Where is Myanmar (Burma) and What is Burmese?

Myanmar is a country sought after by many a traveler, and with its beauty and allure, it’s a shocker that more people don’t know about Burma! When I tell people that I’m from Myanmar, they’re usually pretty surprised. Normally, the first question out of their mouths is, “Where is Myanmar?” And I’m more than happy to tell them! Myanmar is a fascinating country with a rich history and culture, and our linguistic tradition is as vibrant as our stunning Burmese sunsets.

Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) is a country situated in Southeast Asia at the crux of 5 countries. The countries bordering Myanmar are India, China, Bangladesh, Laos, and Thailand. And, with such a diverse array of cultures surrounding Myanmar, it’s no surprise that the Burmese culture has taken a little bit of each into its own. But don’t be fooled… Myanmar culture is unique in and of itself! Although it’s possible to see the cultural, culinary, and religious influence of all the countries surrounding Myanmar, this Southeast Asian country is surprisingly distinct from others in the region. 

Like most other Southeast Asian countries, Myanmar has an extremely unique language with only distant ties to other languages. The Burmese language is what’s called a Sino-Tibetan language, meaning that it has some linguistic connections to Chinese and Tibetan languages. In fact, one of the closest living languages related to Burmese is the Tibetan language! Arakanese is another close relative of Burmese, however there’s an ongoing debate about whether the Rakhine language should be considered a language or rather a dialect of Burmese. But, in truth, the main language that bears a striking resemblance to Burmese is the now extinct Pali language, which is predominantly a religious language in modern Myanmar. 

The Burmese language uses an abugida alphabet, meaning that each character in the alphabet already contains an attached vowel (which, in Burmese, is an “a” sound). The alphabet is derived from a Bramic script, and has 33 consonant letters and 12 vowel sounds, which comprise of 3 tones. Different from Mandarin and Thai though, the tones in the Myanmar language are more rhythmically oriented, ranging from a “short/creaky” tone, to a “low” tone, to a “long/high” tone. 

When you learn the Myanmar language, it’s important for students to keep in mind that the grammatical structure of Burmese is quite different from any European language. Burmese uses a Subject-Object-Verb grammatical structure, which is quite a change from the expected Subject-Verb-Object grammatical forms of many other languages, particularly English. But of course, that shouldn’t deter you! The Burmese grammar is fun to learn and interesting to work with, and having a solid grasp of grammar is one of the most crucial parts of learning any language… especially Myanmar. 

To learn Burmese, it’s important to have a good understanding of the structure of the language as well as a good instructor who can help you learn! Having a good Burmese language instructor can make all the difference when it comes to learning Myanmar. Whether you’re a brand new, beginning Burmese student or even an intermediate or advanced level learner, a Burmese tutor is the first step in the right direction toward developing proficiency with speaking, reading, writing, and listening to the language of Myanmar. 

Contact BurmeseTutor.com today to schedule a lesson and get started learning the language of Myanmar!