Ibanag language Totally Explained

Everything about The Ibanag Language totally explained

The Ibanag language (also Ybanag or Ibanak) is spoken by up to 500,000 speakers (the Ibanag people) in the Philippines, in the northeastern provinces of Isabela and Cagayan, especially in Tuguegarao City, Solana, Cabagan, and Ilagan and with overseas immigrants in countries located in the Middle East, UK and the U.S.A.. Most of the speakers can also speak Ilocano, the lingua franca of Northern Luzon. Ibanag is derived from bannag 'river'. It is closely related to Gaddang, Itawis, Agta, Atta, Yogad, Isneg and Malaweg.

Sounds

Vowels

Consonants

Phonology

Ibanag is also one of the Philippine languages which is excluded from [ɾ]-[d] allophone.

Grammar

Nouns

Personal Pronouns

I - Sacan, So'
You - Sicau,
He, She, It - Yayya
We (inclusive) - Sittam
We (exclusive) - Sicami
You (plural/polite) - Sicamu
They - Ira

Demonstrative Pronouns

Enclitic Particles

Interrogative Words

What?- Anni? Where?- Si'taw? Why?- Ngatta?

Structure

The Ibanag language is distinct in that it features phonemes that are not present in many other neighboring Philippine languages. It is related to Itawis, Gaddang, Malaueg and others. As an example the "f","v","z" and "j" sounds. inafi - rice, bavi - pig, kazzing - goat, or madjan - maid.
In addition to this, Ibanag also features doubled consonants. Therefore making the language sound "hard" or guttural. For example: Gaddua, Pronounced gad-dwa, meaning half. Mappazzi, Pronounced Map-paz-zi', meaning to squeeze or squeezing.
This is an example of an Ibanag proverb, that's also known throughout the archipelago. Y tolay nga ari nga mallipay ta pinaggafuannan na ari nga makange ta angayananna. Translated to: He who doesn't look back into his past, can't reach his destination.

Samples

Cagayan Provincial Anthem

Cagayan, Davvun nga kakastan niakan,
Egga ka laran nakuan ta piam,
Nu kuruk tu maparrayyu ka niakan,
Ariat ta ka vuluvvuga a kattamman.
Cagayan, Makemmemmi ka nga innan.
Cagayan, Awan tu kagittam.
Nu anni paga y kasta na davvun a karuan
Egga ka la ta futu' nga ideddukan. There are multiple ways of saying each pronoun in Ibanag. For example: Kuminanna - I ate, but you'd never say Kuminan sakan. Apakku - I'll get, but again you can't say Apanna' which would mean Get me or take me. In some occasions a simple glottal stop at the end of the verb conveys the "I" in a sentence as in the example of Pinate' - which means i killed or turned off.

Examples

Loan Words

Numbers

Simple greetings

Good morning - Mapia nga umma nikau

Good afternoon -Mapia nga fuggag nikau

Good evening/night - Mapia nga gabbi nikau

How are you? - Cunnasi ca ngana?

I'm fine/good and you? - Mapya gapa, sicau?

I'm just fine thank god - Mappya gapa, mabbalo' ta dios

Thank you - Mabbalo'

Where are you going? - Sitau angayammu?

I'm going to...- Umay na' ta...

What are you doing? - Anni cucuammu?

Oh, Nothing in particular. - Awan, maski anni laman.

Please come in. - Tullung kamu.

Long time no see. - Nabinnay taka ari nacita.

Numbers

0-awan

1-tadday

2-dua

3-tallu

4-appa'

5-lima

6-annam

7-pitu

8-walu

9-siyam

10-mafulu

100-magattu

200-dua gattu

500-limagatu

1000-marivvu

2000-dua rivvu

Sentences

Ethnologue on Ibanag

Further Information

Get more info on 'Ibanag Language'.

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