Vocabulary in Native American Languages: Seneca Words

Welcome to our Seneca vocabulary page! Seneca is an Iroquoian language, related to other languages like Mohawk and Tuscarora. We have included twenty basic Seneca words here, enough to provide a simple comparison with related American Indian languages. All the nouns are singular and all the verbs are 3rd person singular ("he or she sings") because many indigenous languages don't have a separate infinitive ("to sing") the way English and French do.

You can find a broader selection of Seneca Indian 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 or visit our main Seneca language site for more free resources.

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Seneca Word Set

(Click here for Seneca pronunciation guide)

English (Français)	Seneca words
One (Un)	Ska:t
Two (Deux)	Tekhni:h
Three (Trois)	Sëh
Four (Quatre)	Ke:ih
Five (Cinq)	Wis
Man (Homme)	Hökwe
Woman (Femme)	Yakökwe
Dog (Chien)	Ji:yäh (loanword from French)
Sun (Soleil)	Kä:hkwa:'
Moon (Lune)	Ë:ní'ta:'
Water (Eau)	O:ne:ka'
White (Blanc)	Kakë:'ët
Yellow (Jaune)	Jitkwä:'ë:'
Red (Rouge)	Tkwëhtä:'ë:'
Black (Noir)	Jë:sta'ë:'

Click here to see Seneca vocabulary words compared to words in related Iroquoian languages: Iroquoian Indian Words

Seneca Picture Dictionaries

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

Seneca animal words

Seneca color words

Additional Resources

   New York Native languages
   North American Indian myths and legends
   Native American names
   Iroquoian languages

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