Waray language facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Waray-Waray
Winaray
Native to	Philippines
Region	Eastern Visayas
Native speakers	3.1 million; 5th most spoken native language in the Philippines (date missing)
Language family	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian Philippine Central Philippine Visayan Central Visayan Waray-Waray
Writing system	Latin (Filipino variant); Historically written in Baybayin
Official status
Official language in	Regional language in the Philippines
Regulated by	Commission on the Filipino Language

Wáray-Wáray or Warai (commonly spelled as Waray; also Winaray or Lineyte-Samarnon) is a language spoken in the provinces of Samar, Leyte, and Biliran in the Philippines.

The Waraynon group of languages consists of Waray, Waray Sorsogon and Masbate Sorsogon. All the Warayan languages belong to the Visayan language family and are related to Cebuano and more closely to Hiligaynon and Masbatenyo.

Usage

Waray-Waray is one of the ten officially recognized regional languages in the Philippines and used in the local government. It is spoken throughout the islands especially in the Eastern Visayas region. But it is also spoken in some parts of Mindanao, Masbate, Sorsogon and Metro Manila where Warays went to. There is also a very small number of Filipinos abroad, especially in the United States, that speaks this language.

Sounds

The Waray language has sixteen consonants:. There are three main vowels: a i and u. Consonants and were once allophone but cannot interchange, like palaron (to be lucky) [from palad, palm (because someone's luck is seen in the palm)] but not paladon and tagadiín (from where) [from diín, where] but not tagariín.

Numbers

Native numbers are used for numbers one through ten. From eleven onwards, Spanish numbers are exclusively used in Waray today, their native counterparts being almost unheard of by the majority of native speakers numbers (except for gatus for hundred and yukot for thousand). Some, specially the old ones, are spoken alongside the Spanish counterparts.

English	Native Waray	Borrowed from Spanish
One	Usá	Uno
Two	Duhá	Dos
Three	Tuló	Tres
Four	Upat	Kuwatro
Five	Limá	Singko
Six	Unom	Siez/says
Seven	Pitó	Siete/syete
Eight	Waló	Ocho/otso
Nine	Siyám	Nuebe/nueve
Ten	Napúlô	Diez
Eleven	Napúlô kag usá	Onse
Twenty	Karuhaan	Baynte
Thirty	Katloan	Trenta
Forty	Kap-atan	Kwuarenta
Fifty	Kalim-an	Singkwenta
Sixty	Kaunman	Siesenta
Seventy	Kapitoan	Setenta
Eighty	Kawaloan	Ochienta
Ninety	Kasiaman	Nobenta
One Hundred	Usa ka Gatus	Cien
One Thousand	Usa ka Yukut	Mil
One Million	Usa ka milyun	milyon

Some common words and phrases

Below are examples of the Waray spoken in Metropolitan Tacloban and the nearby areas:

Can you understand Waray?: Nakakaintindi / Nasabut ka hin Winaray? (hin or hiton)
Good morning (noon / afternoon / evening): Maupay nga aga (udto / kulop / gab-i)
Thank you: Salamat
I love you: Hinihigugma ko ikaw or Ginhihigugma ko ikaw or Pina-ura ta ikaw
Where are you from? : Taga diin ka? or Taga nga-in ka?
What is your name? : Ano it imo ngaran?
Who are you?: Hin-o ka?
How are you? : Kumusta ka na?
I'm fine / In God's will: Kalu-oy sa Dyos
How much is this? : Tag pira ini?
I like this / that: Karuyag ko ini / itun
I can't understand: Diri ako nakakaintindi or Diri ako nakakasabut
I don't know: Diri ako maaram or Ambot
What: Ano
Who: Hin-o
Where: Hain or Di-in
When (future): San-o
When (past): Kakan-o
Why: Kay-ano
How: Gin-aano?/Patiunan-o?
Yes: Oo
No: Dire or Diri
There: Adto or Didto or Ngad-to
Here: Didi or Nganhi or Din-hi
Up: Igbaw
Down: Ubos
Top: Baw-baw
Bottom: Ilarom or Sirong
Right: Tu-o
Left: Wala
Far: Harayu
Near: Hirane
Front or in front: Atubang or Atubangan
Night: Gab-i
Day: Adlaw
Nothing: Waray
Good: Maupay
Beautiful: Mahusay
Handsome: Gwapo
Boy: Lalaki
Girl: Babayi
Gay: Bayot
Lesbian: Tomboy/Lesbyana
I'm a friend of...: Sangkay ak ni...
I'm lost here: Nawawara ak didi.
Maybe: Bangin
I wish...: Kunta

Other common words

Technical terms

Gold - Bulawan
Steel - puthaw
Car - awto / sarakyan/ kotchi / sasakyan
Airplane - edro / eroplano
Airport - lupadan or landingan

Astronomical terms

Earth - kalibutan
Moon - bulan; Indonesian - bulan
Sun - adlaw
Star - bituon Indonesian - bintang

Natural terms

Wind - hangin; Indonesian - angin
Fire - kalayo
Land - tuna; Indonesian - tanah
Water - lawod/tubig
Nature - libong
Mountain - bukid; Indonesian - bukit
Sea - dagat
Ocean - kalawdan Indonesian = laut i.e. ka-laut-an
Island - puro/isla Indonesian - pulau
Archipelago - kapuruan; Indonesian - kepulauan
River - salog
Lake - danaw; Indonesian - danau

Parts of the house

House - balay or Payag
Room - kwarto or sulod
Bedroom - sulod-katurugan
Kitchen - kusina
Outdoor Kitchen - abuhan
Dining Room - kaunan
Bathroom - kubeta/kasilyas/karigu-an

Members of the Family

Father - amay/tatay/papa
Mother - iroy/nanay/mama
Son/Daughter - anak
Brother - bugto nga lalaki
Sister - bugto nga babayi
Grandparent - apoy/lolo (male) / lola (female)
Cousin - patod
Nephew/Niece - umangkon
Son-in-Law/Daughter-in-Law - umagad
Brother-in-Law/Sister-in-Law - bayaw(male) / hipag (female)
Father-in-Law/Mother-in-Law - ugangan
Oldest Child - suhag
Youngest Child - puto or pudo

Fashion words

Pants - saruwal
Clothes - bado / duros
Belt - paha

Food

Bread - tinapai
Rice (cooked) - kan-on / luto
Rice (unhusked and raw) - bugas
Rice (still in husk) - humay
Viand - sura
Coffee - kape
Vinegar - suoy/suka

Animals

Dog - ayam/ iru/ ido
Cat - uding/ misai
Rat - yatut
Crocodile - buaya
Bird - tamsi
Snake - halas
Carabao - karabaw
Crab - masag
Lobster - tapusok

Waray-Waray loanwords and cognates

Common Waray Waray words and its foreign and local origin

Indonesian/Malay Cognates

Mulay (English: to play)- from Indonesian mulai
Balay (English: house) - from Indonesian balai
Sarapati (English: pigeon) - from Indonesian merpati
Kapuruan (English: archipelago) - from Indonesian/Malay kepulauan
Posporo (English: match) - from Indonesian/Malay posporo
Mata (English: eyes) - from Indonesian/Malay mata
Bulan (English: moon/month) - from Indonesian/Malay bulan
Ine (English: this/these) - from Indonesian/Malay ini
Kamo (English: you [plural]) - from Indonesian/Malay kamu

Spanish

Abandonada (Spanish: Abandonado/a) – abandoned
Abaniko (Spanish: Abanico) – fan
Abriha (Spanish: Abrir, Filipino: Abrihin) – to open
- Abrelata (Spanish: Abrelatas) – tin-opener/can opener
Abril (Spanish: Abril) – April
Abogado (Spanish: Abogado) – lawyer, attorney
Aborido (Spanish: Aburrido) – bored (used in Tagalog as 'anxious, confused')
Akasya (Spanish: Acacia) – acacia tree
Aksidente (Spanish: Accidente) – accident
Adurnuha (Spanish: Adornar, Filipino: Adurnuhan) – to decorate
Agrabiyado (Spanish: Agraviado) – being aggrieved
Aginaldo (Spanish: Aguinaldo) – Christmas gift
Agosto (Spanish: Agosto) – August
Ahensiya (Spanish: Agencia) – agency
Ahente (Spanish: Agente) – agent
Alahas (Spanish: Alhaja) – jewel
Alambre (Spanish: Alambre) – wire
Alkansiya (Spanish: Alcancía) – piggy bank
Alpilir (Spanish: Alfiler) – pin
Alsaha (Spanish: Alzar, Filipino: Alsahin) – Ambisyoso (Spanish: Ambicioso) – ambitious
Ambisyon (Spanish: Ambición) – ambitionArbularyo (Spanish: Herbolario) - Medicine man (from "Herbo" -herb)
Arina (Spanish: Harina) – flour
Arkitekto (Spanish: Arquitecto) – architect
Armado (Spanish: Armado) – armed
Armibal (Spanish: Almíbar) – syrup
Artista (Spanish: Artista) – artist (used in Waray Waray as 'actor/actress')
Ariyos (Spanish: Arreos) – tack (used in Waray Waray as 'earrings')
Asintado (Spanish: Asentado) – settled
Asero (Spanish: Acero) – steel
Asno (Spanish: Asno) – donkey
Asoge (Spanish: Azogue) – mercury
Asosasyon (Spanish: Asociación) – association
Asukal (Spanish: Azúcar) – sugar
Asul (Spanish: Azul) – blue
Asyatiko (Spanish: Asiatico) – Asian
Intyendeha (Spanish: Atender) – to attend to
Atrasado (Spanish: Atrasado) – overdue, slow (clock), backward (used in Waray Waray as 'late')
Ayudaha (Spanish: Ayudar, Filipino: Ayudahan) – to help
Banyo/Kasilyas (Spanish: Baño) – bathroom, toilet
Baraha (Spanish: Baraja) – deck of playing cards
Baratilyo (Spanish: Baratillo) – flea market (used in Waray Waray as 'bargain sale')
Barato (Spanish: Barato) – cheap
Barbero (Spanish: Barbero) – barber
Barbula (Spanish: Válvula) – valve
Bareta (Spanish Bareta) – bar
Bagahe (Spanish: Bagaje) – baggage
Baho (Spanish : Vaho) – steam (used in Waray Waray as 'foul smell')
Bintana (Spanish: Ventana) – window
Bintilador (Spanish: Ventilador) – electric fan
Birhen (Spanish: Virgen) – virgin
Bisagra (Spanish: Bisagra) – hinge
Bisikleta (Spanish: Bicicleta) – bicycle
Bisitaha (Spanish: Visitar) – to visit
Botika/Botica/Parmasya/Farmacia - drugstore, pharmacy
Conbensido (Spanish: Convencido) - convinced
Demanda (Spanish: Demanda) – demand
Demokrasiya (Spanish: Democracia) – democracy
Demonyo (Spanish:Demonio) – demon, evil spirit
Huygo (Spanish:Juego)- game (used in Waray Waray as 'gambling'
Hugador (Spanish:Jugador)- game (used in Waray Waray as 'gambler'
Dentista (Spanish: Dentista) – dentist
Departamento (Spanish: Departamento) – department, bureau
Depensa (Spanish: Defensa) – defense
Deposito (Spanish: Depósito) – depot (fuel), deposit (money)
Desisyon (Spanish: Decisión) – decision

Diyos/a (Spanish: Dios/a) – god/goddess
Doble (Spanish: Doble) – double
Doktor/a (Spanish: Doctor/a) – doctor
Don (Spanish: Don) – Mr. (used in Waray Waray to address a rich man)
Donya (Spanish: Doña) – Mrs. (used in Waray Waray to address a rich woman)
Dos (Spanish: Dos) – two
Dose (Spanish: Doce) – twelve
Dosena (Spanish: Docena) – dozen
Drama (Spanish: Drama) – drama
Droga (Spanish: Droga) – drugs
Karsonsilyo/Carsoncillo (Spanish: Carsoncillo) – boxer shorts (used in Waray Waray as 'shorts')
Marigoso (Spanish: Amargoso) - bittermelon
Padre (Spanish: Padre) - father (used in Waray Waray as a title for a Roman Catholic priest)

Portuguese

Porta (Portuguese: Porta) - door
Multo (Portuguese: Morto) - ghost

Nahuatl

Achuete (Nahuatl: Achiotl; Mexican Spanish: Achiote) – annatto seeds used to give food a reddish color
Kakao/Kakaw (Cacao) (Nahuatl: Cacahuatl) – cacao or cocoa
Sayote (Nahuatl: Chayotli; Mexican Spanish: Chayote) – a Mexican squash
Tiyangge (Nahuatl: Tianquiztli; Mexican Spanish: Tianguis) – seasonal markets
Tsokolate (Nahuatl: Xocolatl) – chocolate

Chinese

Bakya (Fukien Chinese) – native wooden sandals
Bihon – Vermicelli (made of rice flour)
Bitsin (Fukien Chinese: Bi chhin) – monosodium glutamate
Jueteng (Fukien Chinese) – illegal numbers game
Lumpia (Fukien Chinese) – spring rolls

English

Basket – basket
Basketbol – basketball
Basketbulan - basketball court
Bilib - believe
Bilyar - billiard
Bilyaran - billiard hall
Chiki - check
Dyeepnee – jeep
Elementari – elementary
Ekonomiks - economics
Eksport – export
Ekpres - express
Erkon - air con
Greyd – grade
Groseri – grocery
Hai Skul – High School
Iskor – score
Iskrin – screen
Ispiker - speaker
Keyk – cake
Kostomer/Kustomer – customer
Kompyuter – computer
Kondisyoner - conditioner
Kontrol - control
Krim - cream
Kukis - cookies
Lider – leader
Losyon - lotion
Manedyer – manager
Masel – muscle
Makroekonomiks - macroeconomics
Maikroekonomiks - microeconomics
Isparkol - sparkle

Cebuano

Bana (Cebuano: Bana) - husband

Waray Wikipedia