Hñöñho
Querétaro Otomi
Otomanguean
Querétaro Otomi (autonymously Hñöñho) is an Otomi language of the Otomanguean family, spoken by around 30,000 people in the Querétaro state of central Mexico. Linguistically, it is part of the Otomi macrolanguage cluster alongside Mezquital Otomi (ote) and several other Otomi varieties; ISO 639-3 distinguishes it under code "otq". Querétaro Otomi is one of the most-vibrant Otomi varieties, with strong intergenerational transmission in the Amealco de Bonfil and Tolimán municipalities. The Querétaro Otomi community has maintained their indigenous identity and language through centuries of post-Aztec and Spanish colonial pressure, with significant 20th-century revitalization through bilingual education programs run by INALI and the Querétaro state government.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Querétaro Otomi
Water
dehe
/tehe/
Fire
tsibi
/tsibi/
Sun
hyadi
/hjadi/
Moon
zänä
/zãnã/
Mother
mu
/mu/
Father
da
/da/
Eat
shi
/ʃi/
Drink
tsi
/tsi/
Love
mädi
/mãdi/
Heart
mui
/mui/
Tree
za
/za/
House
ngu
/ŋɡu/
Dog
yo
/jo/
Cat
mishi
/miʃi/
Hand
'ye
/ʔje/
Eye
hmi
/hmi/
Hello
hä
/hã/
Thank you
jamädi
/hamãdi/
One
'na
/ʔna/
Good
hño
/hɲo/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Otomanguean languages
| Meaning | Querétaro Otomi | Otomi | Mazahua | Shipibo-Conibo | Warao | Misak | Tangkhul Naga |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | dehe /tehe/ | dehe /tehe/ | ndo /ndo/ | jene /xene/ | hoidu /hojdu/ | unø /unø/ | ze /ze/ |
| Fire | tsibi /tsibi/ | tsibi /tsibi/ | sibi /sibi/ | chii /tʃiː/ | hekunu /hekunu/ | nipi /nipi/ | mei /mei/ |
| Sun | hyadi /hjadi/ | hyadi /hjadi/ | hyadi /hjadi/ | bari /bari/ | ya /ja/ | shi /ʃi/ | nyithui /ɲitʰui/ |
| Moon | zänä /zãnã/ | zänä /zãnã/ | zana /zana/ | oxe /oʃe/ | waniku /waniku/ | atru /atɾu/ | lai /lai/ |
| Mother | mu /mu/ | nänä /nãnã/ | nana /nana/ | tita /tita/ | dani /dani/ | mama /mama/ | ina /ina/ |
| Father | da /da/ | tada /tada/ | tata /tata/ | papa /papa/ | daka /daka/ | tata /tata/ | apa /apa/ |
| Eat | shi /ʃi/ | ñuni /ɲuni/ | ñe /ɲe/ | piti /piti/ | nahoro /nahoɾo/ | mɵ /mɵ/ | ngui /ŋui/ |
| Drink | tsi /tsi/ | tsi /tsi/ | theni /tʰeni/ | xeati /ʃeati/ | osi /osi/ | ushi /uʃi/ | rai /rai/ |
| Love | mädi /mãdi/ | mädi /mãdi/ | hñu /ɲu/ | noi /noi/ | anaubu /anaubu/ | kausrap /kawsɾap/ | cha /tʃa/ |
| Heart | mui /mui/ | mui /mui/ | mŭiñ /mwiɲ/ | joi /xoi/ | obonona /obonona/ | mun /mun/ | mokyaba /mokjaba/ |
| Tree | za /za/ | za /za/ | za /za/ | jiwi /xiwi/ | dau /daw/ | yu /ju/ | leiyik /leijik/ |
| House | ngu /ŋɡu/ | ngu /ŋɡu/ | ngumi /ŋɡumi/ | xobo /ʃobo/ | hanoko /hanoko/ | ya /ja/ | shim /ʃim/ |
| Dog | yo /jo/ | yo /jo/ | nyo /ɲo/ | ochiti /otʃiti/ | aurahu /auɾahu/ | kuchi /kutʃi/ | ui /ui/ |
| Cat | mishi /miʃi/ | mixi /miʃi/ | mishi /miʃi/ | mishi /miʃi/ | mishi /miʃi/ | mishi /miʃi/ | mibu /mibu/ |
| Hand | 'ye /ʔje/ | 'ye /ʔje/ | ye /je/ | mëken /mɯken/ | mokomoko /mokomoko/ | mar /maɾ/ | phei /pʰei/ |
| Eye | hmi /hmi/ | da /da/ | da /da/ | bero /bero/ | mu /mu/ | kab /kab/ | mi /mi/ |
| Hello | hä /hã/ | hatsi /hatsi/ | kjamadhi /kjamaði/ | jakon raoma /xakon raoma/ | yakera /jakeɾa/ | ma'rik /maʔɾik/ | hayau /hajau/ |
| Thank you | jamädi /hamãdi/ | jamädi /hamãdi/ | ndios /ndios/ | gracias /ɡrasjas/ | kase /kase/ | payn /pajn/ | ase /ase/ |
| One | 'na /ʔna/ | 'ra /ʔɾa/ | nahi /nahi/ | westíora /westioɾa/ | hisaka /hisaka/ | kan /kan/ | kha /kʰa/ |
| Good | hño /hɲo/ | hño /hɲo/ | nzhomu /nʒomu/ | jakon /xakon/ | yakera /jakeɾa/ | kausrik /kawsɾik/ | kahei /kahei/ |
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