Ximopanoltih! Notoka Itzpapalotzin, zan Iztli.
Welcome, My name is Obsidian Butterfly. Just call me Obzidian. This is my first Nawatlatolli lesson. I thought it would be best to go over greetings and grammatical elements or terms. This is essential when initiating a conversation, since most of us want to start speaking Nawatl quickly.
I don’t use typical Spanish forms of speaking Nawatl. Therefore the writing is different.
C, and S = Z;
Ch or Sh = X;
C and Que = K;
Hua, Hue, Hui = W
X is tricky because sometimes it’s a Sh sound and hardly ever an Sss sound. Example: Xipe (shee-peh)
Also, just so you know I am not breaking down the etymology of each word right now. So memorize these greetings to begin and later on as you learn vocabulary you will understand each term.
If you have any questions for me please begin with:
How do you say in Nawatl?= Ken mihtoa nawatlahtolpa?
Greetings
Welcome = Ximopanolti or ximopanoltih
Greetings = Tetlapaloliztli
Hello = Niltze, Tialli, Pialli
Greetings brethren Or/ Hello brothers and sisters = Niltze Noknihuan
What’s your name?= Ken Motoka?
My name is= Notoka or Newa notoka or/ Ni notoka
Pleased to meet you = Nexpaktia nimitzixmati
Nice to meet you = Nipaki nimitzmati.
How are you? = Ken tinemi?/ Ken tika?/ Ken temiztika?/ Kenin tika?/ Kenin timo wika?
I am fine = kualli ninemi. Or/ Nikaulli
Thank you = Tlazokamati
You’re welcome or it’s nothing = Amitla, Ahmitla
And, yourself? = Iwan Tewatl? Or wan tah?
Not good = Ahmokualli
Sit down or have a seat = Ximotlali
Where are you from? = Kampa tiwala? Or Kampa tiwitz?
Where is your motherland? = Kampa motlalnan?
Where do you live? = Kampa tixanti? Or Kampa tinemi?
I am from = Newatl… or Newa… or Ne niwala…
Long time no see = Ahmo titonamiki ye wehkauh
True or real or really = Melawak
Truly = Nelli
Truth = Nelilitztli
Good morning = Kualli Tlanezik Or/ Kualli Tlanezi
Good day = Kualli tonalli.
How was the dawn? = Ken otlawililo?
How was the day? = Ken ozemilwitiwak?
Good afternoon= Kualli teotlak
Noon= Tlahkotonalpa or Tonalnepantla
Good evening = Kualli Teotlak. Or/ Kualli tiotaki
Evening = Tiotaki
How was the dusk? = Ken oteotlakililo?
Good night = Kualli Yowalli.
May you have a good night = Ma ze kualli yowalli
May you sleep = Ma zikoxi
Midnight = Tlahcoyowalli or yowalnepantla
Good bye = Ye niauh (as they are leaving)
Ziauh ika kualtzin (as you leave)
We will see one another later = Timo itazke Or/ Totazke
Until tomorrow = Izkixka moztla
Until I see you later = Izkixa nimitzihtaz
Have a nice day = Ma kualli ohtli
Have a good journey = Ziauh Kualtzin
Cheers! = Ma izpantzinko!
Be well = Izpantzinko or titlakualnextia
Who are you? = Akin tewatl?
Ayak= Nobody
Grammatic Elements
How? = Ken?
What = Ken
What? = Tlen or/ Tlein?
Akin? = Who?
Where? = Kampa? Or/ In Kampa
When = Ihkuak
When? = Keman?
Why? = Tlehka
And = Iwan, wan
But = Yeze, Auh
About = Itexpa
Question = Tetlanilitztli
This boy = Inin piltontli
This girl = Inon ziwaton
Those girls or those young women = Inonke ixpokameh
These children = Ininke kokoneh
That one, yes = Inon kemah
Not that one = Inon ahmo, Inon amo
That is not good = Inin ahmo kuallika
I want that = Nineki inon
Only, just = Zan
Another, other = Okze
Wait = Xinexia tepitzin, Xia
Already = Ye, Yeh or Yehka
Not yet = Ayemo
Every day, daily = Momoztla
Long time ago = Ye Wehkauh
A week ago = Ye xikome
In a week = Axkan xikome
Year = Xiwitl
A year ago = Ye ze xiwitl
Right away or right after = Zani man
As soon as = Zankeh
Later or then = Zatepan
Sorry = Tlapopolwilli
Im sorry, excuse me = Zinextlapopolwi
Very = Zenka
A lot = Wel miak
Lots of = Miaktin
A bit = Tepitzin or Tzikitzin
Just a few = Zan kezki
More = Axi
Better = Axi kualli
Less = Tetepitzin
Too, also, as well = Noihki
Here = Nikan
There = Ompa
Far away = Wehka
Close to or not far away = Amo wehka
Next to = Itlak, Itlok
Inside = Ihtik
Above or Up = Tlakpak, Akopa
Down = Tzintlan, tlani
Always = Noxipa, moxipa
Never = Aik
Maybe = Inazo, azo, azozan, cox, zanen, tlok or amozan
Perhaps = Weliz
Nothing = Ahmitla
It’s nothing = Ahmo tla, amo tlah
Nothing’s Missing = Ahmo tla poliwi
That is all for the moment. Please memorize all these greetings and start practicing them. Also memorize the grammatical elements or terms because we will be using them frequently.
Copyright@ Obzidian Butterfly