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Most Common Lakota Words
Lakȟótiyapi
Essential Lakota vocabulary with pronunciation guides. Nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs.
Nouns
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| wičhášta | man / person | wi-CHA-shta |
| wíŋyaŋ | woman | WIN-yan |
| hokšíla | boy / child | hok-SHI-la |
| thípi | house / tipi | THI-pi |
| mni | water | MNI |
| wóžapi | food / berry soup | WO-zha-pi |
| makȟá | earth / land | ma-KHA |
| wičhóȟ'aŋ | custom / way of life | wi-cho-HAN |
| aŋpétu wi | sun | an-PE-tu wi |
| haŋhépi wi | moon / night sun | han-HE-pi wi |
| tȟatéʼiŋ | wind | tha-TE-in |
| pahá | hill / mountain | pa-HA |
| čhaŋ | tree / wood | CHAN |
| matȟó | bear | ma-THO |
| šúŋka | dog / horse | SHUN-ka |
| čhaŋtéčhila | sweetheart / beloved | chan-TE-chi-la |
| oyáte | people / nation | o-YA-te |
| čhaŋnúŋpa | pipe (sacred) | chan-NUN-pa |
| wakhán | sacred / holy | wa-KHAN |
| mitákuye oyásʼiŋ | all my relations | mi-TA-ku-ye o-YAS-in |
Verbs
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| yá | to go | YA |
| hí | to come / arrive | HI |
| wóta | to eat | WO-ta |
| yatká | to drink | yat-KA |
| istíŋma | to sleep | is-TIN-ma |
| tȟókaȟe | to see / look | tho-KA-he |
| naȟʼúŋ | to hear | na-HUN |
| iá | to speak / talk | i-A |
| slolyá | to know | slo-LYA |
| čhaŋtékhiya | to love / cherish | chan-TE-khi-ya |
| htaní | to work | hta-NI |
| kič'úŋ | to give (to) | ki-CHUN |
| iháŋbla | to dream | i-HAN-bla |
| mánič'u | to walk | ma-NI-chu |
| inážiŋ | to stand | i-NA-zhin |
| ikúŋkiŋ | to sit | i-KUN-kin |
| ní | to live / be alive | NI |
| wičhóla | to help | wi-CHO-la |
| wakšíča | to make / create | wak-SHI-cha |
| čhéya | to cry | CHE-ya |
Adjectives
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| tȟáŋka | big / great | THAN-ka |
| čísčila | small / little | chis-CHI-la |
| wašté | good / beautiful | WASH-te |
| šíča | bad | SHI-cha |
| téča | new | TE-cha |
| wičhíčala | old / elderly | wi-chi-CHA-la |
| ská | white | SKA |
| sápa | black | SA-pa |
| ló | statement marker (male speech) | LO |
| zí | yellow | ZI |
| lúta | red | LU-ta |
| tȟó | blue / green | THO |
| háŋska | tall / long | HAN-ska |
| ptéčela | short | pte-CHE-la |
| súŋka | fast | SUN-ka |
| wakhán | sacred / mysterious | wa-KHAN |
| ičháŋ | strong / powerful | i-CHAN |
| nič'íŋ | cold | ni-CHIN |
| kathášpe | warm / hot | ka-THASH-pe |
| wičhíčala | wise / old | wi-chi-CHA-la |
Adverbs
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| lé | this / here | LE |
| hé | that / there | HE |
| héčha | yes / that's right | HE-cha |
| hiyá | no | hi-YA |
| hán | yes (acknowledgement) | HAN |
| čhaŋkéya | now / at this time | chan-KE-ya |
| iktómi | also / spider trickster | ik-TO-mi |
| kȟeháŋl | a long time ago | khe-HAN-l |
| léčhaŋhaŋ | from now on | le-chan-HAN |
| nakhéš | just / only | na-KHESH |
| čhaŋ | and / then | CHAN |
| čheyáš | but / even so | che-YASH |
| iháŋ | there / yonder | i-HAN |
| héhél | over there | HE-hel |
| ečáŋl | very / truly | e-CHAN-l |
| waŋná | now / already | wan-NA |
| aŋpétu kiŋ | today / this day | an-PE-tu kin |
| híŋhanna | tomorrow morning | HIN-han-na |
| phetá | always / forever | phe-TA |
| mitákuye | my relative / for all my relations | mi-TA-ku-ye |