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Vocabulary Words in the Iroquoian Language Family

These words are not spelled phonetically--each word is spelled according to the orthography of its own language, so if you're not familiar with these languages you will need to follow the links to see how to pronounce them. We are working on a second chart transcribed into IPA symbols. 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.

If you would like to know an Iroquoian word that is not currently on our page, you can take part in our American Indian translations fundraiser or visit our main Iroquoian languages site for more free resources.

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Iroquoian Word Sets

Bear in mind that Iroquoian languages use prefixes on their verbs, unlike Indo-European languages (which generally use suffixes). For example, all the Mohawk verbs start with "ra," "ron," "ro" or "ren" because those are the 3rd person singular prefixes in Mohawk. So if you're used to speaking English, French, or another European language, you may have to look closely for the verb roots.

	Northern Iroquois						Southern Iroquois	Extinct Iroquoian Languages
English (Français)	Cayuga	Mohawk	Oneida	Onondaga	Seneca	Tuscarora	Cherokee	Laurentian	Nottoway	Susquehannock	Wyandot (Huron)
One (Un)	Sga:t	Enhskat	Úska	Sgá:dah	Ska:t	Ę:chi	Sagwu	Segada	Unte	Onskat	Skat
Two (Deux)	Dekni:	Tekeni	Tékeni	Dégnih	Tekhni:h	Né:kti:	Ta'li	Tigneny	Dekanee	Tiggene	Tindee
Three (Trois)	Ahsenh	Ahsen	Áhsv	Áhsęh	Sëh	Áhsę	Tso'i	Asche	Arsa	Axe	Shenk
Four (Quatre)	Gei:	Kayeri	Kayé:	Gayí:h	Ke:ih	Hę'tahk	Nvgi	Honnacon	Hentag	Raiene	Andauk
Five (Cinq)	Hwihs	Wisk	Wísk	Hwíks	Wis	Wísk	Hisgi	Ouyscon	Whisk	Wisck	Weeish
Man (Homme)	Ho:nhgweh	Ronkwe	Lukwé	Hę:gweh	Hökwe	Rę:kweh	Asgaya	Aguehan	Enihā	Itae'aetsin	Aingahon or Onnonhou
Woman (Femme)	Ago:nhgweh	Yakonkwe	Yakukwé	Gųnų:gweh	Yakökwe	Akę:kweh	Agehya	Aggouette	Ekening	Achonhaeffti	Utehke or Ontehtian
Dog (Chien)	So:wa:s	Erhar	É:lhal	Jí:hah	Ji:yäh	Chír or Gís	Gihli	Aggayo	Cheer	Abgarijo	Agnienon or Yunyeno
Sun (Soleil)	Ga:gwa:'	Karahkwa	Yotahala	Gáæhgwa:'	Kä:hkwa:'	Híhte'	Nvda	Isnay	Aheeta		Yaundeeshaw
Moon (Lune)	Enhni'da:'	Ehnita	Ohní:ta'	Ęhní'da'	Ë:ní'ta:'	Í:ka'r	Nvda	Assomaha	Tethrāke		Yaundeeshaw
Water (Eau)	Ohneganohs	Ohneka	Ohne:kánus	Ohnéganos	O:ne:ka'	À:we	Ama	Ame	Auwa	Oneega	Saundustee
White (Blanc)	Genh'ge:nh	Kenraken	Owískela'	Owæhé'sda'	Kakë:'ët	Uhwaryá:kę'	Unega		Owheryakum
Yellow (Jaune)	Oji:tgwa:'	Otsinekwar	Otsí:nkwala'	Ojí'tgwa:'	Jitkwä:'ë:'	Uchi'tkwáhneh	Dalonige
Red (Rouge)	Otgwenhj'ia:'	Onekwenhtara	Onikwvhtala'	Otgwęhda:'	Tkwëhtä:'ë:'	Katkwarà:yę'	Gigage		Ganuntquare
Black (Noir)	Swenh'd'aenh	Kahòntsi	O'swv:ta'	Oshwę'da'	Jë:sta'ë:'	Kahęschi	Agvnige		Gehuntee		Che'estaheh
Eat (Manger)	I:ge:s	Raeks	Í:laks	Íheks	I:se:k	Rachù:rih	Agi'a		Untchore	Sischijro
See (Voir)	Ge:genh	Ratkahthos	La:kvhe'	Hagęha'	Hato:kha'	Ratkáhthuhs	Agowatiha		Waskehee
Hear (Entendre)	Hoto:nhde'	Rahronkas	Lothu:té:	Hathų:de'	Ha:ökha'	Rathęhna:ch	Atvgi'a		Thrahurta
Sing (Chanter)	Hore:nho:t	Raterennotha'	Tehalihwákhwa'	Hodę:nó:da'	Hatënotha'	Ra'nwę'è:ręh	Dekanogi'a	Thegnehoaca

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