Vocabulary in Native American Languages: Shawnee Words

Welcome to our Shawnee vocabulary page! Shawnee is an Algonquian language, related to other languages like Lenape and Ojibwe. We have included twenty basic Shawnee 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 Shawnee 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 Shawnee language site for more free resources.

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Shawnee Word Set

(Click here for Shawnee pronunciation guide)

English (Français)	Shawnee words
One (Un)	Nekoti
Two (Deux)	Niišwi
Three (Trois)	Nθwi
Four (Quatre)	Nyeewaa
Five (Cinq)	Nyaalanwi
Man (Homme)	Hileni
Woman (Femme)	Kweewa
Dog (Chien)	Wii'ši
Sun (Soleil)	Kiišθwa
Moon (Lune)	Tepeki kiišθwa
Water (Eau)	Nepi
White (Blanc)	Waapa
Yellow (Jaune)	Hoθaawa
Red (Rouge)	Mškwaawi
Black (Noir)	Mkateewa
Eat (Manger)	Miiči
See (Voir)	Neeme or Waapake
Hear (Entendre)	Hkawe'še
Leave (Partir)	Nakaala

Click here to see Shawnee Indian words compared to words in related Algonquian languages: Algonquian Indian Words

Shawnee Picture Dictionaries

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

Shawnee animal words

Shawnee body parts

Shawnee color words

Additional Resources

   Ohio Native Americans
   Native American Indian dictionaries
   American Indian names
   Indian number systems
   Algonkians

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Learn more about the Shawnee Indian tribe.

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