Romansch - rumantsch
A language spoken in the Alps mid way between France and Italy might be expected to look like a language mid way between French and Italian. Romansch does just that.
One thing that makes Romansch look more like French than Italian is the dropping of the final vowels in many words, e.g. argient (French argent), Italian argento (silver) and use of l where Italian uses i, e.g. flur (French fleur), Italian fiore (flower). Also Romansch, like French, often uses ch at the beginning of words, where Italian has c, e.g. chaval (French cheval), Italian cavallo (horse). On the other hand, French often shortens words while Romansch and Italian stay closer to the original Latin, e.g. regina (Italian regina), French reine (queen). Like French, personal pronouns are required to be used with verbs, while in Italian this isn't necessary. Finally, Romansch plurals generally end in -s, like French, and not in a vowel, like Italian.
Standard Romansch is named rumantsch grischun and aims to be a consensus of words and features common to the majority of the 5 dialects (see the links below).
| 1. |
frar |
|
brother |
|
1. |
gea |
|
yes |
|
1. |
Quant custa quest? |
|
How much is that? |
| 2. |
sor |
|
sister |
|
2. |
na |
|
no |
|
2. |
|
|
|
| 3. |
figl |
|
son |
|
3. |
per plaschair |
|
please |
|
3. |
Chapir |
|
To understand |
| 4. |
figlia |
|
daughter |
|
4. |
grazia |
|
thank you |
|
4. |
Jau chapesch |
|
I understand |
| 5. |
bab |
|
father |
|
|
|
|
|
|
5. |
Jau na chapesch betg |
|
I don’t understand |
| 6. |
mamma |
|
mother |
|
1. |
dumengia |
|
Sunday |
|
6. |
Jau sai |
|
I know |
|
|
|
|
|
2. |
glindesdi |
|
Monday |
|
7. |
Jau na sai betg |
|
I don’t know |
| 1. |
primavaira |
|
spring |
|
3. |
mardi |
|
Tuesday |
|
|
|
|
|
| 2. |
stad |
|
summer |
|
4. |
mesemna |
|
Wednesday |
|
1. |
jau sun |
|
I am |
| 3. |
atun |
|
autumn |
|
5. |
gievgia |
|
Thursday |
|
2. |
ti es |
|
you are (informal) |
| 4. |
enviern |
|
winter |
|
6. |
venderdi |
|
Friday |
|
|
Vus essas |
|
you are (formal) |
|
|
|
|
|
7. |
sondra |
|
Saturday |
|
3. |
el è |
|
he is |
| 1. |
chaval |
|
horse |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ella è |
|
she is |
| 2. |
chaun |
|
dog |
|
1. |
citad |
|
town |
|
|
|
|
|
| 3. |
giat |
|
cat |
|
2. |
vischnanca |
|
village |
|
1. |
nus essan |
|
we are |
| 4. |
vatga |
|
cow |
|
3. |
via |
|
street |
|
2. |
vus essas |
|
you are |
| 5. |
taur |
|
bull |
|
4. |
plazza |
|
square |
|
|
|
|
|
| 6. |
portg |
|
pig |
|
5. |
punt |
|
bridge |
|
3. |
els èn |
|
they are (msc.) |
| 7. |
nursa |
|
sheep |
|
6. |
chasa |
|
house |
|
|
ellas èn |
|
they are (fem.) |
| 8. |
luf |
|
wolf |
|
7. |
iert |
|
garden |
|
|
|
|
|
| 9. |
mieur |
|
mouse |
|
8. |
baselgia |
|
church |
|
|
|
|
|
| 10. |
utschè |
|
bird |
|
9. |
scola |
|
school |
|
1. |
in, ina |
|
one (msc., fem.) |
| 11. |
auca |
|
goose |
|
10. |
staziun |
|
station |
|
2. |
dus, duas |
|
two (msc., fem.) |
| 12. |
pesch |
|
fish |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3. |
trais |
|
three |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4. |
quatter |
|
four |
| 1. |
paun |
|
bread |
|
1. |
nair |
|
black |
|
5. |
tschintg |
|
five |
| 2. |
mail |
|
apple |
|
2. |
alv |
|
white |
|
6. |
sis |
|
six |
| 3. |
nusch |
|
nut |
|
3. |
blau |
|
blue |
|
7. |
set |
|
seven |
| 4. |
sal |
|
salt |
|
4. |
verd |
|
green |
|
8. |
otg |
|
eight |
| 5. |
paiver |
|
pepper |
|
5. |
mellan |
|
yellow |
|
9. |
nov |
|
nine |
| 6. |
mel |
|
honey |
|
6. |
cotschen |
|
red |
|
10. |
diesch |
|
ten |
| 7. |
latg |
|
milk |
|
|
|
|
|
|
11. |
indesch |
|
eleven |
| 8. |
paintg |
|
butter |
|
1. |
vesair |
|
to see |
|
12. |
dudesch |
|
twelve |
| 9. |
chaschiel |
|
cheese |
|
2. |
udir |
|
to hear |
|
13. |
tredesch |
|
thirteen |
| 10. |
aua |
|
water |
|
3. |
mangiar |
|
to eat |
|
20. |
ventg |
|
twenty |
| 11. |
vin |
|
wine |
|
4. |
baiver |
|
to drink |
|
30. |
trenta |
|
thirty |
| 12. |
biera |
|
beer |
|
5. |
chantar |
|
to sing |
|
100. |
tschient |
|
a hundred |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1. |
muntogna, piz |
|
mountain |
|
1. |
num |
|
name |
|
1. |
maun |
|
hand |
| 2. |
mar |
|
sea |
|
2. |
scriver |
|
to write |
|
2. |
pe |
|
foot |
| 3. |
lai |
|
lake |
|
3. |
cudesch |
|
book |
|
3. |
cor |
|
heart |
| 4. |
flum |
|
river |
|
4. |
discurrer |
|
to speak |
|
4. |
sang |
|
blood |
| 5. |
vegl |
|
old |
|
5. |
di |
|
day |
|
5. |
chau |
|
head |
| 6. |
nov |
|
new |
|
6. |
notg |
|
night |
|
6. |
egl |
|
eye |
| 7. |
nav |
|
ship |
|
7. |
emna |
|
week |
|
7. |
ureglia |
|
ear |
| 8. |
tren |
|
train |
|
8. |
mais |
|
month |
|
8. |
dent |
|
tooth |
| 9. |
bus |
|
bus |
|
9. |
onn |
|
year |
|
9. |
chavels |
|
hair |
| 10. |
port |
|
harbour |
|
10. |
e, ed |
|
and |
|
10. |
durmir |
|
to sleep |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1. |
schaner |
|
January |
|
7. |
fanadur |
|
July |
|
1. |
sulegl |
|
sun |
| 2. |
favrer |
|
February |
|
8. |
avust |
|
August |
|
2. |
glina |
|
moon |
| 3. |
mars |
|
March |
|
9. |
settember |
|
September |
|
3. |
staila |
|
star |
| 4. |
avrigl |
|
April |
|
10. |
october |
|
October |
|
4. |
vent |
|
wind |
| 5. |
matg |
|
May |
|
11. |
november |
|
November |
|
5. |
plievgia |
|
rain |
| 6. |
zercladur |
|
June |
|
12. |
december |
|
December |
|
6. |
naiv |
|
snow |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7. |
glatsch |
|
ice |
| 1. |
fraid |
|
cold |
|
1. |
chaud |
|
hot |
|
8. |
fieu |
|
fire |
Romansch is spoken in:
Mustér - Disentis
Glion - Ilanz
Domat - Ems
Cuira - Chur
Razén - Rhäzüns
Tusaun - Thusis
Puntraschigna - Pontresina
San Murezzan - St.Moritz
Schlarigna - Celerina
Scuol - Schuls
The Romansch dialects:
Sursilvan Romansch
Sutsilvan Romansch
Surmiran Romansch
Upper Engadine (Puter) Romansch
Lower Engadine (Vallader) Romansch
I'd just like to share with you some words from the Bible which you might not otherwise have had the opportunity to read:
My other websites:
Languages of the World
New Nutshell
Christianity in a Nutshell
My wife's websites:
Meaning of Life
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