Kaqchikel
Mayan (Quichean, Kaqchikelan)
Kaqchikel (ISO 639-3: cak) is a Mayan language spoken mainly in Guatemala’s central highlands, especially in Chimaltenango, Sacatepéquez, Sololá, and neighboring departments. Within the K’ichean branch it is especially close to Tz’utujil and more distantly related to K’iche’, while substantial dialect variation exists within Kaqchikel itself. Its grammar has ergative–absolutive alignment, rich verbal morphology, and a verb-initial basic order with considerable flexibility; its consonant system includes glottalized stops and affricates. The standardized Latin orthography promoted by the Academia de Lenguas Mayas de Guatemala uses apostrophe-like marks for glottalization. Guatemala’s 2003 National Languages Law recognizes Kaqchikel among the country’s Mayan national languages and supports its public use; the colonial chronicle commonly called the Annals of the Kaqchikels is a major historical text, while bilingual education, publishing, music, and community programs support present-day transmission despite continuing pressure from Spanish.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Kaqchikel
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Mayan (Quichean, Kaqchikelan)
| Meaning | Kaqchikel | Kʼicheʼ | Uspanteko | Poqomchi' | Ixil | Mam | Qʼeqchiʼ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | yaʼ /jaʔ/ | jaʼ /xaʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | haʼ /haʔ/ | aʼ /aʔ/ | aʼ /aʔ/ | haʼ /haʔ/ |
| Fire | qʼaqʼ /qʼaqʼ/ | qʼaqʼ /qʼaqʼ/ | qʼaaqʼ /qʼaːqʼ/ | qʼaaq /qʼaːq/ | tzaʼ /tsaʔ/ | qʼaqʼ /qʼaqʼ/ | xam /ʃam/ |
| Sun | qʼij /qʼix/ | qʼij /qʼix/ | qʼiij /qʼiːh/ | qʼiij /qʼiːx/ | qʼii /qʼiː/ | qʼij /qʼih/ | saqʼe /saqʼe/ |
| Moon | ikʼ /ikʼ/ | ikʼ /ikʼ/ | ikʼ /ikʼ/ | poh /poh/ | ichʼ /itʃʼ/ | xjaw /ʃaw/ | po /po/ |
| Star | chʼumil /tʃʼumil/ | chʼumil /tʃʼumil/ | chʼumil /tʃʼumil/ | chʼumiil /tʃʼumiːl/ | chumiil /tʃumiːl/ | cheʼw /tʃeʔw/ | chahim /tʃahim/ |
| Night | aqʼaʼ /aqʼaʔ/ | aqʼabʼ /aqʼaɓ/ | laqʼabʼ /laqʼaɓ/ | aqʼabʼ /aqʼaɓ/ | aqʼbʼal /aqʼɓal/ | qonikʼen /qonikʼən/ | qʼojyin /qʼoχjin/ |
| Rain | jobʼ /xoɓ/ | jabʼ /xaɓ/ | jabʼ /haɓ/ | jabʼ /xaɓ/ | jabʼal /haɓal/ | jbʼal /ʃɓal/ | habʼ /haɓ/ |
| Snow | nieve /ˈnjebe/ | saq tew /saq tew/ | chun tew /tʃun tew/ | miik /miːk/ | txuncheʼv /tʃuntʃeʔv/ | txa cheʼw /tʃa tʃeʔw/ | xchuʼi keh /ʃtʃuʔi keh/ |
| Wind | kaqʼiqʼ /kaqʼiqʼ/ | iqʼ /iqʼ/ | tew /tew/ | teew /teːw/ | kajiqʼ /kahiqʼ/ | kyqʼiqʼ /kʲqʼiqʼ/ | iqʼ /iqʼ/ |
| Earth | ulew /uleːw/ | ulew /ulew/ | ulew /uleːw/ | akʼal /akʼal/ | txʼavaʼ /tʃʼaʋaʔ/ | txʼotxʼ /tʃʼotʃʼ/ | chʼochʼ /tʃʼotʃʼ/ |
| Stone | abäj /aˈɓəx/ | abʼaj /aɓax/ | ábʼaj /ˈáɓax/ | abʼaj /aˈɓax/ | kʼubʼ /kʼuɓ/ | abʼaj /aɓax/ | pek /pek/ |
| Mountain | juyuʼ /xuˈjuʔ/ | juyubʼ /xujuɓ/ | witz /wits/ | yuuqʼ /juːqʼ/ | vitz /vits/ | wutz /wuts/ | tzuul /tsuːl/ |
| Sea | palow /palow/ | plo /plo/ | mar /mar/ | palaw /palaw/ | mar /mar/ | plow /plow/ | palaw /palaw/ |
| Mother | teʼ /teʔ/ | nan /nan/ | nan /nan/ | tuut /tuːt/ | naʼ /naʔ/ | nan /nan/ | naʼ /naʔ/ |
| Father | tataʼ /tataʔ/ | tat /tat/ | tat /tat/ | ajaaw /axaːw/ | baʼ /baʔ/ | mam /mam/ | yuwaʼ /juwaʔ/ |
| Daughter | meʼal /meʔal/ | miʼal /miʔal/ | rabʼin /raɓin/ | ixqʼuun /iʃqʼuːn/ | meʼal /meʔal/ | meʼal /meʔal/ | rabʼin /raɓin/ |
| I | rïn /rɪn/ | in /in/ | in /in/ | hin /hin/ | in /in/ | aqiin /aˈqiːn/ | laaʼin /laːʔin/ |
| You | rat /rat/ | at /at/ | at /at/ | hat /hat/ | axh /aʃ/ | aya /aˈja/ | laaʼat /laːʔat/ |
| We | röj /rʊx/ | uj /ux/ | oj /ox/ | hoj /hox/ | oʼ /oʔ/ | aqoʼ /aˈqoʔ/ | laaʼo /laːʔo/ |
| Name | bʼiʼ /ɓiʔ/ | bʼiʼ /ɓiʔ/ | bʼii /ɓiː/ | bʼih /ɓih/ | bʼii /ɓiː/ | biʼ /ɓiʔ/ | kʼabʼaʼej /kʼaɓaʔeχ/ |
| Person | winäq /wiˈnəq/ | winaq /winaq/ | kristyan /kristjan/ | kʼachareel /kʼatʃareːl/ | uxhchil /uʃtʃil/ | xjaal /ʃxaːl/ | poyanam /pojanam/ |
| Head | jolom /xolom/ | jolom /xolom/ | bʼaa /ɓaː/ | nahis /nahis/ | viʼ /viʔ/ | wiʼ /wiʔ/ | jolom /χolom/ |
| Eye | runaqʼ ruwäch /runaqʼ ruwətʃ/ | bʼaqʼwach /ɓaqʼwatʃ/ | wach /watʃ/ | naqʼ /naqʼ/ | vusal /vusal/ | witz /wits/ | xnaqʼ ru /ʃnaqʼ ru/ |
| Ear | xikin /ʃikin/ | xikin /ʃikin/ | xikiin /ʃikiːn/ | xikin /ʃikin/ | xikin /ʃikin/ | xkyin /ʃkʲin/ | xik /ʃik/ |
| Nose | tzaʼn /tsaʔn/ | tzaʼm /tsaʔm/ | tzaʼm /tsaʔm/ | juʼ /xuʔ/ | juʼ /χuʔ/ | txaʼn /tʃaʔn/ | uʼuj /uʔuχ/ |
| Mouth | chiʼ /tʃiʔ/ | chiʼ /tʃiʔ/ | chiʼ /tʃiʔ/ | chiʼhis /tʃiʔhis/ | tziʼ /tsiʔ/ | tziʼ /tsiʔ/ | e /e/ |
| Tooth | ey /ej/ | ware /waɾe/ | e /e/ | ehis /ehis/ | eh /eh/ | eʼ /eʔ/ | ruuch e /ruːtʃ e/ |
| Tongue | aqʼ /aqʼ/ | aqʼ /aqʼ/ | aqʼ /aqʼ/ | aqʼ /aqʼ/ | aqʼ /aqʼ/ | aqʼ /aqʼ/ | aqʼ /aqʼ/ |
| Hand | qʼaʼ /qʼaʔ/ | qʼabʼ /qʼaɓ/ | qʼaabʼ /qʼaːɓ/ | qʼabʼ /qʼaɓ/ | qʼabʼ /qʼaɓ/ | qʼobʼ /qʼoɓ/ | ruqʼ /ruqʼ/ |
| Foot | aqän /aqən/ | aqan /aqan/ | aqan /aqan/ | ooq /oːq/ | oj /oχ/ | qan /qan/ | oq /oq/ |
| Heart | kʼuʼx /kʼuʔʃ/ | animaʼ /animaʔ/ | kʼuʼx /kʼuʔʃ/ | kʼuxliis /kʼuʃliːs/ | vatzʼ /vatsʼ/ | anma /anma/ | chʼoolej /tʃʼoːlej/ |
| Bone | bʼaq /ɓaq/ | bʼaq /ɓaq/ | bʼaaq /ɓaːq/ | bʼaq /ɓaq/ | bʼaq /ɓaq/ | bʼaq /ɓaq/ | bʼaq /ɓaq/ |
| Blood | kïkʼ /kɪkʼ/ | kikʼ /kikʼ/ | kikʼ /kikʼ/ | kikʼ /kikʼ/ | kaq /kaq/ | chikʼ /tʃikʼ/ | kikʼ /kikʼ/ |
| Love | ajowabʼäl /axowaɓəl/ | loqʼoj /loqʼox/ | lóqʼ /lóqʼ/ | rahaal /rahaːl/ | kuxhewchʼa /kuʃewtʃʼa/ | oqxan /oqʃan/ | rahok /rahok/ |
| Tree | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | cheeʼ /tʃeʔ/ | tze /tse/ | tzeʼ /tseʔ/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ |
| Dog | tzʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | tzʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | tzʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | tzʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | txʼiʼ /tʃʼiʔ/ | txʼyan /tʃʼjan/ | tzʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ |
| Cat | mes /mes/ | meʼs /meʔs/ | mis /mis/ | mees /meːs/ | mees /meːs/ | wiix /wiːʃ/ | mes /mes/ |
| Fish | kar /kar/ | kar /kaɾ/ | kar /kar/ | kar /kar/ | chay /tʃaj/ | kyiẍ /kjiʃ/ | kar /kar/ |
| Bird | tzʼikin /tsʼikin/ | tzʼikin /tsʼikin/ | tzʼikin /tsʼikin/ | tzʼikin /tsʼikin/ | tzʼikin /tsʼikin/ | chʼit /tʃʼit/ | tzʼik /tsʼik/ |
| Butterfly | palamax /palamaʃ/ | pepe /pepe/ | — | pehpem /pehpem/ | naaviʼ /naːviʔ/ | pakaʼl /pakaʔl/ | peepem /peːpem/ |
| Egg | saqmoloʼ /saqmoloʔ/ | saqmoʼl /saqmoʔl/ | saqmolobʼ /saqmoloɓ/ | miloj /milox/ | kʼolobʼ /kʼoloɓ/ | jos /xos/ | mol /mol/ |
| Bear | oso /ˈoso/ | oso /oso/ | — | oso /ˈoso/ | oso /oso/ | oso /ˈoso/ | oos /oːs/ |
| Horse | kej /kex/ | kej /kex/ | kwaʼy /kwaʔj/ | kaway /kawaj/ | kaay /kaːj/ | chej /tʃex/ | kawaay /kawaːj/ |
| House | jay /xaj/ | ja /xa/ | jaa /haː/ | paat /paːt/ | kabʼal /kaɓal/ | jaa /haː/ | ochoch /otʃotʃ/ |
| Milk | leche /ˈletʃe/ | leche /letʃe/ | lech /letʃ/ | chʼuuchʼ /tʃʼuːtʃʼ/ | chʼuʼ /tʃʼuʔ/ | taʼl imaj /taʔl imax/ | leech /leːtʃ/ |
| Honey | kabʼ /kaɓ/ | kabʼ /kaɓ/ | kabʼ /kaɓ/ | kaabʼ /kaːɓ/ | kabʼ /kaɓ/ | taʼl xiiʼ /taʔl ʃiːʔ/ | xyaʼal kabʼ /ʃjaʔal kaɓ/ |
| Salt | atzʼam /atsʼam/ | atzʼam /atsʼam/ | atzʼam /atsʼam/ | atzʼaam /atsʼaːm/ | atzʼam /atsʼam/ | atzʼan /atsʼan/ | atzʼam /atsʼam/ |
| Wine | vino /ˈbino/ | vino /ˈbino/ | vin /bin/ | vino /ˈbino/ | vino /ˈbino/ | vino /ˈbino/ | bʼiin /ɓiːn/ |
| Rice | arroz /aˈros/ | arroz /aros/ | — | aroos /aroːs/ | arus /arus/ | arros /aros/ | aros /aros/ |
| Iron | chʼichʼ /tʃʼitʃʼ/ | chʼichʼ /tʃʼitʃʼ/ | chʼiichʼ /tʃʼiːtʃʼ/ | chʼihchʼ /tʃʼihtʃʼ/ | chʼichʼ /tʃʼitʃʼ/ | kxbʼil /kʃɓil/ | chʼiichʼ /tʃʼiːtʃʼ/ |
| Wheel | rueda /rweda/ | — | — | kotokaq /kotokaq/ | — | — | rueda /rweda/ |
| Silk | seda /ˈseda/ | xela /ʃela/ | — | — | seda /ˈseda/ | seda /seda/ | seda /seda/ |
| Book | wuj /wux/ | wuj /wux/ | wuuj /wuːx/ | huuj /huːx/ | uʼuj /uʔuχ/ | uʼjbʼil /uʔxɓil/ | hu /hu/ |
| Eat | waʼin /waʔin/ | tijow /tixow/ | waʼ /waʔ/ | wai /wai/ | tzaʼbʼi /tsaʔɓi/ | waan /waːn/ | waʼak /waʔak/ |
| Drink | kumun /kumun/ | ukʼaaj /ukʼaːx/ | ukʼ /ukʼ/ | uukʼ /uːkʼ/ | ucha /utʃa/ | kʼaan /kʼaːn/ | ukʼ /ukʼ/ |
| Sleep | war /war/ | war /waɾ/ | war /war/ | wirik /wirik/ | wat /wat/ | ktan /ktan/ | war /war/ |
| One | jun /xun/ | jun /xun/ | jun /hun/ | jinaj /xinax/ | jun /hun/ | jun /hun/ | jun /χun/ |
| Two | kaʼiʼ /kaʔiʔ/ | kebʼ /keɓ/ | quiibʼ /kiːɓ/ | kiʼibʼ /kiʔiɓ/ | kaʼvaʼl /kaʔʋaʔl/ | kabʼe /ˈkaɓeʔ/ | wiibʼ /wiːɓ/ |
| Three | oxiʼ /oʃiʔ/ | oxibʼ /oʃiɓ/ | oxibʼ /oʃiɓ/ | ixibʼ /iʃiɓ/ | oxvaʼl /oʃʋaʔl/ | oxe /oʃe/ | oxibʼ /oʃiɓ/ |
| Four | kajiʼ /kaxiʔ/ | kajibʼ /kaxiɓ/ | kajibʼ /kaxiɓ/ | kijibʼ /kixiɓ/ | kajvaʼl /kahʋaʔl/ | kyaje /kjaxe/ | kaahibʼ /kaːhiɓ/ |
| Five | woʼoʼ /woʔoʔ/ | jobʼ /xoɓ/ | joobʼ /hoːɓ/ | hoʼoobʼ /hoʔoːɓ/ | oʼvaʼl /oʔʋaʔl/ | jweʼ /xweʔ/ | oobʼ /oːɓ/ |
| Hundred | wokʼal /wokʼal/ | jokʼal /xokʼal/ | jun cient /hun sjent/ | hoʼkʼahl /hoʔkʼahl/ | oʼkʼalal /oʔkʼalal/ | jokʼal /xokʼal/ | oʼkʼaal /oʔkʼaːl/ |
| Hello | utz iwäch /uts iwətʃ/ | saqarik /saqaɾik/ | saʼbʼal /saʔbal/ | ma chaa /ma tʃaː/ | nimaʼla kuxhewchʼa /nimaʔla kuʃewtʃʼa/ | chjonte tey /tʃhonte tej/ | ma saʼ laachʼool /ma saʔ laːtʃʼoːl/ |
| Thank you | matyox /matjoʃ/ | maltyox /maltjoʃ/ | maltyox /maltjoʃ/ | tioxlaab /tjoʃlaːb/ | tantixh /tantiʃ/ | chjonte /tʃhonte/ | bantyox /bantjoʃ/ |
| Good | ütz /ʊts/ | utz /uts/ | tzi /tsi/ | holohik /holohik/ | utzʼ /utsʼ/ | banix /baniʃ/ | us /us/ |
| New | kʼakʼaʼ /kʼakʼaʔ/ | kʼakʼ /kʼakʼ/ | akʼ /akʼ/ | akʼ /akʼ/ | akʼ /akʼ/ | akʼaj /akʼax/ | akʼ /akʼ/ |
| Red | käq /kəq/ | kaq /kaq/ | kyeq /kjeq/ | kaq /kaq/ | kaq /kaq/ | kyaq /kjaq/ | kaq /kaq/ |
| White | säq /səq/ | saq /saq/ | saq /saq/ | saq /saq/ | saj /saχ/ | saq /saq/ | saq /saq/ |
| Black | qʼeq /qʼeq/ | qʼeq /qʼeq/ | qʼeq /qʼeq/ | qʼeq /qʼeq/ | qʼeq /qʼeq/ | qʼeq /qʼeq/ | qʼeq /qʼeq/ |
| Green | räx /rəʃ/ | rax /raʃ/ | rax /raʃ/ | rax /raʃ/ | chaʼx /tʃaʔʃ/ | txaʼx /tʃaʔʃ/ | rax /raʃ/ |
| Blue | räx /rəʃ/ | xar /ʃaɾ/ | xaar /ʃaːr/ | rax /raʃ/ | — | — | rax /raʃ/ |
| Computer | computadora /komputaˈdora/ | computadora /komputadoɾa/ | — | — | — | computadora /komputadora/ | ululchʼiichʼ /ulultʃʼiːtʃʼ/ |
| Tea | té /te/ | té /te/ | — | — | — | té /te/ | te /te/ |
| Coffee | kape /kape/ | kape /kape/ | — | kapeh /kapeh/ | — | kape /kape/ | kape /kape/ |
| Sugar | kʼajkabʼ /kʼaxkaɓ/ | asukal /asukal/ | — | asuukar /asuːkar/ | asukaal /asukaːl/ | azúcar /aˈsukar/ | asuukr /asuːkɾ/ |
| Orange | alanx /alanʃ/ | alanxax /alanʃaʃ/ | — | araan /araːn/ | — | lanch /lantʃ/ | chiin /tʃiːn/ |
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