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Vocabulary in Native American Languages: Mandan Words

Welcome to our Mandan vocabulary page! Mandan is a Siouan language, related to other languages like Nakoda and Kaw. We have included twenty basic Mandan words here, to compare with related American Indian languages. If you need to know a Mandan word that is not currently on our page, you can take part in our Indian translations fundraiser or visit our main Mandan language site for more free resources.

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Mandan Word Set

Note that the Mandan sounds "m" and "n" vary phonologically with "w" and "r"--the word "mini" is pronounced "wiri" in Mandan under certain conditions. This is normal and didn't cause any problems for Mandan speakers to understand each other, any more than the different ways English speakers pronounce "l" at the beginning and end of words does. However, these variations are disappearing as the Mandan people work to teach their children to speak the language again.

English (Français)	Mandan words
One (Un)	Maxana
Two (Deux)	Nuⁿp
Three (Trois)	Namini
Four (Quatre)	Toop
Five (Cinq)	Kixoⁿ
Man (Homme)	Numaⁿk
Woman (Femme)	Wiiⁿh
Sun (Soleil)	Minaki
Moon (Lune)	Ištuⁿminaki
Water (Eau)	Mini

Click here to see Mandan vocabulary words compared to words in related Siouan languages: Siouan Indian Words

Additional Resources

   Mandan tribe
   Native American tribes in North Dakota
   Native American dictionaries
   Native American names
   American Indian Plains languages
   Sioux languages

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