Kaqchikel
Mayan (Quichean, Kaqchikelan)
Kaqchikel is one of the major Mayan languages of Guatemala's central highlands, sister to Kʼicheʼ (quc) and Tzʼutujil within the Quichean branch. The Kaqchikel kingdom (centered at Iximche) was the second-largest highland Maya political entity at the Spanish conquest. Active revitalization through the Academia de Lenguas Mayas de Guatemala (ALMG, founded 1990) and several immersion schools. Notable for the Oxlajuj Aj — Kaqchikel Maya intensive language program in Antigua.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Kaqchikel
Water
yaʼ
/jaʔ/
Fire
qʼaqʼ
/qʼaqʼ/
Sun
qʼij
/qʼix/
Moon
ikʼ
/ikʼ/
Mother
teʼ
/teʔ/
Father
tataʼ
/tataʔ/
Eat
waʼin
/waʔin/
Drink
kumun
/kumun/
Love
ajowabʼäl
/axowaɓəl/
Heart
anima
/anima/
Tree
cheʼ
/tʃeʔ/
House
jay
/xaj/
Dog
tzʼiʼ
/tsʼiʔ/
Cat
mes
/mes/
Hand
qʼaʼ
/qʼaʔ/
Eye
bʼaqʼ wach
/ɓaqʼ watʃ/
Hello
utz iwäch
/uts iwætʃ/
Thank you
matyox
/matjoʃ/
One
jun
/xun/
Good
utz
/uts/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Mayan (Quichean, Kaqchikelan) languages
| Meaning | Kaqchikel | Kʼicheʼ | Uspanteko | Qʼeqchiʼ | Poqomchi' | Ixil | Tojolabal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | yaʼ /jaʔ/ | jaʼ /xaʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | haʼ /haʔ/ | haʼ /haʔ/ | aʼ /aʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ |
| Fire | qʼaqʼ /qʼaqʼ/ | qʼaqʼ /qʼaqʼ/ | qʼaqʼ /qʼaqʼ/ | xam /ʃam/ | qʼaaq /qʼaːq/ | tzaʼ /tsaʔ/ | kʼakʼ /kʼakʼ/ |
| Sun | qʼij /qʼix/ | qʼij /qʼix/ | qʼiij /qʼiːh/ | saqʼe /saqʼe/ | qʼij /qʼih/ | qʼii /qʼiː/ | kʼakʼu /kʼakʼu/ |
| Moon | ikʼ /ikʼ/ | ikʼ /ikʼ/ | ikʼ /ikʼ/ | poo /poː/ | ik /ik/ | ich /itʃ/ | ixaw /iʃaw/ |
| Mother | teʼ /teʔ/ | nan /nan/ | nan /nan/ | naʼ /naʔ/ | tuut /tuːt/ | naʼ /naʔ/ | nan /nan/ |
| Father | tataʼ /tataʔ/ | tat /tat/ | tat /tat/ | yuwaʼ /juwaʔ/ | ajaab /ahaːb/ | baʼ /baʔ/ | tat /tat/ |
| Eat | waʼin /waʔin/ | tijow /tixow/ | waʼ /waʔ/ | taawaʼ /tawaʔ/ | wai /wai/ | tzaʼbʼi /tsaʔɓi/ | waʼel /waʔel/ |
| Drink | kumun /kumun/ | ukʼaaj /ukʼaːh/ | ukʼ /ukʼ/ | ukʼ /ukʼ/ | uuk /uːk/ | ucha /utʃa/ | ukʼ /ukʼ/ |
| Love | ajowabʼäl /axowaɓəl/ | loqʼoj /loqʼoh/ | lóqʼ /lóqʼ/ | rahok /rahok/ | rahaal /rahaːl/ | kuxhewchʼa /kuʃewtʃʼa/ | skʼana /skʼana/ |
| Heart | anima /anima/ | animaʼ /animaʔ/ | kʼuʼx /kʼuʔʃ/ | chʼoolej /tʃʼoːlej/ | kʼuxl /kʼuʃl/ | vatzʼ /vatsʼ/ | alma /alma/ |
| Tree | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | cheeʼ /tʃeʔ/ | tze /tse/ | teʼ /teʔ/ |
| House | jay /xaj/ | ja /xa/ | jaa /haː/ | ochoch /otʃotʃ/ | paat /paːt/ | kabʼal /kaɓal/ | naj /nah/ |
| Dog | tzʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | tzʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | tzʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | tzʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | tzʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | txʼiʼ /tʃʼiʔ/ | tsʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ |
| Cat | mes /mes/ | meʼs /meʔs/ | mis /mis/ | mes /mes/ | mees /meːs/ | mees /meːs/ | mis /mis/ |
| Hand | qʼaʼ /qʼaʔ/ | qʼabʼ /qʼaɓ/ | qʼab /qʼab/ | ruqʼ /ruqʼ/ | qʼab /qʼab/ | qʼabʼ /qʼaɓ/ | kʼabʼ /kʼaɓ/ |
| Eye | bʼaqʼ wach /ɓaqʼ watʃ/ | bʼaqʼwach /ɓaqʼwatʃ/ | wach /watʃ/ | xnaqʼ ru /ʃnaqʼ ru/ | nakʼ /nakʼ/ | vusal /vusal/ | satej /sateh/ |
| Hello | utz iwäch /uts iwætʃ/ | saqarik /saqaɾik/ | saʼbʼal /saʔbal/ | ma saʼ laachʼool /ma sa laːtʃʼoːl/ | ma chaa /ma tʃaː/ | nimaʼla kuxhewchʼa /nimaʔla kuʃewtʃʼa/ | lekilukʼ /lekilukʼ/ |
| Thank you | matyox /matjoʃ/ | maltyox /maltjoʃ/ | maltyox /maltjoʃ/ | bantyox /bantjoʃ/ | tioxlaab /tjoʃlaːb/ | tantixh /tantiʃ/ | yuj /juh/ |
| One | jun /xun/ | jun /xun/ | jun /hun/ | jun /hun/ | jino /hino/ | jun /hun/ | jun /hun/ |
| Good | utz /uts/ | utz /uts/ | utz /uts/ | us /us/ | saqʼwach /saqʼwatʃ/ | utzʼ /utsʼ/ | lek /lek/ |
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