Batsʼi kʼop
Tzotzil
Mayan (Cholan-Tseltalan)
Tzotzil (Bats'i k'op) is a Mayan language native to the highlands of Chiapas. The pre-Hispanic name "Bats'i k'op" means "true language." It is closely related to Tzeltal, with which it forms the Tzeltalan branch.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Tzotzil
Water
voʼ
/voʔ/
Fire
kʼokʼ
/kʼokʼ/
Sun
kʼakʼal
/kʼakʼal/
Moon
u
/u/
Mother
meʼ
/meʔ/
Father
tot
/tot/
Eat
veʼel
/veʔel/
Drink
uchʼ
/utʃʼ/
Love
kʼanel
/kʼanel/
Heart
oʼon
/oʔon/
Tree
teʼ
/teʔ/
House
na
/na/
Dog
tzʼiʼ
/tsʼiʔ/
Cat
mis
/mis/
Hand
kʼob
/kʼob/
Eye
sat
/sat/
Hello
kʼusi avokoluk
/kʼusi avokoluk/
Thank you
kolaval
/kolaval/
One
jun
/hun/
Good
lek
/lek/
Words compared
Compared with related Mayan (Cholan-Tseltalan) languages
| Meaning | Tzotzil | Tzeltal | Tojolabal | Q'anjob'al | Itzá Maya | Chol | Tabasco Chontal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | voʼ /voʔ/ | jaʼ /xaʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | haʼ /haʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ |
| Fire | kʼokʼ /kʼokʼ/ | kʼaal /kʼaːl/ | kʼakʼ /kʼakʼ/ | qʼaʼ /qʼaʔ/ | kʼakʼ /kʼakʼ/ | kʼajk /kʼahk/ | kʼakʼ /kʼakʼ/ |
| Sun | kʼakʼal /kʼakʼal/ | kʼajkʼal /kʼaxkʼal/ | kʼakʼu /kʼakʼu/ | kʼuʼ /kʼuʔ/ | kʼin /kʼin/ | kʼajn /kʼahn/ | kʼin /kʼin/ |
| Moon | u /u/ | u /u/ | ixaw /iʃaw/ | ixaw /iʃaw/ | uj /uh/ | uw /uw/ | ä /æ/ |
| Mother | meʼ /meʔ/ | meʼ /meʔ/ | nan /nan/ | mim /mim/ | naʼ /naʔ/ | ñaʼ /ɲaʔ/ | naʼ /naʔ/ |
| Father | tot /tot/ | tat /tat/ | tat /tat/ | mam /mam/ | tat /tat/ | tat /tat/ | tat /tat/ |
| Eat | veʼel /veʔel/ | weʼel /weʔel/ | waʼel /waʔel/ | lo /lo/ | jant /hant/ | kʼux /kʼuʃ/ | weʼ /weʔ/ |
| Drink | uchʼ /utʃʼ/ | uchʼel /utʃʼel/ | ukʼ /ukʼ/ | uku /uku/ | ukʼ /ukʼ/ | ucʼ /utsʼ/ | ukʼe /ukʼe/ |
| Love | kʼanel /kʼanel/ | kʼanbey /kʼanbej/ | skʼana /skʼana/ | kʼamʼ /kʼamʔ/ | yakunti /jakunti/ | kʼuxbiñ /kʼuʃbiɲ/ | kʼuxbe /kʼuʃbe/ |
| Heart | oʼon /oʔon/ | oʼtan /oʔtan/ | alma /alma/ | kʼulul /kʼulul/ | pukʼsikʼal /pukʼsikʼal/ | pusʼikʼal /pusʼikʼal/ | pixan /piʃan/ |
| Tree | teʼ /teʔ/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | teʼ /teʔ/ |
| House | na /na/ | na /na/ | naj /nah/ | na /na/ | nah /nah/ | otyot /otjot/ | otot /otot/ |
| Dog | tzʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | tsʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | tsʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | tzʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | pekʼ /pekʼ/ | tsʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | pekʼ /pekʼ/ |
| Cat | mis /mis/ | mis /mis/ | mis /mis/ | mes /mes/ | mis /mis/ | mis /mis/ | mis /mis/ |
| Hand | kʼob /kʼob/ | kʼab /kʼab/ | kʼabʼ /kʼaɓ/ | qʼab /qʼab/ | kʼab /kʼab/ | kʼabʼ /kʼaɓ/ | kʼä /kʼæ/ |
| Eye | sat /sat/ | sit /sit/ | satej /sateh/ | sat /sat/ | ich /itʃ/ | wut /wut/ | wich /witʃ/ |
| Hello | kʼusi avokoluk /kʼusi avokoluk/ | banti winik /banti winik/ | lekilukʼ /lekilukʼ/ | kawal /kawal/ | bʼix a tʼan /biʃ a tʼan/ | kabʼ /kaɓ/ | bin a bel /bin a bel/ |
| Thank you | kolaval /kolaval/ | wokol awal /wokol awal/ | yuj /juh/ | yuhwal /juhwal/ | dios bʼotik /dios botik/ | wokox /wokoʃ/ | dios boʼtik /dios boʔtik/ |
| One | jun /hun/ | jun /xun/ | jun /hun/ | jun /hun/ | jun /hun/ | juñ /huɲ/ | un /un/ |
| Good | lek /lek/ | lek /lek/ | lek /lek/ | watxʼ /watʃʼ/ | malobʼ /malob/ | utsat /utsat/ | tsʼak /tsʼak/ |
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