Qʼeqchiʼ
Mayan (Quichean)
Q’eqchi’ is the second-largest Mayan language, spoken primarily in central and northern Guatemala. Distinguished from K’iche’ by deeper pre-Columbian Belize/Petén roots and a strong tradition of religious cofradía organizations.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Qʼeqchiʼ
Water
haʼ
/haʔ/
Fire
xam
/ʃam/
Sun
saqʼe
/saqʼe/
Moon
poo
/poː/
Mother
naʼ
/naʔ/
Father
yuwaʼ
/juwaʔ/
Eat
taawaʼ
/tawaʔ/
Drink
ukʼ
/ukʼ/
Love
rahok
/rahok/
Heart
chʼoolej
/tʃʼoːlej/
Tree
cheʼ
/tʃeʔ/
House
ochoch
/otʃotʃ/
Dog
tzʼiʼ
/tsʼiʔ/
Cat
mes
/mes/
Hand
ruqʼ
/ruqʼ/
Eye
xnaqʼ ru
/ʃnaqʼ ru/
Hello
ma saʼ laachʼool
/ma sa laːtʃʼoːl/
Thank you
bantyox
/bantjoʃ/
One
jun
/hun/
Good
us
/us/
Words compared
Compared with related Mayan (Quichean) languages
| Meaning | Qʼeqchiʼ | Uspanteko | Kaqchikel | Classical Maya | Kʼicheʼ | Ixil | Tojolabal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | haʼ /haʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | yaʼ /jaʔ/ | haʼ /haʔ/ | jaʼ /xaʔ/ | aʼ /aʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ |
| Fire | xam /ʃam/ | qʼaqʼ /qʼaqʼ/ | qʼaqʼ /qʼaqʼ/ | kʼahkʼ /kʼahkʼ/ | qʼaqʼ /qʼaqʼ/ | tzaʼ /tsaʔ/ | kʼakʼ /kʼakʼ/ |
| Sun | saqʼe /saqʼe/ | qʼiij /qʼiːh/ | qʼij /qʼix/ | kʼin /kʼin/ | qʼij /qʼix/ | qʼii /qʼiː/ | kʼakʼu /kʼakʼu/ |
| Moon | poo /poː/ | ikʼ /ikʼ/ | ikʼ /ikʼ/ | uh /uh/ | ikʼ /ikʼ/ | ich /itʃ/ | ixaw /iʃaw/ |
| Mother | naʼ /naʔ/ | nan /nan/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | naʼ /naʔ/ | nan /nan/ | naʼ /naʔ/ | nan /nan/ |
| Father | yuwaʼ /juwaʔ/ | tat /tat/ | tataʼ /tataʔ/ | yuum /juːm/ | tat /tat/ | baʼ /baʔ/ | tat /tat/ |
| Eat | taawaʼ /tawaʔ/ | waʼ /waʔ/ | waʼin /waʔin/ | wiʼij /wiʔiχ/ | tijow /tixow/ | tzaʼbʼi /tsaʔɓi/ | waʼel /waʔel/ |
| Drink | ukʼ /ukʼ/ | ukʼ /ukʼ/ | kumun /kumun/ | ukʼ /ukʼ/ | ukʼaaj /ukʼaːh/ | ucha /utʃa/ | ukʼ /ukʼ/ |
| Love | rahok /rahok/ | lóqʼ /lóqʼ/ | ajowabʼäl /axowaɓəl/ | yaah /jaːh/ | loqʼoj /loqʼoh/ | kuxhewchʼa /kuʃewtʃʼa/ | skʼana /skʼana/ |
| Heart | chʼoolej /tʃʼoːlej/ | kʼuʼx /kʼuʔʃ/ | anima /anima/ | pixan /piʃan/ | animaʼ /animaʔ/ | vatzʼ /vatsʼ/ | alma /alma/ |
| Tree | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | tze /tse/ | teʼ /teʔ/ |
| House | ochoch /otʃotʃ/ | jaa /haː/ | jay /xaj/ | otoch /otoːtʃ/ | ja /xa/ | kabʼal /kaɓal/ | naj /nah/ |
| Dog | tzʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | tzʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | tzʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | peekʼ /peːkʼ/ | tzʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | txʼiʼ /tʃʼiʔ/ | tsʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ |
| Cat | mes /mes/ | mis /mis/ | mes /mes/ | miis /miːs/ | meʼs /meʔs/ | mees /meːs/ | mis /mis/ |
| Hand | ruqʼ /ruqʼ/ | qʼab /qʼab/ | qʼaʼ /qʼaʔ/ | kʼab /kʼab/ | qʼabʼ /qʼaɓ/ | qʼabʼ /qʼaɓ/ | kʼabʼ /kʼaɓ/ |
| Eye | xnaqʼ ru /ʃnaqʼ ru/ | wach /watʃ/ | bʼaqʼ wach /ɓaqʼ watʃ/ | ich /itʃ/ | bʼaqʼwach /ɓaqʼwatʃ/ | vusal /vusal/ | satej /sateh/ |
| Hello | ma saʼ laachʼool /ma sa laːtʃʼoːl/ | saʼbʼal /saʔbal/ | utz iwäch /uts iwætʃ/ | bix a beel /biʃ a beːl/ | saqarik /saqaɾik/ | nimaʼla kuxhewchʼa /nimaʔla kuʃewtʃʼa/ | lekilukʼ /lekilukʼ/ |
| Thank you | bantyox /bantjoʃ/ | maltyox /maltjoʃ/ | matyox /matjoʃ/ | nibʼoolal /nibʼoːlal/ | maltyox /maltjoʃ/ | tantixh /tantiʃ/ | yuj /juh/ |
| One | jun /hun/ | jun /hun/ | jun /xun/ | jun /hun/ | jun /xun/ | jun /hun/ | jun /hun/ |
| Good | us /us/ | utz /uts/ | utz /uts/ | utz /uts/ | utz /uts/ | utzʼ /utsʼ/ | lek /lek/ |
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