Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Kanou Minsingiho Kadazan

Kanou Minsingiho Kadazan ☆ Let's Learn Kadazan


Kadazan:


Vookon aagab mugad kalaja. Vookon aagab mooi kadai. Vookon aagab muhi.

Vookon aiso kaagaban.

Iti no koposizon.


English:


Some hurry to work. Some hurry to town. Some hurry home.

Some have no haste.

This is life.



Vookon, some

Aagab, (on a) hurry

Mugad, go

Kalaja, work

Mooi (or mugad), go

Kadai, town, shop

Muhi, go home

Aiso, No, None

Kaagaban, n. hurry

Iti, this

No, is

Koposizon, life


PCLD Copyright2025 

Friday, November 17, 2017

A Visitor Stumbled Upon a Kadazan Village

You are from outside Sabah, had lost your way and stumbled upon a Kadazan village. Mantad ko dahabus Sabah, nakaahau om kasavang no do iso' Kampung Kadazan.

Visitor (V): Where is this? Id nombo iti?
Kadazan (K): Kadazan village. Kampung Kadazan.
V: I lost my way. Nakaahau zou.
K: Where are you from?(1) Mantad ko nombo?
V: I am from Australia. I walked all the way from Kota Kinabalu. Mantad zou Australia. Minamanau zou mantad Kota Kinabalu.
K: You are now at Ganang village. Doiti ko Kampung Ganang babaino.
V: I am looking for the rice fields in Penampang. Mogium zou di anau paai id Penampang.
K: The rice fields are in Kodundungan. Hu Kodundungan ii anau paai.
V: Is it far from here? Osodu ii mantad doiti?
K: Not far. Follow this road. Au' osodu'. Tonudon talunalun ditia.
V: Thank you. Kotohuadan.
K: Goodbye. Tumoodo no.

At Kodundungan. Id Kodundungan.

V: Hello. Are you the owner of these ricefields? Kopivosian. Iziau sanganu do anau paai ngaavi' diti?
Farmer/Mobubuvat (F): One of the owners. Songuhun mantad di sanganu ngaavi'.
V: Can I take your photo? Kavasa' zou maganu gambal nu?
F: You can. Kavasa'.
V: The rice is ripening. What type of rice is this? Mansak no paai. Nunu kavo paai diti?
F: Sorry. I don't know. Siou. Au' zou koiho.
V: It's okay. Au' monguo.
V: I want to take more photos. Maganu zou do hobi ogumu po gambal.
F: Okay. Ba.

After about half an hour. Katahib somok-somok satanga' jam.

V: I have taken enough photos. Thank you. Uha' no gambal nanu ku. Kotohuadan.
F: You can go this way to Donggongon town. Itia lahan pougadan id Kadai Donggongon.
V: Goodbye. Thanks once again. Tumoodo no. Kotohuadan insan po.
F: Goodbye. Tumoodo no.

Note:
(1) It is said that in some countries such as the US, this type of question has racial overtones. But somehow, it has also been said that it has become accepted.(?)

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

A Tourist Conversing with a Kadazan - Visiting KDCA Headquarters

Tourist (T) meets a Kadazan (K) / Tutumombuhui kosoomo' songuhun Kadazan

T: Where is the KDCA Headquarters? Nombo Hongkod KDCA?
K: Follow me. I'm going there. Tumanud dogo. Pougadan ku doiho'.
T: Thank you. Kotohuadan.

Along the way / Id tindahanon

T: Where can I get books on the Kadazan people? Nombo koonuan (ko'nuan) ku buuk kokomoi tuhun Kadazan?
K: There is a book store at KDCA. Kivaa kadai buuk doiho' KDCA.
T: Kadazan Dictionary? Komoiboos Kadazan?
K: Available at KDCA Headquarters. Kivaa doiho' Hongkod KDCA.
T: Are they expensive? Apagon ii?
K: Not very expensive. Au' kozo apagon.

At KDCA Headquarters / Id Hongkod KDCA

K: We've reached the Headquarters. Nokoikot no tokou id Hongkod.
T: It's a nice place. Avasi' kinoizonon diti.
K: Is it the first time you visited Sabah? Iti no nangku kumoinsan nu nokotombuhui do Sabah?
T: This is the second time. I went to Mt. Kinabalu when I came the first time. Iti no kumoinduvo. Minooi zou doiho' Nuhu Kinabalu di koinsan ku nogi' nokoikot.
K: Let's go in. Kanou sumuang.
T: Okay. Ba'.

At Book Shop / Id Kadai Buuk
T: I'm looking for a Kadazan Dictionary. Mogium zou Komoiboos Kadazan.
Shop Assistant (SA) / Ponokodung Kadai: We have three types. Which one do you prefer? Kivaa tohu'. Toombo iso' pihion nu?

After a while / Katahib toluuai
T: I'll buy this one. How much is it? Bohizon ku itia (iso'). Songkuo iti?
SA: Not very expensive. We're giving discount this month. Au' apagon. Kuangon dagai do vuhan diti.
T: Thank you very much. Kotohuadan au' gina'.
SA: Thank you for coming. Have a nice day. Kotohuadan do nokoikot ko. Avaavasi' ko no tadau ti.


Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Going Shopping (Mooi pomoomohi)

Kadazan To English

Id daamin / In the house
Kada hiivai momohi do vagas. Don't forget to buy rice.
Momohi nogi do sada. Also buy fish.
Na, itia usin. Here's the money.


Id tindahanon / Along the way
Monguo ko? Where are you going?
Mooi kadai. Au ko mugad? Going to town. Aren't you going?
Mugad. Going.
Andadon zou po. Wait for me.


Id kadai, tomu / In Town, Marketplace
Kanou moi inum. Let's go for a drink.
Au' zou tuuvan nga kouvangon ku iziau. I'm not thirsty but I'll accompany you.
Nokoinum zou no kopi hu daamin. I have had coffee at home.
Kanou nodii moi tomu. Let's go to the market now.

Songkuo ti? How much is this?
Tohu ringgit. Three ringgit. (1)

Nunu ngaan tuva' diti? What's the name of this fruit?
Hampun. Durian.
Mangga. Mango.
Bambangan. Large Mango.

Andadon zou doiti kio. Ongoi zou po pomohi vagas. Please wait for me here. I've to go buy rice.
Izou nga' mooi. I'm also going.
Ba, kanou no. Okay, let's go.


Pouhian / Going home
Kanou nodii muhi. Let's go home now.
Odoi! Nohiivan ku momohi sada'. Poor me! I forgot to buy fish.
Ingkuo dii? So, how?
Gumuhi zou diti. I need to go back.
Siou. Au' zou kaanu gumuhi. Sorry. I can't go back.
Au' monguo. It's alright.



English To Kadazan

In the house / Id daamin
Don't forget to buy rice. Kada hiivai momohi do vagas.
Also buy fish. Momohi nogi do sada.
Here's the money. Na, itia usin.


Along the way / Id tindahanon.
Where are you going? Monguo ko?
Going to town. Aren't you going? Mooi kadai. Au ko mugad?
I'm also going. Izou nga mugad.


In Town, Marketplace / Id kadai, Tomu
Let's go for a drink. Kanou moi inum.
I'm not thirsty but I'll accompany you. Au zou tuuvan nga kouvangon ku iziau.
I have had coffee at home. Nokoinum zou no kopi hu daamin.
Let's go to the market now. Kanou nodii moi tomu.

How much is this? Songkuo ti?
Three ringgit. Tohu ringgit.
What's the name of this fruit? Nunu ngaan tuvauva diti?
Durian. Hampun. (2)

Mango. Mangga.

Please wait for me here. I've to go buy rice. Andadon zou doiti kio. Ongoi zou po pomohi vagas.
I'm also going. Izou nga mooi.
Okay, let's go. Ba, kanou no.


Going home / Pouhian
Let's go home.  Kanou nodii muhi.
Poor me! (Oh dear!) I forgot to buy fish. Odoi! Nohiivan ku momohi sada.
So how? Ingkuo dii?
I need to go back. Gumuhi zou diti.
Sorry. I can't go back. Siou. Au zou kaanu gumuhi.
It's alright. Au monguo.


(1)
Solinggit. One ringgit
duvo, two
tohu, three
apat, four
himo, five
onom, six
tuu', seven
vahu, eight
sizam, nine
opod, ten
opod om iso, eleven
opod om duvo, twelve ...
and so on .....
duvo ngo'opod, twenty
tohu ngoo'opod, thirty ...
and so on .....
apat ngo'opod, fourty
himo ngo'opod, fifty
onom ngo'opod, sixty
tuu' ngo'opod, seventy
vahu' ngo'opod, eighty
sizam ngo'opod, ninety
atus, one hundred
duvo ngaatus, two hundred
tohu ngaatus, three hundred
apat ngaatus, four hundred
himo ngaatus, five hundred
onom ngaatus, six hundred
tuu' ngaatus, 700
vahu' ngaatus, 800
sizam ngaatus, 900
soibu, 1,000
duvo ngoibu, 2,000
tohu ngoibu, 3,000,
and so on .....
opod ngoibu, 10,000
opod ngoibu om iso', 10,001
and so on .....
opod ngoibu om atus, 10,100
opod ngoibu,atus om iso', 10,101
duvo ngo'opod ngoibu, 20,000

atus ngoibu, 100,000
atus ngoibu om iso', 100,001
solizong, 1,000,000
solizong om iso', 1,000,001
solizong om atus, 1,000,100
solizong, atus om iso', 1,000,101
solizong om soibu, 1,001,000
solizong om atus ngoibu, 1,100,000
salasa', 1000,000,000
salasa' om solizong, 1,001,000,000

ngo'opod, in the 10s
natusan, in the hundreds
nibuvan, in the thousands
lizongan, in the millions
lasa', in the billions

(2) A local fruit with spiky skin and strong smell


Friday, September 2, 2016

Asking for Direction


I am going to climb Kinabalu. How do I get there? Mugad zou takad Kinabalu. Ingkuo zou kaanu mikot doiho?

By taxi. Where are you from? Sumakai teksi. Mantad ko nomboo? (nombo-o)

America. Where are the taxis here? Nombo teksi doiti?

Over there. Are you alone? Duhia. Soosonguhun ko? (soh-song-uhun)

There are ten of us. How far is Kinabalu from here? Opod zikoi. Songkuo sinodu Kinabalu mantad doiti?

More than 50 kilometres. Hobi himo ngoopod kilomito.

Where can we stay? Nombo zikoi kaanu tumindooi? (tu-min-do-oi)

There are hotels and guesthouses there. Kivaa hotel om hamin montok tombuhui ngaavi doiho.

Thank you very much. Kotohuadan au' gina.




Mugad zou takad Kinabalu. Ingkuo zou mikot doiho? I am going to climb Kinabalu. How do I get there?

Sumakai teksi. Mantad ko nomboo? By taxi. Where are you from?

America. Nombo teksi doiti? Where are the taxis here?

Duhia. Soosonguhun ko? Over there. Are you alone?

Opod zikoi. Songkuo sinodu Kinabalu mantad doiti? There are ten of us. How far is Kinabalu from here?

Hobi himo ngoopod kilomito. More than 50 kilometres.

Nombo zikoi kaanu tumindooi? Where can we stay?

Kivaa hotel om hamin izonon tombuhui ngaavi doiho. There are hotels and guesthouses there.

Kotohuadan au' gina. Thank you very much.


Wednesday, August 31, 2016

When You Part Ways



Tumoodo no. Good bye.  (tu-moh-doh)

Kopisoomo tokou vagu suvai tadau. We'll meet again some other day. (ko-pi-soh-mo)

Mikot vagu kio. Please come again.

Songian kivaa timpu ku. When I have the time.

Kada hiivai ka ma. Please don't forget.

Talipaonan ku iziau. I'll call you.

Bah. Okay.



Good bye.  Tumoodo no. (tu-moh-doh)

We'll meet again some other day. Kopisoomo tokou vagu suvai tadau. (ko-pi-soh-mo)

Please come again. Mikot vagu kio.

When I have the time. Songian kivaa timpu ku.

Please don't forget. Kada hiivai ka ma.

I'll call you. Talipaonan ku iziau. Hoovon ku iziau. (hoh-von)

 Okay Bah.



Some Problematic Kadazan Words


These are some of the problematic Kadazan words. If the emphasis is wrongly placed, the meaning can change dramatically.

1. potodon (po-to-don), pootodon (poh-to-don), potoodon (po-toh-don), potodoon (po-to-dohn), potoodoon (po-toh-dohn)

a) potodon (po-to-don), to cut something to make it shorter
Potodon iho dukug. Cut that rope. Shorten that rope.

b) pootodon (poh-to-don), to send
Pootodon ihia suat kumaa di Jimmy. Send that letter to Jimmy.

c) potoodon (potoh-don), to stop, to cease
Potoodon ino. Stop that. Root word: tood

d) potodoon (po-to-dohn), to say goodbye.Potodoon zioho. Say goodbye to them.

e) potoodoon (po-toh-dohn), to arrange.
Potoodoon no ngaavi buuk nu moi avasi tokito. Arrange your books so that they are nice to see.

2. asaasau, oium, timpoon

a) asaasau (a-saa-sa-uh), now written as asaasau'. It means 'repeatedly' Asaasau no zioho do nosunudan nga aiso kinovohion. They have been told repeatedly with no effects.

b) oium (o-ium), now written as o'ium which means 'can be found'. O-ium ih usin. Money can be found.

c) Just as in other languages, some Kadazan words can have more than one meaning. 'timpoon' is one of these.
i) timpoon (timpo-on), verb, to stay back. Timpoon no doiti. Stay here.
ii) timpoon, noun, thorn, wood splinter that has embedded itself in one's flesh. Kivaa timpoon id hapap nu. You have a thorn/splinter in your foot.

Note:
Additional information on this matter will be published in a different posting.