Vocabulary Words in Native American Languages: Powhatan
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 Powhatan 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 a Powhatan
dictionary, or visit our main
Powhatan language site for more free resources.
Thanks for your interest in Native American languages!
Powhatan Word Set
The Powhatan language has not been spoken natively for centuries, so these vocabulary words come from 17th- and 18th-century sources
and their pronunciation is uncertain.
English (Français)
Powhatan
One (Un)
Nekut
Two (Deux)
Ninge
Three (Trois)
Nus
Four (Quatre)
Yough
Five (Cinq)
Paranske
Man (Homme)
Nimatew
Woman (Femme)
Crenepo
Dog (Chien)
Attemous
Sun (Soleil)
Keshowse
Moon (Lune)
Umpsquoth
Water (Eau)
Suckquahan
White (Blanc)
Opaivwh
Yellow (Jaune)
Oussawack
Red (Rouge)
Musqua
Black (Noir)
Mahcatawaiuwh
Eat (Manger)
Mecher
See (Voir)
Vunamun
Hear (Entendre)
Nowwuntamen
Click here to see these vocabulary words in related Algonquian languages:Algonquian Indian Words
Here are some themed Powhatan word lists we have put together and illustrated for language learners. Feel free to print them out for classroom purposes!
American Indian tribes
Powhatan animal words
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