Learn Marshallese Online with the Vocabo Chrome Extension
Master Vocabulary While You Browse — Free, No Sign-Up
Master Marshallese vocabulary while browsing the web. Free Chrome extension for language learners. Marshallese is spoken by around 85,000 worldwide people. Marshallese connects learners to one of the largest Pacific Islander communities in the continental US, notably in Springdale, Arkansas, home to tens of thousands of Marshallese who moved under the US-Marshall Islands Compact of Free Association.
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About Marshallese
Marshallese navigators traditionally used 'stick charts' made of lashed coconut-frond ribs and shells to teach and record the pattern of ocean swells between islands, a mapping technique found nowhere else in the world. The knowledge was closely guarded within ruling families until a missionary documented it in 1862.
Speakers
around 85,000 worldwide
Language Family
Austronesian (Micronesian branch, Eastern Oceanic)
Writing System
Latin alphabet
Difficulty
Very Hard
Spoken in
Why Learn Marshallese?
Marshallese connects learners to one of the largest Pacific Islander communities in the continental US, notably in Springdale, Arkansas, home to tens of thousands of Marshallese who moved under the US-Marshall Islands Compact of Free Association.
Common Marshallese Words
Start your Marshallese journey with these essential words and phrases.
iọkwe
Hello, goodbye, and love (one word for all three)
YOK-way
koṃṃool
Thank you
kuh-MOHL
aet
Yes
AH-et
jaab
No
JAHB
dān
Water
DAAN
eṃ
House
mōñā
Food
jera
My friend
aḷ
Sun
History of Marshallese
The Marshall Islands passed from Spanish claim to German colonial control in the late 19th century, then to Japanese administration after World War I, then to US administration as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands after World War II. Between 1946 and 1958 the United States conducted 67 nuclear weapons tests at Bikini and Enewetak atolls, displacing entire communities, some of which have never been able to permanently resettle their home islands. The Marshall Islands became fully independent in 1986 under a Compact of Free Association with the United States that still permits visa-free migration, which is why a substantial share of Marshallese speakers now live in the US.
Is Marshallese Hard to Learn?
Marshallese has only four vowel letters but a much larger set of actual vowel sounds, because vowel quality shifts depending on the 'light', 'heavy', and 'rounded' consonants around it, something spelling does not show directly. Those consonant qualities are themselves written with diacritics (an underline or cedilla-like mark for the velarized 'dark' l, n, and m), and two competing spelling systems, an older missionary orthography and a newer official one, are both still in everyday use, so the same word can look quite different in different sources. Note that different dictionaries render the same 'dark' consonants with slightly different diacritics (cedilla-under versus dot-under); the forms below follow the widely used marshallese.org dictionary.
Learning Marshallese Online: FAQ
Can I learn Marshallese online for free?
Yes — Vocabo is a free Chrome extension that teaches you Marshallese vocabulary while you browse the web. It replaces words and short phrases on pages you already read with their Marshallese equivalents, so you pick up vocabulary passively — no sign-up, no ads, and no daily lesson grind.
Is Marshallese on Duolingo?
No — Duolingo doesn't currently offer a Marshallese course for English speakers. You can still learn Marshallese online for free: Vocabo supports Marshallese and builds your vocabulary naturally while you browse.
Similar Languages to Marshallese
If you're interested in Marshallese, you might also want to explore these related languages:
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