Hñähñu
Otomi
Oto-Manguean (Otomian)
Otomi (Hñähñu) is an Oto-Manguean language indigenous to central Mexico, spoken in mountainous communities of Hidalgo, Querétaro, México State, Puebla, and Veracruz. The Otomi were one of the major pre-Hispanic peoples of the central highlands and pre-date Nahuatl speakers in the region; they remained ritually significant after the Aztec ascendancy. Otomi is renowned for its complex tonal phonology, nasalization contrasts, and rich ceremonial vocabulary preserved in Hñähñu oral poetry.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Otomi
Water
dehe
/tehe/
Fire
tsibi
/tsibi/
Sun
hyadi
/hjadi/
Moon
zänä
/zãnã/
Star
tsʼe
/tsʼe/
Mother
nänä
/nãnã/
Father
tada
/tada/
I
nugä
/nuɡæ/
You
nuʼi
/nuʔi/
Name
thuhu
/tʰũhũ/
Eye
da
/da/
Hand
'ye
/ʔje/
Heart
mui
/mui/
Love
mädi
/mãdi/
Tree
za
/za/
House
ngu
/ŋɡu/
Dog
yo
/jo/
Cat
mixi
/miʃi/
Eat
ñuni
/ɲuni/
Drink
tsi
/tsi/
One
'ra
/ʔɾa/
Two
yoho
/joho/
Hello
hatsi
/hatsi/
Thank you
jamädi
/hamãdi/
Good
hño
/hɲo/
Words compared
Compared with related Oto-Manguean (Otomian) languages
| Meaning | Otomi | Querétaro Otomi | Mazahua | Misak | Shipibo-Conibo | San Blas Kuna | Waray |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | dehe /tehe/ | dehe /tehe/ | ndeje /ndehe/ | unø /unø/ | jene /hene/ | di /di/ | tubig /tubiɡ/ |
| Fire | tsibi /tsibi/ | tsibi /tsibi/ | sibi /sibi/ | nipi /nipi/ | chii /tʃiː/ | so /so/ | kalayo /kalajɔ/ |
| Sun | hyadi /hjadi/ | hyadi /hjadi/ | jiarú /hjaˈɾu/ | shi /ʃi/ | bari /bari/ | olo /olo/ | adlaw /ʔadlaw/ |
| Moon | zänä /zãnã/ | zänä /zãnã/ | zana /zana/ | atru /atɾu/ | oxe /oʃe/ | nii /niː/ | bulan /bulan/ |
| Star | tsʼe /tsʼe/ | tsʼe /tsʼe/ | seje /seʔe/ | kualøm /kwalʌm/ | wishati /wiʃati/ | bisir /pisiɾ/ | bitoon /bituʔon/ |
| Mother | nänä /nãnã/ | mu /mu/ | nana /nana/ | mama /mama/ | tita /tita/ | nan /nan/ | nanay /nanaj/ |
| Father | tada /tada/ | dada /dada/ | tata /tata/ | tata /tata/ | papa /papa/ | baba /baba/ | tatay /tataj/ |
| I | nugä /nuɡæ/ | nugä /nuɡæ/ | nuts'ko /nutsʔko/ | na /na/ | ea /ea/ | an /an/ | ako /ʔako/ |
| You | nuʼi /nuʔi/ | nuʼi /nuʔi/ | nutsk'e /nutskʔe/ | ñui /ɲui/ | mia /mia/ | be /pe/ | ikaw /ʔikaw/ |
| Name | thuhu /tʰũhũ/ | thuuhu /tʰũːhũ/ | chju'u /tʃũʔũ/ | wetø /wetʌ/ | jane /ˈhane/ | nug /nuk/ | ngaran /ŋaran/ |
| Eye | da /da/ | da /da/ | da /da/ | kab /kab/ | bero /bero/ | ibya /ibja/ | mata /mata/ |
| Hand | 'ye /ʔje/ | 'ye /ʔje/ | ye /je/ | mar /maɾ/ | mëken /mɯken/ | arigan /aɾiɡan/ | kamot /kamɔt/ |
| Heart | mui /mui/ | mui /mui/ | mŭiñ /mwiɲ/ | mun /mun/ | joínti /hoˈinti/ | kurgin /kuɾɡin/ | kasingkasing /kasiŋkasiŋ/ |
| Love | mädi /mãdi/ | mädi /mãdi/ | hñu /ɲ̥u/ | kausrap /kawsɾap/ | noi /noi/ | sabbi /sabːi/ | gugma /ɡuɡma/ |
| Tree | za /za/ | za /za/ | za /za/ | yu /ju/ | jiwi /xiwi/ | sappi /sapːi/ | kahoy /kahɔj/ |
| House | ngu /ŋɡu/ | ngu /ŋɡu/ | ngumi /ŋɡumi/ | ya /ja/ | xobo /ʃobo/ | nega /neɡa/ | balay /balaj/ |
| Dog | yo /jo/ | yo /jo/ | nyo /ɲo/ | kuchi /kutʃi/ | ochiti /otʃiti/ | achu /atʃu/ | ayam /ˈʔajam/ |
| Cat | mixi /miʃi/ | mishi /miʃi/ | mishi /miʃi/ | mishi /miʃi/ | mishi /miʃi/ | miji /midʒi/ | misay /misaj/ |
| Eat | ñuni /ɲuni/ | shi /ʃi/ | ñe /ɲe/ | mɵ /mɵ/ | piti /piti/ | gunne /ɡune/ | kaon /kaʔon/ |
| Drink | tsi /tsi/ | tsi /tsi/ | theni /tʰeni/ | ushi /uʃi/ | xeati /ʃeati/ | gobe /ɡobe/ | inom /ʔinɔm/ |
| One | 'ra /ʔɾa/ | 'na /ʔna/ | nahi /nahi/ | kan /kan/ | westíora /westioɾa/ | kuenki /kweŋki/ | usa /ʔusa/ |
| Two | yoho /joho/ | yoho /joho/ | yeje /jeʔe/ | pa /pa/ | rabé /ɾaˈbe/ | bo /po/ | duha /duha/ |
| Hello | hatsi /hatsi/ | hä /hã/ | kjamadhi /kjamaði/ | ma'rik /maʔɾik/ | jakon raoma /xakon raoma/ | nuedi /nweðiː/ | kumusta /kumusta/ |
| Thank you | jamädi /hamãdi/ | jamädi /hamãdi/ | ndios /ndios/ | payn /pajn/ | irake /iɾake/ | nuedi malo /nweðiː malo/ | salamat /salamat/ |
| Good | hño /hɲo/ | hño /hɲo/ | nzhomu /nʒomu/ | kausrik /kawsɾik/ | jakon /xakon/ | nuegan /nweɡan/ | maupay /maʔupaj/ |
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