational Noongar waangkaniny for many years. He is the expert cultural advisor and senior consultant for this course. Photograph of Brenda Larsen Brenda is passionate about preserving and strengthening Noongar languages, and has been instrumental as a senior waangkinany advisor in this course.

Click on any word to listen to George or Brenda speak it or download a copy of the Noongar Glossary for your own reference.


A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | Phrases


A

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audio icon alidja (over there)

B

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audio icon baalang (they/them)

audio icon Baalgaara/Paalaagara (Bull Banksia)

audio icon balga (grass tree)

audio icon baranginy (becoming/ getting/ making (doing word used often))

audio icon bardi (witchetty grubs)

audio icon barna (animal)

audio icon benang (tomorrow/sometime soon)

audio icon Bibbulmun (man or person)

audio icon bidit (ants)

audio icon bilya/beeliar (river)

audio icon bindi-bindi (butterfly)

audio icon Birak (Birak season)

audio icon bonar (season)

audio icon bonitj (knee)

audio icon boo book (owl)

audio icon boodj-ak (ground-on)

audio icon boodja (country)

audio icon boodjari (pregnant)

audio icon bookal (lower back)

audio icon bookas/bwoka (animal skin cloaks used for warmth)

audio icon boola (many or big)

audio icon boola boola audio icon maalak (very/big big cold)

audio icon booladalung/boodalung (pelican)

audio icon boola kaalang (very/big big hot)

audio icon boola kala (colourful)

audio icon boondong (money)

audio icon booraanggaa/boraanga (totems)

audio icon boorda/ boordawan (goodbye)

audio icon Boordiya (Elders (boss person, leader, kaadadjan holder))

boorn (tree)

audio icon booro-nginy (rain falling)

audio icon booron (rains)

audio icon booyi (turtle)

audio icon boya (money)

audio icon Bunuru (Bunuru season)

audio icon bwoka (kangaroo cloak)

C

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D

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audio icon daa (mouth)

audio icon daardi (pretty cool)

audio icon daat-koorliny (falling down (as in rain))

audio icon daatj/daadja (meat)

audio icon dabakarn (slowly)

audio icon dambart (three)

audio icon dandjoo (coming together)

audio icon darp (knife)

audio icon Deman (Cousin)

audio icon Derbarl Bilya (Swan River)

audio icon Derbarl Yerrigan (Swan Estuary)

audio icon djaa (mouth)

audio icon djaaliny (tongue)

audio icon djardak (white)

audio icon Djarlgarro Beelier (Canning River)

audio icon djedari (brown)

audio icon djen (foot)

audio icon djena (feet)

audio icon djendal (grey)

audio icon Djeran (Djeran season)

audio icon djerap (bird)

audio icon Djerpan/ djoorabin/ djeraban (happy/ like)

Djerpaniny/ djoorabininy/ djerabininy (happiness/ liking)

audio icon djiba djobaliny (swimming)

audio icon djidi-djidi (willy-wagtail bird)

audio icon Djilba (Djilba season)

audio icon djildjit (fish)

audio icon djinang (look or see)

audio icon djinanginy (looking)

audio icon djinda (stars)

audio icon Djiraly (northern dialects)

djoodarak (song)

audio icon Djook/Djookan (Sister)

audio icon djoorabiny (means happy, but also something people say when they like something… e.g. are you djoorabiny for that fella?)

audio icon Djoowaalindjarap (Dwellingup)

audio icon doodja (heat of (e.g. the sun)

audio icon dwank menditj (earache)

audio icon dwert (dog)

audio icon dwonk (ear)

E

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F

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G

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audio icon gaada/kaada (hills)

audio icon Gabbi Darbal (Perth)

H

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I

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J

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audio icon jenang (good spirits)

audio icon jennak (bad spirits)

K

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audio icon kaa-kaa (kookaburra)

audio icon kaada/gaada (hills)

audio icon kaadadjan/kaaditjin (knowledge)

audio icon kaadi (silly in the head (meant in a non-judgemental way))

audio icon kaalak (traditional winter shelter)

audio icon kaalang (hot)

audio icon kaalang-koorliny (becoming hotter)

audio icon kaaleepga (homeland)

audio icon kaat (head/hill)

audio icon kaat menditj (headache)

audio icon Kabarli (Grandmother)

audio icon kakarook (dance)

audio icon Kambarang (Kambarang season)

audio icon kanangoor (bright/shining)

audio icon kar (spider)

audio icon karda (racehorse goanna)

audio icon karil (crabs)

audio icon kaya/kiya (hello or yes)

audio icon kedala (daytime)

audio icon kedalak (night time)

audio icon kep (water/rain)

audio icon kertikert (quickly)

audio icon keyen (one)

audio icon koboorl menditj (stomach ache)

audio icon Kongk (Uncle)

audio icon koobalong/koornis (frogs)

audio icon koodjal (two)

audio icon koodjal koodjal (four)

audio icon koolbardi (magpies)

audio icon kooldji (hip)

audio icon koomal/goomal (possum)

audio icon koomba (big)

audio icon koondart (cloud)

audio icon Koongal-Boyal (south-eastern dialects)

audio icon Koongal-Marawar (south-western dialects)

audio icon koonyi (affirmation of something silly/that’s no good/not good)

audio icon koora (long ago or the past)

audio icon koora koora (long, long ago)

audio icon koorat (shorter)

audio icon koorbal (stomach)

audio icon Koorlaangka (children)

audio icon koorliny (coming/going (added hand gesture will clarify))

audio icon koort (heart)

audio icon Koorta (Husband or Wife)

audio icon kwila (shark)

audio icon kwillena (dolphin)

audio icon kwob (good)

audio icon kwobidak (very good/good or beautiful)

audio icon kwoliny (wrist)

audio icon kwon (buttock)

L

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M

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audio icon maalak (cold)

audio icon maali (black swan)

audio icon maam (man)

audio icon Maam yok (Aunty)

audio icon Maaman (Men or Father)

audio icon maar (five or hand)

audio icon maar koodjal koodjal (nine)

audio icon maar maar (ten)

audio icon maar-dambart (eight)

audio icon maar-keyen (six)

audio icon maar-koodjal (seven)

audio icon maat (leg)

audio icon Maambart (Father)

audio icon madjitil (magical/magic)

audio icon Makuru (Makuru season)

malark (bush)

malark mereny (bush food)

audio icon Mambart (Father)

audio icon Mandjoogoordap (Mandurah)

audio icon manitj/maanitj (cockatoo)

audio icon maar-keyen bonar (six seasons)

audio icon marr (wind)

audio icon marron (crayfish)

menang (bloodroot)

audio icon menditj (sick)

audio icon mereny (food)

audio icon mereny ngaarn (food to eat)

audio icon mia-mia (tents)

audio icon mika or miyak (moon)

audio icon mirda (red)

audio icon mirda-mokiny (purple)

audio icon miyak or mika (moon)

audio icon miyel (eye)

audio icon miyel menditj (sore eye)

audio icon mokiny (almost like or mixed)

audio icon moodjar (Christmas tree)

audio icon mooly (nose)

audio icon moordin (back)

audio icon moorditj (solid/strong/great/excellent)

audio icon moorlany (shoulder)

audio icon moorn (black)

audio icon moort (family)

audio icon Moyron (Grandfather)

mungite (banksia)

N

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audio icon Nap (Daughter)

audio icon natj (what)

audio icon Ngaangk (Mother)

audio icon ngalak (we)

audio icon ngalang (ours)

audio icon Ngangk (Mother)

audio icon ngank (sun)

audio icon ngany (I/I am/me/ mine)

audio icon ngardanginy (hunting)

audio icon ngarlak (teeth/seagull)

audio icon ngarna (ours)

audio icon ngininy (sitting)

audio icon Ngoon (Brother)

audio icon ngooyoo (elbow)

audio icon ni (listen)

audio icon nidja (the/here)

audio icon Nobiny (Son)

audio icon nodjam dordong (green)

audio icon noonakoort (everyone)

audio icon Noongar (Noongar)

audio icon noonoo-kadiny (you all)

audio icon noonook (you)

audio icon noorook (eggs)

audio icon noort (fly)

audio icon nop (boy)

audio icon norn (snake)

audio icon nyidiny (cold times)

audio icon nyin (live)

audio icon nyininy (living)

audio icon nyit (small)

audio icon nyorn (sorry (I’m sorry, that’s sad to hear))

audio icon nyumbi/numbi (dance)

O

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P

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poragnan (painted up)

Q

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R

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S

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T

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U

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audio icon unna (acknowledgement/ agreement)

V

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W

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audio icon waangkaniny/wangkaniny (language)

audio icon waardiny (searching)

audio icon wadjelas (white people)

audio icon wandjoo (welcome)

audio icon Wanjemup (Rottnest)

audio icon wara (bad)

audio icon warbin (play)

audio icon warbininy (playing)

audio icon wardarn (ocean)

audio icon wardung/waardung/warding (crow)

audio icon weitj/weitch (emu)

audio icon wer (and)

audio icon windji/windja (where)

audio icon winyarn (unfortunate (but not meant in a derogatory way))

audio icon Wirin/wirrin/wirn (spirits of those who have passed)

audio icon Woggaal/Waakal (Rainbow Serpent)

wongka (story)

audio icon woolah (Celebration (as woohoo! Yippee!))

audio icon woora (longer)

audio icon woort kool (going)

audio icon woort/wort (throat)

audio icon woort menditj (sore throat)

audio icon wooyan (blue)

audio icon worl (sky)

audio icon wooyan-mokiny (dark purple)

audio icon wungeniny (healing)

X

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Y

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audio icon yaakiny (standing)

audio icon yaankga (thank you)

audio icon yaat (chin/jaw)

audio icon yey/yeyi (present moment/ today)

audio icon yira (up in)

audio icon yirra yaakin (stand tall/up)

audio icon Yok/Yorg (Woman)

audio icon yongka/yongker (kangaroo)

audio icon Yoont (yellow)

audio icon yoont-mirda mokiny (orange)

audio icon Yoornaa (bobtail)

audio icon yoowart (no)

audio icon yorga (women)

audio icon yumbi (dance)

Z

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Phrases

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audio icon Baalang koorl koolaangka warbininy . (They been children playing.)

audio icon Benang-benang booron-koorliny. (Sometime soon the rain will come.)

audio icon Boola kaadadjan doyntj doyntj baranginy. (Lots of (more of) knowledge together sharing OR Let us share more knowledge.)

Boola moort yongka ngaarn. (Many families kangaroo eat.)

audio iconBoordawan djinang. (See you later.)

audio icon Bunuru yey boola kaalang. (It is very hot today in this time of Bunuru.)

audio icon Djidi-djidi boodja-k yaakiny. (Willy wagtail ground-on standing.)

audio icon Gnalang boodja kwobidak. (Our good country.)

audio icon Hello lubbly seng. (Hello lovely thing (flirtatious).)

audio icon Kaya deadly maaman. (Hello awesome/fabulous men!)

audio icon Kaya deadly yorga. (Hello awesome/fabulous women!)

audio icon Kaya kakarook moorditj. Nidja nop boola moorditj kakarookiny. (Yes, dance great. These boys are very great dance.)

audio icon Kaya lubbly seng. (Hello lovely thing (flirtatious).)

audio icon Kaya ngany kakarook djoorabiny? (Were you liking the dance?)

audio icon Kaya ngany kwob. (Yes I’m good.)

audio icon Kaya ngany moorditj! (Yes, I’m great!)

audio icon Kaya, kedala kaalang-koorliny. (Yes, today is getting hot.)

Kaya, ngany boodjari. (Yes, I pregnant.)

audio icon Kedalak-ngat boola boola djinda kanangoor. (In the night time, the stars are shining a lot.)

audio icon Kelada worl-ak kep-koorliny. (Today rain is falling from the sky.)

audio icon Koolbardi boorn-ak nyin-iny. (Magpie tree-in sitting.)

audio icon Koora koora kaadadjan. (Knowledge from long ago.)

audio icon Maaman yongka ngardanginy. (Men kangaroo hunting.)

audio icon Maar-keyen Noongar bonar. (six Noongar seasons.)

audio icon Makuru woora kedalak koorat kedala. (This time of Makuru has longer night and shorter days.)

audio icon Makuru yey, booron daat-koorliny. (The rain is coming in this time of Makuru.)

Moorditj marri boorn (Awesome marri tree.)

audio icon Naatj kala nidja? (What colour is?)

audio icon Naatj kedala kaalang-koorliny? (Is it becoming hot today?)

audio icon Naatj kedala nyindiny? (Is it cold today?)

audio icon Naatj koorl? (What is your name?)

audio icon Naatj nidja barna? (What animal is this?)

audio icon Naatj nidja noonook barna djinanginy? (What animal are you seeing?)

Naatj noonook djerabin ngarniny? (What you like eating?)

Naatj noonook djinanginy? (What you looking/seeing?)

audio icon Naatj yeyi kedala? (What is the weather like today?)

audio icon Ngaalak koorl moort mereny ngarniny. (I go family food eating.)

audio icon Ngala djerabin noonok ni kaadadjan Noongar waangkin! (We are happy you are learning this Noongar knowledge!)

audio icon Ngalak alidja wardarn djiba-djobaliny. (We’re going swimming over there in the ocean.)

audio icon Ngalak djerapiny noonook djinaniny. (We happy you looking OR We are happy to see you!)

audio icon Ngalak djinaniny kaadadjan baranginy moorditj boodja. (We are looking, knowledge sharing wonderful country  OR Let us share more about this beautiful country.)

audio icon Ngang djinanginy booron daat-koorliny. (I’m looking at rain falling/coming down)

audio icon Ngangy boodja Balardong boodja. (My country is Balardong.)

Ngany koboorl menditj. (I stomach sick.)

audio icon Ngany Australia boodja. (I am from Australia.)

audio icon Ngany bilya djiba-djobaliny. (I am river swimming.)

audio icon Ngany boodja Binjareb boodja. (My family country is Binjareb.)

audio icon Ngany boodja. (My country.)

audio icon Ngany boyal koorliny. (I east going OR I am going east.)

audio icon Ngany djerapaniny. (I am happy.)

Ngany djerapin yongka daatj ngarniny. (I like kangaroo meat eating.)

audio icon Ngany djinang noonook boorda. (I will see you later.)

audio icon Ngany djinanginy booron ata-koorliny. (I’m looking at the rain falling down.)

Ngany dookoorniny baranginy. (I doctor getting.)

audio icon Ngany kaat menditj. (I head sick OR I have a headache.)

audio icon Ngnay kongal koorliny. (I south going OR I am going south.)

audio icon Ngany koodjal koodjal koorlaangka barang. (I have four children.)

audio icon Ngany koorl moort djinanginy. (I go family seeing.)

audio icon Ngany koorl warangka djinanginy. (I go song seeing.)

audio icon Ngany koorlbal wirrt. (We stomach eating OR What shall we eat?)

audio icon Ngany koorliny Australia. (I’m going to Australia.)

Ngany koort wara. (My heart bad.)

audio icon Ngany kwobadiny. (I good-getting OR I am getting better.)

audio icon Ngany maalak. (I am cold.)

audio icon Ngany marawar koorliny. (I west going OR I am going west.)

Ngany menditj? (You sick?)

Ngany moort mereny ngarn koorliny. (Me family food eat going.)

Ngany ngorlak wara. (I teeth bad.)

audio icon Ngany yabaroo koorliny. (I north going OR I am going north.)

Ngany weitj ngarniny. (I’m emu eating.)

Ngany yoowart daatj ngarn. (I no meat eat.)

Ngany yoowart djildjit ngarn. (I no fish eat.)

Nganyang djerapin djerap daatj ngarniny. (Mine love/ very like bird meat eating.)

Nganyang kabarli maat menditj. (My grandmother leg sick.)

audio icon Nganyang koorl… ( My name is…)

audio icon Nganyang moort Jones. (My family is the Jones.)

Ngardang wer ngaarn. (Hunted and eaten.)

audio icon Nginyany miya-k nyininy… (In my house I have…)

audio icon Ngiyan noonan miya-k nyininy? (Who lives in your house?)

audio icon Ngiyan noonan moort? (Who is your family?)

audio icon Nidja kedalak miyak boola boola. (Tonight, the moon is very big.)

Nidja mereny moorditj! (This food great!)

Nidja ngany yoowart djildjit djerapiny. (This I no fish liking.)

audio icon Nidja noonook djerabiny. (This you liking.)

Nidja noonook mereny warniny? (This you food make?)

audio icon Nidja yey ngany moort kaalak baranginy. (My family are making a winter shelter today.)

audio icon Noonang wungeniny. (You're healing.)

Noonook boodjari? (You pregnant?)

audio icon Noonook boorda djinang. (See you later.)

audio icon Noonook menditj? (You sick? OR Are you sick?.)

audio icon Noonook moorditj? (You good? OR How are you?)

audio icon Noonook nyumbi djoorabiny? (You dance happy?)

Noonook yoowart wirnitj. (You no bad-feeling/ bad emotions.)

audio icon Nyorn baal winyarn. (Sorry he unwell/not good.)

audio icon There goes a lubbly seng. (There goes a lovely thing (flirtatious).)

audio icon Wandjoo wandjoo noonakoort! (Welcome welcome everyone!)

audio icon Wandjoo wandjoo. (Welcome, welcome.)

audio icon Windja baal koorliny? (Where he going?)

audio icon Windja koorliny. (Where are you going?)

audio icon Windja noonok-adiny koorliny? (Where are you all going? Or Where are you all coming from?)

audio icon Windja noonook boodja? (Where are you from?)

audio icon Windji booron? (Where is the rain?)

audio icon Windji gabi ngany koolbal wirrt. (Where water, I stomach hungry OR I am thirsty.)

audio icon Windji noonook koorliny? (Where you going OR Where are you going?)

audio icon Yaangka noonook. (Thank you everyone.)

audio icon Yeyi booroniny. (It’s raining today.)

audio icon Yeyi Kambarang ngany djerban. (This Kambarang weather is making me feel happy!)

audio icon Yeyi kedala worl-ak boola koondart. (Today there are many clouds in the sky.)

audio icon Yeyi kedala worl-ak yoowart koondart. (Today there are no clouds in the sky.)

audio icon Yeyi ngalak koori kaadadjan. (Now (in this moment) we the past knowledge OR Now we will learn about the past.)

audio icon Yeyi ngalak Noongar moort kaadadjan. (Now (in this moment) we Noongar family knowledge OR We will now learn about Noongar family.)

audio icon Yeyi ngalak Noongar waangka. (Today (in this moment) we Noongar talk OR Now let us talk Noongar.)

audio icon Yira worl ngangk kaalang-koorliny. (The sun is getting hotter in the sky!)

audio icon Yoowart kakarook wiyarn. Kakarook dabakarn koorliny. (No, dance not good. Dance slow going.)

audio icon Yoowart ngany menditj. (No, I’m not good.)