Buginese (Latin) Typing Speed Test
Free Online Buginese Latin Keyboard – Type Basa Ugi in Modern Orthography
Welcome to the Buginese Latin keyboard online — for writing Basa Ugi, the language of the Bugis people of South Sulawesi, in the Latin orthography used for most everyday purposes today. Our free keyboard provides ŋ, ñ, the schwa ə, accented vowels, and the apostrophe, which together cover the sounds ordinary Latin letters cannot. Nothing to install; works on any device.
Why not just plain Latin letters? Because Buginese has sounds that plain Latin does not write. The velar nasal ŋ — the sound at the end of English 'sing' — is a distinct consonant that appears constantly, and writing it as 'ng' is ambiguous where a real n followed by a g also occurs. ñ covers the palatal nasal, and the schwa ə represents a vowel quality that no plain Latin vowel captures. The apostrophe marks a glottal stop. Omit these and the text is not merely informal, it is genuinely less readable.
Latin alongside Lontara. Buginese has been written in its own Brahmic script, Lontara, for centuries, and still is for cultural, ceremonial, and scholarly purposes. Latin orthography arrived later and now dominates ordinary writing — messaging, signage, schooling, and publishing. Neither replaces the other, and many Bugis writers use both depending on context, which is why we provide a keyboard for each.
The language and its people. Buginese is spoken by several million people in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, with communities established across the archipelago and into Malaysia and Singapore through a long maritime and trading history. It carries a substantial literary tradition, including the Sureq Galigo, among the longest epics ever composed.
Perfect for: everyday writing and messaging in Basa Ugi, school and community materials, local media and publishing, linguists and language documenters working with modern orthography, and anyone who needs ŋ and ə as real characters rather than approximations.
Related keyboards: for the traditional script, see the Buginese (Lontara) keyboard. Indonesian is the national language most Bugis speakers also write. Switch with the Layout dropdown above.
Your privacy is guaranteed – all typing happens 100% locally in your browser. Nothing you write is sent to a server, stored, or logged.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Basa Ugi?
Basa Ugi is the Buginese language, spoken by several million people in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, with communities across the archipelago and in Malaysia and Singapore. It is written today mainly in Latin script, and traditionally in the Lontara script.
Why does the keyboard include ŋ and ə?
Because Buginese needs them. ŋ is the velar nasal — the sound ending English 'sing' — and writing it as 'ng' is ambiguous where a real n plus g also occurs. ə is a schwa, a vowel quality no plain Latin vowel captures. Both are real letters here rather than approximations.
What is the apostrophe for?
It marks the glottal stop, a distinct sound in Buginese. Using the proper character keeps spelling consistent and text searchable.
Should I use Latin or Lontara?
Both are in use. Latin dominates everyday writing — messaging, signage, schooling, publishing — while Lontara remains in cultural, ceremonial, and scholarly use and is actively taught. Many writers use both depending on context, and we provide a keyboard for each.
Is this Buginese keyboard free?
Yes, completely free. There is no cost, no registration, no account, and no limit on how much you type. The site is supported by advertising, which is what keeps the keyboard free to use for everyone.
Does it work on mobile phones and tablets?
Yes. The layout is fully responsive and works on Android and iOS phones, tablets, Chromebooks, Windows, and macOS. On a touchscreen you tap the characters directly, which makes it a practical way to type Buginese on a device with no Buginese keyboard installed.
Is my typing private?
Completely private. All processing happens locally in your browser using JavaScript. Your text is never transmitted to a server, never stored, and never logged, so it is safe for personal and sensitive writing.
Where is Buginese spoken?
Mainly South Sulawesi in Indonesia, with long-established Bugis communities elsewhere in Indonesia and in Malaysia and Singapore, reflecting centuries of maritime trade and migration.
Can I practise Buginese typing speed?
Yes. Switch to Speed Test mode to practise with real sentences and measure your words per minute and accuracy.
Keep Practicing
Open the keyboard layout or explore more typing tests.