How to Speak Jawese.
M'um m'aloo! Welcome to the Jawaese page! Here you will find:
- An introduction and history of Jawaese
- A dictionary of Jawaese terms
- Jawa Number Chart
- A Lessons section
- Transcriptions of all Jawaese dialogue known to humankind
- Alphabet and font gallery
- Related links
- Source section
All new material added as of the latest update will be highlighted in red for your convenience.
Jabbering Junkdealers
Jawaese 101:
An Introduction
Jawaese is spoken by the Jawas of Tatooine. The first listen we got of this language was in Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope. Ben Burtt developed this language for the Star Wars saga. He was drawn to several African languages, in particular Zulu. Recording several individuals who spoke Zulu, Burtt wrote a script patterned on the various sounds he heard and had actors re-voice them for the films. The “recordings were sped up to raise the pitch and accelerate the flow of words” to give us the Jawa language that we are familiar with today. (1)
History
The Jawas share a common ancestor with the Tuskens of Tatooine. Baobab anthropologists have named these people the Kumumgah. The Kumumgahs split from a once singular tribe and evolved into the tall and fierce Tuskens and the short scavenging Jawas. Jawas have been described as having a rather pungent aroma that is a result of their natural skin chemistry. They travel in sandcrawlers, searching the desert wastes for anything they can salvage and resell such as droids or podracers parts. They are extremely clever when it comes to selling their goods but for the most part are fair in their dealings.
A split of the original tribe also resulted in two different languages, Tusken and Jawaese. Jawaese unlike the rough barking of theTuskens, can be more easily learned by humans. Their language is spoken very quickly and has been described as jabbering. (1)
Jawaese Dictionary:
Unless otherwise stated, these terms are from Star Wars Galactic Phrase Book & Travel Guide by Ben Burtt.
Jawaese-Basic:
Ashuna (ah shoo nah) v. 1. Go.
Ayafa (ay yaff fuh) n. 1. Clan.
Baba (bah bah) n. 1. Days.
Bazzok (bazz zok) v. 1. Cook.
Bok (bock) adj. 1. Far.
Bom’loo (bomm loo) n. 1. Bargain.
Bopom Kova (boh pom koh vah) n. 1. Mountain.
Buja (boo jah) 1. How.
Chikua (chik oo ah) n. 1. Them.
Cirkoza (seer koh zuh) n. 1. Encampment.
Dikwass (deek wahss) n. 1. Cliff.
Dooka (doo kah) n. 1. Junk.
Dook'wab (duke wahb) n. 1. Scanner.
Eyeta (ee yett ah) n. 1. Friend.
Gomjam (gomm jamm) adj. 1. Always.
Ha'mfoo (ha muh foo) v. 1. Burn.
Hazamuzee (hahz ah moo zee) v. 1. Chant.
Hkeek nkulla (he keek nu kuh lah) n. 1. A particularly disparaging Jawa curse. (8)
Hunya (hunn yah) n. 1. Enemy.
Ibana (ih ban ah) 1. Yes.
Ikee (ick kee) 1. I.
Jar k’osa (jar koe sah) adj. 1. Large.
Jubinloo (jubb in loo) n. 1. City.
Kebee'oto (keh bee oh toh) adj. 1. Long ago.
Keeza (kee zah) n. 1. Weapon.
Kiizci (keez see) n. 1. Cave.
Kiluyak (kill yu yak) n. 1. Cloud.
Ko lopo (koh loh poh) adj. 1. Broken.
Kurruzza (kuh ruh zah) v. 1. Repair.
Lika (lee kah) n. 1. Sea.
Lopima (loh pee mah) n pl. 1. Stars.
Lo'wassa (loh wahss ah) n. 1. Sail barge.
Mambay (mamm bay) 1. Okay.
Meeglay (mee glay) v/n. 1. Clean.
M'nuta (ma noo tah) n. 1. Hole.
M'tuske (muh toosk) v. 1. Steal.
M'um m’aloo (mum mah loo) 1. Greetings. 2. Hello.
Nekkel juuvar obwegadada (nek kil ju vahr ob we gah dah dah) n. 1. Jawa curse. (8)
Neng ooka (neng oo kah) n. 1. Yesterday.
N'lappu (nah lah poo) n. 1. Water.
Nufuzu (noo foo zoo) adj. 1. Below.
Nyeta (nee yett tuh) 1. No.
Ogo (oh goh) adj. 1. High.
Okka (Ahk ah) adj. 1. Up.
Oko (oh koh) adj. 1. Cold.
Ookwass (ook wahss) 1. Where.
Opakwa (oh pak wah) n. 1. Spare parts.
Opawi (oh pah wee) v. 1. Give.
Perupa (peh roo pah) v. 1. Pray.
Pibboz (pih bahz) adj. 1. Warm.
Ratapa (rat tap ah) n. 1. Knife.
Rillo (rill loh) n. 1. Dune.
Rubac (roo bak) n. 1. Rust.
Sabioto (sah bee oh toh) v. 1. Stop.
Shanay (shah nay) v. 1. Sleep.
Shootogawa (shoot oh gah wah) v. 1. Shoot. 2. Blast.
Sooga (soo gah) n. 1. Food.
Speeda (spee dah) n. 1. Speeder.
Taa baa (tah bah) 1. Thank you. 2. Thanks.
Takiik (tah keek) adj. 1. Tomorrow.
Tando (tan doh) v. 1. Fix.
Tilba (till buh) adj. 1. Above.
Toineepa (toy nee pah) n. 1. Credit.
Ton ton (tahn than) n. 1. Sand.
Ubanya (Oo bann yah) 1. Good day. 2. Good-bye.
Ugama (yu gah mah) n. 1. Bantha.
Umka (um kah) v. 1. Walk.
Umpee (um pee) n. 1. Empire.
Upezzo (yu pezz oh) n. 1. Market.
Utinni (oo tee nee) 1. Wow. 2. Battle cry. 3. Alert to other jawas.
Vapoosza (vapp oo zhuh) n. 1. Vaporator.
Waff’mla (wahff mlah) n. 1. Desert.
Wass (wahss) adj. 1. Hot.
Yaytah (yay tah) adj. 1. Later.
Ysas (ee sas) adj. 1. Equal.
Basic-Jawaese:
Above (ah buv) adj. 1. Tillba.
Always (all wayz) adj. 1. Gomjam.
Bantha (bann thuh) n. 1. Ugama.
Bargain (bar gun) n. 1. Bom’loo.
Below (bee loh) adj. 1. Nufuzu.
Blast (blast) v. 1. Shootogawa.
Broken (broh kenn) adj. 1. Ko lopo.
Burn (bern) v. 1. Ha'mfoo.
Cave (cayv) n. 1. Kiizci.
Chant (chant) v. 1. Hazamuzee.
City (sit tee) n. 1. Jubinloo.
Clan (klan) n. 1. Ayafa.
Clean (kleen) v/n. 1. Meeglay.
Cliff (clif) n. 1. Dikwass.
Cloud (clowd) n. 1. Kiluyak.
Cold (coald) adj. 1. Oko.
Cook (koohk) v. 1. Bazzok.
Credit (kred it) n. 1. Toineepa.
Days (dayz) n. 1. Baba.
Desert (dezz urt) n. 1. Waff’mla.
Dune (doon) n. 1. Rillo.
Empire (em py ur) n. 1. Umpee.
Encampment (en kamp ment) n. 1. Cirkoza.
Enemy (en uh me) n. 1. Hunya.
Equal (ee kwawl) adj. 1. Ysas.
Far (far) adj. 1. Bok.
Fix (ficks) v. 1. Tando.
Food (fude) n. 1. Sooga.
Friend (frend) n. 1. Eyeta.
Give (giv) v. 1. Opawi.
Go (goh) v. 1. Ashuna.
Good-bye (good by) 1. Ubanya.
Good day (good day) 1. Ubanya.
Greetings (gree tingz) 1. M’um m’aloo.
Hello (hell loh) 1. M’um m’aloo.
High (hy) adj. 1. Ogo.
Hole (hole) n. 1. M'nuta.
Hot (hott) adj. 1. Wass.
How (how) 1. Buja.
I (eye) 1. Ikee.
Junk (junk) n. 1. Dooka.
Knife (nife) n. 1. Ratapa.
Large (larj) adj. 1. Jar k’osa.
Later (layt tur) adj. 1. Yaytah.
Long ago (lowng ah goh) adj. 1. Kebee'oto.
Market (marr kett) n. 1. Upezzo.
Mountain (mown tun) n. 1. Bopom Kova.
No (noh) 1. Nyeta.
Okay (oh kay) 1. Mambay.
Pray (pray) v. 1. Perupa.
Repair (ree pare) v. 1. Kurruzza.
Rust (russt) n. 1. Rubac.
Sail Barge (sail barj) n. 1. Lo'wassa.
Sand (sand) n. 1. Ton ton.
Scanner (skan ur) n. 1. Dook'wab.
Sea (see) n. 1. Lika.
Shoot (shoot) v. 1. Shootogawa.
Sleep (sleep) v. 1. Shanay.
Spare parts (spayr parts) n. 1. Opakwa.
Speeder (spee dur) n. 1. Speeda.
Stars (starz) n pl. 1. Lopima.
Steal (steel) v. 1. M'tuske.
Stop (stahpp) v. 1. Sabioto.
Thanks (thankss) 1. Taa baa.
Thank you (thank yu) 1. Taa baa.
Them (thehm) n. 1. Chikua.
Tomorrow (too mar oh) adj. 1. Takiik.
Up (uhpp) adj. 1. Okka.
Vaporator (vapp or rate or) n. 1. Vapposza.
Walk (wallk) v. 1. Umka.
Warm (warm) adj. 1. Pibboz.
Water (woot tur) n. 1. N'lappu.
Weapon (wepp un) n. 1. Keeza.
Where (ware) 1. Ookwass.
Wow (wow) 1. Utinni.
Yes (yess) 1. Ibana.
Yesterday (yes tur day) n. 1. Neng ooka.
Jawa Numbers:
1 Po
2 Ko
3 Kyo
4 Yo
5 Dyo
6 Lyo
7 Does not exist in Jawa arithmetic
8 Ho
9 Toe
10 Kisewa
100 Gakisewa
1000 Hakisewa
100,000,000 Jo jo muma
Lessons:
Replace these 'Basic' words in your daily life with 'Jawaese' words in these phrases.
Yesterday -> Neng ooka
I went to school yesterday.
I went to school neng ooka.
Friend -> Eyeta
My friend and I went to the movies.
My eyeta and I went to the movies.
Large -> Jar k’osa
Jabba the Hutt is large.
Jabba the Hutt is jar k’osa.
Stars -> Lopima
There are millions of stars in the galaxy.
There are millions of lopima in the galaxy.
Market -> Upezzo
This little piggy went to market.
This little piggy went to upezzo.
- An introduction and history of Jawaese
- A dictionary of Jawaese terms
- Jawa Number Chart
- A Lessons section
- Transcriptions of all Jawaese dialogue known to humankind
- Alphabet and font gallery
- Related links
- Source section
All new material added as of the latest update will be highlighted in red for your convenience.
Jabbering Junkdealers
Jawaese 101:
An Introduction
Jawaese is spoken by the Jawas of Tatooine. The first listen we got of this language was in Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope. Ben Burtt developed this language for the Star Wars saga. He was drawn to several African languages, in particular Zulu. Recording several individuals who spoke Zulu, Burtt wrote a script patterned on the various sounds he heard and had actors re-voice them for the films. The “recordings were sped up to raise the pitch and accelerate the flow of words” to give us the Jawa language that we are familiar with today. (1)
History
The Jawas share a common ancestor with the Tuskens of Tatooine. Baobab anthropologists have named these people the Kumumgah. The Kumumgahs split from a once singular tribe and evolved into the tall and fierce Tuskens and the short scavenging Jawas. Jawas have been described as having a rather pungent aroma that is a result of their natural skin chemistry. They travel in sandcrawlers, searching the desert wastes for anything they can salvage and resell such as droids or podracers parts. They are extremely clever when it comes to selling their goods but for the most part are fair in their dealings.
A split of the original tribe also resulted in two different languages, Tusken and Jawaese. Jawaese unlike the rough barking of theTuskens, can be more easily learned by humans. Their language is spoken very quickly and has been described as jabbering. (1)
Jawaese Dictionary:
Unless otherwise stated, these terms are from Star Wars Galactic Phrase Book & Travel Guide by Ben Burtt.
Jawaese-Basic:
Ashuna (ah shoo nah) v. 1. Go.
Ayafa (ay yaff fuh) n. 1. Clan.
Baba (bah bah) n. 1. Days.
Bazzok (bazz zok) v. 1. Cook.
Bok (bock) adj. 1. Far.
Bom’loo (bomm loo) n. 1. Bargain.
Bopom Kova (boh pom koh vah) n. 1. Mountain.
Buja (boo jah) 1. How.
Chikua (chik oo ah) n. 1. Them.
Cirkoza (seer koh zuh) n. 1. Encampment.
Dikwass (deek wahss) n. 1. Cliff.
Dooka (doo kah) n. 1. Junk.
Dook'wab (duke wahb) n. 1. Scanner.
Eyeta (ee yett ah) n. 1. Friend.
Gomjam (gomm jamm) adj. 1. Always.
Ha'mfoo (ha muh foo) v. 1. Burn.
Hazamuzee (hahz ah moo zee) v. 1. Chant.
Hkeek nkulla (he keek nu kuh lah) n. 1. A particularly disparaging Jawa curse. (8)
Hunya (hunn yah) n. 1. Enemy.
Ibana (ih ban ah) 1. Yes.
Ikee (ick kee) 1. I.
Jar k’osa (jar koe sah) adj. 1. Large.
Jubinloo (jubb in loo) n. 1. City.
Kebee'oto (keh bee oh toh) adj. 1. Long ago.
Keeza (kee zah) n. 1. Weapon.
Kiizci (keez see) n. 1. Cave.
Kiluyak (kill yu yak) n. 1. Cloud.
Ko lopo (koh loh poh) adj. 1. Broken.
Kurruzza (kuh ruh zah) v. 1. Repair.
Lika (lee kah) n. 1. Sea.
Lopima (loh pee mah) n pl. 1. Stars.
Lo'wassa (loh wahss ah) n. 1. Sail barge.
Mambay (mamm bay) 1. Okay.
Meeglay (mee glay) v/n. 1. Clean.
M'nuta (ma noo tah) n. 1. Hole.
M'tuske (muh toosk) v. 1. Steal.
M'um m’aloo (mum mah loo) 1. Greetings. 2. Hello.
Nekkel juuvar obwegadada (nek kil ju vahr ob we gah dah dah) n. 1. Jawa curse. (8)
Neng ooka (neng oo kah) n. 1. Yesterday.
N'lappu (nah lah poo) n. 1. Water.
Nufuzu (noo foo zoo) adj. 1. Below.
Nyeta (nee yett tuh) 1. No.
Ogo (oh goh) adj. 1. High.
Okka (Ahk ah) adj. 1. Up.
Oko (oh koh) adj. 1. Cold.
Ookwass (ook wahss) 1. Where.
Opakwa (oh pak wah) n. 1. Spare parts.
Opawi (oh pah wee) v. 1. Give.
Perupa (peh roo pah) v. 1. Pray.
Pibboz (pih bahz) adj. 1. Warm.
Ratapa (rat tap ah) n. 1. Knife.
Rillo (rill loh) n. 1. Dune.
Rubac (roo bak) n. 1. Rust.
Sabioto (sah bee oh toh) v. 1. Stop.
Shanay (shah nay) v. 1. Sleep.
Shootogawa (shoot oh gah wah) v. 1. Shoot. 2. Blast.
Sooga (soo gah) n. 1. Food.
Speeda (spee dah) n. 1. Speeder.
Taa baa (tah bah) 1. Thank you. 2. Thanks.
Takiik (tah keek) adj. 1. Tomorrow.
Tando (tan doh) v. 1. Fix.
Tilba (till buh) adj. 1. Above.
Toineepa (toy nee pah) n. 1. Credit.
Ton ton (tahn than) n. 1. Sand.
Ubanya (Oo bann yah) 1. Good day. 2. Good-bye.
Ugama (yu gah mah) n. 1. Bantha.
Umka (um kah) v. 1. Walk.
Umpee (um pee) n. 1. Empire.
Upezzo (yu pezz oh) n. 1. Market.
Utinni (oo tee nee) 1. Wow. 2. Battle cry. 3. Alert to other jawas.
Vapoosza (vapp oo zhuh) n. 1. Vaporator.
Waff’mla (wahff mlah) n. 1. Desert.
Wass (wahss) adj. 1. Hot.
Yaytah (yay tah) adj. 1. Later.
Ysas (ee sas) adj. 1. Equal.
Basic-Jawaese:
Above (ah buv) adj. 1. Tillba.
Always (all wayz) adj. 1. Gomjam.
Bantha (bann thuh) n. 1. Ugama.
Bargain (bar gun) n. 1. Bom’loo.
Below (bee loh) adj. 1. Nufuzu.
Blast (blast) v. 1. Shootogawa.
Broken (broh kenn) adj. 1. Ko lopo.
Burn (bern) v. 1. Ha'mfoo.
Cave (cayv) n. 1. Kiizci.
Chant (chant) v. 1. Hazamuzee.
City (sit tee) n. 1. Jubinloo.
Clan (klan) n. 1. Ayafa.
Clean (kleen) v/n. 1. Meeglay.
Cliff (clif) n. 1. Dikwass.
Cloud (clowd) n. 1. Kiluyak.
Cold (coald) adj. 1. Oko.
Cook (koohk) v. 1. Bazzok.
Credit (kred it) n. 1. Toineepa.
Days (dayz) n. 1. Baba.
Desert (dezz urt) n. 1. Waff’mla.
Dune (doon) n. 1. Rillo.
Empire (em py ur) n. 1. Umpee.
Encampment (en kamp ment) n. 1. Cirkoza.
Enemy (en uh me) n. 1. Hunya.
Equal (ee kwawl) adj. 1. Ysas.
Far (far) adj. 1. Bok.
Fix (ficks) v. 1. Tando.
Food (fude) n. 1. Sooga.
Friend (frend) n. 1. Eyeta.
Give (giv) v. 1. Opawi.
Go (goh) v. 1. Ashuna.
Good-bye (good by) 1. Ubanya.
Good day (good day) 1. Ubanya.
Greetings (gree tingz) 1. M’um m’aloo.
Hello (hell loh) 1. M’um m’aloo.
High (hy) adj. 1. Ogo.
Hole (hole) n. 1. M'nuta.
Hot (hott) adj. 1. Wass.
How (how) 1. Buja.
I (eye) 1. Ikee.
Junk (junk) n. 1. Dooka.
Knife (nife) n. 1. Ratapa.
Large (larj) adj. 1. Jar k’osa.
Later (layt tur) adj. 1. Yaytah.
Long ago (lowng ah goh) adj. 1. Kebee'oto.
Market (marr kett) n. 1. Upezzo.
Mountain (mown tun) n. 1. Bopom Kova.
No (noh) 1. Nyeta.
Okay (oh kay) 1. Mambay.
Pray (pray) v. 1. Perupa.
Repair (ree pare) v. 1. Kurruzza.
Rust (russt) n. 1. Rubac.
Sail Barge (sail barj) n. 1. Lo'wassa.
Sand (sand) n. 1. Ton ton.
Scanner (skan ur) n. 1. Dook'wab.
Sea (see) n. 1. Lika.
Shoot (shoot) v. 1. Shootogawa.
Sleep (sleep) v. 1. Shanay.
Spare parts (spayr parts) n. 1. Opakwa.
Speeder (spee dur) n. 1. Speeda.
Stars (starz) n pl. 1. Lopima.
Steal (steel) v. 1. M'tuske.
Stop (stahpp) v. 1. Sabioto.
Thanks (thankss) 1. Taa baa.
Thank you (thank yu) 1. Taa baa.
Them (thehm) n. 1. Chikua.
Tomorrow (too mar oh) adj. 1. Takiik.
Up (uhpp) adj. 1. Okka.
Vaporator (vapp or rate or) n. 1. Vapposza.
Walk (wallk) v. 1. Umka.
Warm (warm) adj. 1. Pibboz.
Water (woot tur) n. 1. N'lappu.
Weapon (wepp un) n. 1. Keeza.
Where (ware) 1. Ookwass.
Wow (wow) 1. Utinni.
Yes (yess) 1. Ibana.
Yesterday (yes tur day) n. 1. Neng ooka.
Jawa Numbers:
1 Po
2 Ko
3 Kyo
4 Yo
5 Dyo
6 Lyo
7 Does not exist in Jawa arithmetic
8 Ho
9 Toe
10 Kisewa
100 Gakisewa
1000 Hakisewa
100,000,000 Jo jo muma
Lessons:
Replace these 'Basic' words in your daily life with 'Jawaese' words in these phrases.
Yesterday -> Neng ooka
I went to school yesterday.
I went to school neng ooka.
Friend -> Eyeta
My friend and I went to the movies.
My eyeta and I went to the movies.
Large -> Jar k’osa
Jabba the Hutt is large.
Jabba the Hutt is jar k’osa.
Stars -> Lopima
There are millions of stars in the galaxy.
There are millions of lopima in the galaxy.
Market -> Upezzo
This little piggy went to market.
This little piggy went to upezzo.