ⲙⲉⲧⲣⲉⲙⲛⲕⲏⲙⲉ
Coptic
Afro-Asiatic (Egyptian) · historical / hidden variety
Coptic (ϯⲙⲉⲧⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ tiṃetremnkhīmi) is the final stage of the Egyptian language, descended directly from Demotic Egyptian and ultimately from the language of the hieroglyphic inscriptions of pharaonic Egypt. Written in a Greek-derived alphabet supplemented by 7 letters from Demotic for sounds Greek lacked (ϣ š, ϥ f, ϧ x, ϩ h, ϫ ǰ, ϭ č, ϯ ti). Several dialects (Sahidic, Bohairic, Akhmimic, Fayyumic), with Bohairic now standard for the Coptic Orthodox Church. Ceased as a spoken vernacular by the 17th c. with Arabization, but remains the liturgical language of the Coptic Orthodox Church (~10–15M adherents). Lord's Prayer in Coptic survives.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Coptic
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Afro-Asiatic (Egyptian)
| Meaning | Coptic | Ancient Egyptian | Balochi | Menominee | Akkadian | Wolaytta | Lule Sámi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ⲙⲟⲟⲩ /moːu/ | 𓈗 /muː/ | آپ /aːp/ | nepāew /nəpaːew/ | 𒀀 /muː/ | haatta /haːtːa/ | tjáhtje /tʃaːhtje/ |
| Fire | ⲕⲣⲱⲙ /kroːm/ | 𓏴𓏏𓊮 /sedʒet/ | آس /aːs/ | eskotēw /eskoteːw/ | 𒉈𒌋 /iʃaːtu/ | tama /tama/ | dålla /tolːa/ |
| Sun | ⲣⲏ /reː/ | 𓇳 /raː/ | روچ /roːtʃ/ | kēsoq /keːsoʔ/ | 𒀭𒌓 /ʃamʃu/ | awa /awa/ | biejvve /pie̯jvːe/ |
| Moon | ⲓⲟϩ /joːh/ | 𓇹 /iaːh/ | ماہ /maːh/ | tepāhkēsoq /tepaːhkeːsoʔ/ | 𒌗 /warχu/ | aginaa /aɡinaː/ | mánno /maːnːo/ |
| Star | ⲥⲓⲟⲩ /siu/ | 𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼 /seba/ | استار /estaːr/ | anaeq /anæʔ/ | 𒀯 /kakːabu/ | xoolinttee /tʼoːlintːeː/ | náste /ˈnaːste/ |
| Night | ⲟⲩϣⲏ /uʃeː/ | 𓎼𓂋𓎛𓇰 /ɡereh/ | شپ /ʃap/ | tepāhkeh /tepaːhkeh/ | 𒈬𒋗 /muːʃu/ | qamma /kʼamːa/ | idja /idjɑ/ |
| Rain | ϩⲱⲟⲩ /hoːu/ | 𓎛𓅱𓏏𓇲 /huːt/ | ہؤر /hawr/ | — | 𒍪𒌦𒉡 /ˈzunnu/ | iraa /iraː/ | arvve /arvːe/ |
| Snow | ⲭⲓⲱⲛ /xioːn/ | 𓐠𓏤𓂋𓏤𓈎𓅱𓇲𓏥 /sarakuː/ | برف /barf/ | kōn /koːn/ | 𒊭𒀠𒄖 /ʃalɡu/ | suuppa shachcha /suːpːa ʃatʃːa/ | muohtta /muɔhtta/ |
| Wind | ⲑⲏⲟⲩ /tʰeːu/ | 𓍿𓄿𓅱 /tʃauː/ | گوات /ɡwaːt/ | — | 𒊭𒀀𒊒 /ʃaːru/ | carkko /tsʼarkːo/ | biegga /bieɡːa/ |
| Earth | ⲕⲁϩ /kah/ | 𓇾 /ta/ | ہاک /haːk/ | ahkēw /ahkeːw/ | 𒅕𒍢𒌅 /ˈersˤetu/ | saʼaa /saʔaː/ | ednam /ednam/ |
| Stone | ⲱⲛⲉ /oːnə/ | 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊌 /iner/ | سنگ /saŋɡ/ | aqsan /aʔsan/ | 𒀊𒉡 /abnu/ | shuchcha /ʃutʃːa/ | giergge /kierɡːe/ |
| Mountain | ⲧⲱⲟⲩ /toːu/ | 𓈋 /dʒuː/ | کوہ /koːh/ | wacēw /watʃeːw/ | 𒆳 /ʃaduː/ | deriya /derija/ | várre /vaːrːe/ |
| Sea | ⲉⲓⲟⲙ /ejom/ | 𓇋𓇋𓅖𓈗𓈘𓈇 /iːm/ | زر /zir/ | kaeqcekam /kæʔtʃekam/ | 𒀀𒀊𒁀 /tiaːmtu/ | abbaa /abːaː/ | merra /merːa/ |
| Mother | ⲙⲁⲁⲩ /maːu/ | 𓅐𓏏𓁐 /muːt/ | ماس /maːs/ | nekīah /nekiːah/ | 𒌝𒈬 /umːu/ | aayyiyo /aːjːijo/ | iedne /iedne/ |
| Father | ⲉⲓⲱⲧ /ejoːt/ | 𓇋𓏏 /it/ | پت /pit/ | nōhnāeh /noːhnaːeh/ | 𒀊 /abu/ | aawa /aːwa/ | áhttje /aːhtːje/ |
| Daughter | ϣⲉⲉⲣⲉ /ʃeːre/ | 𓅭𓏏 /zat/ | جنک /dʒanikk/ | — | 𒈥𒌅 /maːrtu/ | naʼiyo /naʔijo/ | niejdda /ˈniejdːa/ |
| I | ⲁⲛⲟⲕ /aˈnok/ | 𓇋𓏌𓎡 /inek/ | من /man/ | nenah /nɛnah/ | 𒀀𒈾𒆪 /anaːku/ | taani /taːni/ | mån /mɔn/ |
| You | ⲛⲧⲟⲕ /ənˈtok/ | 𓈖𓏏𓎡 /netek/ | تؤ /taw/ | kenah /kɛnah/ | 𒀜𒋫 /atːa/ | neeni /neːni/ | dån /tɔn/ |
| We | ⲁⲛⲟⲛ /aˈnon/ | 𓇋𓈖𓈖 /inen/ | ما /maː/ | kenaq / nenaq /kɛnaʔ / nɛnaʔ/ | 𒉌𒉡 /niːnu/ | nuuni /nuːni/ | mij /mij/ |
| Name | ⲣⲁⲛ /ran/ | 𓂋𓈖 /ren/ | نام /naːm/ | -esian /ɛsian/ | 𒈬 /ʃumu/ | sunttaa /suntːaː/ | namma /ˈnamːa/ |
| Person | ⲣⲱⲙⲉ /roːme/ | 𓂋𓍿𓀀 /remetʃ/ | مردم /mardum/ | — | 𒀀𒉿𒈝 /awiːlu/ | asaa /asaː/ | ulmusj /ulmuʃ/ |
| Head | ⲁⲡⲉ /ape/ | 𓁶𓏤 /tep/ | سر /sar/ | — | 𒊕𒆕 /qaqːadu/ | huuphiya /huːpʼija/ | oajvve /ˈoajvːe/ |
| Eye | ⲃⲁⲗ /bal/ | 𓁹 /iret/ | چم /tʃam/ | oskēsek /oskeːsek/ | 𒅆 /iːnu/ | ayfee /ajfeː/ | tjalmme /tʃalmːe/ |
| Ear | ⲙⲁⲁϫⲉ /maːdʒe/ | 𓄟𓋴𓇥𓂋𓄔 /mesedʒer/ | گوش /ɡoʃ/ | — | 𒍑𒉡 /ˈuznu/ | hayttaa /hajtːaː/ | biellje /bielːjɛ/ |
| Nose | ϣⲁ /ʃa/ | 𓂉𓏤 /fenedʒ/ | پونز /poːnz/ | — | 𒀊𒁍 /appu/ | siiriya /siːrija/ | njunnje /ɲunːje/ |
| Mouth | ⲣⲟ /ro/ | 𓂋 /ra/ | دپ /dap/ | — | 𒅗 /puː/ | doonaa /doːnaː/ | njálmme /ɲaːlmːe/ |
| Tooth | ⲛⲁϫϩⲉ /nadʒhe/ | 𓇋𓃀𓎛𓄑 /ibeh/ | دنتان /dantaːn/ | wēpet /weːpet/ | 𒅆𒅔𒉡 /ʃinːu/ | achcha /atʃːa/ | bádne /badnɛ/ |
| Tongue | ⲗⲁⲥ /las/ | 𓄓 /nes/ | زوان /zawaːn/ | tēnaniw /teːnaniw/ | 𒇷𒊭𒉡 /liʃaːnu/ | inxxarssa /intʼarsːa/ | njuovtjav /ɲuovtʃav/ |
| Hand | ϭⲓϫ /tʃidʒ/ | 𓂧𓂋𓏏 /dʒeret/ | دست /dast/ | onehkeh /onehkeh/ | 𒋗 /qaːtu/ | kushiyaa /kuʃijaː/ | gietta /kietːa/ |
| Foot | ⲟⲩⲉⲣⲏⲧⲉ /uereːte/ | 𓂋𓂧𓂾 /red/ | پاد /paːd/ | osēt /oseːt/ | 𒄊 /ʃeːpu/ | tohuwa /tohuwa/ | juolgge /jʊuɔlɡːɛ/ |
| Heart | ϩⲏⲧ /heːt/ | 𓇋𓃀 /ib/ | دل /dil/ | otēh /oteːh/ | 𒇷𒅁 /libːu/ | wozanaa /wozanaː/ | vájmmo /vajmːo/ |
| Bone | ⲕⲁⲥ /kas/ | 𓈎𓋴𓌟 /kes/ | ہڈ /haɖ/ | ohkan /ohkan/ | 𒂊𒍢𒅎𒌅 /esˤemtu/ | meqetta /mekʼetːa/ | dákte /daktɛ/ |
| Blood | ⲥⲛⲟϥ /snof/ | 𓊃𓈖𓆑𓂐 /zenef/ | ہون /hon/ | meskoh /mɛskoh/ | 𒁕𒈬 /daːmu/ | suutta /suːtːa/ | varra /ˈvarːa/ |
| Poop | ϩⲟⲥ /hos/ | 𓎛𓋴𓄽 /hes/ | گوت /ɡutt/ | — | 𒍪𒌑 /zuː/ | shiyaa /ʃijaː/ | bajkka /pajkːa/ |
| Love | ⲙⲉ /me/ | 𓅓𓂋 /meri/ | مہر /mehr/ | kesāenemāew /kesaːenemaːew/ | 𒊏𒄠 /raːmu/ | siiqaa /siːqaː/ | ráhkesvuohta /raːhkesvuɔhta/ |
| Tree | ϣⲏⲛ /ʃeːn/ | 𓈖𓉔𓏏𓆭 /nehet/ | درچک /daraːtʃk/ | metekoh /metekoh/ | 𒄑 /isˤu/ | mittaa /mitːaː/ | muorra /muɔrːa/ |
| Dog | ⲟⲩϩⲟⲣ /uhɔr/ | 𓃛𓅱𓃛𓅱𓃡 /iuːiuː/ | کچک /kutʃək/ | anēm /aneːm/ | 𒌨𒁇 /kalbu/ | kanaa /kanaː/ | bena /pena/ |
| Cat | ⲉⲙⲟⲩ /emu/ | 𓏇𓇋𓅱𓃠 /miuː/ | پشی /piʃiː/ | — /—/ | 𒋗𒊏𒉡 /ʃuraːnu/ | gaaduwaa /ɡaːduwaː/ | kássa /kaːsːa/ |
| Fish | ⲧⲃⲧ /təbt/ | 𓂋𓅓 /rem/ | ماهیگ /maːhiɡ/ | namēs /nameːs/ | 𒄩 /nuːnu/ | moliya /molija/ | guolle /ˈkuɔlːɛ/ |
| Bird | ϩⲁⲗⲏⲧ /haˈleːt/ | 𓄿𓊪𓂧𓅬 /aped/ | مرغ /murɡ/ | — | 𒅖𒍪𒊒 /isˤsˤuːru/ | kafo /kafo/ | lådde /lɔtɛ/ |
| Egg | ⲥⲟⲟⲩϩⲉ /soːuhe/ | 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆇 /suːhet/ | ہئیک /hajk/ | — | 𒉭 /peːlu/ | phuuphulliya /pʼuːpʼulːija/ | manne /ˈmanːe/ |
| Bear | ⲗⲁⲃⲟⲓ /laβɔj/ | — | مم /mamm/ | awǣhsaeh /awæːhsæh/ | 𒊍 /asu/ | beere /beːre/ | biernna /piɛrnːa/ |
| Horse | ϩⲧⲟ /hto/ | 𓋴𓋴𓅓𓏏𓃗 /sesemet/ | اسپ /asp/ | — | 𒀲𒆳𒊏 /sisuː/ | paraa /paraː/ | vuoján /vuojaːn/ |
| House | ⲏⲓ /eːj/ | 𓉐 /per/ | لۆگ /loːɡ/ | wīkewam /wiːkewam/ | 𒂍 /biːtu/ | keettaa /keːtːaː/ | viesso /viesːo/ |
| Milk | ⲉⲣⲱⲧⲉ /eroːte/ | 𓇋𓂋𓍿𓏏𓏈 /irtʃet/ | شیر /ʃiːr/ | — | 𒅆𒅖𒁍 /ʃizbu/ | maatta /maːtːa/ | mielkke /ˈmielkːe/ |
| Honey | ⲉⲃⲓⲱ /ebioː/ | 𓆤𓏏 /bit/ | شہد /ʃahad/ | — | 𒁲𒅖𒁍 /diʃpu/ | eessaa /eːsːaː/ | meda /ˈmeda/ |
| Salt | ϩⲙⲟⲩ /hmu/ | 𓎛𓌳𓄿𓏏𓍖𓈒𓏥 /hemat/ | واد /waːd/ | sēwehtākan /seːwehtaːkan/ | 𒋰𒌅 /tˤaːbtu/ | maxiniyaa /matʼinijaː/ | sállte /ˈsaːltɛ/ |
| Wine | ⲏⲣⲡ /eːrp/ | 𓇋𓂋𓊪𓏊 /irep/ | شراب /ʃaraːb/ | — | 𒅗𒊏𒉡 /karaːnu/ | woine eessa /woine eːsːa/ | — |
| Iron | ⲃⲉⲛⲓⲡⲉ /benipe/ | 𓃀𓇋𓄿𓈖𓊪𓏏𓇯 /bia en pet/ | آسن /aːsan/ | — | 𒁇𒍣𒅋𒇻 /parzillu/ | birataa /birataː/ | ruovdde /ˈruɔvdːe/ |
| Wheel | ⲕⲟⲧ /kot/ | — | پرگ /parraɡ/ | — | 𒈠𒃻𒊒 /maɡarru/ | irzzuwaa /irzːuwaː/ | juvlla /ˈjuvlːa/ |
| Book | ϫⲱⲙ /tʃoːm/ | 𓏛𓏏𓏤𓍼𓏤 /medʒat/ | کتاب /kitaːb/ | masēnahekan /maseːnahekan/ | — | maxaafaa /matʼaːfaː/ | girjje /kirjːe/ |
| Eat | ⲟⲩⲱⲙ /uoːm/ | 𓃹𓈖𓅓𓀁 /wenem/ | وارگ /waːraɡ/ | mīcew /miːtʃew/ | 𒀀𒅗𒇻 /akaːlu/ | miya /miːja/ | bårråt /porːot/ |
| Drink | ⲥⲱ /soː/ | 𓊃𓅨𓂋𓀁 /zuːr/ | نوشاگ /noʃaːɡ/ | menew /menew/ | 𒊮𒌅 /ʃatuː/ | uyiya /ujija/ | juhkat /juhkat/ |
| Sleep | ⲛⲕⲟⲧ /ənkot/ | 𓋴𓇥𓂋 /sedʒer/ | وپسگ /wapsaɡ/ | nepāw /nepaːw/ | 𒍝𒆷𒇻 /sˤalaːlu/ | xiskkiya /tʼiskːija/ | oadet /oadet/ |
| One | ⲟⲩⲁ /ua/ | 𓏤 /waː/ | یک /jak/ | nekot /nekot/ | 𒁹 /iʃteːn/ | issuwa /isːuwa/ | aktan /aktan/ |
| Two | ⲥⲛⲁⲩ /ˈsnau/ | 𓌢𓏌𓏤𓏤 /senuːi/ | دو /do/ | nīs /niːs/ | 𒈫 /ʃina/ | naaʼʼa /naːʔːa/ | guokta /ˈkuoktɑ/ |
| Three | ϣⲟⲙⲧ /ʃomt/ | 𓏼 /xemetuː/ | سئ /saj/ | nɛʔniw /nɛʔniw/ | 𒐈 /ʃalaːʃ/ | heezza /heːzːa/ | golmma /ˈkolmːa/ |
| Four | ϥⲧⲟⲟⲩ /ftoːu/ | 𓏽 /ifeduː/ | چار /tʃaːr/ | nīw /niːw/ | 𒐉 /erbe/ | oydda /ʔoidːa/ | niellja /ˈɲielːja/ |
| Five | ϯⲟⲩ /tiu/ | 𓏾 /diuː/ | پنچ /pantʃ/ | nyānan /njaːnan/ | 𒄩𒈩 /χamiʃ/ | ichchasha /itʃːaʃa/ | vihtta /vihta/ |
| Hundred | ϣⲉ /ʃe/ | 𓍢 /ʃet/ | سد /sad/ | — | 𒈨𒀜 /meʔat/ | xeeta /tʼeːta/ | tjuohte /ˈtʃuohte/ |
| Hello | ⲛⲟⲩϥⲣⲓ /nufri/ | 𓇋𓐩𓆓𓏛𓁷𓏤 /inedʒ her/ | وش آتکی /waʃ aːtkaj/ | posoh /posoh/ | 𒁲 /ʃulmu/ | saro /saro/ | buoris /puɔris/ |
| Thank you | ϣⲉⲡϩⲙⲟⲧ /ʃephmot/ | 𓇼𓊹𓈖 /duːa netʃer en/ | مہربانی /mehrabaːniː/ | wāēwāēnen /waːeːwaːeːnen/ | 𒁲𒌅 /taʃlimtu/ | galatay /ɡalataj/ | gijttuo /kijtːuɔ/ |
| Good | ⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩ /nanu/ | 𓄤 /nefer/ | شر /ʃər/ | menwāewen /menwaːewen/ | 𒄭𒄀 /damqu/ | loʼo /loʔo/ | buorre /puɔrːe/ |
| New | ⲃⲣⲣⲉ /bərːe/ | 𓌳𓄿𓅱𓏛 /mauːi/ | نۆک /noːk/ | — | 𒉋 /eʃːu/ | ooratta /oːratːa/ | ådås /ˈɔdɔs/ |
| Red | ⲧⲣⲟϣⲣⲉϣ /troʃreʃ/ | 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟 /deʃer/ | سہر /sohr/ | mɛhkon /mɛhkon/ | 𒊓𒀀𒈬 /saːmu/ | zoʼo /zoʔo/ | ruoppsat /rʊɔpːsɑt/ |
| White | ⲟⲩⲟⲃϣ /uobʃ/ | 𓌉 /hedʒ/ | اسپیت /ispeːt/ | — | 𒌓 /pesˤuː/ | bootta /boːtːa/ | vielggat /viɛlɡːɑt/ |
| Black | ⲕⲁⲙⲉ /kame/ | 𓆎𓅓 /kem/ | سیاہ /sjaːh/ | — | 𒍝𒀠𒈬 /sˤalmu/ | karetta /karetːa/ | tjáhppat /tʃaːhpːat/ |
| Green | ⲟⲩⲟⲧⲟⲩⲉⲧ /uotuet/ | 𓇅 /wadʒ/ | شونز /ʃunz/ | — | 𒅊 /warqu/ | — | ruodnat /ruɔdnɑt/ |
| Sushi | ⲧⲁⲣⲓⲭⲓⲟⲛ /taˈrixion/ | — | — | — | 𒅆𒅅𒄣 /ʃiqːu/ | — | — |
| Ninety-nine | ⲡⲥⲧⲁⲓⲟⲩⲯⲓⲥ /pstaiupsis/ | 𓎎𓐂 /pesedʒiuː pesedʒuː/ | — | — | — | uddufun tammanne uddufuna /udːufun tamːanːe udːufuna/ | — |
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