This is a Swadesh list of words in Konkani, compared with definitions in English.
American linguist Morris Swadesh believed that languages changed at measurable rates and that these could be determined even for languages without written precursors. Using vocabulary lists, he sought to understand not only change over time but also the relationships of extant languages. To be able to compare languages from different cultures, he based his lists on meanings he presumed would be available in as many cultures as possible. He then used the fraction of agreeing cognates between any two related languages to compute their divergence time by some (still debated) algorithms. Starting in 1950 with 165 meanings, his list grew to 215 in 1952, which was so expansive that many languages lacked native vocabulary for some terms. Subsequently, it was reduced to 207, and reduced much further to 100 meanings in 1955. A reformulated list was published posthumously in 1971.
| № | English | Konkani कोंकणी (koṅkṇī) edit (207) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | I (1sg) | हांव (hā̃v) |
| 2 | you (2sg) | तू (tū) |
| 3 | he, she, it (3sg) | व्हो (vho), व्ही (vhī), व्हे (vhe), ये (ye), तो (to), ती (tī), ते (te) |
| 4 | we (1pl) | आम्ही (āmhī) |
| 5 | you (2pl) | तुम्ही (tumhī) |
| 6 | they (3pl) | तान्ही (tānhī) |
| 7 | this | व्हो (vho), व्ही (vhī), व्हे (vhe), ये (ye) |
| 8 | that | तो (to), ती (tī), ते (te) |
| 9 | here | हांगा (hāṅgā) |
| 10 | there | थै (thai) |
| 11 | who | कोण (koṇ) |
| 12 | what | किदें (kidẽ), कसले (kasle) |
| 13 | where | खैं (kha͠i) |
| 14 | when | केद्ना (kednā) |
| 15 | how | कशे (kaśe) |
| 16 | not | नू (nū) |
| 17 | all | सगळे (sagḷe) |
| 18 | many | खूब (khūb) |
| 19 | some | थोडे (thoḍe) |
| 20 | few | माच्चे (mācce) |
| 21 | other | दुस्रे (dusre) |
| 22 | one | एक (ek) |
| 23 | two | दोन (don) |
| 24 | three | तीन (tīn) |
| 25 | four | चार (cār) |
| 26 | five | पाच (pāc) |
| 27 | big | व्होड (vhoḍ) |
| 28 | long | लांब (lāmba), दीघ (dīgh) |
| 29 | wide | रूंद (rūnda) |
| 30 | thick | दाट (dāṭ) |
| 31 | heavy | जड (jaḍ) |
| 32 | small | धाक्ले (dhākle), सान (sān) |
| 33 | short | गिड्डो (giḍḍo) |
| 34 | narrow | येडो (yeḍo) |
| 35 | thin | बारीक (bārīk), सपूर (sapūr) |
| 36 | woman | बाइल (bāil) |
| 37 | man (adult male) | दिद्लो (didlo) |
| 38 | man (human being) | मनीस (manīs) |
| 39 | child | भुर्गो (bhurgo) |
| 40 | wife | बाइल (bāil) |
| 41 | husband | घोव (ghov) |
| 42 | mother | आवइ (āvai) |
| 43 | father | बापुइ (bāpui) |
| 44 | animal | जनावर (janāvar) |
| 45 | fish | मासोळी (māsoḷī), मास्ळी (māsḷī), जळकै (jaḷkai) |
| 46 | bird | पक्षि (pakṣi) |
| 47 | dog | कुत्रो (kutro), सुणो (suṇo) |
| 48 | louse | ऊव (ūv), ऊय (ūy) |
| 49 | snake | सोरोप (sorop), जिवाणे (jivāṇe) |
| 50 | worm | कीडो (kīḍo) |
| 51 | tree | झाड (jhāḍ), रूक (rūk) |
| 52 | forest | रान (rān) |
| 53 | stick | दांडो (dāṇḍo) |
| 54 | fruit | फळ (phaḷ) |
| 55 | seed | बी (bī) |
| 56 | leaf | पान (pān) |
| 57 | root | मूळ (mūḷ) |
| 58 | bark (of a tree) | (झाडाचे) साल ((jhāḍāce) sāl) |
| 59 | flower | फूल (phūl) |
| 60 | grass | तण (taṇ) |
| 61 | rope | दोरी (dorī) |
| 62 | skin | कात (kāt) |
| 63 | meat | मास (mās) |
| 64 | blood | रगत (ragat) |
| 65 | bone | हाड (hāḍ) |
| 66 | fat (noun) | वोस (vos) |
| 67 | egg | ताती (tātī), अंडें (aṇḍẽ) |
| 68 | horn | शींग (śīṅga) |
| 69 | tail | शेंपडी (śempḍī) |
| 70 | feather | पाक (pāk) |
| 71 | hair | केस (kes) |
| 72 | head | तक्ली (taklī), मात्ते (mātte) |
| 73 | ear | कान (kān) |
| 74 | eye | दोळो (doḷo) |
| 75 | nose | नांक (nāṅka) |
| 76 | mouth | तोण्ड (toṇḍa) |
| 77 | tooth | दांत (dānta) |
| 78 | tongue (organ) | जिब्लि (jibli), जीभ (jībh) |
| 79 | fingernail | नाखूट (nākhūṭ) |
| 80 | foot | पाय (pāy) |
| 81 | leg | पाय (pāy) |
| 82 | knee | दोपोर (dopor) |
| 83 | hand | हात (hāt) |
| 84 | wing | पंख (paṅkha), पांख (pāṅkha) |
| 85 | belly | पोट (poṭ) |
| 86 | guts | नेट (neṭ) |
| 87 | neck | गळो (gaḷo) |
| 88 | back | पिछाडें (pichāḍẽ), पाठी (pāṭhī) |
| 89 | breast | छाती (chātī), थान (thān) |
| 90 | heart | हड्डें (haḍḍẽ) |
| 91 | liver | यकृत (yakŕt) |
| 92 | to drink | पियेव्चे (piyevce), पिव्चे (pivce) |
| 93 | to eat | खाव्चे (khāvce) |
| 94 | to bite | चाव्चे (cāvce) |
| 95 | to suck | चोख्चे (cokhce) |
| 96 | to spit | थुक्चे (thukce) |
| 97 | to vomit | वोंक्चे (voṅkce) |
| 98 | to blow | फूक मार्चे (phūk mārce) |
| 99 | to breathe | श्वास घेव्चे (śvās ghevce) |
| 100 | to laugh | हास्चे (hāsce) |
| 101 | to see | पव्चे (pavce), पळव्चे (paḷavce) |
| 102 | to hear | ऐक्चे (aikce), ऐकुंचे (aikuñce) |
| 103 | to know | जाण्चे (jāṇce), गोत्तु आस्चे (gottu āsce), कळ्चे (kaḷce) |
| 104 | to think | चित्चे (citce) |
| 105 | to smell | वास घेव्चे (vās ghevce) |
| 106 | to fear | भिव्चे (bhivce) |
| 107 | to sleep | न्हिदुंचे (nhiduñce) |
| 108 | to live | जग्चे (jagce) |
| 109 | to die | मर्चे (marce) |
| 110 | to kill | मार्चे (mārce) |
| 111 | to fight | झगड्चे (jhagaḍce) |
| 112 | to hunt | शिकार कर्चे (śikār karce) |
| 113 | to hit | मारप (mārap) |
| 114 | to cut | कातरप (kātrap), कापप (kāpap), तासप (tāsap) |
| 115 | to split | भेसां जावप (bhesā̃ jāvap) |
| 116 | to stab | सुरी रोमप (surī romap) |
| 117 | to scratch | करपुंचे (karpuñce) |
| 118 | to dig | खणप (khaṇap) |
| 119 | to swim | फिरप (phirap) |
| 120 | to fly | उडप (uḍap) |
| 121 | to walk | चलप (calap), वचप (vacap), येवप (yevap) |
| 122 | to come | पावप (pāvap) |
| 123 | to lie (as in a bed) | ] |
| 124 | to sit | बसप (basap) |
| 125 | to stand | सोंसप (sousap) |
| 126 | to turn (intransitive) | बदलप (badlap) |
| 127 | to fall | पडप (paḍap), गळप (gaḷap) |
| 128 | to give | दान करप (dān karap) |
| 129 | to hold | पकडप (pakḍap) |
| 130 | to squeeze | पिळप (piḷap) |
| 131 | to rub | घांसप (ghāusap) |
| 132 | to wash | ] |
| 133 | to wipe | फासप (phāsap), पुसप (pusap) |
| 134 | to pull | ओडप (oḍap), तोडप (toḍap) |
| 135 | to push | ] |
| 136 | to throw | उडोवप (uḍovap), |
| 137 | to tie | बांधप (bāndhap) |
| 138 | to sew | शिंवप (śiuvap) |
| 139 | to count | गणना करप (gaṇnā karap) |
| 140 | to say | म्हणप (mhaṇap) |
| 141 | to sing | गावप (gāvap) |
| 142 | to play | ] |
| 143 | to float | पातळावप (pātḷāvap) |
| 144 | to flow | व्हांवप (vhāuvap) |
| 145 | to freeze | गोठप (goṭhap) |
| 146 | to swell | वाडप (vāḍap), सुजप (sujap) |
| 147 | sun | सूर्य (sūrya) |
| 148 | moon | चंद्र (candra) |
| 149 | star | तारो (tāro) |
| 150 | water | उदक (udak), तेज (tej), पाणी (pāṇī), जल (jal) |
| 151 | rain | पावस (pāvas), शिंवर (śiuvar) |
| 152 | river | न्हंय (nhaiya), नदी (nadī) |
| 153 | lake | तळी (taḷī) |
| 154 | sea | दर्या (daryā), समुद्र (samudra) |
| 155 | salt | मीठ (mīṭh) |
| 156 | stone | फातर (phātar) |
| 157 | sand | रेंव (reuva) |
| 158 | dust | पिठो (piṭho) |
| 159 | earth | जमीन (jamīn), भूंय (bhūiya) |
| 160 | cloud | कूप (kūp) |
| 161 | fog | धुकें (dhukẽ) |
| 162 | sky | आकाश (ākāś) |
| 163 | wind | वायू (vāyū) |
| 164 | snow | झेल (jhel) |
| 165 | ice | झेल (jhel) |
| 166 | smoke | धुंवर (dhuuvar) |
| 167 | fire | उजो (ujo) |
| 168 | ash | राख (rākh) |
| 169 | to burn | जळप (jaḷap) |
| 170 | road | रस्तो (rasto) |
| 171 | mountain | दोंगर (doṅgar) |
| 172 | red | लाल (lāl) |
| 173 | green | पाच्वौं (pācva͠u) |
| 174 | yellow | हळदुवो (haḷduvo) |
| 175 | white | धवो (dhavo) |
| 176 | black | काळो (kāḷo) |
| 177 | night | रात (rāt) |
| 178 | day | दीस (dīs) |
| 179 | year | वर्स (varsa) |
| 180 | warm | गरम (garam) |
| 181 | cold | थंड (thaṇḍa) |
| 182 | full | पुराय (purāy) |
| 183 | new | नवें (navẽ) |
| 184 | old | पुरातन (purātan) |
| 185 | good | बरें (barẽ) |
| 186 | bad | कुशिल्लें (kuśillẽ) |
| 187 | rotten | कुशिल (kuśil) |
| 188 | dirty | म्हेळें (mheḷẽ) |
| 189 | straight | सरळ (saraḷ) |
| 190 | round | गोलाकार (golākār) |
| 191 | sharp (as a knife) | तिखट (tikhaṭ) |
| 192 | dull (as a knife) | ] |
| 193 | smooth | लाघवी (lāghvī) |
| 194 | wet | ओलें (olẽ) |
| 195 | dry | सुकें (sukẽ) |
| 196 | correct | सत (sat) |
| 197 | near | समीप (samīp) |
| 198 | far | पयशिल्लें (payśillẽ) |
| 199 | right | उजवो (ujvo ) |
| 200 | left | दावो (dāvo ) |
| 201 | at | चेर (cer) |
| 202 | in | भितर (bhitar) |
| 203 | with | लागीं (lāgī̃) |
| 204 | and | आनी (ānī) |
| 205 | if | जर (jar) |
| 206 | because | लागून (lāgūn) |
| 207 | name | नांव (nāuva) |