Useful words and phrases

Here are some phrases for you to try in the classroom or at home.
Some of these phrases were not traditionally used, but they are used in modern life.

Thank you! You're welcome!

Traditionally it seems there was no equivalent of "Thank you" in Aboriginal languages or many other languages in the region, and it is used a lot more frequently in English than in many other languages around the world. The first phrase used in Gamilaraay was Gaba nginda which means "You are good". But this is also used as a question Gaba nginda? meaning "Are you good?" So in order to avoid confusion we can use another phrase, recorded by the missionary William Ridley in about 1855 who reported on his meeting with a blind Gamilaraay man. After Ridley helped him the man said Maarubaa nginda to express his thanks.

In English we now use phrases like "You’re welcome" or "Don’t mention it" quite frequently, and so following the pattern of many other languages we can use Marayrr-na which translates to "It’s nothing."
Below is a poster with QR codes for sound files (download button below), or watch on the video: