Mando'a

Grammar notes
Mando'a sentence structure is very similar to Galactic Basic, following subject-verb-object word order. Mando'a was always spoken more than written and various different sound changes took place for ease of pronunciation when speaking.

Plural
Most Mando'a words which end in a consonant form plural by the addition of an e. Words that end in a vowel tend to add an se. There are exceptions (such as Gett'se, from Gett, and the diminutive plural Ad'ike, from Ad'ika).[1]

Compound words in Mando'a
Many words in Mando'a are compound words - i.e. two words merged together to create a different meaning. A good example of this is dar'jetii which, literally translated, is "no longer a Jedi", but which is actually used to mean "Sith."

An apostrophe was used in words to indicate that two had been put together, as in compound nouns. When a compound word is difficult to say, the speaker would elide - i.e. drop sounds. Instead of saying vore entye, for example, the phrase became Vor'entye, which was transformed into Vor'e in colloquial speech.[1]

Excluded letters
The letters x, z, and f were not present in the Mando'a writing system, although a sound similar to that of f presented itself with vh, and z is represented as s. [1]

Interrogative
Tion, the interrogative particle, goes before the phrase it modifies. Karen, tion mhi hibira Mando'a iviin'yc? means: Karen, are we learning Mando'a quickly?[1]

Articles
Mando'a uses articles far less than Basic does, generally adding them only for emphasis. Te is the most common form, with Haar being more emphatic. "a/an" is translated to "eyn".[1]

Conjugations
There are two forms of most verbs: the infinitive, which ends in r, and the inflected form, which loses the r. Ni vorer is incorrect but Ni vore, using the inflected form, is correct. When using auxiliaries like ven or liser, the auxiliary is conjugated and then followed by the infinitive of the full verb. An example would be: "Gar lise jorhaa'ir." ("You can speak.")[1]

Adjectives from nouns
To turn a noun into an adjective, the suffixes -la (lah) and -yc (sh) can be added. The choice is based on euphony and ease of pronunciation. A popular example of this is Di'kut. Di'kut itself means, essentially, idiot. But to turn it into an adjective, the -la suffix was added, resulting in Di'kutla, 'idiotic'. The suffix -la was used merely because it merged more easily with Di'kut than would -yc; such remained the case under all similar circumstances.[1]

Superlatives and comparatives
Comparatives and superlatives tended to be constructed from adjectives with the suffix -shy'a for the comparative (e.g. dralshy'a: brighter, stronger) or -ne for the superlative (e.g. jatne: best).[1]

Vocabulary

 * Note: The following section contains words that some may consider to be unsuitable for younglings.

As a special note, it needs to be said that there is no word for "hero" in Mando'a - only a word for those who are not heroes, but "cowards": hut'uun/e.

The following are a few of the known Mando'a words, and the most accurate possible translations thereof.

Also note that in Mando'a, there are no words to separate genders, example Ba'buir meant grandfather and grandmother.

For the full Mando'a dictionary, see this.

For an Easy to Read and printer friendly version visit the Mando'a - Advanced page.

Verbs
[2] === Adjectives and adverbs ===
 * a'den - to rage
 * atiniir - to endure, to stick with, to tough it out
 * baatir - to care, to worry about
 * beten - to sigh
 * brokar - to beat (heartbeat, drumbeat)
 * cuyir - to be, to exist
 * dinuir - to give
 * duraanir - to look down upon, to hold in contempt, to despise
 * duumir - to allow
 * ganar - to have
 * gaan - to want
 * hettir - to burn
 * hibirar - to learn
 * hukaatir - to protect, to cover, to shield
 * jehaatir - to lie
 * jorso'ran - shall bear (archaic imperative form)
 * jurir - to bear, to carry
 * jorhaa'ir - to speak
 * jurkadir - to mess with someone (lit: to brandish a saber)
 * kar'taylir - to know
 * k'uur - to hush, be quiet, to shut up
 * liser - to be able to, can
 * motir - to stand
 * narir - to act (carry out), to do
 * nartir - to place, to put
 * nau'ur (also: sometimes seen as naur) - to light up
 * nau'ur kad - to forge a saber
 * nynir - to hit, to strike
 * oya - Let's hunt! and let's roll (colloquial)
 * parjir - to win, to be victorious
 * shabiir - to screw up
 * shereshoy - a lust for life, to live in the moment
 * shukur - to break, to smash/tear apart, to crush
 * susulur - to hear, to listen
 * takisir - to insult
 * trattok'o - to fall, to fail
 * udesiir - to relax, to rest, to be peaceful
 * usen'ye - rudest way to tell someone to go away (same root as osik)
 * verborir - to buy, to hire, to contract
 * vorer - to accept


 * adenn (pl. adennate) - merciless
 * ala - clever
 * ani'latoon - ultimate
 * aruetycate - traitorous
 * atin - stubborn
 * briikase - happy
 * dar - no longer
 * darasuum - eternal/eternally, forever
 * di'kutla - foolish, idiotic (severe)
 * droun'yn - never
 * drali - bright
 * dralshy'a - stronger, more powerful
 * ge'tal - red
 * hettyc - burning
 * hut'uunla - cowardly
 * iviin'yc - fast, quickly
 * jate - good
 * jatne - best
 * je'karta - vengeful
 * kandosii - indomitable, noble, ruthless
 * mesh'la - beautiful
 * nau - before
 * ne'tra - black
 * ori - big, extreme, very
 * racin - pale
 * shabla - screwed up (offensive)
 * shukla - crushed
 * solus - one, alone, each, individual, vulnerable
 * sol'yc - first
 * talyc - bloody (can be used to describe meat as "rare")
 * teroch - pitiless
 * tome - together
 * tracyn'la - grilled, chargrilled, scorched
 * troch - certainly
 * ures - without

Nouns

 * aaray - pain
 * aay'han - bittersweet moment of mourning and joy - "remembering and celebration"
 * abesh - east
 * abiik - air
 * a'den - wrath, rage
 * adu - sons (archaic)
 * ad'ike - sons, daughters, children
 * adade - personnel
 * adate - people, persons
 * adiik - child aged 3 to 13
 * ad'ika - kid, lad, boy, sweetie, darling, son, daughter, child
 * agol - living tissue - meat, muscle, flesh - animal or human, "flesh and blood"
 * aka - mission
 * akaan - war
 * akaan'ade - army
 * akaata - battalion
 * akalenedat - hard contact
 * alii'gai - flag, colors
 * aliik - sigil, symbol on armor
 * aliit - family, clan, tribe
 * alor - leader, chief, "officer", constable, boss
 * alor'ad - captain
 * aloriya - capital (lit. head city)
 * alor'uus - corporal
 * al'verde - commander
 * anade - everyone, everybody
 * aran - guard
 * aranar - defense
 * araniik - cordon
 * ara'nov - defense
 * arasuum - stagnation
 * arpat - seed
 * aru'e - enemy
 * aruetii - (ah-roo-AY-tee) traitor, outsider, comparable to "them"
 * aruetiise - Aruetii, plural
 * ash'ad - someone else
 * baar - body
 * baar'pir - sweat
 * baar'ur - medic
 * ba'buir - grandfather/grandmother
 * ba'jur - education, training
 * balac - opportunity
 * ba'vodu - uncle
 * bas neral - coarse grain used for animal fodder and brewing; thought unfit to eat
 * ba'vodu (pl. bavodu'e) - aunt/uncle
 * behot - a citrus-flavored herb, antiseptic, and mild stimulant
 * beroya (bair-OY-ah) bounty hunter
 * bes'bavar - cavalry
 * besbe - kit (slang)
 * besbe'trayce - weapons
 * bes'bev - Mandalorian wind instrument also used in combat
 * be'senaar - missile
 * bes'kad - slightly curved saber of Mandalorian iron
 * beskar - Mandalorian iron
 * beskar'ad - droid (literally "child of iron")
 * beskar'gam - armor (literally "iron skin")
 * bes'laar - music
 * be'sol - priority
 * besom - unhygienic person, someone with no manners
 * Bes'uliik - Basilisk (literally "iron beast")
 * beten - sigh
 * bev - needle, spike
 * beviin - lance
 * bevik - stick
 * bic - it
 * bines - stack
 * birgaan - backpack
 * birikad - baby carrying harness
 * bora - job
 * buir - father/mother
 * burc'ya - friend
 * buy'ce (pl. buy'cese) - helmet; colloquial: pint, bucket
 * ca - night
 * chakaar - thief, petty criminal, scumbag, bitch, bastard, bugger, (lit: "grave robber")
 * Coruscanta - Coruscant
 * Cuy'val Dar - those who no longer exist
 * cyar'tomade - fans, a group of people with affection for something
 * cyar'ika- darling, beloved, sweetheart
 * darasuum - eternity
 * dar'buir - no longer a father/mother (very shameful)
 * dar'manda - a state of being "not Mandalorian"; not an outsider, but one who has lost his heritage, and so his identity and soul
 * dar'jetii - no longer a Jedi (Sith, Dark Jedi)
 * dar'yaim - a hell, a place you want to forget
 * dha - dark
 * di'kut - a foolish, idiotic, useless individual (severe); context-dependent:can mean jerk, moron, idiot, etc. (sometimes vulgar)
 * droten - people, public.
 * entye - debt
 * gal - ale
 * gayi'kaab - radio
 * gayiyli - resurrector
 * gett - nut
 * ge'verd - almost a warrior
 * gihaal - fish-meal
 * gra'tua (gra-TOO-ah) - revenge, vengeance
 * hut'uun (hoo-TOON) - coward
 * ib'tuur - today (lit: "this day")
 * jai'galaar - shriek-hawk
 * jatne'buir- best father/mother
 * Jetii (Jeh-tee) - (the) Jedi
 * Jetii'kad (jeh-TEE-kahd) - Lightsaber
 * Jetiise - (the) Republic, plural "Jedi"
 * kal - knife
 * ka'ra - stars
 * ka'rta - heart
 * kad - saber
 * kama - backside, back, belt-spat
 * Kaminiise - Kaminoans
 * kando (KAHN-do) - importance, weight
 * ke'gyce - command, order
 * kom'rk - gauntlet
 * kot - strength
 * kote - glory, might
 * kyr'am - death
 * Mand'alor - Mandalore, leader
 * Manda'yaim - Mandalore
 * Mando'ad - Mandalorian (lit: Son/Daughter/Child of Mandalore)
 * Mar'eyce - discovery
 * mirshe - brain, brains
 * mirsh - brain cell
 * ne'tra gal - black ale
 * Niktose - nikto
 * norac - back
 * ori'ramikade - Supercommandos (lit: Super-raiders with sabers)
 * ori'vod - big brother/sister, special friend
 * or'dinii - complete lunatic
 * osik - crap, poodoo (sometimes vulgar)
 * parjai - victory
 * prudii - shadow
 * rang - ash
 * runi - soul(poetic only)
 * shebs (shebs, s.); shebse (SHEB-say, pl.) - backside, rear, butt (sometimes vulgar)
 * Siit - Sith
 * shig (SHEEG) - any kind of hot drink, an infusion
 * Shuk'orok - Crushgaunt
 * tal - blood
 * tar - starfield, space, star, sky
 * tat - brother (Concord Dawn dialect for vod)
 * Taungsarang - the ash of the Taung
 * tihaar - an alcoholic drink; a strong, clear spirit made from fruit
 * tor - justice
 * tracinya - flame
 * tracyn - fire
 * troan - face
 * tsad - alliance, group, organization
 * tuur - day
 * uj'alayi - a very dense, very sweet cake made from crushed nuts, dried fruit and spices, and then soaked in a sticky scented syrup called uj'jayl. Colloquially known as an Uj cake.
 * uj'Jayl - a sticky scented syrup
 * vecuyan - aid, assistance, help
 * ven - future
 * verd - warrior
 * vhett - farmer
 * vod (VOHD) - brother, sister, comrade
 * vode (VOH-day) - brothers, sisters, comrades
 * vod'ika - little brother, little sister
 * Vongese - Yuuzhan Vong or just Vong
 * vul - (VUHL) - remorse
 * Werda - shadows (archaic)

Phrases

 * Aliit ori'shya tal'din - "Family is more than bloodline." Mandalorian Proverb.
 * Ba'slan shev'la. - Strategic disappearance. Mandalorian Phrase.
 * Cin vhetin - the concept that once a person takes up the armor their past does not matter anymore. (Lit: White Snow) Mandalorian Concept
 * Copaani gaan? - Need a hand?
 * Copaani mirshmure'cye, vod? - Are you looking for a smack in the face, mate?
 * Cuy'val Dar - "Those who no longer exist"
 * Gar serim - "Yes, you’re right." or "That's it."
 * Gar taldin ni jaonyc; gar sa buir, ori'wadaas'la. - "Nobody cares who your father was, only the father you'll be." (Lit: Bloodline is not important, but you as a father are the most valuable thing.) Mando saying emphasising the importance of a father's role, and that a man is judged more by that than his lineage.
 * Gedet'ye - please
 * Haat, Ijaa, Haa'it - Truth, Honor, Vision—said when sealing a pact
 * Haatyc or'arue jate'shya ori'sol aru'ike nuhaatyc - "Better one big enemy that you can see than many small ones you can't."[3]
 * Haili cetare (HI-lee ket-AH-ray) - Eat up (lit: "Fill your boots")
 * Hukaat'kama (hu-KAHT-ka-MAH) - Watch my back, watch my six
 * Haryc b'aalyc - "tired and emotional" - i.e. drunk
 * Ib'tuur jatne tuur ash'ad kyr'amur. - "Today is a good day for someone else to die." (lit: "This day (is) the best (for) another person to die.")
 * K'atini - Suck it up!
 * Kaysh mirsh solus - "His brain cell's lonely." (Intended as an insult to one who is very unintelligent)
 * K'oyacyi! - "Cheers!" Can also mean "Hang in there" or "Come back safely." Literally, a command; "Stay alive!"
 * K'uur - Hush, Be quiet
 * Kandosii! - "Awesome!"
 * Kaysh guur' skraan - "He loves his food." (Said of someone who has a healthy appetite, using the verb for affection rather than enjoyment.)
 * Ke nu jurkad ti Mando'ade, burc'ya! - "Don't cross swords with Mandos, mate!"
 * Ke nu jurkad sha Mando'ade, burc'ya! - "Don't mess with Mandos, mate!" (lit: "Don't wave your saber at Mandalorians, mate!" )
 * Ke barjurir gar'ade, jagyc'ade kot'la a dalyc'ade kotla'shya. - "Train your sons to be strong but your daughters to be stronger." Mandalorian saying.
 * Ke'pare - "Stand by"
 * Ke'sush (Keh-SOOSH) - "Atten-shun!"
 * Kom'rk tsad droten troch nyn ures adenn, Dha Werda Verda a'den tratu. - They were the wrath of the warrior's shadow and the Gauntlet of the Republic (A line from a Mandalorian war song, adapted for the Republic Commandos).
 * Kov'nyn-a head-butt; a Keldabe kiss
 * Mando'ad draar digu - A Mandalorian never forgets
 * Mandokarla - You've got the right stuff.
 * Mar'e (MAH-ray) - expression of relief colloquial: "At last!"
 * Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar'tome, mhi me'dinui an, mhi ba'juri verde - We are one whether we are together or apart, we will share everything and we will raise our children as warriors. A Mandalorian marriage contract.
 * Mir'osik - something undesirable where your brains ought to be, i.e. "Dung for brains"
 * Mirsh'kyramud (MEERSH-keer'AH-mood) - boring person (lit: "brain killer")
 * Mishuk gotal'u meshuroke, pako kyore. - Pressure makes gems, ease makes decay. Mandalorian Proverb.
 * Munit tome'tayl, skotah iisa - Long memory, short fuse
 * N'jurkad - "Don't mess with me"
 * Nar dralshy'a - Try harder
 * Ner vod (nair vohd) - "my brother/sister" colloquial: "(my) buddy/pal/lad/chap"
 * Ni dinu ner gaan naakyc, jorcu ni nu copaani kyr'amur ner vod - Honor my offer of truce, for I would not willingly shed my brother's blood.[4]
 * Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum (nee kar-TILE garh dah-RAH-soom) - colloquial: "I love you." (lit: "I know you forever.")
 * Ni kar'tayl gai sa'ad - Mandalorian adoption vow (lit: "I know (your) name as (my) son/daughter")
 * Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum - Daily remembrance of those passed on (lit: "I'm still alive, but you are dead. I remember you, so you are eternal") followed by the names of those remembered - Mandalorian tradition
 * Nu jurkad Mando'ade, burc'ya! - a reassurance, comparable to "Steady, mate"
 * Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la - "Not gone, merely marching far away" (Mandalorian phrase for the departed)
 * Ori'haat - "It's the truth, I swear - no bull."
 * Ori'buyce, kih'kovid. - "All helmet, no head." (Mandalorian insult for someone with an overdeveloped sense of authority.)
 * Ori'jate - "Very good"
 * Su cuy'gar! - a friendly greeting (lit: "still live," i.e. "so you're still alive.")
 * Su'cuy! - So you're still alive (greeting)
 * Tion'ad hukaat'kama? (Tee-ON-ahd HOO-kaht-KA-ma) - "Who's watching your back?"
 * Tsad droten - Republic, democracy, even government; context-dependent (lit: "people's organization")
 * Re'turcye mhi! - goodbye
 * Ret'ini - Just in case
 * Resol'nare - Six Actions
 * Udesii - "calm down", "take it easy"
 * Usenye (oo-SEN-yay) - "Go away!" (obscene)
 * Vor entye - thank you (lit: "I accept a debt")
 * Vor'e (VOHR-ay.) - thanks, short form of vor entye
 * Verd ori'shya beskar'gam. - "A warrior is more than (his) armor" (Mandalorian proverb)
 * Yai'yai - "richly nourishing" - peculiarly Mandalorian description of dense, high-calorie food, of great importance to people dependent on highly portable field rations

Other words

 * a (ah) - but


 * an (ahn) - all
 * ashi - other
 * ast - itself
 * bal (bahl) - and
 * bah - to
 * be - of
 * cuun (koon) - our
 * kaysh (kaysh) - him, his, he (masculin third person referral)
 * ke - imperative prefix
 * ke nu - "don't" prefix
 * lo (loh) - into
 * elek (EL-eck) - yes (colloquial: lek, comparable to "yeah")
 * gar - you, your
 * haar - emphatic definite article (rare)
 * ibic - this
 * juaan - beside
 * meg (mayg) - which, that, that, who
 * meh (mey) - if
 * mhi (mee) - we
 * nayc (NAYSH) - no (colloquial: shh, comparable to "nah")
 * ner (nair) - my
 * ni - I
 * par - for
 * ra - or
 * ru - added in front of a noun to make it past tense
 * sa - as, like
 * sha or shal - at (when used in front of a consonant)
 * te - the
 * teh - from
 * ti - with
 * tion - interrogative prefix
 * tion'ad - who, interrogative
 * vaii - where
 * val - they, their, theirs
 * ven - future prefix

Numbers

 * solus (SOH-loos) - one
 * t'ad (tahd) - two
 * ehn (enn) - three
 * cuir (KOO-eer) - four
 * rayshe'a (ray-SHEE-ah) - five
 * resol (reh-SOL) - six
 * e'tad (EH-tad) - seven
 * sh'ehn (shayn) - eight
 * she'cu (SHAY-koo) - nine
 * ta'raysh (ta-RAYSH) - ten
 * olan (o-LAN) - hundred
 * ta'raysholan (TAH-raysh-oh-lahn) - thousand

Songs

 * Rage of the Shadow Warriors
 * Kote Darasuum
 * Ka'rta Tor
 * Gra'tua Cuun
 * Vode An
 * Mandalorian Drinking Chant

Behind the scenes
The first hints of a Mandalorian language was a dialect that Revan learns from Sasha ot Sulem in the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic video game. However, the creation of Mando'a as an individual language began with the introduction song to Star Wars: Republic Commando, known as "Vode An" (Brothers All).

Sasha ot Sulem's language is a mix of Mandalorian and Galactic Basic Standard, and is therefore unrelated to this one. It's not known if it's a different canonical dialect or if it becomes non-canon.

It should be noted that Mando'ade are a garrulous people, and Karen Traviss is British, and as such, the list above includes both obscenities and British slang.

It is currently being developed into a full, working language by author Karen Traviss; a common practice among the caretakers of fictional universes (see Elvish and Klingon), but never before attempted for Star Wars in an official capacity.

A glossary of many different words and phrases are located in the back of Traviss's book Republic Commando: Triple Zero as well as in Star Wars Insider 86; other official language resources are online. For this article, an unofficial list has been culled from various Internet and literary sources.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 8: Flashpoint, Part 2
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 14: Days of Fear, Part 2
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 19: Daze of Hate, Part 1
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 20: Daze of Hate, Part 2
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 21: Daze of Hate, Part 3
 * The Taris Holofeed Special Proclamation
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 22: Knights of Suffering, Part 1
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 24: Knights of Suffering, Part 3
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 26: Vector, Part 2
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 42: Masks (Appears in flashback(s))
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 47: Demon, Part 1
 * The Betrayal of Darth Revan
 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (First appearance)
 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
 * Star Wars: Republic Commando
 * Republic Commando: Hard Contact
 * Omega Squad: Targets
 * Republic Commando: Triple Zero
 * Republic Commando: True Colors
 * Odds
 * The Cestus Deception
 * Order 66: A Republic Commando Novel
 * Imperial Commando: 501st
 * Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption
 * Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor
 * Boba Fett: A Practical Man
 * Bloodlines
 * Sacrifice
 * Revelation
 * Star Wars Legacy: Broken
 * Star Wars Legacy 16: Claws of the Dragon, Part 3
 * Star Wars Legacy 39: Tatooine, Part 3