Interrogative words

Questions & Answers

A Reservation Conversation

300 Lakhota Words

Hi, Crowscall and the folks! I made this small page because the Club's post cannot be too big and also to make it easy-to-read. I use here principally the NetSiouan spelling, in which c = /ch/, ph, th, ch, and kh are p, t, c, k plus aspiration (breething), aN, iN, and uN, are nasalized a, i, and u. For more info see Spelling & Pronunciation page.

I made no grammar introduction so far, but perhaps most questions and answers should be memorized as a whole, without details of their construction.

I do not show accent when it as usual falls on the second syllable from the beginning (mataNyaN = mataN'yaN). When the first syllable is accented I put an apostrophe after it: ta'ku.

Interrogative words

Questions & Answers (Note that when asking a question women use the word he?, men use he? informally and hwo? (huNwo') officially. Nituwe he? Who are you? He tu'we he? Who's that?

Nita'ku he? What are you? He ta'ku he? What's that?

Ta'ku eniciyapi he? How do they call you? -X emakiyapi. I'm called X.

Waniyetu nitona he? How old are you? -Waniyetu wikcemna nupa amakeyamni. I'm 23 (winter 10 2 I'm_more 3).

Tuktel yathi he? Where do you live? -L.A. el wathi. I live in L.A.

NituktetaNhaN he? Where are you from? -Russia emataNhaN. I'm from Russia.

Tonikhetu (ka) he? How are you? -MataNyaN na nish? I'm fine, and you?

ChiNca kiN to'na wichaluha he? How many children do you have?

NichiNca kiN to'khetupi he? How are your children?

To'kheshkhe o'chiciya owakihi he? How can I help you?

To'khiya ni kta he? Where will you go? To'khiya la he? Where are you going?

To'khiyataNhaN yau he? Where do you come from? Tuktel yauNhaN he? Where have you been?

TohaNl yagli kta he? When will you return?

Ma'zashkaNshkaN / Owaphe  to'nakca he? What time is it?

Ta'ku to'khanuN haN he? What are you doing?

A Reservation Conversation (from J.S.Karol, 1971 with my editing; I guess there are some errors in the text which I did not find)

Washicu: Hau, John Smith emakiyapi. Ta'ku eniciyapi hwo? Hello, John Smith they-call-me. What do they-call-you?

Ikcewichasha: Hau, Matho Pte'cela emakiyapi. Hello, Short Bear they-call-me.

W.: ChaNli waNz^i uN'pa yo. Cigarette one smoke.

I.: Philamayaye. Thanks (Feel good-me-you-made).

W.: Tuktel Tha'h^ca IN'yaNka thi hwo? Where do the Running Deer live?

I.: ChaNku kiN le ogna waziyatakiya ni na chaNku okiz^u icinuNpa kiN hetaN wiyoh^peyatakiya ni, nahaN thi'pi thokaheya kiN hel thi. Nayashna oyakihi shni.
Road this along northward you-go and cross-road second from-that westward you-go and house first there he-lives. You-miss you-can not.

W.: Philamaya. Ma'zashkaNshkaN to'nakca hwo? Thanks. What time is it (Metal-goes-goes what)?

I.: MazashkaN waNz^i. It's 1:00.

W.: MazashkaN waNz^i sam okhise he'chiya wauN kta iyecheca. TohaNl ekta iwahuNni kta hwo? At 1:30 there I have to be. When it is that I'll reach there?

I.: Li'lah^ce the'haNtu sni. Very far it is not.

W.: Mah^piya a'ya cha inihiNmiciye. Clouds come so I worried.

I.: Hau, mag^az^u naiNsh icamna kta se'ce. Yes rain or snow it probably will.

W.: NahaNh^ci aNpetu washte cha wakhiyagni kte. Li'la philamayaye. ChaNli (ma'zaska) kiN lena yuha yo.  To'ksha akhe waNchiNyaNkiN ktelo. Still day good so I-start-home will. Many thanks. Cigarettes (money) these have. See you later.

I.: Philamaya. WakhaN ThaN'ka ni'ci uN. Akhe hwo(=?). Thanks. May the Great Spirit be with you. Come again (?).

300 Lakhota Words.

1. Man. Wichasha.

wicha man (male), wiN'yaN woman. wichah^cala old man, winuh^cala old woman.
khoshkalaka young man, wikhoshkalaka young woman. hokshila boy, wichiNcala girl.
chiNca, wakhaNhez^a child(ren).
oyate -- thioshpaye -- thiwahe nation -- tribe/clan -- family.
ithaNchaN akichita  ohitika chief soldier brave
Ikcewichasha -- Washicu(N) Indian -- White.
ate -- ina, thuNkashila -- uNci, chiNkshi -- chuNkshi father-mother, grandfather-grandmother, son-daughter.
khola, mashke -- tho'ka male friend of a male, female friend of a female -- enemy, stranger.
olakhota, wo'lakhota -- ozuye, kichizapi peace -- war, battle

2. Nature.

we'tu -- bloketu -- ptaNyetu -- waniyetu spring-summer-fall-winter.
hiN'haNni -- aNpetu -- h^tayetu -- haNhepi morning-daytime-evening-night.
waziyata -- itokag^ata -- wiyohiNyaNpata -- wiyoh^peyata N-S-E-W.
mah^piya -- thate -- makha -- ma'g^a -- oblaye -- h^e -- ble -- wakpa
cloud -- wind -- earth -- cultivated field -- prairie -- mountain -- lake -- river.
ma'za -- iN'yaN -- chaN -- phe'ta -- wi -- mni
metall -- rock -- wood -- fire -- luminary -- water
cha'g^a -- wa -- icamna -- mag^az^u -- chu -- p?o -- sho'ta
ice -- snow -- snowfall -- rain -- dew -- fog -- smoke

3. Anatomy.

nag^i -- cheh^pi -- thaNchaN soul -- flesh -- body
ha -- he -- hi -- hiN -- ho -- huhu -- we -- khaN
skin/hide/bark -- horn -- tooth -- hair/fur -- voice -- bone(s) -- blood -- sinew/nerve/vessel
pha -- nata -- nasula -- ite -- ishta -- pho'g^e -- nu'g^e
head/muzzle - head -- brain -- face -- eye -- nose -- ear
isto -- nape -- hu -- si arm -- hand -- leg -- foot
chuwi -- ikpi back -- belly
chaNte -- chag^u -- phi -- ma'ma -- aze -- uNze -- che -- shaN
heart -- lungs -- liver -- breast -- nipple -- buttocks -- m.gntls - f.gntls

4. Botany.

wanah^ca -- wah^pe, ape -- watho -- phez^i -- phez^uta
flower -- leaves -- greens/vegetables -- grass -- medicine

5. Zoology.

shuN'ka -- shuN'kawakhaN -- shuNg^ila -- shuNgmanitu thaN'ka
dog/horse -- horse -- fox -- wolf
igmu -- matho --  maka -- cha'pa -- hithuNkala -- phahiN
cat -- bear --skunk -- beaver -- mouse -- porcupine
tha- -- tha'h^ca -- thathaNka -- pte -- heh^aka
ruminants -- deer -- buffalo -- cow -- wapiti
ziNtkala -- khaNg^i -- mag^a -- hiNhaN -- hokha
bird -- crow -- duck/goose -- owl -- heron
waNbli, anuNkhasaN, h^uya -- species of eagles
hog^aN, zuzeca, iktomi, theh^muNg^a -- fish, snake, spider, bee

6. Activities.

thi'pi -- ho'choka -- e'yapaha -- waphaha -- chaNwapaha
tipi -- camp circle -- herald (crier) -- scalp -- coup stick
itazipa -- waNhiNkpe -- wahachaNka -- wahukheza -- ma'zawakhaN
bow -- arrow -- shield -- spear -- gun
chegnake -- shina -- huNska -- haN'pa -- wakshupi -- wo'ska
breechcloth -- robe/blanket -- leggings -- moccasin -- beadwork -- quillwork
pa'pa -- wasna -- thalo dried meat -- pemmican -- meat.

7. Stative verbs.

thaN'ka -- ci'k?ala -- wakhaN -- haN'skA -- pte'cela
large -- small -- sacred -- long -- short.
sho'kA -- zibzipela  suta -- cocola
thick -- thin   firm/hard -- soft
lu'zahaN -- iwashtegla swift -- slow
sa'pA -- h^o'ta -- saN -- ska -- sha'pA -- so'ta
black -- gray -- whitish -- white -- dirty -- not fully transparent
lu'ta -- sha -- g^i -- zi -- tho
red-hot -- red -- brown/rusty - yellow (/orange?) green/blue
washte -- shi'cA good -- bad
sku'yA -- pha tasteful -- bitter
mashte -- kha'tA -- osni; oluluta -- chuwita
hot -- warm -- cold (weather); feeling hot -- feeling cold.
spaNyaN -- pu'zA wet -- dry
ksa'pA -- witko(tko) wise -- foolish
t?A dead

7. Active verbs.

ni -- thi -- thuN -- kte live -- dwell -- give birth -- kill
khute -- o -- shu-thA shoot -- hit -- miss
ma-nuN  ma'-ni  nu'ni steal walk wander
na-h^mA -- o-le, a-khita -- iye-yA hide -- seek -- find
o-wa  -- yawa write -- read
e-yA -- i-yA -- o-yakA -- iyuNg^A -- a-yuptA -- shi
say -- speak -- tell -- ask -- answer -- order
yu'tA, wo'tA -- yatkAN eat -- drink
waN-yaNkA -- na-h^?uN see -- hear
lowaN -- ih^ah^a -- che'yA -- h^a sing -- laugh -- cry -- bury
nuwAN -- kiNyAN -- iN'yaNkA swim -- fly -- run
yA -- u  i -- hi go there -- come here  arrive there -- arrive here
yuNkA -- i'-yotakA -- yaNkA -- na'-z^iN -- hAN -- uN (be) uN (use)
recline -- sit -- sit/be -- stand -- stand/be -- be
k?u -- yuha -- i-cu -- iyophe-yA -- ophe-thuN
give -- possess - take -- sell -- buy
ech(a)-uN -- ka'g^A -- o-h^?aN -- shkaN
do -- make -- behave -- move, act
chiN -- kinica want -- need
ech(a)-iN -- slol-yA -- o-kihi think -- know -- be able
wa-chi -- h^?o-kha -- shka'tA dance -- drum-sing -- play, celebrate

8. Numbers.

1 waNz^i 1
2 nuN'pa 2
3 ya'mni
4 to'pa
5 za'ptaN
6 sha'kpe
7 shako'wiN
8 shaglo'g^aN
9 napci'yuNka
10 wikcemna
11 ake waNz^i
...
19 ake napciyuNka
20 wikcemna nuN'pa
21 wikcemna nuN'pa ake waNz^i
100 opawiNg^e
1000 khiktopawiNg^e
1000000 wo'yawa thaN'ka.

9. Etc.

el -- ekta in/at/to (here-there)  thima -- thaNkal at home -- out-of-doors  akaNl upon
le -- he -- ka   lel -- hel -- kal
this--that--yonderr, here--there--over there.
h^ta'lehaN -- aNpetu kiN le -- hiN'haNni kiN   ehaNni -- nahaNh^ci -- to'ksha
yesterday -- today -- tomorrow;             already/long ago -- still -- later

Verbal particles and theire order:
VERB hAN pi ktA shni s?a  yelo / he? / yo!
hAN-ing; pi plural; ktA futurity/irreality; shni not; s?a regularly; yelo it's a fact (man speaking) he?/hwo? question particles; yo! imperative particle.

na and; naiNsh or; k?e'yash, tkha' but; cha and consequently; ichiN that's why; yuN'khaN and lo.

Articles:

kiN the; waN a(n); k?uN the aforesaid; waNz^i any (k?)eya some, several
taNyaN well; li'la very; a'taya all;

10. Examples of verb inflection.

    Active transitive verb