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
20 core words in Otomi
Water
dehe
/tehe/
Fire
tsibi
/tsibi/
Sun
hyadi
/hjadi/
Moon
zänä
/zãnã/
Mother
nänä
/nãnã/
Father
tada
/tada/
Eat
ñuni
/ɲuni/
Drink
tsi
/tsi/
Love
mädi
/mãdi/
Heart
mui
/mui/
Tree
za
/za/
House
ngu
/ŋɡu/
Dog
yo
/jo/
Cat
mixi
/miʃi/
Hand
'ye
/ʔje/
Eye
da
/da/
Hello
hatsi
/hatsi/
Thank you
jamädi
/hamãdi/
One
'ra
/ʔɾa/
Good
hño
/hɲo/
Words compared
Compared with related Oto-Manguean (Otomian) languages
| Meaning | Otomi | Querétaro Otomi | Mazahua | Shipibo-Conibo | Misak | San Blas Kuna | Warao |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | dehe /tehe/ | dehe /tehe/ | ndo /ndo/ | jene /xene/ | unø /unø/ | di /di/ | hoidu /hojdu/ |
| Fire | tsibi /tsibi/ | tsibi /tsibi/ | sibi /sibi/ | chii /tʃiː/ | nipi /nipi/ | so /so/ | hekunu /hekunu/ |
| Sun | hyadi /hjadi/ | hyadi /hjadi/ | hyadi /hjadi/ | bari /bari/ | shi /ʃi/ | olo /olo/ | ya /ja/ |
| Moon | zänä /zãnã/ | zänä /zãnã/ | zana /zana/ | oxe /oʃe/ | atru /atɾu/ | nii /niː/ | waniku /waniku/ |
| Mother | nänä /nãnã/ | mu /mu/ | nana /nana/ | tita /tita/ | mama /mama/ | nan /nan/ | dani /dani/ |
| Father | tada /tada/ | da /da/ | tata /tata/ | papa /papa/ | tata /tata/ | baba /baba/ | daka /daka/ |
| Eat | ñuni /ɲuni/ | shi /ʃi/ | ñe /ɲe/ | piti /piti/ | mɵ /mɵ/ | gunne /ɡune/ | nahoro /nahoɾo/ |
| Drink | tsi /tsi/ | tsi /tsi/ | theni /tʰeni/ | xeati /ʃeati/ | ushi /uʃi/ | gobe /ɡobe/ | osi /osi/ |
| Love | mädi /mãdi/ | mädi /mãdi/ | hñu /ɲu/ | noi /noi/ | kausrap /kawsɾap/ | sabbi /sabːi/ | anaubu /anaubu/ |
| Heart | mui /mui/ | mui /mui/ | mŭiñ /mwiɲ/ | joi /xoi/ | mun /mun/ | kurgin /kuɾɡin/ | obonona /obonona/ |
| Tree | za /za/ | za /za/ | za /za/ | jiwi /xiwi/ | yu /ju/ | sappi /sapːi/ | dau /daw/ |
| House | ngu /ŋɡu/ | ngu /ŋɡu/ | ngumi /ŋɡumi/ | xobo /ʃobo/ | ya /ja/ | nega /neɡa/ | hanoko /hanoko/ |
| Dog | yo /jo/ | yo /jo/ | nyo /ɲo/ | ochiti /otʃiti/ | kuchi /kutʃi/ | achu /atʃu/ | aurahu /auɾahu/ |
| Cat | mixi /miʃi/ | mishi /miʃi/ | mishi /miʃi/ | mishi /miʃi/ | mishi /miʃi/ | miji /midʒi/ | mishi /miʃi/ |
| Hand | 'ye /ʔje/ | 'ye /ʔje/ | ye /je/ | mëken /mɯken/ | mar /maɾ/ | arigan /aɾiɡan/ | mokomoko /mokomoko/ |
| Eye | da /da/ | hmi /hmi/ | da /da/ | bero /bero/ | kab /kab/ | ibya /ibja/ | mu /mu/ |
| Hello | hatsi /hatsi/ | hä /hã/ | kjamadhi /kjamaði/ | jakon raoma /xakon raoma/ | ma'rik /maʔɾik/ | nuedi /nweðiː/ | yakera /jakeɾa/ |
| Thank you | jamädi /hamãdi/ | jamädi /hamãdi/ | ndios /ndios/ | gracias /ɡrasjas/ | payn /pajn/ | nuedi malo /nweðiː malo/ | kase /kase/ |
| One | 'ra /ʔɾa/ | 'na /ʔna/ | nahi /nahi/ | westíora /westioɾa/ | kan /kan/ | kuenki /kweŋki/ | hisaka /hisaka/ |
| Good | hño /hɲo/ | hño /hɲo/ | nzhomu /nʒomu/ | jakon /xakon/ | kausrik /kawsɾik/ | nuegan /nweɡan/ | yakera /jakeɾa/ |
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