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Vocabulary Words in Native American Languages: Abenaki-Penobscot

We have included twenty basic words, enough to give you a feeling for each language. All the nouns are singular and all the verbs are 3rd person singular ("he or she sings") because many Native American languages don't have a separate infinitive ("to sing") the way English and French do.

You can find a broader selection of Abenaki-Penobscot words in our online picture glossaries. If you would like to know a word that is not included in any of these wordlists, you can take part in our Indian translations fundraiser, buy an Abenaki dictionary, or visit our main Abenaki language site for more free resources.

Thanks for your interest in Native American languages!

Penobscot-Abenaki Word Set

(Click here for pronunciation guide)

English (Français)	Abenaki-Penobscot
One (Un)	Bazegw
Two (Deux)	Niz
Three (Trois)	Nas
Four (Quatre)	Yaw
Five (Cinq)	Nôlan
Man (Homme)	Zanôba or Gizôba
Woman (Femme)	Behanem
Dog (Chien)	Alemos or Adia
Sun (Soleil)	Gizos
Moon (Lune)	Gizos
Water (Eau)	Nebi
White (Blanc)	Wôbi
Yellow (Jaune)	Wizôw
Red (Rouge)	Mekwi
Black (Noir)	Mkazawi
Eat (Manger)	Micimek
See (Voir)	Namito
Hear (Entendre)	Nodam
Sing (Chanter)	Linto
Leave (Partir)	Ngadôzig

Click here to see Penobscot-Abenaki words compared to words in other Wabanaki languages: Wabanaki Words
Click here to see Penobscot-Abenaki words compared to words in related Algonquian languages: Algonquian Indian Words

Penobscot-Abenaki Picture Dictionaries

Here are some themed Penobscot-Abenaki word lists we have put together and illustrated for language learners. Feel free to print them out for classroom purposes!

Abenaki-Penobscot animal words

Abenaki-Penobscot body parts

Abenaki-Penobscot color words

Additional Resources

   New Hampshire Native Americans
   American Indian dictionaries
   Native Indian names
   Indian numeral words
   Algonquian
   Abenaki mythology

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