Sundanese (Basa Sunda)

Sundanese is a Malayo-Polynesian language spoken by about 39 million people mainly in western Java in Indonesia. There are also speakers in Banten, Jakarta, parts of western Central Java and southern Lampung. It is the third most-spoken language in Indonesia. Sundanese is closely related to Madurese and Malay, and more distantly related to Javanese.

There are six main dialects of Sundanese: Western, Northern, Southern or Priangan, Mid-east, Northeast and Southeast. The Southern or Priangan dialect is the most widely-spoken and is taught in schools in West Java and Banten Province.

Written Sundanese

Sundanese is normally written with the Latin alphabet, however the Sundanese script (Aksara Sunda) is still used to some extent. The Sundanese script developed from the Old Sundanese script (Aksara Sunda Kuna), which was used between the 14th and 18th centuries, and was standardized during the 1990s. Sundanese has also been written with a version of the Arabic script known as Pegon, and with the Javanese alphabet.

Latin alphabet for Sundanese

Notes

f, kh, q, sy, v and z are only used in loanwords and foreign names.

Download charts for Sundanese scripts (Excel)

Information about the Sundanese Latin alphabet providied Michael Peter Füstumum

Sample text

Sakumna jalma gubrag ka alam dunya téh sipatna merdika jeung boga martabat katut hak-hak anu sarua. Maranéhna ibéré akal jeung haté nurani, campur-gaul jeung sasamana aya dina sumanget duduluran.

Listen to a recording of this text by Bryan Chew

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Sample video in Sundanese

Information about Sundanese | Sundanese script | Phrases | Numbers | Tower of Babel

Links

Information about Sundanese
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sundanese_language
https://jafarkareem.tripod.com/navigate.html
http://countrystudies.us/indonesia/46.htm
http://www.ling.hawaii.edu/ldtc/languages/sunda/

Sundanese courses
http://ilanguages.org/sundanese.php
http://polymath.org/sundanese.php
http://learn101.org/sundanese.php

Sundanese phrases
https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Sundanese_phrasebook
http://ilanguages.org/sundanese_phrases.php
http://polymath.org/sundanese_phrases_list.php
https://www.digitaldialects.com/Sundanese/PhrasesINF.htm

Malayo-Polynesian languages

Amarasi, Ambai, Ambel, Anuki, Balinese, Banjarese, Batuley, Bima, Bugis, Bushi, Chamorro, Dawan, Dhao, Duri, Ende-Li'o, Fijian, Galoli, Gayo, Hawu, Hoava, Iban, Indonesian, Javanese, Kambera, Kerinci, Komering, Lampung, Ledo Kaili, Madurese, Makasarese, Malagasy, Malay, Malay (Terengganu), Mandar, Manggarainese, Mbula, Mentawai, Minangkabau, Mualang, Musi, Ngaju, Nias, Paicî, Palauan, Sasak, Selaru, Sumbawa, Sundanese, Tetum, Tii, Toqabaqita, Toraja-Sa'dan, Wamesa, Western Rote

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page last modified: 21.02.23

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