Noongar Word List

The Noongar words included are only a small part of the Noongar language. See also the Noongar Dictionary by Rose Whitehurst

The Noongar Dictionary copyright rights and interests now belong to the Southwest Aboriginal Land and Sea Council.

Amangu

Noongar dialectical group

Baardanginy

Bounding, running (Along)

Baardanginy woort koorl

Running away

Babanginy/Barbanginy

Lightning

Balai

Lookout/Beware

Balak

Naked

Balang

Them, those

Balardong/Ballardong

Noongar dialectical group

Balga

Grass Tree

Balup

Them

Baranginy

Dig or Catch

Bardan

Spirit (a person’s spirit)

Bardee

Grubs (Found In Kooroop) Grass Tree

Barkininy

Bite, Biting

Barl

He, She

Barminy

Hit

Beerit

Daylight (Before dusk)

Benang

Tomorrow

Bibulmun/Piblemen

Noongar dialectical group

Bidee

Path

Bily

Naval

Bilya/Beeliar

River

Binjar/Pinjar

Swamp or a Lake

Binjareb/Pinjarup

Noongar dialectical group

Birak

Noongar season December and January as the ‘hot dry time’

Birdal

Sparks

Biri

Toe nails

Biriny

Resin (Kooroop) from Grass Tree

Birnt

Cloak Pin for Booka  (Skewer, Made From Bone)

Biyoo/Boyoo

Zamia palm

Bo

Long way

Bokitja

Going A Long Way

Boodee

Rat kangaroo – now rare

Boodja-Dooga

Dusty (Becoming)

Boodja/Booja

Country

Boodjak

Maggots

Boodjara

Country (Of Origin/Belonging to)

Boodjaree

Pregnant

Booka/Bwoka

Coats (Made From Kangaroo Skin)

Booladarlung

Pelican – large (bird)

Boolariny/Boola

Plenty, Many, Lots

Boolyaka

Leaving, Going

Boonitj

Knee

Boorda

Later on

Boordawon

Soon, Sooner than later

Boordiya/Boodier

Noongar Leader, Noongar Boss person

Boorn

Stick,  tree, log, twig, wood

Boorna-Wangkiny

Message Stick

Boorniny

Cutting

Boort

Bark Of A Tree

Boya

Rocks, Stones

Boylyada maaman

Witchdoctor

Bulya/Boyly

Witchdoctor’s magic

Bulyits

Little “hairy” smelly people (from the other side)

Bunuru

Noongar season February and March,  late Summer and early Autumn

Burdun

Light gidgee, highly prized for the elasticity of the timber

Choota

Bag (made from possum or kangaroo skin)

Dabakan Koorliny

Go Slowly, Walk Slowly

Dabakarn

Slow, slowly

Dalyaniny

Go, gone

Dangalang

Golden Waitsia (Everlastings)

Dar Wara

Poor speaker, speak no good of something

Darbal

Estuary

Darboort

Dumb

Dardark

(A lime) White Clay  – used to paint the body at festivals

Darliny

Tongue

Darmoorluk

Twenty-eight (green parrot) (bird)

Darp

Knife, Knives

Dartj

Meat

Dat-nyiny

Sitting there

Deman

Grandmother

Dembart

Grandfather

Derbarl Yerrigan

Swan River

Djarlgarro Beelier

Canning river

Djarlma

Forest

Djarraly

Jarrah

Djen/Djena

Foot/feet

Djenak

Evil Spirit

Djeran

Noongar season covers the cooler period of the months April And May

Djert

Birds (general term)

Djerung

Fat

Djilba

Noongar season August and September covers the late Winter and Early Spring

Djildjit

Fish

Djilgi

Freshwater prawn

Djilyaro

Bees

Djinang

Look

Djinanginy

Looking

Djinanginy Bo

Looking a long way

Djinanginy kaartdijin

Seeing and understanding

Djinda

Star

Djirip-djirip

Very happy

Djiripin

Happy

Djiti Djiti

Willy wagtail

Djooboorl djooboorl

Swim, swimming

Djooditj

Small kangaroo

Djook/Djookian

Sister/s

Djoop

Kidney

Djoorla

Bones

Dobitj

Dugite

Dooga

Dust

Dookerniny

Cooking

Doongkoorlanwornt

Fall down, fall over

Dowak

Throwing sticks

Durda-dyer/Dwerta-dyer

A skin of a dingo tail, worn on the upper part of the forehead as an ornament

Dwangk

Ears

Dwangkaboort

Deaf

Dwert/Dwerda

Dog (dingo)

Ga-ra-katta/Garra-Katta

Mt. Eliza at the foot of Kings Park

Gabbi Darbal

Estuary; place where salt and fresh waters mix

Ganeang

Noongar dialectical group

Gargangara

Armadale (area just north of the townsite)

Gidgee-borryl

Quartz edged spear  – which in post-settlement times was glass tipped. It was up to ten feet long and about one inch in diameter and made from the mungurn (swamp wattle). This spear was made in the Ellensbrook and Wonnerup areas.

Gidgegannup

Place to make spears

Gidjie/Gidgee

Spear

Gil-git

Fish

Gnalla

Us/our

Gnargagin

Place of water

Goolamrup

Now known as Kelmscott

Gooljak/Kooljak

Swan

Goomalling

Place of possums

Goorda

Island

Goreng

Noongar dialectical group

Jirda

Birds (generic)

Kaartdijin

Knowledge

Kaartdijinboort

No knowledge (of something)

Kada Kada

Make believe

Kahno

Native potato

Kaleep

Camping grounds

Kali/Kylie

Boomerang

Kambarang

Noongar season with Decreasing Rain From October to November

Kara

Spider

Karda

Goanna (as in lizard)

Kardup

Beneath, down, under

Karl/Kaarla

Fire

Karla Kurliny/Kala Koorliny

Going home

Karlawooliny

Hot

Karlup

Fire place/hearth; meaning home/heart country

Karnya

Shame, (or to have)

Kart-warra

Silly, stupid (kart – head) (warra – no good)

Kart/Kata

Head/Hill

Kaya/Kiya

Hello

Ke-ning/Ke-niny

Dance

Kedalak

Night time

Kedalup

Daytime

Keip/Kep/Keipa

Water (fresh)

Kenyak

That’s enough

Kenyak yeye

That’s enough for now

Kilee, Kylie

Boomerangs

Kinjarling

Rain

Kipilyong

Slippery

Kiya/kaya

Hello, hey

Koboorl

Stomach

Koboorlkorl

Full stomach, satisfied

Koboorlweert

Hungry

Koitj/kodja

Axe

Konk/Konkee

Uncle

Koolang/Kurrlong

Child

Koolangka/Koolanga/Kurrlongurr

Children

Koolee

Head lice

Koomba

Big

Koomoorl/Goormoorl/Goomal

Possum

Koomp

Urine

Koora/Kura/Koora-Koora

Long time ago, a very very long time ago

Koorlbardi

Magpie (bird)

Koorliny

Action word as in come, coming, going, walking

Koornt

A shelter (mia-mia)

Koort

Heart, hearts, two hearts together

Koorta

Husband or wife (two hearts coming together as in marriage)

Kulari

Lizard (rock)

Kwan

Backside

Kwardiny/Quardiny

Wild Carrot

Kweeyar/Kooyar/Kwooyar/

Frog

Kwelak

Hip

Kwenda

Bandicoot

Kwilana

Dolphin

Kwoba/Kwop

Good

Kwobardak

Pretty, beautiful

Kwoliny

Wrist

Kwonding/Kwandong/Quandong

Wild peach

Kwop Wirrin/Quop Wirrin

Good spirit

Maam/Maaman

Man, men or father

Maar/Mar/Maara

Hand, Hands

Maart

Leg

Makuru

Noongar season which is the early Winter and occurs from June And July

Manga/Mungah

Fish traps

Manitj

Policeman

Manitjimat

White cockatoo

Marak

Finger

Marlee

Swan (bird)

Marngk

Tea

Marp

Skin

Mart

Leg

Meeandip

Garden Island (now known as)

Meeuk Mia

Halo of the Moon

Meeuk/Meeka

Moon

Meeukany

Moonlight

Meeyal

Eye/eyes

Meeyalboort

Blind

Mely

Lies

Meriny

Vegetables, any food

Mia mia

Shelter made from natural bush; sticks and branches

Minditj

Sick, unwell

Mineng

Noongar dialectical group

Miro

(The name of the south-west) Spear Thrower – used by Noongar to propel the aim of the gidjee

Mon

Heel

Moodjar

Christmas Tree (Tree which blossoms around Christmas with large orange flowers)

Mooly

Nose

Moolyip/Moorlyip/Moorlyan

Sulk, sulky, unhappy (or as in the saying “nose out of joint”)

Moolymaree

Face

Moorditj

Hard, solid

Moordiup

Hurry, hurry up

Moorlin

Back

Moorn

Black

Moornawoolinj

Very very black

Moort bidi

Family track

Moort boodja

Family run

Moort/Moortung

Family  or relations

Mootjool

Yellow everlasting flower

Mopoke

Owl

Motogon

Good ancestor

Mubarn Maaman

Law men, Law man

Mulgar/Marlga

Thunder

Mull

Green Berries

Mullers

Flat stones (used for grinding)

Mulyart

Nose bone

Mungart

Jam gum tree

Nanuk

Neck

Narik

Land ready for burning off

Narnak

Beard

Nartj

What

Ngalak

We, us

Ngalang

Our

Ngaly

Underarm

Ngamma/Ngamar

Rockholes (filled with water)

Ngangungudditj Walgu

The hairy faced snake (Rainbow Serpent)

Ngany

I, me

Ngarlak

Cheek

Ngarngk

Mother, sun

Ngarniny

Eat, Eating

Ngeern

Whose is that (person)

Ngooloor

Frightened (of)

Ngooloormayup

Carnac Island (now known as); Ngooloor-may-up (place to be frightened of)

Ngooltja

(Brother or Sister) in-Law

Ngoolyark

Black cockatoo (bird)

Ngoon/Ngoonee

Brother/Brothers

Ngoonyong

Sugar

Ngoornt

Chest

Ngoorp

Blood

Ngorlak

Teeth/Tooth

Ngow

Mallee hen (bird)

Ngow-er

A small tuft of feathers tied to a stick and worn in the hair for ornamentation

Nidja

Here

Niggara

Human hair girdle worn around the waist

Nih

Listen

Njunga

Noongar dialectical group

Noongar/Nyungah/Nyungar

Person or “the People”

Noonookurt

You – as in asking a person where are they ie winjar noonookurt (where are you?)

Noorook

Egg

Noort

Fly also means Bad smell, smelly

Noorti/Noortawooliny

Smelly, stink,dirty, very very dirty,

Nortj/Gnoytj

Dead, deceased

Nulbarn

A rope-like girdle made from possum hair, wound around the waist to carry weapons

Nunich

Totem

Nyakinyaki

Noongar dialectical group

Nyarnyee

Baby kangaroo, commonly known as a “joey”

Nyingarn

Echidna

Nyitting

Cold times, creation time

Nyittiyung

White person

Nyornditj

To pity, feel sorry for someone or something

Ongerup

Place of male Kangaroo

Uart

None

Uliwa

Look out; beware

Up (appended to name)

Place of, or location

Waabiny

Play, Play Time

Wadjamup/Wedjamup/Wadjemup

Rottnest Island (now known as)

Wadjela, Wedjala

White person (slang)

Walinj

To cry or Crying

Walken

Rainbow

Walyallup

Fremantle

Wandjoo Wandjoo/Wandju Wandju

Welcome

Wangkininy/Wangkiny

Language, Speaking,Talking

Wanna

Digging stick (women’s)

Wardan

Ocean, sea

Wardan-noorn

Eel

Wardandi

Noongar dialectical group

Warlang

Healthy

Warlitj

Eagle

Warra Wirrin

Bad spirits, no good spirits

Waugal/Waakal/Woggle

Noongar Rainbow Serpent; from the Nyitting or Noongar Dreaming

Weerlo

Bird

Weitj

Emu

Whadjuk/Wajuk

Noongar dialectical group

Wilgee

Ochre (Red and Yellow)

Wilman

Noongar dialectical group

Winja/Winjee

Where? Where is it? Where are you?

Winnaitch

Taboo (sacred area)

Woomera

Wooden shield

Woorine

Yam

Wort/Woart

Throat

Wudjari

Noongar dialectical group

Yakiny

Stand, standing

Yakkan/Yakkinn/Ya-gyne

Turtle (freshwater)

Yandjet

Bulrushes

Yartj

Thigh

Yerdarap

Duck (bird)

Yet/Yat

Chin

Yeye/Yeyi

Now, the present, today

Yira

Up ( as in upwards)

Yira Yarkiny

Be standing up or To “stand tall”

Yok

Young girl

Yonga

Kangaroo

Yongariny

Kangaroo hunting

Yoorn

Goanna (bobtail)

Yorga

Woman, women

Yued/Yuat

Noongar dialectical group

Yurenburt

Berries

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