Tu'un Sávi
Mixtec
Oto-Manguean (Mixtecan)
Mixtec (Tu'un Sávi, "rain language") is a complex of dozens of varieties, often mutually unintelligible, spoken across the Mixteca region of southern Mexico. All varieties are tonal, with up to four phonemic tones.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Mixtec
Water
ndute
/nduteʔ/
Fire
ñu'u
/ɲuʔu/
Sun
nikandii
/nikandiː/
Moon
yoo
/joː/
Mother
na'án
/naʔán/
Father
tatá
/tatá/
Eat
kasi
/kasi/
Drink
kohó
/koʔó/
Love
kúu ini
/kúu iniʔ/
Heart
ini
/iniʔ/
Tree
yutu
/jutu/
House
ve'e
/βeʔe/
Dog
tina
/tina/
Cat
vilú
/βilú/
Hand
ndo'ó
/ndoʔó/
Eye
nduchi
/ndutʃi/
Hello
nasáa
/nasáː/
Thank you
tachu'un
/tatʃuʔun/
One
in
/iʔn/
Good
vate
/βate/
Words compared
Compared with related Oto-Manguean (Mixtecan) languages
| Meaning | Mixtec | Mixtepec Mixtec | Metlatónoc Mixtec | Uspanteko | Tabasco Chontal | Kaqchikel | Kimbundu |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ndute /nduteʔ/ | ndute /nduteʔ/ | ndute /nduteʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | yaʼ /jaʔ/ | menha /meɲa/ |
| Fire | ñu'u /ɲuʔu/ | ñu'u /ɲuʔu/ | ñu'un /ɲuʔun/ | qʼaqʼ /qʼaqʼ/ | kʼakʼ /kʼakʼ/ | qʼaqʼ /qʼaqʼ/ | tubia /tubja/ |
| Sun | nikandii /nikandiː/ | nikan /nikan/ | nikandii /nikandiː/ | qʼiij /qʼiːh/ | kʼin /kʼin/ | qʼij /qʼix/ | muanya /mwaɲa/ |
| Moon | yoo /joː/ | yoo /joː/ | yoo /joː/ | ikʼ /ikʼ/ | ä /æ/ | ikʼ /ikʼ/ | ngonde /ŋɡonde/ |
| Mother | na'án /naʔán/ | na'án /naʔán/ | na'án /naʔán/ | nan /nan/ | naʼ /naʔ/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | mama /mama/ |
| Father | tatá /tatá/ | tatá /tatá/ | tatá /tatá/ | tat /tat/ | tat /tat/ | tataʼ /tataʔ/ | tata /tata/ |
| Eat | kasi /kasi/ | kashi /kaʃi/ | kasi /kasi/ | waʼ /waʔ/ | weʼ /weʔ/ | waʼin /waʔin/ | kudya /kudja/ |
| Drink | kohó /koʔó/ | kohó /koʔó/ | kohó /koʔó/ | ukʼ /ukʼ/ | ukʼe /ukʼe/ | kumun /kumun/ | kunwa /kunwa/ |
| Love | kúu ini /kúu iniʔ/ | kúu ini /kúu iniʔ/ | kunduu ini /kundúː iniʔ/ | lóqʼ /lóqʼ/ | kʼuxbe /kʼuʃbe/ | ajowabʼäl /axowaɓəl/ | henda /henda/ |
| Heart | ini /iniʔ/ | ini /iniʔ/ | ini /iniʔ/ | kʼuʼx /kʼuʔʃ/ | pixan /piʃan/ | anima /anima/ | muxima /muʃima/ |
| Tree | yutu /jutu/ | yutu /jutu/ | itun /itun/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | mukune /mukune/ |
| House | ve'e /βeʔe/ | veʔe /veʔe/ | ve'e /βeʔe/ | jaa /haː/ | otot /otot/ | jay /xaj/ | inzo /inzo/ |
| Dog | tina /tina/ | ina /ina/ | tina /tina/ | tzʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | pekʼ /pekʼ/ | tzʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | imbwa /imbwa/ |
| Cat | vilú /βilú/ | vilú /vilú/ | vilu /βilu/ | mis /mis/ | mis /mis/ | mes /mes/ | kasalu /kasalu/ |
| Hand | ndo'ó /ndoʔó/ | ndo'ó /ndoʔó/ | nda'a /ndaʔa/ | qʼab /qʼab/ | kʼä /kʼæ/ | qʼaʼ /qʼaʔ/ | lukwaku /lukwaku/ |
| Eye | nduchi /ndutʃi/ | nduchi /ndutʃi/ | nduchi /ndutʃi/ | wach /watʃ/ | wich /witʃ/ | bʼaqʼ wach /ɓaqʼ watʃ/ | dixi /diʃi/ |
| Hello | nasáa /nasáː/ | nasáa /nasáː/ | sa'a /saʔa/ | saʼbʼal /saʔbal/ | bin a bel /bin a bel/ | utz iwäch /uts iwætʃ/ | kiebi /kiebi/ |
| Thank you | tachu'un /tatʃuʔun/ | tachu'un /tatʃuʔun/ | tatu'un /tatuʔun/ | maltyox /maltjoʃ/ | dios boʼtik /dios boʔtik/ | matyox /matjoʃ/ | kishukutu /kiʃukutu/ |
| One | in /iʔn/ | in /iʔn/ | i'in /iʔin/ | jun /hun/ | un /un/ | jun /xun/ | -moxi /moʃi/ |
| Good | vate /βate/ | vaha /vahaʔ/ | vaha /vahaʔ/ | utz /uts/ | tsʼak /tsʼak/ | utz /uts/ | kiá /kja/ |
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