Kanien'kéha
Mohawk
Iroquoian (Northern)
Mohawk (Kanien'kéha) is one of the largest surviving Iroquoian languages, native to the Mohawk Valley. It is highly polysynthetic and has only 11 phonemes including 6 consonants. Active revitalization is ongoing in Akwesasne and Kahnawake.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Mohawk
Water
ohnekanos
/ohnekanos/
Fire
o'kara
/oʔkara/
Sun
karahkwa
/karahkwa/
Moon
ahsonthenhne
/ahsontʰenhne/
Mother
iste
/iste/
Father
ranihá
/raniha/
Eat
kekhwa
/kekʰwa/
Drink
kahnek
/kahnek/
Love
aknoronhkwa
/aknoronhkʷa/
Heart
awèrià
/awɛriã/
Tree
okwire
/okʷire/
House
kanonhsa
/kanonhsa/
Dog
érhar
/erhar/
Cat
takós
/takos/
Hand
o'nentsha
/oʔnentsha/
Eye
kakahre
/kakahre/
Hello
she:kon
/ʃeːkon/
Thank you
niáwen
/niawen/
One
enska
/enska/
Good
ió
/jo/
Words compared
Compared with related Iroquoian (Northern) languages
| Meaning | Mohawk | Cayuga | Onondaga | Interlingua | Old Javanese (Kawi) | Puyuma | Cora |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ohnekanos /ohnekanos/ | ohnekanos /ohnekanos/ | ohnekano:s /ohnekanoːs/ | aqua /akwa/ | ꦮꦫꦶꦃ /warih/ | enay /enai/ | hapɨn /hapɨn/ |
| Fire | o'kara /oʔkara/ | ojistaʼ /odʒistaʔ/ | oji:staʼ /odʒiːstaʔ/ | foco /fɔko/ | ꦄꦒ꧀ꦤꦶ /aɡni/ | apuy /apui/ | ta'ai /taʔai/ |
| Sun | karahkwa /karahkwa/ | gaehkwa /ɡaehkwa/ | gaeh'kwa /ɡaehʔkwa/ | sol /sɔl/ | ꦱꦸꦂꦪ /suɾja/ | kadaw /kadaw/ | tahaapuá /tahaːpwa/ |
| Moon | ahsonthenhne /ahsontʰenhne/ | sǫi:ya /sõːja/ | gaeh'kwa enitha /ɡaehʔkwa enitha/ | luna /luna/ | ꦕꦤ꧀ꦢꦿ /tʃandra/ | kuwalan /kuwalan/ | mɨhka /mɨhka/ |
| Mother | iste /iste/ | agniha /aɡniha/ | ekno:ha' /eknoːhaʔ/ | matre /matre/ | ꦆꦧꦸ /ibu/ | ina /ina/ | naana /naːna/ |
| Father | ranihá /raniha/ | hagʼniha /haɡʔniha/ | hak'no:ha' /hakʔnoːhaʔ/ | patre /patre/ | ꦫꦩ /rama/ | ama /ama/ | hahuá /hahwa/ |
| Eat | kekhwa /kekʰwa/ | gekho /ɡekʰo/ | ekho:ne' /ekʰoːneʔ/ | manducar /mandukar/ | ꦄꦩꦔꦤ꧀ /amaŋan/ | kuman /kuman/ | kuá /kwa/ |
| Drink | kahnek /kahnek/ | gehnegira /ɡehneɡira/ | ehnega:i'ron /ehneɡaːiʔron/ | biber /biber/ | ꦄꦩꦶꦤꦸꦩ꧀ /aminum/ | enpa /enpa/ | hi'i /hiʔi/ |
| Love | aknoronhkwa /aknoronhkʷa/ | gaihwiyu /ɡaihwiju/ | gaonihsdá:wę /ɡaonihsdaːwɛ̃/ | amor /amor/ | ꦱꦶꦃ /sih/ | ulaw /ulaw/ | ka'na /kaʔna/ |
| Heart | awèrià /awɛriã/ | awéri /aweri/ | awé:ri /aweːri/ | corde /kɔrde/ | ꦲꦠꦶ /hati/ | kalumetan /kalumetan/ | hɨurí /hɨuri/ |
| Tree | okwire /okʷire/ | gaentaʼ /ɡaentaʔ/ | ga:enda' /ɡaːendaʔ/ | arbore /arbore/ | ꦏꦪꦸ /kaju/ | kawi /kawi/ | kɨré /kɨre/ |
| House | kanonhsa /kanonhsa/ | ganǫhsoot /ɡanõhsoːt/ | ganǫhsoht /ɡanõhsoht/ | casa /kasa/ | ꦈꦩꦃ /umah/ | ruma /ɾuma/ | kíh /kih/ |
| Dog | érhar /erhar/ | shǫkáos /ʃõkaos/ | só:wa:s /soːwaːs/ | can /kan/ | ꦄꦱꦸ /asu/ | suwan /suwan/ | tsɨ'ɨ /tsɨʔɨ/ |
| Cat | takós /takos/ | ditshokwáʔ /ditʃokwaʔ/ | takó:s /takoːs/ | catto /katto/ | ꦩꦺꦴꦁ /moŋ/ | kating /katiŋ/ | mistú /mistu/ |
| Hand | o'nentsha /oʔnentsha/ | onénǫhsa /onenõhsa/ | onénǫhsa' /onenõhsaʔ/ | mano /mano/ | ꦠꦔꦤ꧀ /taŋan/ | lima /lima/ | mam /mam/ |
| Eye | kakahre /kakahre/ | oga:t /oɡaːt/ | oga:tha' /oɡaːtʰaʔ/ | oculo /okulo/ | ꦩꦠ /mata/ | mata /mata/ | húi /hwi/ |
| Hello | she:kon /ʃeːkon/ | sgë:nǫʼ /skẽːnõʔ/ | sgë:nǫʼ /skẽːnõʔ/ | salute /salute/ | ꦫꦲꦪꦸ /rahaju/ | marayas /maɾajas/ | ke'kuanenki /keʔkwanenki/ |
| Thank you | niáwen /niawen/ | niáwę /niawɛ̃/ | nya:wę' /njaːwɛ̃ʔ/ | gratias /ɡratias/ | ꦤꦸꦮꦸꦤ꧀ /nuwun/ | kasapakan /kasapakan/ | atsipiraá /atsipiraː/ |
| One | enska /enska/ | skat /skat/ | ska:t /skaːt/ | un /un/ | ꦌꦏ /eka/ | sa /sa/ | cei /tsei/ |
| Good | ió /jo/ | oyanre /ojanre/ | oyá:nre /ojaːnre/ | bon /bon/ | ꦲꦪꦸ /haju/ | mauruway /mauɾuwai/ | huá'i /hwaʔi/ |
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