Wordlist – Kyuquot-Checleseht Northern dialect

This basic wordlist contains about two hundred and fifty words of the Kyuquot-Checleseht Northern dialect. These were selected as being some of the first words that beginning learners will want to know, and is intended as a quick reference for learners and teachers.

This wordlist is not a dictionary. English definitions of Nuu-chah-nulth words are as brief as possible. A few alternative forms are provided, such as aspect forms of verbs, and plural forms of nouns referring to people, but care should be taken when translating or using these words in context.

Nuu-chah-nulthEnglish
caqiictwenty
caqiic ʔuḥʔiiš ḥayuthirty
c̓ac̓aksrazor clam
c̓awaakone
c̓awakʷłnine
c̓awakʷł suč̓iiqnine hundred
c̓aʔakriver
čaačištisland (in ocean)
čakupman
čamisfruit, berries, sweets
čaʔakisland
č̓aḥc̓itknee
č̓apaakgoing by canoe
č̓apiccanoe
č̓aap̓apink salmon
č̓aastimcmink
č̓aʔakwater
č̓ič̓isqḥt̓imtoe
č̓ič̓isqn̓ukumfinger
č̓isy̓uqkgreen
č̓iyaaqimłOctober, fish-cutting moon
č̓uptongue
čičičteeth
čimqƛhappy
čimsblack bear
c̓ikc̓ikcar, truck
c̓isqmismeat
c̓umaasimłNovember, earth-washing moon
c̓uʔičḥwinter
ciixčuufried bread
cuw̓itcoho salmon
hapsy̓iphair
hašxʷakgrey
haw̓acsac̓im, tiipintable
haw̓iiqƛhungry
haʔumfood
ḥačimsaqsbrother (of female)
ḥaakʷaaƛyoung woman, girl
ḥaaw̓iłƛyoung man, boy
ḥayuten
ḥayu ʔuḥʔiiš c̓awaakeleven
ḥayu ʔuḥʔiiš ʔaƛatwelve
ḥayup̓t suč̓iiqone thousand
ḥičinlittleneck, steamer clam
ḥicp̓aqkbrown
ḥisšiƛblackberry
ḥixsmall purple sea urchin
ḥiixʷadentalium, Indian money
ḥiiyasnake
hiłaqsłmouth
hiłc̓aatocean, on the ocean
hinayłsky, heaven
hink̓ooʔs, hink̓uuʔsdog salmon
hink̓ooʔsimłSeptember, dog salmon moon
hisitsockeye salmon
hiy̓ikƛbottom, rump
huułhuułdancing
hupałsun, moon, month
hupałsun, moon, month
huupiscockle clam
huuʔukumłApril, flying geese moon
kakaw̓inkiller whale
kałkintapḥstrawberry
kamitqkʷrunning
kaatucat
kʷaapiicoffee
kʷaaʔuucgrandchild
k̓aaʔincrow
k̓ičqʷak, k̓ičx̣ʷakyellow
k̓iłansfur seal
k̓ʷak̓ʷaƛsea otter
k̓ʷaqmisherring eggs
k̓ʷisaasnowing
k̓uunishuman spine
k̓upy̓ikindex finger
kukʷinkshand
kuukuḥw̓isharbour seal
kuunaqimłgold-coloured
kuʔałmorning
łim̓aqliver
łim̓aqstmind
łiw̓aḥmiscloud
łiw̓aḥya, łiw̓aḥkcloudy
ƛaḥ hupałithis month
ƛaḥ n̓aasʔiitoday
ƛakaasstanding
ƛakiiłstanding indoors
ƛatw̓aapaddling
ƛaʔooʔqƛi hupałnext month
ƛaʔunti hupałlast month
ƛaʔuuqʔičḥaqƛinext year
ƛaʔuuqʔičḥintilast year
ƛiḥaavehicle going
ƛišƛinfoot
ƛ̓aḥaqsbox
ƛ̓akʷinelbow
ƛ̓apcḥum, ƛ̓apicḥumchest
ƛ̓aqšiƛspring
ƛ̓iḥcaqyapink
ƛ̓iḥukred
ƛ̓isukwhite
ƛ̓uč̓immussel
ƛ̓upaahot weather
ƛ̓up̓iičḥsummer
ƛ̓up̓insunny
ƛ̓upy̓iiḥfeel hot
ƛ̓uščuudried fish
łuučm̓uupsister (of male)
łuucmawoman
łucsicgirl
maackʷinfly (insect)
maḥt̓iihouse
maamaatbird
mataaflying
matukairplane
maʔastribe, family, house
maʔiƛqcboy
mixtukelder
m̓ałaacold weather
m̓aam̓iiqsolder sibling
m̓aam̓iiqsimłJanuary, older sibling moon
m̓aʔakƛqsoutboard boat
m̓iƛaaraining
m̓uksy̓arock
muufour
muučiiłfour days, Thursday
muup̓it suč̓iiqfour hundred
muwičdeer
mux̣ʷaškinsoapberry
muyiiqeighty
naƛaqatribs
naanigrizzly bear
naniiqsgrandparent
naqmiiḥthirsty
naʔaatḥlistening
naʔiiqsaunt, uncle
nic̓anose
nism̓aland, place, village
n̓aacasee
n̓ačałreading
n̓ačały̓ikbook
n̓aacuuḥwatching
n̓aasday, weather, Creator
n̓ay̓aqkbaby
n̓upčiiłone day, Monday
n̓upusix
n̓upučłsix days, Saturday
n̓upup̓t suč̓iiqsix hundred
n̓uw̓iiqsfather
nunuuksinging
patpatinboard boat
paawicimłMay, nest moon
picp̓aqk, ʔayinčsyaorange-coloured
piišfish
p̓ap̓ac̓qƛyeast bread
p̓ap̓iiear
p̓usaakworn out
p̓uuʔihalibut
puʕałʔatsleepy
qacc̓athree
qacc̓ačłthree days, Wednesday
qacc̓iiqsixty
qacc̓up̓t suč̓iiqthree hundred
qałaatkyounger brother
qałqapinky finger
qasiieye
qasqiipsea star
qawiisalmonberry
qaawicpotatoes
qawišimłJune, salmonberry moon
qay̓ipt̓arm, leg
qiicsac̓im, ƛiissac̓imdesk
qicuwłschool
qicy̓ik, ƛiisy̓ikpen, pencil
qʷayac̓kwolf
qʷiniiseagull
quuʔasperson
quʔišin, quʔušinraven
sac̓upimł, sac̓upumłAugust, king salmon moon
saasinhummingbird
saštupland animal
siičpaaxcougar
sitp̓aqkpurple
suuholding
suč̓afive
suč̓ačłfive days, Friday
suč̓ap̓t suč̓iiqfive hundred
suč̓iiqhundred
suč̓istree
suuḥaaspring salmon
susaaswimming
taač̓abelly
taanaqimłsilver-coloured
taayiimiddle finger
taayiisenior male
taʔiłsick
tiičmaheart
t̓an̓achild
t̓at̓apw̓inant, spider
t̓at̓uusstar
t̓iqʷaassitting on surface
t̓iqʷaasy̓ik, čiiyachair
t̓iqʷiłsitting on floor
t̓iʕassitting on ground
t̓uc̓uplarge red sea urchin
t̓uḥc̓ithead
tukuuksea lion
tupkakblack
tup̓ałsalt water, salty taste
tuupšiƛevening
tuxšiƛjump
waaxniiriver otter
waʔičsleeping
wiiqsiistormy weather
wiiwiiqkʷbad weather
wiiʕaqƛsad
xaašxiipblue jay
yaacukwalking
yuʔiwindy
y̓am̓asalal berry
y̓ap̓iickblue
y̓aʔisbutter clam
y̓ukʷiiqsyounger sibling
y̓ukʷiiqsimłDecember, younger sibling moon
ʔaḥkuuqʔičḥithis year
ʔaƛatwo
ʔaƛakʷłeight
ʔaƛakʷł suč̓iiqeight hundred
ʔaƛčiiłtwo days, Tuesday
ʔaƛiiqforty
ʔaƛp̓it suč̓iiqtwo hundred
ʔaƛpuseven
ʔaƛpučłseven days, Sunday
ʔaƛpup̓t suč̓iiqseven hundred
ʔam̓iiƛitomorrow
ʔam̓intiyesterday
ʔapp̓iiback
ʔapw̓in n̓aasnoon
ʔatḥiinight
ʔawatineagle
ʔaʔapt̓upper arm, upper leg
ʔaʔapyimłshoulder
ʔaʔiič̓imparents
ʔiicqʷinrat, mouse
ʔiiḥkumcthumb
ʔimwinłneck
ʔinkfire
ʔinksy̓awood
ʔučqakfoggy
ʔumʔiiqsmother
ʔuuqumḥcalm weather
ʔusitbody
ʔuušsuuqƛangry
ʔuuʔac̓ring finger
ʔuuʔuuqkʷnice weather
ʕamiiqhorse clam
ʕaasicimłJuly, bee moon
ʕatxsimḥfeel cold
ʕaayaqimłMarch, herring spawn moon
ʕay̓iičḥautumn
ʕaʕačeyebrow
ʕicʔinfish spine
ʕiniiƛdog
ʕinm̓asnail
ʕišiiankle
ʕitimłFebruary, false-spawn moon
Nuu-chah-nulthEnglish
caqaaštsalmon smoked with skin on
caqiictwenty
caqiic ʔuḥʔiš ḥayuthirty
c̓awaakone
c̓awaakʷałnine
c̓aʔakriver
čaačištisland (in ocean)
čakup, čaakupaḥman, husband
čamassweets, dessert
čaʔakisland
č̓aḥc̓itiknee
č̓ałč̓afingernail
č̓apaccanoe
č̓apaakgo by canoe
č̓aap̓ipink salmon
č̓aastumcmink
č̓aʔakwater
č̓isy̓uqʷakgreen
č̓uptongue
čičičiteeth
čumqƛhappy
čumsblack bear
c̓isqmismeat
c̓uʔičḥwinter
ciixčuufried food, fried bread
cuw̓itcoho salmon
hapsy̓uphair
hašxʷakgrey
haaw̓acsac̓umtable
haw̓iiqƛhungry
haʔumfood, delicious
ḥačumsiqsubrother
ḥaakʷaaƛ, ḥaatḥaakʷaƛyoung woman, girl
ḥaaw̓iłaƛ, ḥaw̓iiḥaƛyoung man, boy
ḥayuten
ḥayu ʔuḥʔiš c̓awaakeleven
ḥayu ʔuḥʔiš ʔaƛatwelve
ḥičinlittleneck, steamer clam
ḥicp̓aqakbrown
ḥixsmall purple sea urchin
ḥiiyisnake
hiłaksułmouth
hiiłapiup there
hiłc̓aatway out in the ocean
hinap̓ałback (of body)
hinaayiłsky, heaven
hink̓uuʔasdog salmon
hisitsockeye salmon
hitaaqƛ̓asforest, woods, inland
hitinqisbeach
hiy̓akƛbottom, rump
huułhuuładance
hupałsun, moon, month
hupałsun, moon, month
hupałintʔilast month
hupałʔaqƛʔinext month
huupuk̓ʷascar, truck
huʔac̓uring finger
kakaw̓inkiller whale
kałkintapaḥstrawberry
kamitquk, kamitqšiƛrun
kaatucat
kin̓ucyu, ƛ̓im̓ackʷiblue
kʷaacac̓umchair, bench
kʷaapiicoffee
kʷaaʔuuc, kʷakuucgrandchild
k̓aaʔincrow
k̓ičqʷakyellow
k̓iłanusfur seal
k̓ʷak̓ʷaƛ, k̓ʷak̓ʷałsea otter
k̓ʷaqmisherring eggs
k̓ʷisaasnowing, start to
k̓uunisspine, backbone
k̓upy̓akindex finger
kukʷinksuhand
kuukuḥw̓isaharbour seal
kuʔałmorning
łim̓aqstimind, spirit
łiw̓aḥmiscloud
łiw̓aḥyucloudy, overcast
ƛaḥʔii hupałthis month
ƛaḥʔii n̓aastoday
ƛakaas, ƛakiššiƛstand
ƛakiiłstand indoors
ƛatw̓aapaddle
ƛaʔuuqʔičḥintʔilast year
ƛaʔuuqʔičḥʔaqƛʔinext year
ƛiḥaa, ƛiiḥšiƛvehicle goes
ƛiissac̓umdesk
ƛišƛinfoot
ƛiisuwiłschool
ƛiisy̓akpen, pencil
ƛ̓aḥiqsbox
ƛ̓akʷinelbow
ƛ̓aqšiƛspring
ƛ̓iḥcaqyupink
ƛ̓iḥukred
ƛ̓iƛ̓ick̓ukwhite bread
ƛ̓iin̓aeulachon fish, eulachon oil
ƛ̓iin̓aqsiteulachon oil
ƛ̓isukwhite
ƛ̓uč̓ummussel
ƛ̓upaahot weather, sunny
ƛ̓up̓iičḥsummer
ƛ̓upy̓iiḥafeel hot
łuučm̓uupsister
łuucma, łuucaamaḥwoman, wife
łucsac, łucsacm̓inḥgirl
maackʷinfly (insect)
maḥt̓iihouse
maamaatibird
mataa, matšiƛfly
matukairplane
maʔasvillage, home, house
maʔayiłfamily
maʔiƛqac, maʔiƛqacm̓inḥboy
mixtuk, may̓iixtukelder
m̓ałaacold weather
m̓aam̓iiqsu, m̓aam̓aam̓iqsuolder sibling
m̓aʔakƛispeedboat, outboard boat
m̓iƛaaraining, start to
m̓uksy̓irock, stone
muufour
muwačdeer
mux̣ʷaškinsoapberry
muyiiqeighty
muyiiq ʔuḥʔiš ḥayuninety
naanigrizzly bear
naniiqsu, nananiqsugrandparent
naqmiiḥathirsty
naʔaa, naʔiičiƛhear
naʔaataḥ, naʔaataḥšiƛlisten
naʔiiqsuaunt, uncle
nic̓anose
nism̓aland
n̓ačaałread, look at
n̓ačaały̓ak, n̓ačały̓akbook, newspaper, mirror
n̓aacsa, n̓aacsiičiƛsee
n̓aacuuḥ, n̓aacuuḥšiƛwatch
n̓aasday, weather, Mother Earth
n̓ay̓aqak, n̓aaty̓aqakbaby
n̓upusix
n̓uw̓iiqsum̓father
nunuuk, nuuʔiƛsing
patpatputt-putt, inboard boat
pipick̓ukorange-coloured
piišfish (general)
p̓ap̓iiear
p̓usaaktired, worn out
p̓uxʷaaštsun-dried halibut
p̓uuʔihalibut
puxčuuyeast bread
puʕałʔatusleepy
qacc̓athree
qacc̓iiqsixty
qacc̓iiq ʔuḥʔiš ḥayuseventy
qałaatikyounger brother
qałqapinky finger
qasiieye
qasqiipsea star
qawiisalmonberry
qaawicpotatoes
qay̓apt̓aarm, leg
qʷayac̓ik, qʷayac̓iikwolf
qʷiniiseagull
quxʷaafreezing weather
quuʔas, quuʔasm̓inḥperson
quuʔassa, quuʔassam̓inḥFirst Nations person
quʔušinraven
saasinhummingbird
saštupland animal
siičpaaxcougar
suu, sukʷiƛhold, take
suč̓afive
suč̓astree
suč̓iiqone hundred
suuḥaaspring salmon
sup̓icmissand
susaa, susšiƛswim
taač̓abelly, stomach
taayiimiddle finger
taayiihead of family
taʔiłsick
tiitea
tiičmaheart
t̓an̓a, t̓an̓aʔis, t̓aatn̓a, t̓aatn̓aʔischild
t̓at̓apw̓inant
t̓at̓uusstar
t̓iqʷaas, t̓iqʷaasiƛsit on surface
t̓iqʷił, t̓iqpiƛsit on floor
t̓iʕas, t̓iʕiiƛsit on ground
t̓uc̓uplarge red sea urchin
t̓uḥc̓itihead
tukuuksea lion
tupkakblack
tupkaapaḥ qawiiblackberry
tup̓ałsalt water, ocean
tuupšiiktonight (future)
tuupšiƛevening, night
tuxšiƛ, tuuxtuuxʷajump
waaxniiriver otter
waʔič, waʔičiƛsleep
wiiqsiistormy, bad weather
wiiwiiqukbad environment
wiiʔuunephew
wiiʕaqƛsad
xaašxiipblue jay
xʷiitc̓in̓umbrain
yaacuk, yaacšiƛwalk
yumqƛfeel bad, not want to
yuʔiwindy
y̓am̓asalal berry
y̓ap̓iicak, y̓ap̓iicyupurple
y̓aʔisibutter clam
y̓ukʷiiqsuyounger sibling
ʔaḥkuuqʔičḥʔithis year
ʔaƛatwo
ʔaƛakʷałeight
ʔaƛiiqforty
ʔaƛiiq ʔuḥʔiš ḥayufifty
ʔaƛpuseven
ʔam̓iiƛiktomorrow
ʔam̓iimitʔiyesterday
ʔapw̓in n̓aasnoon, midday
ʔaasiiqsuniece
ʔatḥiinight, night-time
ʔatḥiiƛiktonight (future)
ʔatḥiimitʔilast night
ʔawatineagle
ʔaʔapcḥumchest, front
ʔaʔapy̓umłshoulder
ʔiicqʷinrat, mouse
ʔiiḥkumcthumb
ʔimwinłneck
ʔinkfire
ʔinksy̓iwood
ʔučqakfoggy
ʔumʔiiqsumother
ʔuuqumḥinice weather, calm weather
ʔuušsuuqƛangry
ʔuuʔuuquknice weather, nice environment
ʕaakdog salmon
ʕaakʷaaštsmoked dog salmon
ʕamiiqhorse clam
ʕapłckʷiifish jerky
ʕašiiankle
ʕatxsumḥifeel cold
ʕay̓iičḥautumn
ʕaʕičieyebrow
ʕiniiƛdog
ʕinm̓islug