Vocabulary in Native American Languages: Sioux Words

Welcome to our Lakota and Dakota Sioux vocabulary page! Lakota and Dakota Sioux are two dialects of a Siouan language, related to other languages like Crow and Assiniboine. We have included twenty basic Sioux 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 Sioux Indian words in our online picture glossaries. If you need to know a Sioux word that is not currently on our page, you can take part in our Indian translations fundraiser or visit our main Sioux language site for more free resources.

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Sioux Word Sets

(Click here for Sioux pronunciation guide)

English (Français)	Dakota Sioux words	Lakota Sioux words
One (Un)	Wanzi	Wanji
Two (Deux)	Nonpa	Núnpa
Three (Trois)	Yamni	Yámni
Four (Quatre)	Topa	Tópa
Five (Cinq)	Zaptan	Záptan
Man (Homme)	Wicaša	Wica
Woman (Femme)	Winyan	Winyan
Sun (Soleil)	Wi	Anpetu wi
Moon (Lune)	Hanwi	Hanhepi wi
Water (Eau)	Mini	Mni

Click here to hear these words pronounced in the Lakota Sioux dialect.
Click here to see Sioux vocabulary words compared to words in related Siouan languages.

Sioux Picture Dictionaries

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

Lakota Sioux animal words

Dakota Sioux body parts

Lakota Sioux color words

Lakota Sioux numbers

Additional Resources

   South Dakota tribes
   Native stories
   Indian names

Learn more about the Sioux Indians
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