American Indian languages * American Indian cultures * What's new on our site today!

  * Find Native American ancestors in your family tree

Apache Indian Language (Tinde, Nde, Ndee, Tineh, Na'isha)

Apache is an Athabaskan (Na-Dene) language of the American Southwest, particularly Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Actually, there are at least two distinct Apache languages: Western Apache and Eastern Apache. The two are closely related, like French and Spanish, but speakers of one language cannot understand the other well--in fact, Western Apache is closer to Navajo than to Eastern Apache. Chiricahua-Mescalero is considered by some people to be a dialect of Western Apache, by others a separate language; the three forms of Eastern Apache (Jicarilla, Lipan, and Plains Apache) are considered by some to be distinct languages and by others to be dialects of a single Eastern Apache language. In all there are about 15,000 speakers of Apachean languages in the American Southwest today. All the Apache varieties are polysynthetic tone languages with complex fusional verb morphology and SOV word order.





Apache Language
Apache language samples and resources.

Apache Nation Culture and History
Information and links about the Apache tribe past and present.

Apache Indians Facts Sheet
Our answers to common questions about the Apaches.

Apache Legends
Introduction to Apache mythology.



Apache Language Resources

Our Apache Language Materials

Apache Vocabulary:
    List of vocabulary words in the Jicarilla and Western Apache languages, with comparison to words in other Athabaskan languages.
Apache Pronunciation Guide:
    How to pronounce Apache words.
Apache Picture Dictionary:
    Illustrated glossary of animal words in Western Apache.
Apache Body Parts:
    Online and printable worksheets of parts of the body in the Apache language.
Apache Colors:
    Photo worksheet showing color words in the Apache Indian language.
Apache Numbers:
    How to count in the Apache language.

Apache Language Lessons and Linguistic Descriptions

Apache Pronunciation:
    Orthography, pronunciation guide, and texts.
Apache Alphabet and Pronunciation:
    Phonological inventory of Apache, with a sample text.
Southern Athabaskan Languages:
    Comparative phonology of the Navajo and Apache Indian languages, including tones.
Western Apache Orthography and Phonology * Western Apache Grammar:
    Scanned-in Apache Indian language materials from the Rosetta Project.
Hello Oklahoma: Apache Tribe:
    Plains Apache language greeting, alphabet, and sample text.
Three Songs of the Lipan Apaches:
    Traditional Apache blessing chants in Lipan Apache with English translation.

Apache Glossaries and Sound Files

English to Apache Speaking Dictionary:
    Online Western Apache dictionary with audio clips recorded by White Mountain Apache students.
Native America Calling: Jicarilla Apache Tribe:
    Audio files of spoken Jicarilla Apache words and phrases.
Language of the Apache Indians:
    Vocabulary lists from Western and Eastern Apache.

Literature and Texts in the Apache Language

Chiricahua and Mescalero Apache Texts:
    Collection of Apache Indian stories, songs and prayers, with translation and linguistic analysis.
Leader of the Birds:
    Glossed story from the San Carlos Apache tribe.
Language Museum: Apache:
    Bible passage in the Apache Indian language.
Western Apache Prayers:
    Coyotero Apache translation of the Lord's Prayer and Hail Mary.

Apache Language Preservation and Usage

Language Issues Facing the White Mountain Apaches:
    Language preservation in the White Mountain Apache tribe.
Western Apache * Chiricahua Apache * Mescalero Apache * Jicarilla Apache:
     Information about Apache language usage from the House of Languages.
Western Apache * Jicarilla Apache * Lipan Apache * Kiowa Apache * Mescalero-Chiricahua:
    Apache demographic information from the Ethnologue of Languages.
Western Apache Language Tree * Jicarilla Language Tree * Lipan Language Tree * Kiowa Apache Language Tree * Mescalero-Chiricahau Language Tree:
    Theories about Apache's language relationships compiled by Linguist List.
Chiricahua Apache Language Structures * Western Apache Language Structures * Jicarilla Apache Language Structures:
    Apache linguistic profiles and academic bibliographies.

Apache Proper Names

Life Among the Apaches: Language:
    Passage from an 1862 book including many historical Apache Indian names.
Apache Names:
    List of names used by 19th-century Apache men and women.
Western Apache Place Names Project * Fort Apache Journal: What's In A Name?:
    Discussion of Apache Indian placenames on the White Mountain Apache reservation.
Native American Names for Pets:
    Fundraiser offering names for dogs and other animals in Apache and other Native American languages.

Apache Dictionaries, Audio Tapes and Language Resources

Western Apache-English Dictionary:
    Western Apache dictionary for sale online.
Jicarilla Apache Course:
    Jicarilla Apache language learning cassettes and textbook.
Wisdom Sits In Places:
    Interesting book about the language, culture, and worldview of the Apache Native Americans.
Native American Language Dictionaries:
    Algonquin and other American Indian dictionaries and language materials for sale.

Links, References, and Additional Information

  Britannica: Apachean Languages * Wikipedia: Mescalero-Chiricahua Language * Jicarilla Language * Western Apache Language:
  Encyclopedia articles on Apache Indian languages.
  Lenguas Apaches * Idioma Apache * Apache Coyotero * Idioma Jicarilla:
  Information about the Apache language in Spanish.
  Apache Language * Apache * Apaches * The Apache Indians:
  Apache links.



Back to the list of Native American tribes
Back to our Native American website for kids
Go back to the Amerindian Languages page



Indian war bonnets * Indian clothing pictures * Indian food * Cherokee symbols * Tribal tattoo art

Would you like to sponsor our work on the Apache Indian language?

or buy some books through this link:

Native Languages of the Americas website © 1998-2013 * Contacts and FAQ page