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-nulth	English
caqiic	twenty
caqiic ʔuḥʔiiš ḥayu	thirty
c̓ac̓aks	razor clam
c̓awaak	one
c̓awakʷł	nine
c̓awakʷł suč̓iiq	nine hundred
c̓aʔak	river
čaačišt	island (in ocean)
čakup	man
čamis	fruit, berries, sweets
čaʔak	island
č̓aḥc̓it	knee
č̓apaak	going by canoe
č̓apic	canoe
č̓aap̓a	pink salmon
č̓aastimc	mink
č̓aʔak	water
č̓ič̓isqḥt̓im	toe
č̓ič̓isqn̓ukum	finger
č̓isy̓uqk	green
č̓iyaaqimł	October, fish-cutting moon
č̓up	tongue
čičič	teeth
čimqƛ	happy
čims	black bear
c̓ikc̓ik	car, truck
c̓isqmis	meat
c̓umaasimł	November, earth-washing moon
c̓uʔičḥ	winter
ciixčuu	fried bread
cuw̓it	coho salmon
hapsy̓ip	hair
hašxʷak	grey
haw̓acsac̓im, tiipin	table
haw̓iiqƛ	hungry
haʔum	food
ḥačimsaqs	brother (of female)
ḥaakʷaaƛ	young woman, girl
ḥaaw̓iłƛ	young man, boy
ḥayu	ten
ḥayu ʔuḥʔiiš c̓awaak	eleven
ḥayu ʔuḥʔiiš ʔaƛa	twelve
ḥayup̓t suč̓iiq	one thousand
ḥičin	littleneck, steamer clam
ḥicp̓aqk	brown
ḥisšiƛ	blackberry
ḥix	small purple sea urchin
ḥiixʷa	dentalium, Indian money
ḥiiya	snake
hiłaqsł	mouth
hiłc̓aat	ocean, on the ocean
hinaył	sky, heaven
hink̓ooʔs, hink̓uuʔs	dog salmon
hink̓ooʔsimł	September, dog salmon moon
hisit	sockeye salmon
hiy̓ikƛ	bottom, rump
huułhuuł	dancing
hupał	sun, moon, month
hupał	sun, moon, month
huupis	cockle clam
huuʔukumł	April, flying geese moon
kakaw̓in	killer whale
kałkintapḥ	strawberry
kamitqkʷ	running
kaatu	cat
kʷaapii	coffee
kʷaaʔuuc	grandchild
k̓aaʔin	crow
k̓ičqʷak, k̓ičx̣ʷak	yellow
k̓iłans	fur seal
k̓ʷak̓ʷaƛ	sea otter
k̓ʷaqmis	herring eggs
k̓ʷisaa	snowing
k̓uunis	human spine
k̓upy̓ik	index finger
kukʷinks	hand
kuukuḥw̓is	harbour seal
kuunaqimł	gold-coloured
kuʔał	morning
łim̓aq	liver
łim̓aqst	mind
łiw̓aḥmis	cloud
łiw̓aḥya, łiw̓aḥk	cloudy
ƛaḥ hupałi	this month
ƛaḥ n̓aasʔii	today
ƛakaas	standing
ƛakiił	standing indoors
ƛatw̓aa	paddling
ƛaʔooʔqƛi hupał	next month
ƛaʔunti hupał	last month
ƛaʔuuqʔičḥaqƛi	next year
ƛaʔuuqʔičḥinti	last year
ƛiḥaa	vehicle going
ƛišƛin	foot
ƛ̓aḥaqs	box
ƛ̓akʷin	elbow
ƛ̓apcḥum, ƛ̓apicḥum	chest
ƛ̓aqšiƛ	spring
ƛ̓iḥcaqya	pink
ƛ̓iḥuk	red
ƛ̓isuk	white
ƛ̓uč̓im	mussel
ƛ̓upaa	hot weather
ƛ̓up̓iičḥ	summer
ƛ̓up̓in	sunny
ƛ̓upy̓iiḥ	feel hot
ƛ̓uščuu	dried fish
łuučm̓uup	sister (of male)
łuucma	woman
łucsic	girl
maackʷin	fly (insect)
maḥt̓ii	house
maamaat	bird
mataa	flying
matuk	airplane
maʔas	tribe, family, house
maʔiƛqc	boy
mixtuk	elder
m̓ałaa	cold weather
m̓aam̓iiqs	older sibling
m̓aam̓iiqsimł	January, older sibling moon
m̓aʔakƛqs	outboard boat
m̓iƛaa	raining
m̓uksy̓a	rock
muu	four
muučiił	four days, Thursday
muup̓it suč̓iiq	four hundred
muwič	deer
mux̣ʷaškin	soapberry
muyiiq	eighty
naƛaqat	ribs
naani	grizzly bear
naniiqs	grandparent
naqmiiḥ	thirsty
naʔaatḥ	listening
naʔiiqs	aunt, uncle
nic̓a	nose
nism̓a	land, place, village
n̓aaca	see
n̓ačał	reading
n̓ačały̓ik	book
n̓aacuuḥ	watching
n̓aas	day, weather, Creator
n̓ay̓aqk	baby
n̓upčiił	one day, Monday
n̓upu	six
n̓upučł	six days, Saturday
n̓upup̓t suč̓iiq	six hundred
n̓uw̓iiqs	father
nunuuk	singing
patpat	inboard boat
paawicimł	May, nest moon
picp̓aqk, ʔayinčsya	orange-coloured
piiš	fish
p̓ap̓ac̓qƛ	yeast bread
p̓ap̓ii	ear
p̓usaak	worn out
p̓uuʔi	halibut
puʕałʔat	sleepy
qacc̓a	three
qacc̓ačł	three days, Wednesday
qacc̓iiq	sixty
qacc̓up̓t suč̓iiq	three hundred
qałaatk	younger brother
qałqa	pinky finger
qasii	eye
qasqiip	sea star
qawii	salmonberry
qaawic	potatoes
qawišimł	June, salmonberry moon
qay̓ipt̓	arm, leg
qiicsac̓im, ƛiissac̓im	desk
qicuwł	school
qicy̓ik, ƛiisy̓ik	pen, pencil
qʷayac̓k	wolf
qʷinii	seagull
quuʔas	person
quʔišin, quʔušin	raven
sac̓upimł, sac̓upumł	August, king salmon moon
saasin	hummingbird
saštup	land animal
siičpaax	cougar
sitp̓aqk	purple
suu	holding
suč̓a	five
suč̓ačł	five days, Friday
suč̓ap̓t suč̓iiq	five hundred
suč̓iiq	hundred
suč̓is	tree
suuḥaa	spring salmon
susaa	swimming
taač̓a	belly
taanaqimł	silver-coloured
taayii	middle finger
taayii	senior male
taʔił	sick
tiičma	heart
t̓an̓a	child
t̓at̓apw̓in	ant, spider
t̓at̓uus	star
t̓iqʷaas	sitting on surface
t̓iqʷaasy̓ik, čiiya	chair
t̓iqʷił	sitting on floor
t̓iʕas	sitting on ground
t̓uc̓up	large red sea urchin
t̓uḥc̓it	head
tukuuk	sea lion
tupkak	black
tup̓ał	salt water, salty taste
tuupšiƛ	evening
tuxšiƛ	jump
waaxnii	river otter
waʔič	sleeping
wiiqsii	stormy weather
wiiwiiqkʷ	bad weather
wiiʕaqƛ	sad
xaašxiip	blue jay
yaacuk	walking
yuʔi	windy
y̓am̓a	salal berry
y̓ap̓iick	blue
y̓aʔis	butter clam
y̓ukʷiiqs	younger sibling
y̓ukʷiiqsimł	December, younger sibling moon
ʔaḥkuuqʔičḥi	this year
ʔaƛa	two
ʔaƛakʷł	eight
ʔaƛakʷł suč̓iiq	eight hundred
ʔaƛčiił	two days, Tuesday
ʔaƛiiq	forty
ʔaƛp̓it suč̓iiq	two hundred
ʔaƛpu	seven
ʔaƛpučł	seven days, Sunday
ʔaƛpup̓t suč̓iiq	seven hundred
ʔam̓iiƛi	tomorrow
ʔam̓inti	yesterday
ʔapp̓ii	back
ʔapw̓in n̓aas	noon
ʔatḥii	night
ʔawatin	eagle
ʔaʔapt̓	upper arm, upper leg
ʔaʔapyimł	shoulder
ʔaʔiič̓im	parents
ʔiicqʷin	rat, mouse
ʔiiḥkumc	thumb
ʔimwinł	neck
ʔink	fire
ʔinksy̓a	wood
ʔučqak	foggy
ʔumʔiiqs	mother
ʔuuqumḥ	calm weather
ʔusit	body
ʔuušsuuqƛ	angry
ʔuuʔac̓	ring finger
ʔuuʔuuqkʷ	nice weather
ʕamiiq	horse clam
ʕaasicimł	July, bee moon
ʕatxsimḥ	feel cold
ʕaayaqimł	March, herring spawn moon
ʕay̓iičḥ	autumn
ʕaʕač	eyebrow
ʕicʔin	fish spine
ʕiniiƛ	dog
ʕinm̓a	snail
ʕišii	ankle
ʕitimł	February, false-spawn moon

Nuu-chah-nulth	English
caqaašt	salmon smoked with skin on
caqiic	twenty
caqiic ʔuḥʔiš ḥayu	thirty
c̓awaak	one
c̓awaakʷał	nine
c̓aʔak	river
čaačišt	island (in ocean)
čakup, čaakupaḥ	man, husband
čamas	sweets, dessert
čaʔak	island
č̓aḥc̓iti	knee
č̓ałč̓a	fingernail
č̓apac	canoe
č̓apaak	go by canoe
č̓aap̓i	pink salmon
č̓aastumc	mink
č̓aʔak	water
č̓isy̓uqʷak	green
č̓up	tongue
čičiči	teeth
čumqƛ	happy
čums	black bear
c̓isqmis	meat
c̓uʔičḥ	winter
ciixčuu	fried food, fried bread
cuw̓it	coho salmon
hapsy̓up	hair
hašxʷak	grey
haaw̓acsac̓um	table
haw̓iiqƛ	hungry
haʔum	food, delicious
ḥačumsiqsu	brother
ḥaakʷaaƛ, ḥaatḥaakʷaƛ	young woman, girl
ḥaaw̓iłaƛ, ḥaw̓iiḥaƛ	young man, boy
ḥayu	ten
ḥayu ʔuḥʔiš c̓awaak	eleven
ḥayu ʔuḥʔiš ʔaƛa	twelve
ḥičin	littleneck, steamer clam
ḥicp̓aqak	brown
ḥix	small purple sea urchin
ḥiiyi	snake
hiłaksuł	mouth
hiiłapi	up there
hiłc̓aat	way out in the ocean
hinap̓ał	back (of body)
hinaayił	sky, heaven
hink̓uuʔas	dog salmon
hisit	sockeye salmon
hitaaqƛ̓as	forest, woods, inland
hitinqis	beach
hiy̓akƛ	bottom, rump
huułhuuła	dance
hupał	sun, moon, month
hupał	sun, moon, month
hupałintʔi	last month
hupałʔaqƛʔi	next month
huupuk̓ʷas	car, truck
huʔac̓u	ring finger
kakaw̓in	killer whale
kałkintapaḥ	strawberry
kamitquk, kamitqšiƛ	run
kaatu	cat
kin̓ucyu, ƛ̓im̓ackʷi	blue
kʷaacac̓um	chair, bench
kʷaapii	coffee
kʷaaʔuuc, kʷakuuc	grandchild
k̓aaʔin	crow
k̓ičqʷak	yellow
k̓iłanus	fur seal
k̓ʷak̓ʷaƛ, k̓ʷak̓ʷał	sea otter
k̓ʷaqmis	herring eggs
k̓ʷisaa	snowing, start to
k̓uunis	spine, backbone
k̓upy̓ak	index finger
kukʷinksu	hand
kuukuḥw̓isa	harbour seal
kuʔał	morning
łim̓aqsti	mind, spirit
łiw̓aḥmis	cloud
łiw̓aḥyu	cloudy, overcast
ƛaḥʔii hupał	this month
ƛaḥʔii n̓aas	today
ƛakaas, ƛakiššiƛ	stand
ƛakiił	stand indoors
ƛatw̓aa	paddle
ƛaʔuuqʔičḥintʔi	last year
ƛaʔuuqʔičḥʔaqƛʔi	next year
ƛiḥaa, ƛiiḥšiƛ	vehicle goes
ƛiissac̓um	desk
ƛišƛin	foot
ƛiisuwił	school
ƛiisy̓ak	pen, pencil
ƛ̓aḥiqs	box
ƛ̓akʷin	elbow
ƛ̓aqšiƛ	spring
ƛ̓iḥcaqyu	pink
ƛ̓iḥuk	red
ƛ̓iƛ̓ick̓uk	white bread
ƛ̓iin̓a	eulachon fish, eulachon oil
ƛ̓iin̓aqsit	eulachon oil
ƛ̓isuk	white
ƛ̓uč̓um	mussel
ƛ̓upaa	hot weather, sunny
ƛ̓up̓iičḥ	summer
ƛ̓upy̓iiḥa	feel hot
łuučm̓uup	sister
łuucma, łuucaamaḥ	woman, wife
łucsac, łucsacm̓inḥ	girl
maackʷin	fly (insect)
maḥt̓ii	house
maamaati	bird
mataa, matšiƛ	fly
matuk	airplane
maʔas	village, home, house
maʔayił	family
maʔiƛqac, maʔiƛqacm̓inḥ	boy
mixtuk, may̓iixtuk	elder
m̓ałaa	cold weather
m̓aam̓iiqsu, m̓aam̓aam̓iqsu	older sibling
m̓aʔakƛi	speedboat, outboard boat
m̓iƛaa	raining, start to
m̓uksy̓i	rock, stone
muu	four
muwač	deer
mux̣ʷaškin	soapberry
muyiiq	eighty
muyiiq ʔuḥʔiš ḥayu	ninety
naani	grizzly bear
naniiqsu, nananiqsu	grandparent
naqmiiḥa	thirsty
naʔaa, naʔiičiƛ	hear
naʔaataḥ, naʔaataḥšiƛ	listen
naʔiiqsu	aunt, uncle
nic̓a	nose
nism̓a	land
n̓ačaał	read, look at
n̓ačaały̓ak, n̓ačały̓ak	book, newspaper, mirror
n̓aacsa, n̓aacsiičiƛ	see
n̓aacuuḥ, n̓aacuuḥšiƛ	watch
n̓aas	day, weather, Mother Earth
n̓ay̓aqak, n̓aaty̓aqak	baby
n̓upu	six
n̓uw̓iiqsum̓	father
nunuuk, nuuʔiƛ	sing
patpat	putt-putt, inboard boat
pipick̓uk	orange-coloured
piiš	fish (general)
p̓ap̓ii	ear
p̓usaak	tired, worn out
p̓uxʷaašt	sun-dried halibut
p̓uuʔi	halibut
puxčuu	yeast bread
puʕałʔatu	sleepy
qacc̓a	three
qacc̓iiq	sixty
qacc̓iiq ʔuḥʔiš ḥayu	seventy
qałaatik	younger brother
qałqa	pinky finger
qasii	eye
qasqiip	sea star
qawii	salmonberry
qaawic	potatoes
qay̓apt̓a	arm, leg
qʷayac̓ik, qʷayac̓iik	wolf
qʷinii	seagull
quxʷaa	freezing weather
quuʔas, quuʔasm̓inḥ	person
quuʔassa, quuʔassam̓inḥ	First Nations person
quʔušin	raven
saasin	hummingbird
saštup	land animal
siičpaax	cougar
suu, sukʷiƛ	hold, take
suč̓a	five
suč̓as	tree
suč̓iiq	one hundred
suuḥaa	spring salmon
sup̓icmis	sand
susaa, susšiƛ	swim
taač̓a	belly, stomach
taayii	middle finger
taayii	head of family
taʔił	sick
tii	tea
tiičma	heart
t̓an̓a, t̓an̓aʔis, t̓aatn̓a, t̓aatn̓aʔis	child
t̓at̓apw̓in	ant
t̓at̓uus	star
t̓iqʷaas, t̓iqʷaasiƛ	sit on surface
t̓iqʷił, t̓iqpiƛ	sit on floor
t̓iʕas, t̓iʕiiƛ	sit on ground
t̓uc̓up	large red sea urchin
t̓uḥc̓iti	head
tukuuk	sea lion
tupkak	black
tupkaapaḥ qawii	blackberry
tup̓ał	salt water, ocean
tuupšiik	tonight (future)
tuupšiƛ	evening, night
tuxšiƛ, tuuxtuuxʷa	jump
waaxnii	river otter
waʔič, waʔičiƛ	sleep
wiiqsii	stormy, bad weather
wiiwiiquk	bad environment
wiiʔuu	nephew
wiiʕaqƛ	sad
xaašxiip	blue jay
xʷiitc̓in̓um	brain
yaacuk, yaacšiƛ	walk
yumqƛ	feel bad, not want to
yuʔi	windy
y̓am̓a	salal berry
y̓ap̓iicak, y̓ap̓iicyu	purple
y̓aʔisi	butter clam
y̓ukʷiiqsu	younger sibling
ʔaḥkuuqʔičḥʔi	this year
ʔaƛa	two
ʔaƛakʷał	eight
ʔaƛiiq	forty
ʔaƛiiq ʔuḥʔiš ḥayu	fifty
ʔaƛpu	seven
ʔam̓iiƛik	tomorrow
ʔam̓iimitʔi	yesterday
ʔapw̓in n̓aas	noon, midday
ʔaasiiqsu	niece
ʔatḥii	night, night-time
ʔatḥiiƛik	tonight (future)
ʔatḥiimitʔi	last night
ʔawatin	eagle
ʔaʔapcḥum	chest, front
ʔaʔapy̓umł	shoulder
ʔiicqʷin	rat, mouse
ʔiiḥkumc	thumb
ʔimwinł	neck
ʔink	fire
ʔinksy̓i	wood
ʔučqak	foggy
ʔumʔiiqsu	mother
ʔuuqumḥi	nice weather, calm weather
ʔuušsuuqƛ	angry
ʔuuʔuuquk	nice weather, nice environment
ʕaak	dog salmon
ʕaakʷaašt	smoked dog salmon
ʕamiiq	horse clam
ʕapłckʷii	fish jerky
ʕašii	ankle
ʕatxsumḥi	feel cold
ʕay̓iičḥ	autumn
ʕaʕiči	eyebrow
ʕiniiƛ	dog
ʕinm̓i	slug