Basic Cherokee Words

basics | numbers | colors | birds | insects | fish | mammals | reptiles
plants | relations | directions | planets | clan names | misc.

"a" as in "father"  "e" as in "echo"  "I" as in "ski"  "o" as in "hello"  "u" as in "Buddha"  "v" as in "but"

( ) Parentheses denote parts of the word that might be silent in informal speech: long vowel? is a glottal stop, or a catch in the throat, such as in between the two syllables in the English phrase "uh-oh"Pronounciation

BASICS

(O)siyo Hello	Wado Thank you
Dohiju? How are you?	Ama water, salt
Dohiju noquo , Uwodige Kagasgo? How are you now, Brown Cow?	Howa You are welcome, okay, all right, truly.
Osda Good.	Kla (also spelled "hla" and "tla") No
Uyoi Bad	Vv Yes
Nidajelvna Ugly	Aniyvwiya?I Principal People (the Cherokee name for Cherokee)

NUMBERS

sa(g)wu one	gat(i)gqog(i) seven
ta?l(i) two	canel(a) eight
jo?(i) three	sonel(a) nine
nvg(i) four	sgo(hi) ten
hisg(i) five	sadu(?i) eleven
sudal(i) six	talidu(?i) twelve

COLORS

adalonige orange (color or fruit)	ije (i)yust(i) green (new-like)
adelv silver, money	sakonige blue, grey
dalonige yellow	unega white
dalonige-adelv gold	usogosdagigage scarlet,
gi(ga)ge red	Usogosdagigage Ohala Scarlett O'Hara
kvnige(?i) black	uwodige brown

ANIMALS: BIRDS

dojuwa cardinal	ji(s)ji(s) winter wren
dudi snowbird	jisk(wa) bird
dvsdi pheasant	jisquoquo robin
golanv raven	jitag(a) chicken
gule disgonihi dove	noqu(i)si meadowlark, star
guque quail, patridge	sasa goose
Guque sidanelvhi Patridge Family	suli buzzard
Dani Guque Dan Quayle	tawodi chicken hawk
guque diganasai guinea fowl	jaquoladagi bluebird
gvna turkey	ugug(u) hoot owl
gvnataquatotli peacock	uwohala eagle
huhu yellow mockingbird	walela hummingbird
kawon(i) duck	wa:kv:ta fox sparrow
kog(a) crow	wohi pigeon
kanasgowa heron
kvgwo:ha sapsucker
jayoga bluejay
jeni wren
jigalili chickadee

INSECTS

(ani)kananesgi spider	kanajisdeji wasp
dosa udvna mosquito	lolo locust
dolajuga grass-hopper	sgoya anesgilvvsgi caterpiller
dvga fly (noun)	squaduli hornet
jasgaya yellowjacket	taladu cricket
jisgoya bug	udolanvsdi praying mantis
jasuga flea	wadulisi bee
kamama butterfly

FISH

ajad(a) fish	oliga red horse (fish)
daloge hog-sucker	unoga bass (fish)
dvdegi eel	unvjadv ajadi speckled trout
julolvdi ajadi rainbow trout	usdi ajadi minnow (little fish)

MAMMALS

adage nestling (it is being born)	jisdu rabbit
ahwi deer	kwaniXst' rat
dewa flying squirrel	ogana groundhog
digalinvhidv donkey (them-s/he rides; long ears)	selagisqua muskrat
dila skunk	salol(i) squirrel
dila gvnagei black skunk	siqua pig
dosawdvl' digiski ant-eater	siqua-ujejasdi opossum (smiling pig)
doyi beaver	soquil(i) horse
etli mink	talasgewi shrew
gili igodi ehi prairie dog	tlvdaji lion, panther
gitl(i) dog	tlomeha bat
gvhe bobcat	ukaso?caned(v) goat (it-down hill-goes)
gvli raccoon	unodena sheep (woolly, bushy)
jinequa mole	wahayv wolf
jinstej' mouse	wag(a) cow
jisgaji daloni weasel	wes(a) cat
jutl' fox	yon(a) bear
kamama elephant	yonasa buffalo

Gige-yust' kamama could mean "Pink Elephant" or "Purple Butterfly"

REPTILES and an ARTHROPOD

adogiyasgi inadv black racer (snake)	teh?ga tadpole, toad
dagasi terrapin	tiyohali lizard
galegi black snake	ugan'tena water moccasin
inad(a) snake	Uk'tena mythic water monster with antlers
jistan(a) crawfish	ujonati rattlesnake
julasgi alligator, iron pot	ulinawi turtle
kanunu bullfrog	walos(i) frog
saligwug(i) water turtle	wodige asgoli copperhead

PLANTS and FUNGI

adalonige orange	nodaji spicewood
ajina cedar	noji pine
anidalonige ga:do anildi:sgi carrots (yellow growers-in-the-ground)	noji (i)yusd(i) svgata pineapple
anv strawberry	nunv potato
asdayahi oak*	nunv uganasdv sweet potato (long potato)
atisvgi birch*	nvdoqueyatlugvi sourwood tree
ayugidv hazelnut	quanena banana
dalonige adadvsigi apricot	quanunasdi plum
daquasanv turnip	quanv peach
dawajila tlugvi elm tree	sali persimmon
dil(I)gali:sgi willow	sedi walnut
duya aniladisgi peanut	sedi iyusdi svgata pear
gaganma cucumber	selu corn
galowed(i) redbud	squash' squash (hey!)
ganulai grass	svg(a)ta apple
gitaya cherry	svgi onion
gonohenv rice	tili tlugvi chestnut tree
gusv beech*	tlugvi tree
guwa mulberry	tula bean
gvgisdi watermelon	uganasda sweet grass
hutsilvha flower	ujalesdi wheat
iya pumpkin	uloque edible, brown mushroom
jiji thistle, wren	ulvda poison ivy
jolv tobacco	unaguhisdi tomato
juwagi maple*	usdasdi holly
kaloquegidi locust (wood)*	usgewi cabbage
kanasdaji sassafras	uwaga passionflower
kanvsita dogwood	wanei hickory*
jiyu tlugvi poplar tree	yugida hazelnut
juganonv ash (wood)	*one of the Seven Council Fire woods

RELATIONS

agitlagi aunt (my)	elisi grandmother
ajiyehi wife	etlogi aunt
anadanvtli brothers	igido sister
aquetsi ageyutsa daughter (my)	iginvtli brother (my)
edoda father	jalisi grandmother (your)
edudu grandfather (my)	usdiga baby
eduji uncle	uwetsidvhi son (of another)
eji mother	vgiwina nephew

DIRECTIONS

ayetli middle, nation

dikatlvgv?i East, it is rising up on

eladi down

galvladi up

juganawv?i South, warm, Democrat

usvnhiyi West

uyvtlv?i North, cold, Republican

PLANETS and a DWARF PLANET

Mercury: Madali

Venus: Ananisdanili

Earth: Elohi

Mars: Masi

Jupiter: Tsuquida

Saturn: Sadani

Uranus: Galiquogine

Neptune: Tsuneline

Pluto: Soneline

CLAN NAMES

Aniawi Deer Clan

Anisahoni Blue (Holly) Clan

Anigatagewi Wild Potato Clan

Anigilohi Longhair, Offended, Panther, Twister Clan

Anijisqua Bird Clan

Aniwaya Wolf Clan

Aniwodi (Red) Paint Clan

MISCELLANEOUS

ahuli drum	Jalagiyi Ayeli Cherokee Nation
ajilv fire	iga ehi nvdo sun
anilasdalv tribe	nvwwati medicine
ditlilosdodi art (for those folks that keep saying there's no word for "art" in Native languages)	teehee killer
	gowe coffee
	unalii friend
dohiyi peace	gvgegui love
gejikahvda anegvi Trail of Tears	jvsgina satan
go?i grease, oil	udo svnoehi moon
elohi Earth	Unelanvhi God

basics | numbers | colors | birds | insects | fish | mammals | reptiles
plants | relations | directions | planets | clan names | misc.