Maranao
This beautiful Mindanao language carries generations of stories, faith, music, and tradition around Lake Lanao.
Maranao, also spelled Meranaw, is spoken mainly around Lake Lanao, Marawi City, and communities throughout Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte. It belongs to the Danao group of Philippine languages and is closely related to Maguindanaon and Iranun. Arabic has also influenced parts of its vocabulary because of the Maranao people's long Islamic heritage.
Click here to view a map of where Waray is spoken in the Philippines.
💡 Fun Fact: The name Maranao is commonly understood as “people of the lake,” referring to Lake Lanao, which is at the heart of Maranao homeland and culture.
- Good day → Mapiya a kapipita! (mah-PEE-yah ah kah-pee-PEE-tah)
- How are you? → Andamanaya ka niyo? (ahn-dah-mah-NAH-yah kah nee-YOH)
- Thank you → Salamat (sah-LAH-maht)
- Yes / No → O / Di (oh / dee)
- What is your name? → Antonaa i ngaran ka? (ahn-toh-NAH ee ngah-RAHN kah)
- My name is ___ → So ngaran aken na ___ (soh ngah-RAHN AH-ken nah ___)
- Where is ___? → Andaa so ___? (ahn-DAH soh ___)
- Where are you going? → Andaa ka pagongod? (ahn-DAH kah pah-goh-NGOD)
- I want to go to ___ → Kabaya ako somong sa ___ (kah-BAH-yah ah-KOH soh-MONG sah ___)
- I don't understand → Di aken kasabot (dee AH-ken kah-sah-BOHT)
- Please help me → Tabangi ako (tah-BAHN-gee ah-KOH)
- I'm hungry → Kabaya aken koman (kah-BAH-yah AH-ken koh-MAHN)
- Let's eat → Koman tano (koh-MAHN tah-NOH)
- Water → Aig (ah-EEG)
- Food → Kakan (kah-KAHN)
- Delicious / Good → Mapiya (mah-PEE-yah)
- Help! → Tabang! (tah-BAHNG)
- Police → Pulis. (poo-LEES)
- Doctor → Doktor (dok-TOR)
- I need help → Kailangan aken so tabang (kah-ee-LAH-ngahn AH-ken soh tah-BAHNG)
- One → Isa (ee-SAH)
- Two → Dowa (DOH-wah)
- Three → Telo (teh-LOH)
- Four → Pat (paht)
- Five → Lima (lee-MAH)
- Six → Nem (nehm)
- Seven → Pito (pee-TOH)
- Eight → Walo (wah-LOH)
- Nine → Siyaw (see-YOW)
- Ten → Sapolo (sah-poh-LOH)