A

The first letter of the Lakota alphabet, written in the Latin script.


he

Mázaškaŋškaŋ tóna he?

question-marking particle used by females in formal speech


o-

o- + wótA (“to eat”) → owóte (“dining room”)

o- + yuŋkÁ (“to lie, recline”) → oyúŋke (“a bed”)


Th

A letter of the Lakota alphabet, written in the Latin script.


ŋ

indicates nasalization of the previous vowel.


-ta

pahá (“hill, butte”) + -ta → paháta (“on the hill, butte”)

maȟpíya (“sky”) + -ta → maȟpíyata (“in the sky”)

mní (“water”) + -ta → mniyáta (“at the water”)


wasicu

Folk etymology claims that it comes from the Lakota for "he takes the fat", from wašiƞ (cooking fat) + cu, from icu (“to take”). More likely, it comes from an old Lakota word for medicine bundle, referring to the bundles of goods brought by French traders, and originally did not carry the derogatory meaning of the modern word. Compare Dakota wašicuŋ (“white man”).

a native person who has lost their culture and thus become "not native".


wopila

Thanks given for all of existence and the blessing inherent in each moment of it. Often used in ceremony, and as a broad statement of thanks within a community.


zí

yellow (to be yellow, or pale as if sick)


wakinyan

From wa- + kiŋyáŋ (“to fly”), literally “the flyer, the flying one”.

wakinyan oyate

thunder people; thunder nation; meaning or


iš

he, she, it (3rd-person singular pronoun)


-pi

mitakuyepi


mathó

From Proto-Mississippi-Valley *mąthó, from Proto-Siouan *wąthó (“black bear”). Cognate with Dakota mathó, Mandan wątóʔ (“bear”), Chiwere mąthó (“grizzly bear”), Winnebago mąčó (“grizzly bear”), Omaha-Ponca mąčhó (“grizzly bear”), Kansa mičhó (“polar bear”), Osage mįčhó (“grizzly bear”), Quapaw mąthó/mąčhó (“grizzly bear”).


hokšíla

From hokší (“child”) + -la (“diminutive suffix, forms terms of endearment”). Cognate with Dakota hokšína (“boy”).


Khąğíwičháša

head

Khąğíwičháša


mní

Mní etáŋ mak’ú wo.


khąğí

From Proto-Mississippi-Valley *hká•ɣi, from Proto-Siouan *hká•xi.


Lakȟóta

Lakota language: Lakȟótiyapi is preferable to Lakȟóta to mean “Lakota language”


Lakȟol

(colloquial) Abbreviation of Lakȟótiyapi.


Lakȟótiyapi

Lakota language (lit., “they speak Lakota”, “Lakota is spoken”)


wolakota

the traditional way of life and culture of the Lakota people.


ƞ

An obsolete letter used to indicate nasalisation of the previous vowel. Replaced by ŋ.


hwo

Mázaškaŋškaŋ tóna hwo?

question-marking particle used by men in formal speech


wa-

wa- + pȟóštaŋ (“to put something on one's head”) → wapȟóštaŋ (“hat”)

wa- + oyúspa (“to seize, grab, hold on to, arrest”) → wawóyuspa (“policeman”)


mi-

my; first person singular possessive marker, used with some kinship terms and some words for body parts


tȟokátakiya

A compound, which may be analyzed as tȟokáta (in the future; in the front; forward) + -kiya (-toward; in) or as tȟoká + -ta + -kiya.


tȟokáta

A compound, which may be analyzed as tȟoká + -ta.


tȟó

grue: blue or green (the two colours are not distinguished in older Lakota)


pȟéta

From Proto-Siouan *ahpéˑte (“fire”). Cognate with Osage hpéece, Quapaw ppétte, Kansa ppéǰe, Omaha-Ponca ppéde, Winnebago péec, Biloxi phêti.

Pȟéta kiŋ yuíle yo.


wíŋkte

From wíŋyaŋ (“woman”) + kta (“will, want, intend”), the sense being something like "will be / wants to be / intends to be a woman". Compare Dakota winkta.

a two-spirit; a male-bodied person who has a feminine or third-gender/bigender gender role and is regarded as having special spiritual talents


uŋkiš

we (we but not you)

we (we including you)


uŋkiye

we (we but not you)


uŋkiyepi

we (we including you)


Mnikȟówožu

English: Miniconjou

mni (“water, stream”) + abbreviated form of kȟaŋyéla (“near”) + abbreviated form of wóžupi (“they plant”) = “they plant near the water”.


háu

→ English: how (greeting)


kȟolá

mitȟákȟolapi (mitakolapi)


takuye

mitakuyepi


mitȟá-

mitȟákȟolapi (mitakolapi)

my; first person singular possessive marker

mi-

used with some kinship terms and some words for body parts


wičhóni

From wičhá (“man”) + oní (“life”), from ní (“to live”).

mní wičhóni


huwó

Mázaškaŋškaŋ tóna huwó?


máza

From Proto-Mississippi Valley *mą́•ze, from Proto-Siouan *awą́•se.


wagmú

From wa- + gmu (“to be twisted”). Literally something twisted.


mniskúya

From mní (“water”) + skúya (“sweet”). literally sweet water.


waníyetu

Historically, Lakota people counted a year from the first snowfall to the next year’s first snowfall, hence why waníyetu can mean either 'winter' or 'year'. This can be seen documented in winter counts.


thípi

From thí (“to live somewhere”) + -pi (plural suffix), literally “they live”.


thípi

third-person plural present indicative of thí


wí

tsk, expression of mild annoyance (uttered in a very high pitch; used by women)


káǧa

to make something, create something, construct something

to represent, to perform (as a ceremony)


mázaskazi

From mázaska (“money”) + zí (“to be yellow”). Literally yellow money.


aǧúyapi

From a- + ǧú (“to be burned”) + ya (“forms causative verbs”) + -pi (“plural marker”). literally they cause it to be scorched. Cognate with Assiniboine aǧúyabi.


héčheš

A compound, which may be analyzed as héčhel + -eš.

thus it is/was/happened indeed, and so it is/was


omás’apȟela

Coined at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation language immersion school in South Dakota in the 2010s.


Čhaŋwápe ǧí wí

head

Čhaŋwápe ǧí wí

Čhaŋwápe ǧí wí

čhaŋwápe (“tree leaves”) + ǧí (“to be brown”) + wí (“moon”). Literally "moon of the changing leaves".

September (ninth month of the year, having 30 days).


čháŋ

Čháŋ tóna háŋ he?

Hé čháŋ úŋ káǧapi.


Čhaŋwápe kasná wí

čhaŋwápe (“tree leaves”) + kasná (“to cause to rustle”) + wí (“moon”). Literally "moon of the rustling leaves".

October (tenth month of the year, having 31 days).


kasná

to cause to rattle/rustle/ring/jingle by striking (refers to a high-pitched rattle containing fine pebbles)


Tȟakhíyuȟa wí

tȟakhíyuȟa (“bull, buck”) + wí (“moon”). Literally "bull moon".

November (eleventh month of the year, having 30 days).


Waníyetu wí

waníyetu (“winter”) + wí (“moon”). Literally "winter moon".


tȟakhíyuȟa

tȟa (“ruminant”) + khiyúȟa (“to mate, copulate, breed”)


Tȟahékapšuŋ wí

tȟahékapšuŋ (“ruminant horns uprooted by hitting hard”) + wí (“moon”). Literally "deer shedding horns moon".

December (twelfth month of the year, having 31 days).


Waníčhoka wí

waníčhoka (“winter core”) + wí (“moon”). Literally "midwinter moon".


huŋwó

Mázaškaŋškaŋ tóna huŋwó?


Aŋpétu Tȟokáheya

From Lakota aŋpétu (“day”) + tȟokáhe (“first”).


Wiótheȟika wí

wiótheȟika (“sun hard time”) + wí (“moon”). Literally "sun-is-scarce moon".

January (first month of the year, having 31 days).


Čhaŋnápȟopa wí

čhaŋnápȟopa (“trees popping”) + wí (“moon”). Literally "popping-tree moon".

February (second month of the year, having 28 days).


Thiyóȟeyuŋka wí

thiyóȟeyuŋka (“frost on lodge”) + wí (“moon”). Literally "frost-on-the-lodge moon".


iŋ

A letter of the Lakota alphabet, written in the Latin script.


šúŋkawakȟáŋ

From šúŋka (“dog”) + wakȟáŋ (“sacred, holy, mysterious, powerful”).


mázaska

From máza (“metal”) + ská (“to be clear, white, pure”).


mázasapa

From máza (“metal”) + sapa (“to be black”). Literally black metal.


čhaŋháŋpi

From čháŋ (“wood, tree”) + háŋpi (“juice”). literally tree juice or wood juice.


tȟatȟáŋka

From tȟa (“ruminant”) + tȟáŋka (“to be large, to be an adult”). Cognate with Dakota thathą́ka (“buffalo bull”).


blokétu

Cognate with Assiniboine mnogédu, Dakota bdokétu.


ptaŋyétu

From Proto-Mississippi Valley *ptą́•-, from Proto-Siouan *wahtą́•(-re).


Wíyuškiŋyaŋ waŋčhíŋyaŋke ló

Pleased to meet you - Wíyuškiŋyaŋ waŋčhíŋyaŋke ló (m)

Pleased to meet you - Wíyuškiŋyaŋ waŋčhíŋyaŋke (f)


Tókhi wániphika ní!

Tókhi wániphika ní! - Good luck! (canonical)


aŋpétu wašté yuhá yo

Have a nice day - Aŋpétu wašté yuhá yo (m>sg)

Have a nice day - Aŋpétu wašté yuhá ye (f>sg)

Have a nice day - Aŋpétu wašté yuhá po (m>pl)

Have a nice day - Aŋpétu wašté yuhá pe (f>pl)


Taŋyáŋ ománi

Have a good journey - Taŋyáŋ ománi (m>sg)

Have a good journey - Taŋyáŋ ománi ye (f>sg)

Have a good journey - Taŋyáŋ ománi po (m>pl)

Have a good journey - Taŋyáŋ ománi pe (f>pl)


Ȟ’ahíya wóglaka yo

Please speak more slowly - Ȟ’ahíya wóglaka yo (m>sg)


… tókhel Lakȟótiya ehápi he?

How do you say ... in Lakota ? - … tókhel Lakȟótiya ehápi he?


Otȟáŋkaye kiŋ tuktél úŋ he?

Where's the toilet / bathroom? - Otȟáŋkaye kiŋ tuktél úŋ he?


Wayáčhi yačhíŋ he?

Would you like to dance with me? - Wayáčhi yačhíŋ he?


Čhaŋksáyuhá kiŋ wičhákiyuȟla yo

Call the police! - Čhaŋksáyuhá kiŋ wičhákiyuȟla yo (m>sg)


maštíŋčala

Cognate with Dakota maštį́cana, Assiniboine maštį́ja.


waŋblí

Cognate with Dakota wąbdí, Assiniboine wamní.


tȟaló

From tȟa (“ruminant”) + ló (“to be soft, tender”). literally ruminant's meat.


aŋpétu

Cognate with Dakota ąpétu, Assiniboine ąbédu.


tókhiya lá

tókhiya lá he/hwo? - where are you going? (he/hwo=female/male)


wičhíŋčala

From wi- (“female classifier”) + čhíŋčá (“his/her child”) + -la (“diminutive suffix, forms terms of endearment”).


wičháša

Wičháša kiŋ hé slolwáye šni.


tȟuŋkášila

paternal grandfather
paternal grandfather


kȟúŋši

paternal grandmother
paternal grandmother


kaká

maternal grandfather
maternal grandfather


haŋwí

Cognate with Assiniboine hąwí, Dakota hąwí.


haŋhépi

Cognate with Assiniboine hąhébi, Dakota hąhépi.


wípablaye

electric clothes iron
electric clothes iron


šuŋgmánitu

From šúŋka (“dog”) + manítu (“wilderness”). literally wilderness dog.


wóžuha

From wa- + ožúha (“case, container, holder, pouch”).


mnišá

From mní (“water”) + šá (“red”). literally red water.


mázaša

From máza (“metal”) + šá (“to be red”). Literally red metal.


šuŋǧíla

From šúŋka (“dog”) + ǧí (“to be brown”) -la (“diminutive suffix.”). Literally little brown dog.


páŋ

head

páŋ (1 singular wapáŋ, 2 singular yapáŋ, 1 plural uŋpáŋpi)

Tȟaŋkátaŋhaŋ tuwá líla páŋpaŋpi.


Wakȟáŋ Tȟáŋka

Wakȟáŋ Tȟáŋka

Wakȟáŋ Tȟáŋka

English: Wakan Tanka


anúŋkȟasaŋ

From anúŋkȟa (“on both sides”, adverb) + sáŋ (“to be white”, verb).


waštúŋkala

dried sweet corn, green corn preserved by drying


wahúwapa

From wa- + hú (“leg, stem, stalk”) + apá (“impaled, attached to”). Literally something attached to the stem.


tȟahé

From tȟa (“ruminant”) + hé (“horns or antlers”).


mázazi

From máza (“metal”) + zí (“to be yellow”). Literally yellow metal.


wakȟáŋ

to be endowed with spiritual power, be holy, be sacred

to be incomprehensible, mysterious, wonderful, magical


pȟežúta

From pȟeží (“grass, hay”) + húta (“root”). Literally herb roots.

spiritual; religious; spiritual; religious


čhaŋnúŋpa

Cognate with Dakota chąnų́pa, Assiniboine cąnúba.


maȟpíya

Cognate with Assiniboine maȟpíya, Dakota maxpíya.


Ȟaȟáwakpa

From ȟaȟá (“waterfall”) + wakpá (“river”). Literally the waterfall river.


wáǧačhaŋ

Populus deltoides
Populus deltoides#Translingual


wičhóthi

From wičha- (“turns intransitive verbs into nouns”) + othí (“to live in, dwell in”).


wičhóthi

collective present indicative of othí (“they all camp, they all live in a place”)


makȟá

Makȟá kiŋ mahétuya k’ápi.

Mitȟámakȟa kiŋ wíyopȟewakiyiŋ kte šni.


Húŋkpapȟa

From húŋkpa (“entrance to a camp circle”) pȟa (“head”). Literally head of the camp circle.

the Hunkpapa, one of the seven Lakota tribes


Oglála

the Oglala, one of the seven Lakota tribes


Itázipčho

From itázipa (“bow”) + čhóla (“without”). Literally without bows. Known in English by the French translation Sans arc.

the Sans arc, one of the seven tribes of the Lakota.


Oóhenúŋpa

From oóhe (“quantity for cooking time”) + núŋpa (“two”). Literally two cookings.

the Two Kettle Lakota, one of the seven tribes of the Lakota


wazí

From Proto-Siouan *wa•si (“pine”). Cognate with Omaha-Ponca mázi (“pine”), Crow báačii (“pine”).


Sičháŋǧu

From sičháŋ (“thigh”) + ǧu (“to be burned, scorched”). Literally Burned Thighs. They are also known by the French translation brulé (“burnt”).

the Burned Thigh Lakota, Brulé, one of the seven tribes of the Lakota


Sihásapa

From sihá (“foot”) + sápa (“to be black”). Literally Black foot.

the Blackfoot sioux, the Sihasapa, one of the seven tribes of the Lakota

the Blackfoot tribe, an Algonquian tribe.


Sisíthuŋwaŋ

the Sisseton tribe. one of the four eastern Dakota tribes


Thítȟuŋwaŋ

From thíŋta (“a plain, prairie”) + tȟuŋwaŋ (“village”), literally “village in the prairie”.

af

(uncommon) Teton, general term for all the Lakota tribes


wačhípi

From wačhí (“to dance”) + -pi (“plural marker”).


wačhípi

third-person plural present indicative of wačhí (“to dance”)


bláyetakiya

From bláye (“prairie, plain”) + -takiya (“toward”).


hóčhoka

the inner area of the camp circle, the center of a camp circle

hóčhoka ópta máni.

He walked through the center of the camp circle.


-takiya

hóčhoka (“camp circle”) + -takiya → hóčhokatakiya (“towards the camp circle”)


pahá

Cognate with Dakota pahá, Osage paaxó, Assiniboine bahá.


witkó

to be senseless, to be foolish, to behave in a crazy way


tȟašúŋke

From tȟa- (“his, her, its, their”) + šúŋka (“dog”).


olówaŋ

From o- (“forms nouns from some verbs”) + lowáŋ (“to sing”).


wó-

wó- + awáčhiŋ (“to think about something”) → wóawačhiŋ (“a thought, plan, idea”)

wó- + olé (“to look for something”) → wóle (“to look for things”)

most verbs beginning with o contract wa- into wó


ópȟa

to take part in, participate in, join in, be present at (takes postposition él (“at, in, to”))


wóopȟe

From wó- + ópȟa (“to participate in, join in”).

law, custom, regulation, traditional social rules


yaŋká

head

yaŋká (1 singular maŋké, 2 singular naŋké, 1 plural uŋyáŋkapi)


maštiŋska

Cognate with Dakota maštį́ska, Assiniboine maštį́ntąga.


čhaŋhá

Cognate with Dakota chąhá, Assiniboine cąhá, Omaha-Ponca zhóⁿha.


čh

A letter of the Lakota alphabet, written in the Latin script.


Očhéthi Šakówiŋ

The Seven Council Fires, the traditional political structure of the Lakota people of the northern United States. It refers to seven communities within three regional groups: the Lakota, the Western Dakota, and the Eastern Dakota.

The Lakota people, or the speakers of the Lakota language.


húčhiŋška

Asclepias viridiflora
Asclepias viridiflora#Translingual


čhaŋhásaŋ

Acer saccharum
Acer saccharum#Translingual


wíkȟaŋ

Cognate with Dakota wikaƞ. Possibly cognate with Quapaw wahíǫ (“rope”).


úŋ

úŋ (1 singular waúŋ, 2 singular yaúŋ, 1 plural uŋk’úŋpi)

Léčhiya waúŋ.


hohú

Šúŋka kiŋ hená hohú yasmípi.


achesli

to defecate on smth.
to defecate on smth.


iȟát’A

Iȟát'a škátapi.

They were laughing during their playing.


waníyetu wówapi

a winter count; a pictorial calendar in which tribal records and events were recorded by Native Americans.


ečhúŋ

ečhúŋ (1 singular ečhámuŋ, 2 singular ečhánuŋ, 1 plural ečhúŋk’uŋpi)

Taŋyáŋ ečhánuŋ weló.

Napȟé šni ób ečhúŋpi.

to fight (always preceded by kichí or ób)


pȟetówayake

a big piece of wood laid in the stove to keep up the fire over night


makȟátȟaspaŋ

From makȟá (“earth, ground”) + tȟaspáŋ (“apple”). literally earth apple, ground apple.


khukhúše tȟaló

From khukhúše (“pig”) + tȟaló (“meat”). literally pig meat.


tȟaspáŋhaŋpi

From tȟaspáŋ (“apple”) + háŋpi (“juice”)


tȟaspáŋpȟa haŋpí

From tȟaspáŋpȟa (“lemon”) + háŋpi (“juice”)


čhaŋháŋpiblu

From čhaŋháŋpi (“sugar”) + blú (“fine, powdered”).


aǧúyapiblú

From aǧúyapi (“bread”) + blú (“fine, powdered”). literally powdered bread.


asáŋpiblú

From asáŋpi (“milk”) + blú (“fine, powdered”).


hoǧáŋwičhašašni

Salvelinus namaycush
Salvelinus namaycush


čháŋška upíɡ̌i

čháŋška upíɡ̌i