Kayan Language Legacy Project
Simple Kayan phrases to English
Sayu kenep!
Thank you!
Bara sayu kenep lan men ika'.
Thank you so much.
kuman
eat
Uh nah ika' kuman yah?
Have you eaten?
du'i
drink
Du'i nah kopi ka' nan.
Drink your coffee.
pano / panau
walk
Ika' tei panau hino' anan?
Where are you going?
bakeh
friend
Akui tei keli'ah dahin bakeh kui anih
I am going to play with my friend.
nyivan
dance
Haman lan doh anan nyivan.
The girl can really dance.
Haman lan lake' anan nyivan.
The boy can really dance.
nyadui
work
Hino ka' nyadui du?
Where do you work?
Nyadui ha' Miri kuri jarun anih.
I am working in Miri now.
bahat
heavy
Bahat lan kayo' anih.
This log is heavy.
Bahat lan kenep kui marung anih.
My heart is heavy on this matter.
perah / ji'ek noh
sick / now well
Perah noh kui danih.
I feel sick today.
Ji'ek noh kui danih.
I do not feel well today.
meng
don't
Meng tusah kenep hinei.
Do not worry mother.
kelivak kahung / perah kahung
headache
Kelivak or perah kahung kui pelemana ika.
I have *headache thinking of you.
tudu
sleep
Uh tudu nah ba'ong yah?
Is the little girl asleep already?
Uh tudu nah abo' yah?
Is the little boy asleep already?
nyelanguk
naughty
Nyelanguk lan lake' uk anan.
He is a naughty boy.
pidah
wait
Im pidah kui uli nyadui ha tu' tei panau.
We can visit/go for a walk after I finish work.
hineng
watch / look
Meng hineng TV lale' kereng.
Do not watch too much TV.
Im hineng ha' nan, haman lan ha'.
Look at him, he is very clever.
pasi
sad
Pasi lan kenep kui pelemana ika'.
I feel sad thinking of you.
sin
money
Kahun lan sin *na'.
He has a lot of money.
(*na' - refers to either male or female. non-gender)
doh anan
the, that girl/woman
lake' anan
the, that boy/man
mavuk
drunk
Mavuk pa'en ha' nan, kelalau te' dui.
He is always drunk, he drinks a lot.
tangen
diligent / hardworking
Tangen im belajen ja si deng lebau
Study hard (Be diligent) so that you pass.
kenep kui
I think
Kenep kui nih ngenep ngahawa'.
I think I am ready to get married.
pelemana'
think
Akui nei pelemana' marung ika' anih.
I am thinking of you.
duan
talk
Meng duan aya' lale'.
Do not talk too loud!
tepurung
run
Tu'a lan ha' tepurung.
He/she can run (fast).
panau/pano
walk
Ika' tei/tey panau hino' anan?
Where are you going? *Where are you walking to?
tei/tey
go
Akui seng tei/tey ha' Meludi anih.
I am going to Marudi.
lasu / hanit
hot
Lasu lan dau/do danih.
It's very hot today.
Nyengem
cold
Nyengem lan dau/do danih.
It's very cold today.
lekoh
lazy
Meng lekoh tei/tey sekulah.
Do not be lazy to go to school.
tangen
diligent
Tangen im tei/tey sekulah putung dau/do.
Be diligent to go to school everyday.
kop
lie/dishonest
Usi sayu itam kop te' dahun tam.
It's not good to lie.
Meng kop!
Don't lie!
men
where
Daha' men ino' ka' du?
Where are you from?
su
far
Su lan uma ka' men pasan Meludi
Your longhouse is very far from Marudi.
jeleng
near
Jeleng lan amin na' beh alan aru.
His/her house is very near the road.
dekaya'
big
Dekaya' lan selu'en anih.
This pant is very big.
da'uk
small
Da'uk lan basung anih.
This shirt is very small.
aru
long
Aru lan buk ka'.
Your hair is very long.
bekek
short
Bekek lan tubeng im pakai/pakey anan.
The skirt you're wearing is too short.
bau/bo
tall
Bau lan doh anan.
She is very tall.
liva
Liva lan lake' anan.
kajau/kajo
beautiful
Kajau lan doh anan.
The girl is beautiful
usi
not, don't
Usi kui tei/tey nyadui danih.
I do not go to work today.
Usi kui jam.
I don't know.
matei/matey
die
Uh matei nah iha' ji'ek.
He/she had died.
kenep
like
Usi te' kenep kui te' ika'.
I do not like you.
kenep
heart
Usi te' kenep kui na ji'ek te' kelunan.
I do not have the heart to do bad to others.
ngenep
like
Ngenep lan kui ika'.
I really like you.
sayu
good
ji'ek
bad
perah butit
stomarch ache
perah kuhung
headache
butit
stomach
ba
mouth
urung
nose
usu
hand
kudek
leg
kuhung
head
jahangau
finger
bulo'
body hairs
buk
hairs
mata'
eyes
jela'
tongue
iling
ear
hulo'
finger nail
bukung
knee
iung u'ing
waist
tubeng
chest
hapi
thigh
lengen
shoulder
tumin
heel
muku
old
nyam
young
doh
female
lake'
male
doh nyam
young girl
nyamdoh
beautiful girl
lake' nyam
young man
nyamake'
handsome man
lake' aya'
old man
lake' muku
old man
doh kajau
pretty girl
doh uk
small (young) girl
lake' uk
young boy
abo'
baby boy
ba'ung
baby girl