Tsêhésenêstsestôtse
Cheyenne
Algic (Algonquian)
Cheyenne (Tsêhésenêstsestôtse) is an Algonquian language of the Algic family, spoken by ~2K members of the Northern Cheyenne (Montana) and Southern Cheyenne (Oklahoma) tribes. Severely endangered. The Cheyenne split into two branches following 19th-century US government relocations. Cheyenne has a 4-tone pitch system (high, mid, low, voiceless) — unusual for Algonquian, which is typically non-tonal. Words are typically very long due to polysynthesis with abundant prefixes and suffixes (a single word may translate as a full English sentence). Latin orthography uses ė and ô for high pitches, ʼ for glottal stop. Active language-revitalization efforts with school programs.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Cheyenne
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Algic (Algonquian)
| Meaning | Cheyenne | Arapaho | Menominee | Munsee | Marquesan | Maliseet-Passamaquoddy | Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | mahpe /mahpe/ | nec /netʃ/ | nepāew /nəpaːew/ | mpíi /mbiː/ | vai /vai/ | samaqan /samakʷan/ | kicʔa /kitsʔa/ |
| Fire | hoʼēsta /hoʔesta/ | hisítee /hisíteː/ | eskotēw /eskoteːw/ | lúhsuw /luhsuw/ | ahi /ahi/ | sqot /skʷot/ | heːcʔa /heːtsʔa/ |
| Sun | éšeʼhe /éʃeʔhe/ | hiisíis /hiːsíis/ | kēsoq /keːsoʔ/ | kíishux /kiːʃux/ | ʻoumati /ʔoumati/ | kisuhs /kisuhs/ | saːkhirʔa /saːkʰiɾʔa/ |
| Moon | taaʼéešeʼhe /taːʔéeʃeʔhe/ | biikóusíis /biːkóusíis/ | tepāhkēsoq /tepaːhkeːsoʔ/ | nipáhum /nipahum/ | mahina /mahina/ | nipawset /nipawset/ | waːh /waːh/ |
| Star | hotohke /hotohke/ | hó3oʼ /hóθoʔ/ | anaeq /anæʔ/ | alaánkw /alaːŋkʷ/ | fetuʻu /fetuʔu/ | possesom /pəsːesɒm/ | hiːkwirikʔa /hiːkʷiɾikʔa/ |
| Night | táaʼe /táːʔe/ | téceʼ /tétʃeʔ/ | tepāhkeh /tepaːhkeh/ | piskeew /piskeːw/ | pō /poː/ | nipayiw /nipajiw/ | ckhaːrʔa /tskʰaːɾʔa/ |
| Snow | héstaʼse /héstaʔse/ | híií /híːi/ | kōn /koːn/ | koon /koːn/ | — | wast /wast/ | hiraːʔa /hiɾaːʔa/ |
| Wind | háaʼháeše /háːʔháeʃe/ | heséisen /heséisen/ | — | — | metani /metani/ | — | niweʔeːrʔa /niweʔeːɾʔa/ |
| Earth | hoʼe /hoʔə/ | biitoʼowuʼ /biːtoʔowuʔ/ | ahkēw /ahkeːw/ | — | ʻepo /ʔepo/ | ktahkomiq /ktahkomikʷ/ | — |
| Stone | hoʼhonááʼe /hoʔhonáːʔe/ | hohʼonóókee /hohʔonóːkeː/ | aqsan /aʔsan/ | asun /əsən/ | keʻa /keʔa/ | ponapsq /ponapskʷ/ | — |
| Mountain | hoʼhonáevose /hoʔhonáevose/ | hóheʼ /hóheʔ/ | wacēw /watʃeːw/ | — | — | woc /wotʃ/ | — |
| Sea | tséh-mȧhóomoēha /tséhmahóːmoēha/ | héetéc /héːtétʃ/ | kaeqcekam /kæʔtʃekam/ | — | tai /tai/ | supeq /supekʷ/ | — |
| Mother | náhkoʼéehe /náhkoʔéːhe/ | néinoo /néinoː/ | nekīah /nekiːah/ | nkáhees /ŋkaheːs/ | kui /kui/ | wikuwossit /wikuwossit/ | eciyeːh /etsijeːh/ |
| Father | néhoʼéehe /néhoʔéːhe/ | neisónoo /neisónoː/ | nōhnāeh /noːhnaːeh/ | nóoxw /noːxw/ | motua /motua/ | mihtaqsit /mihtakʷsit/ | taːtah /taːtah/ |
| Daughter | nȧhtona /nahtona/ | notóóneh /notóːneh/ | — | — | — | ntus /ntus/ | — |
| I | nánéehove /nánéːhove/ | nenééninoo /nenéːninoː/ | nenah /nɛnah/ | nii /niː/ | au /au/ | nil /nil/ | nacʔih /natsʔih/ |
| You | — /—/ | nenéénin /nenéːnin/ | kenah /kɛnah/ | kii /kiː/ | koe /koe/ | kil /kil/ | nasʔih /nasʔih/ |
| We | nénéehóvema / nánéehóvéme /nénéːhóvema / nánéːhóvéme/ | nenéénínoʼ / nenééníniʼ /nenéːnínoʔ / nenéːníniʔ/ | kenaq / nenaq /kɛnaʔ / nɛnaʔ/ | kiilóona / niilóona /kiːloːna / niːloːna/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | kilun / nilun /kilun / nilun/ | — /—/ |
| Name | véhestȯtse /véhestotse/ | -íisiʼ /íːsiʔ/ | -esian /ɛsian/ | wiinzuwaakan /wiːnzuwaːkan/ | ikoa /ikoa/ | wisuwon /wisəwɒn/ | hissaːrʔa /hissaːɾʔa/ |
| Person | voʼėstane /voʔestane/ | hinenítee /hineníteː/ | — | — | ʻenana /ʔenana/ | pomawsuwin /pomawsuwin/ | ihaas /ihaas/ |
| Head | meʼko /meʔko/ | hóókuhúʼee /hóːkuhúʔeː/ | — | — | upoko /upoko/ | woniyakon /wonijakon/ | — |
| Eye | maʼexa /maʔexa/ | besíiseʼ /besíiseʔ/ | oskēsek /oskeːsek/ | wíikšiit /wiːkʃiːt/ | mata /mata/ | ʼsisoq /sisokʷ/ | kirikʔa /kiɾikʔa/ |
| Ear | mȧhtovooʼȯtse /mahtovoːʔotse/ | wónotónoʼ /wónotónoʔ/ | — | — | puaʻika /puaʔika/ | ʼcalokoss /tʃalokos/ | — |
| Nose | maʼevo /maʔevo/ | béʼis /béʔis/ | — | — | ihu /ihu/ | wihton /wihton/ | — |
| Mouth | mahtse /mahtse/ | bétii /bétiː/ | — | — | haha /haha/ | ʼtun /tun/ | — |
| Tooth | véeʼėse /véːʔese/ | béíci3 /béítʃiθ/ | wēpet /weːpet/ | nipit /nipit/ | niho /niho/ | wipit /wipit/ | aːkʔa /aːkʔa/ |
| Tongue | vétanove /vétanove/ | bei3ón /beiθón/ | tēnaniw /teːnaniw/ | wilanew /wilanew/ | ʻeʻo /ʔeʔo/ | wilol /wilol/ | hacʼa /hatsʔa/ |
| Hand | maʼahtse /maʔahtse/ | béecét /béetʃét/ | onehkeh /onehkeh/ | mléelii /mleːliː/ | ʻima /ʔima/ | ʼpihtin /pihtin/ | iskʔa /iskʔa/ |
| Foot | mahtseʼko /matsʰeʔko/ | wóʼoo3 /wóʔoːθ/ | osēt /oseːt/ | nzíit /nziːt/ | vae /vae/ | ʼsit /sit/ | asʔa /asʔa/ |
| Heart | hēsta /hesta/ | betéé /betéː/ | otēh /oteːh/ | ulehyii /ulehjiː/ | houpo /houpo/ | moshun /moshun/ | sikicʔa /sikitsʔa/ |
| Bone | heʼko /heʔko/ | hix /hix/ | ohkan /ohkan/ | wakan /wakan/ | ivi /ivi/ | skonis /skonis/ | kiːsʔa /kiːsʔa/ |
| Blood | maʼe /maʔe/ | beʼ /beʔ/ | meskoh /mɛskoh/ | mokw /mokʷ/ | toto /toto/ | pokahkon /pokahkon/ | waːckicʔa /waːtskitsʔa/ |
| Poop | matse /matse/ | bee /beː/ | — | — | — | mickon /mitʃkon/ | — |
| Love | méhósáne /méhósáne/ | bixóó3etíit /bixóːθetíːt/ | kesāenemāew /kesaːenemaːew/ | ahóoluw /ahoːluw/ | hanahana /hanahana/ | kseltom /kseltom/ | — /—/ |
| Tree | hoohtsėstse /hoːhtsestse/ | hohóót /hohóːt/ | metekoh /metekoh/ | hìttuk /hitːuk/ | tumu kahi /tumu kahi/ | opos /opos/ | tiyaːhkw /tijaːhkʷ/ |
| Dog | oeškēso /oeʃkeso/ | hé3 /héθ/ | anēm /aneːm/ | mwáakaneew /mwaːkaneːw/ | peto /peto/ | olomuss /olomuss/ | kiciyeːh /kitsijeːh/ |
| Cat | póéso /póéso/ | woʼóoo /woʔóoo/ | — /—/ | póshiis /poʃiːs/ | piki /piki/ | psuwis /psuwis/ | — /—/ |
| Fish | nómaʼne /nómaʔne/ | nowoʼ /nowoʔ/ | namēs /nameːs/ | names /names/ | ika /ika/ | nomehs /nomehs/ | kaːcʔa /kaːtsʔa/ |
| Bird | véʼkése /véʔkése/ | niiʼéíhii /niːʔéíhiː/ | — | awehléeshoosh /awehleːʃoːʃ/ | manu /manu/ | sips /sips/ | ichir /itsʰiɾ/ |
| Butterfly | hevávȧhkema /hevávahkema/ | níhʼootéibéíhii /níhʔoːtéibéíhiː/ | mīmīkwǣw /miːmiːkwæːw/ | — | — | amakehs /amakehs/ | — |
| Egg | vovȯtse /vovotse/ | noon /noːn/ | — | wáhwal /wahwal/ | mamaʻi /mamaʔi/ | wawon /wawon/ | nikwiːkʔa /nikʷiːkʔa/ |
| Bear | náhkohe /náhkohe/ | wox /wox/ | awǣhsaeh /awæːhsæh/ | maxkw /maxkʷ/ | — | muwin /muwiːn/ | — |
| Horse | moʼéhnoʼha /moʔéhnoʔha/ | wóxhóox /wóxhóːx/ | — | — | ekeuna /ekeuna/ | ahahs /ahahs/ | — |
| House | mȧhēōʼo /maheoʔo/ | hoʼóowuʼ /hoʔóowuʔ/ | wīkewam /wiːkewam/ | wíikwam /wiːkwam/ | haʻe /haʔe/ | wikuwam /wikuwam/ | akhaːrʔa /akʰaːɾʔa/ |
| Milk | matana /matana/ | be3énec /beθénetʃ/ | — | — | — | molaqs /molakʷs/ | — |
| Honey | háhnomápanoʼėhasēōʼo /háhnomápanoʔehaseoʔo/ | koohóʼokuukóúhuyooʼ /koːhóʔokuːkóúhujoːʔ/ | — | — | — | amuwesipom /amuwesipom/ | — |
| Salt | vóhpomaʼȯhtse /vóhpomaʔohtse/ | niicooʼowuʼ /niːtʃoːʔowuʔ/ | sēwehtākan /seːwehtaːkan/ | shíiwang /ʃiːwaŋ/ | paʻatai /paʔatai/ | salawey /salawej/ | — |
| Rice | heʼéhesono /heʔéhesono/ | hiʼíisóó /hiʔíisóː/ | manōmaeh /manoːmæh/ | — | — | aptelomultinewey /aptelomultinewej/ | — |
| Iron | maʼaata /maʔaːta/ | béiʼcí3eʼ /béiʔtʃíθeʔ/ | — | — | — | olonahq /olonahkʷ/ | — |
| Wheel | onéstȧhké-mȧhtseʼko /onéstahkémahtseʔko/ | hotíí /hotíː/ | — | — | — | wahkaliqs /wahkalikʷs/ | — |
| Silk | séokaevėšéʼhóno /séokaeveʃéʔhóno/ | niixóosooʼ /niːxóːsoːʔ/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Book | mȯxeʼėstooʼo /moxeʔestoːʔo/ | wo3onohóe /woθonohóe/ | masēnahekan /maseːnahekan/ | — | — | wikhikon /wikhikon/ | — |
| Eat | mésehe /mésehe/ | bii3íhi /biːθíhi/ | mīcew /miːtʃew/ | mit /mit/ | kai /kai/ | mitsu /mitsu/ | kaʔac /kaʔats/ |
| Drink | mane /mane/ | bénee /bénéː/ | menew /menew/ | mneew /mneew/ | inu /inu/ | lossomu /lossomu/ | kikʔa /kikʔa/ |
| Sleep | naóotse /naóːtse/ | nókohú /nókohú/ | nepāw /nepaːw/ | — | moe /moe/ | — | — |
| One | naʼėstse /naʔestse/ | ceeséeʼ /tʃeːséːʔ/ | nekot /nekot/ | ngwútii /ŋɡwutiː/ | tahi /tahi/ | pesq /peskʷ/ | chiʔass /tsʰiʔass/ |
| Two | neše /neʃe/ | niis /niːs/ | nīs /niːs/ | niisha /niːʃa/ | ʻua /ʔua/ | nis /nis/ | wic /wits/ |
| Three | naʼhe /naʔhe/ | nééso /néːso/ | nɛʔniw /nɛʔniw/ | nxáh /nxaːh/ | toʻu /toʔu/ | nihi /nihi/ | taw /taw/ |
| Four | neve /neve/ | yein /jein/ | nīw /niːw/ | néewa /neːwa/ | hā /haː/ | new /new/ | taːkwic /taːkʷits/ |
| Five | noho /noho/ | yoo3on /joːθon/ | nyānan /njaːnan/ | náalan /naːlan/ | ʻima /ʔima/ | nan /nan/ | — |
| Hundred | noʼka mȧhtóhtȯhnóʼe /noʔka mahtóhtohnóʔe/ | béteetósooʼ /béteːtósoːʔ/ | — | nkwətaːpóxkə /nkwətaːpoxkə/ | ʻau /ʔau/ | ʼqotatq /kʷotatkʷ/ | — |
| Hello | haáahe /haáːhe/ | héébe /héːbe/ | posoh /posoh/ | hé /heː/ | kaʻoha /kaʔoha/ | qey /kʷej/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | néáʼeše /néáʔeʃe/ | hohóu /hohóu/ | wāēwāēnen /waːeːwaːeːnen/ | wanìshi /waniʃi/ | mauruuru /mauɾuuɾu/ | woliwon /woliwon/ | — /—/ |
| Good | pėhévaʼe /pehévaʔe/ | hi3éíhi /hiθéíhi/ | menwāewen /menwaːewen/ | weltóok /weltoːk/ | meitaʻi /meitaʔi/ | woli /woli/ | acs /atss/ |
| New | mónaʼe /mónaʔe/ | wooyóó /woːjóː/ | — | — | hou /hou/ | pileyu /pileju/ | — |
| Red | maʼó /maʔó/ | beeʼee /beːʔeː/ | mɛhkon /mɛhkon/ | maxkeew /maxkeːw/ | kuʻa /kuʔa/ | mqeyu /mkʷeju/ | kwhaːc /kʷʰaːts/ |
| White | vóʼkomó /vóʔkomó/ | noocóó /noːtʃóː/ | — | waapeew /waːpeːw/ | tea /tea/ | wapeyu /wapeju/ | — |
| Black | moʼȯhtávo /moʔohtávo/ | woʼóteeyóó /woʔóteːjóː/ | — | — | keʻekeʻe /keʔekeʔe/ | mokoseweyu /mokoseweju/ | — |
| Green | hoxoʼȯhtsévo /hoxoʔohtsévo/ | cenéeteeyóó /tʃenéːteːjóː/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Blue | otáʼtavó /otáʔtavó/ | cenéeteeyóó /tʃenéːteːjóː/ | — | — | moho /moho/ | musqonocihte /muskʷonotʃihte/ | — |
| Computer | tséohketoetanóto /tséohketoetanóto/ | — | — | — | maihini ʻoʻo uiʻa /maihini ʔoʔo uiʔa/ | — | — |
| Tea | véhpotséhohpe /véhpotséhohpe/ | biiciixo /biːtʃiːxo/ | — | — | — | ti /ti/ | — |
| Coffee | moʼȯhtávėhohpe /moʔohtávehohpe/ | wooʼteenoowuʼ /woːʔteːnoːwuʔ/ | — | — | — | kahpe /kahpe/ | — |
| Sugar | véʼkeemahpe /véʔkeemahpe/ | niisiscooʼ /niːsistʃoːʔ/ | — | — | — | sukol /sukol/ | — |
| Orange | heóvemáʼxeme /heóvemáʔxeme/ | — | — | — | — | alonocis /alonotʃis/ | — |
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