ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐍᐏᐣ
Plains Cree
Algic (Algonquian, Central, Cree-Montagnais-Naskapi)
Plains Cree (Nēhiyawēwin, "Cree language") is the largest of the Cree dialect continuum, the Y-dialect spoken across the Canadian Prairies. The Cree dialect chain (Plains crk → Woods cwd → Swampy csw → Moose crm → East cr-East/cr-James) shows progressive sound shifts of the Proto-Algonquian *l descendant: Plains has /j/ (y), Woods has /ð/, Swampy has /n/, etc. Plains Cree retains traditional polysynthetic Algonquian morphology with elaborate verb classification (animate/inanimate × transitive/intransitive). The Cree syllabary (developed 1840s by James Evans for Cree, adapted to Inuktitut, Ojibwe) is widely used.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Plains Cree
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Algic (Algonquian, Central, Cree-Montagnais-Naskapi)
| Meaning | Plains Cree | Cree | Atikamekw | Ojibwe | Algonquin | Menominee | Munsee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ᓂᐱᕀ /nipij/ | ᓂᐱᕀ /nipij/ | nipi /nipi/ | nibi /nibi/ | nibì /nɪbiː/ | nepāew /nəpaːew/ | mpíi /mbiː/ |
| Fire | ᐃᐢᑯᑌᐤ /iskoteːw/ | ᐃᐢᑯᑌᐤ /iskoteːw/ | ickote /iʃkote/ | ishkode /iʃkode/ | ishkotè /ɪʃkɔteː/ | eskotēw /eskoteːw/ | lúhsuw /luhsuw/ |
| Sun | ᐲᓯᒼ /piːsim/ | ᐲᓯᒼ /piːsim/ | pisimw /pisimʷ/ | giizis /ɡiːzis/ | kìzis /kiːzɪs/ | kēsoq /keːsoʔ/ | kíishux /kiːʃux/ |
| Moon | ᑎᐱᐢᑳᐃᐧᐲᓯᒼ /tipiskaːwi piːsim/ | ᑎᐱᐢᑳᐏ ᐲᓯᒼ /tipiskaːwi piːsim/ | tipiskaw pisim /tipiskaw pisim/ | dibik-giizis /dibik ɡiːzis/ | tibik-kìzis /tɪbɪkkiːzɪs/ | tepāhkēsoq /tepaːhkeːsoʔ/ | nipáhum /nipahum/ |
| Star | ᐊᒑᐦᑯᐢ /acaːhkos/ | ᐊᒑᐦᑯᐢ /atʃaːhkos/ | atcakoc /atʃakoʃ/ | anang /anaŋ/ | anang /aˈnaŋ/ | anaeq /anæʔ/ | alaánkw /alaːŋkʷ/ |
| Night | ᑎᐱᐢᐠ /tipisk/ | ᑎᐱᐢᐠ /tipisk/ | tipisko /tipisko/ | dibik /dibik/ | tibik /tibik/ | tepāhkeh /tepaːhkeh/ | piskeew /piskeːw/ |
| Rain | ᑭᒥᐘᐣ /kimiwan/ | ᑭᒥᐘᐣ /kimiwan/ | kimiwon /kimiwon/ | gimiwan /ɡimiwan/ | kimiwan /kimiwan/ | — | — |
| Snow | ᑰᓇ /koːna/ | ᑰᓇ /koːna/ | kon /kon/ | goon /ɡoːn/ | kòn /kɔːn/ | kōn /koːn/ | koon /koːn/ |
| Wind | ᔫᑎᐣ /joːtin/ | ᔫᑎᐣ /joːtin/ | rotin /ɾotin/ | noodin /noːdin/ | nòdin /nɔːdin/ | — | — |
| Earth | ᐊᓯᐢᑭᕀ /asiskij/ | ᐊᓯᐢᑭᕀ /asiskij/ | aski /aski/ | aki /aki/ | aki /aki/ | ahkēw /ahkeːw/ | — |
| Stone | ᐊᓯᓂᕀ /asinij/ | ᐊᓯᓂᕀ /asinij/ | asini /asini/ | asin /aˈsin/ | asin /asin/ | aqsan /aʔsan/ | asun /əsən/ |
| Mountain | ᐘᒋᕀ /wacij/ | ᐘᒋᕀ /watʃij/ | matinaw /matinaw/ | wajiw /wadʒiw/ | pikwadin /pikwadin/ | wacēw /watʃeːw/ | — |
| Sea | ᑭᐦᒋᑲᒥᕀ /kihcikamij/ | ᑭᐦᒋᑲᒥᕀ /kihtʃikamij/ | kitcikami /kitʃikami/ | gichigami /ɡitʃiɡami/ | kichigam /kitʃiɡam/ | kaeqcekam /kæʔtʃekam/ | — |
| Mother | ᓂᑳᐃᐧ /nikaːwij/ | ᓂᑲᐎᕀ /nikaːwij/ | okawi /okawi/ | nimaamaa /nimaːmaː/ | ningà /nɪŋɡaː/ | nekīah /nekiːah/ | nkáhees /ŋkaheːs/ |
| Father | ᓅᐦᑖᐃᐧ /noːhtaːwij/ | ᓄᐦᑖᐎᕀ /noːhtaːwij/ | otawi /otawi/ | indede /indede/ | nòs /nɔːs/ | nōhnāeh /noːhnaːeh/ | nóoxw /noːxw/ |
| Daughter | ᓂᑖᓂᐢ /nitaːnis/ | ᓂᑖᓂᐢ /nitaːnis/ | otanis /otaːnis/ | indaanis /indaːnis/ | — | — | — |
| I | ᓂᔭ /nija/ | ᓂᔭ /nija/ | nir /niɾ/ | niin /niːn/ | niin /niːn/ | nenah /nɛnah/ | nii /niː/ |
| You | ᑭᔭ /kija/ | ᑭᔭ /kija/ | kir /kiɾ/ | giin /ɡiːn/ | giin /ɡiːn/ | kenah /kɛnah/ | kii /kiː/ |
| We | ᑭᔭᓈᓇᐤ / ᓂᔭᓈᐣ /kijaːnaw / nijanaːn/ | ᑭᔭᓈᓇᐤ / ᓂᔭᓈᐣ /kijaːnaw / nijanaːn/ | kirano / ninan /kiɾano / ninan/ | giinawind / niinawind /ɡiːnawind / niːnawind/ | giinawind / niinawind /ɡiːnawind / niːnawind/ | kenaq / nenaq /kɛnaʔ / nɛnaʔ/ | kiilóona / niilóona /kiːloːna / niːloːna/ |
| Name | ᐑᐦᐅᐏᐣ /wiːhowin/ | ᐏᐦᐅᐎᐣ /wiːhowin/ | icinikatewin /iʃinikatewin/ | izhinikaazowin /iʒinikaːzowin/ | wiinzowin /wiːnzowin/ | -esian /ɛsian/ | wiinzuwaakan /wiːnzuwaːkan/ |
| Person | ᐊᔨᓯᔨᓂᐤ /ajisijiniw/ | ᐊᔨᓯᔨᓂᐤ /ajisijiniw/ | iriniw /iɾiniw/ | anishinaabe /aniʃinaːbe/ | — | — | — |
| Head | ᒥᐢᑎᒁᐣ /mistikwaːn/ | ᒥᐢᑎᒁᐣ /mistikwaːn/ | octikwaninan /oʃtikwaninan/ | oshtigwaan /oʃtiɡwaːn/ | oshtigwàn /ɔʃtiɡwaːn/ | — | — |
| Eye | ᒥᐢᑮᓯᐠ /miskiːsik/ | ᒥᐢᑮᓯᐠ /miskiːsik/ | ockicikonan /oʃkiʃikonan/ | oshkiinzhig /oʃkiːnʒiɡ/ | oshkìnzhig /ɔʃkiːnʒɪɡ/ | oskēsek /oskeːsek/ | wíikšiit /wiːkʃiːt/ |
| Ear | ᒥᐦᑕᐘᑲᕀ /mihtawakaj/ | ᒥᐦᑕᐘᑲᕀ /mihtawakaj/ | otokainan /otokainan/ | otawag /otawaɡ/ | otawag /ɔtawaɡ/ | — | — |
| Nose | ᒥᐢᑭᐘᐣ /miskiwan/ | ᒥᐢᑭᐘᐣ /miskiwan/ | okotinan /okotinan/ | ojaanzh /odʒaːnʒ/ | — | — | — |
| Mouth | ᒥᑑᐣ /mitoːn/ | ᒥᑑᐣ /mitoːn/ | otoninan /otoninan/ | odoon /odoːn/ | odòn /ɔdɔːn/ | — | — |
| Tooth | ᒦᐱᐟ /miːpit/ | ᒦᐱᐟ /miːpit/ | wipit /wipit/ | wiibid /wiːbid/ | wiibid /wiːbid/ | wēpet /weːpet/ | nipit /nipit/ |
| Tongue | ᒥᑌᔭᓂᕀ /miteːjanij/ | ᒥᑌᔭᓂᕀ /miteːjanij/ | oterininan /oteɾininan/ | denaniw /denaniw/ | apijan /apidʒan/ | tēnaniw /teːnaniw/ | wilanew /wilanew/ |
| Hand | ᒥᒋᒋᕀ /micicij/ | ᒥᒋᐦᒋᕀ /mitʃihtʃij/ | otcitcinan /otʃitʃinan/ | ninij /ninidʒ/ | ninj /nɪndʒ/ | onehkeh /onehkeh/ | mléelii /mleːliː/ |
| Foot | ᒥᓯᐟ /misit/ | ᒥᓯᐟ /misit/ | osit /osit/ | nizid /nizid/ | ozid /ozid/ | osēt /oseːt/ | nzíit /nziːt/ |
| Heart | ᒥᑌᐦ /miteːh/ | ᒥᑌᐦ /miteːh/ | otehinan /otehinan/ | odeʼ /odeʔ/ | odè /ɔdeː/ | otēh /oteːh/ | ulehyii /ulehjiː/ |
| Bone | ᒥᐢᑲᐣ /miskan/ | ᒥᐢᑲᐣ /miskan/ | oskaninan /oskaninan/ | okan /okan/ | okan /okan/ | ohkan /ohkan/ | wakan /wakan/ |
| Blood | ᒥᐦᑯ /mihko/ | ᒥᐦᑯ /mihko/ | miko /miko/ | miskwi /miskwi/ | miskwi /miskwi/ | meskoh /mɛskoh/ | mokw /mokʷ/ |
| Poop | ᒣᔨ /meːji/ | ᒣᔨ /meːji/ | mei /mej/ | moow /moːw/ | — | — | — |
| Love | ᓵᑭᐦᐃᐍᐃᐧᐣ /saːkihiweːwin/ | ᓵᑭᐦᐃᐍᐏᐣ /saːkihiweːwin/ | sakihiwewin /sakihiwewin/ | zaagiʼiwewin /zaːɡiʔiweːwin/ | sàgiʼà /saːɡiʔaː/ | kesāenemāew /kesaːenemaːew/ | ahóoluw /ahoːluw/ |
| Tree | ᒥᐢᑎᐠ /mistik/ | ᒥᐢᑎᐠ /mistik/ | mictikw /miʃtikʷ/ | mitig /mitiɡ/ | mitig /mɪtɪɡ/ | metekoh /metekoh/ | hìttuk /hitːuk/ |
| Dog | ᐊᑎᒼ /atim/ | ᐊᑎᒼ /atim/ | atimw /atimʷ/ | animosh /animoʃ/ | animosh /anɪmɔʃ/ | anēm /aneːm/ | mwáakaneew /mwaːkaneːw/ |
| Cat | ᒥᓅᐢ /minoːs/ | ᒥᓅᐢ /minoːs/ | minoc /minoʃ/ | gaazhagens /ɡaːʒaɡens/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | póshiis /poʃiːs/ |
| Fish | ᑭᓄᓭᐤ /kinoseːw/ | ᑭᓄᓭᐤ /kinoseːw/ | names /names/ | giigoonh /ɡiːɡõː/ | kikons /kiɡons/ | namēs /nameːs/ | names /names/ |
| Bird | ᐱᔦᓰᐢ /pijeːsiːs/ | ᐱᔦᓰᐢ /pijeːsiːs/ | pirecic /piɾeʃiʃ/ | bineshiinh /bineʃĩː/ | — | — | awehléeshoosh /awehleːʃoːʃ/ |
| Butterfly | ᑲᒫᒪᑯᐢ /kamaːmakos/ | ᑲᒫᒪᐠ /kamaːmak/ | kwakwapito /kwakwapito/ | memengwaa /memeŋɡwaː/ | — | mīmīkwǣw /miːmiːkwæːw/ | — |
| Egg | ᐚᐏ /waːwi/ | ᐚᐎ /waːwi/ | waw /waw/ | waawan /waːwan/ | — | — | wáhwal /wahwal/ |
| Bear | ᒪᐢᑿ /maskwa/ | ᒪᐢᑿ /maskwa/ | masko /masko/ | makwa /makwa/ | makwa /makwa/ | awǣhsaeh /awæːhsæh/ | maxkw /maxkʷ/ |
| Horse | ᒥᐢᑕᑎᒼ /mistatim/ | ᒥᐢᑕᑎᒼ /mistatim/ | atikw /atikʷ/ | bebezhigooganzhii /bebeʒiɡoːɡanʒiː/ | pejòshkwe /peʒɔːʃkʷe/ | — | — |
| House | ᐚᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ /waːskahikan/ | ᐚᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ /waːskahikan/ | mikiwam /mikiwam/ | wiigiwaam /wiːɡiwaːm/ | wàkàigan /waːkaːiɡan/ | wīkewam /wiːkewam/ | wíikwam /wiːkwam/ |
| Milk | ᑐᐦᑑᓵᐳᕀ /tohtoːsaːpoj/ | ᑐᐦᑑᓵᐳᕀ /tohtoːsaːpoj/ | tcotcocanapo /tʃotʃoʃanapo/ | doodooshaaboo /doːdoːʃaːboː/ | tòdòshànàbò /tɔːdɔːʃaːnaːbɔː/ | — | — |
| Honey | ᐋᒧᐤ ᒣᔨ /aːmow meːji/ | ᐋᒨᓰᐦᒋᑲᐣ /aːmoːsiːhtʃikan/ | amo naminas /amo naminas/ | aamoo-ziinzibaakwad /aːmoː ziːnzibaːkwad/ | àmòsizibàkwad /aːmɔːsizibaːkwad/ | — | — |
| Salt | ᓰᐑᐦᑖᑲᐣ /siːwiːhtaːkan/ | ᓰᐑᐦᑖᑲᐣ /siːwiːhtaːkan/ | ciwotakan /ʃiwotakan/ | zhiiwitaagan /ʒiːwitaːɡan/ | shìwitàgan /ʃiːwitaːɡan/ | sēwehtākan /seːwehtaːkan/ | shíiwang /ʃiːwaŋ/ |
| Wine | ᓲᒥᓈᐳᕀ /soːminaːpoj/ | ᓲᒥᓈᐳᕀ /soːminaːpoj/ | minicapo /miniʃapo/ | mazhoominaaboo /maʒoːminaːboː/ | — | — | — |
| Rice | ᐚᐸᔫᒥᐣ /waːpajoːmin/ | ᐚᐸᔫᒥᐣ /waːpajoːmin/ | miromin /miɾomin/ | waabi-manoomin /waːbi manoːmin/ | — | manōmaeh /manoːmæh/ | — |
| Chocolate | ᒪᐢᑭᐦᑮᐢ /maskihkiːs/ | ᒪᐢᑭᐦᑮᐢ /maskihkiːs/ | kokocimiko /kokoʃimiko/ | — | — | — | — |
| Iron | ᐲᐚᐱᐢᐠ /piːwaːpisk/ | ᐲᐚᐱᐢᐠ /piːwaːpisk/ | piwapiskw /piwapiskʷ/ | biiwaabik /biːˈwaːbik/ | pìwàbik /piːwaːbik/ | — | — |
| Wheel | ᑎᐦᑎᐱᐸᔩᐢ /tihtipipajiːs/ | ᐅᑎᐦᑎᐱᐸᔨᐤ /otihtipipajiw/ | toro /toɾo/ | detibised /detibised/ | — | — | — |
| Silk | ᓭᓂᐹᓀᑭᐣ /seːnipaːneːkin/ | ᓭᓂᐹᓀᑭᐣ /seːnipaːneːkin/ | taripanekin /taɾipanekin/ | zenibaawegin /zenibaːweɡin/ | — | — | — |
| Book | ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐃᑲᐣ /masinahikan/ | ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐃᑲᐣ /masinahikan/ | masinahikan /masinahikan/ | mazinaʼigan /mazinaʔiɡan/ | mazinahigan /mazinahiɡan/ | masēnahekan /maseːnahekan/ | — |
| Eat | ᒨᐍᐤ /moːweːw/ | ᒦᒋᓱᐤ /miːtʃisow/ | mitciso /mitʃiso/ | wiisini /wiːsini/ | wìsini /wiːsɪni/ | mīcew /miːtʃew/ | mit /mit/ |
| Drink | ᒥᓂᐦᑴᐤ /minihkweːw/ | ᒥᓂᐦᐠᐌᐤ /minihkweːw/ | minikwew /minikwew/ | minikwe /minikwe/ | minikwe /mɪnɪkwe/ | menew /menew/ | mneew /mneew/ |
| Sleep | ᓂᐹᐤ /nipaːw/ | ᓂᐹᐤ /nipaːw/ | nipaw /nipaw/ | nibaa /nibaː/ | nibà /nibaː/ | nepāw /nepaːw/ | — |
| One | ᐯᔭᐠ /peːjak/ | ᐯᔭᐠ /peːjak/ | peikw /pejkʷ/ | bezhig /beʒiɡ/ | pejig /peʒɪɡ/ | nekot /nekot/ | ngwútii /ŋɡwutiː/ |
| Two | ᓃᓱ /niːso/ | ᓃᓱ /niːso/ | nicw /niʃʷ/ | niizh /niːʒ/ | niizh /niːʒ/ | nīs /niːs/ | niisha /niːʃa/ |
| Three | ᓂᐢᑐ /nisto/ | ᓂᐢᑐ /nisto/ | nicto /niʃto/ | niswi /niswi/ | nisin /nisin/ | nɛʔniw /nɛʔniw/ | nxáh /nxaːh/ |
| Four | ᓀᐓ /neːwo/ | ᓀᐓ /neːwo/ | new /new/ | niiwin /niːwin/ | niwin /niwin/ | nīw /niːw/ | néewa /neːwa/ |
| Five | ᓂᔮᓇᐣ /niːjaːnan/ | ᓂᔮᓇᐣ /nijaːnan/ | niaran /niaɾan/ | naanan /naːnan/ | naanan /naːnan/ | nyānan /njaːnan/ | náalan /naːlan/ |
| Hundred | ᒥᑖᑕᐦᑐᒥᑕᓇᐤ /mitaːtahtomitanaw/ | ᒥᑖᑕᐦᑐᒥᑕᓇᐤ /mitaːtahtomitanaw/ | mitato mitana /mitato mitana/ | ingodwaak /inɡodwaːk/ | — | — | nkwətaːpóxkə /nkwətaːpoxkə/ |
| Hello | ᑖᓂᓯ /taːnisi/ | ᑖᓂᓯ /taːnisi/ | kwei /kwej/ | boozhoo /boːʒoː/ | Kwe /kwe/ | posoh /posoh/ | hé /heː/ |
| Thank you | ᐦᐊᕀ ᐦᐊᕀ /haj haj/ | ᑭᓇᓈᐢᑯᒥᑎᐣ /kinanaːskomitin/ | mikwetc /mikwetʃ/ | miigwech /miːɡʷetʃ/ | Migwech /mɪɡwetʃ/ | wāēwāēnen /waːeːwaːeːnen/ | wanìshi /waniʃi/ |
| Good | ᒥᔼᓯᐣ /mijwaːsin/ | ᒥᔫ /mijoː/ | mirwacin /miɾwaʃin/ | mino /mino/ | mino /mɪnɔ/ | menwāewen /menwaːewen/ | weltóok /weltoːk/ |
| New | ᐅᐢᑳᔨ /oskaːji/ | ᐅᐢᑳᔨ /oskaːji/ | ocki /oʃki/ | oshki /oʃki/ | oshki /ɔʃki/ | — | — |
| Red | ᒥᐦᒁᐤ /mihkwaːw/ | ᒥᐦᒁᐤ /mihkwaːw/ | mikwaw /mikwaw/ | miskwaa /miskwaː/ | miskwa /miskwa/ | mɛhkon /mɛhkon/ | maxkeew /maxkeːw/ |
| White | ᐚᐱᐢᑳᐤ /waːpiskaːw/ | ᐚᐱᐢᑳᐤ /waːpiskaːw/ | wapaw /wapaw/ | waabishkaa /waːbiʃkaː/ | wàbà /waːbaː/ | — | waapeew /waːpeːw/ |
| Black | ᑲᐢᑭᑌᐚᐤ /kaskiteːwaːw/ | ᑲᐢᑭᑌᐚᐤ /kaskiteːwaːw/ | makatewaw /makatewaw/ | makadewaa /makadewaː/ | makadewà /makadewaː/ | — | — |
| Green | ᐊᐢᑭᐦᑕᒁᐤ /askihtakwaːw/ | ᐊᐢᑭᐦᑕᒁᐤ /askihtakwaːw/ | ocawackwaw /oʃawaʃkwaw/ | ozhaawashkwaa /oʒaːwaʃkwaː/ | ozhàwashkwà /ɔʒaːwaʃkwaː/ | — | — |
| Blue | ᓰᐱᐦᒁᐤ /siːpihkwaːw/ | ᓰᐱᐦᒁᐤ /siːpihkwaːw/ | — | ozhaawashkwaa /oʒaːwaʃkwaː/ | — | — | — |
| Tea | ᓂᐦᑎᕀ /nihtij/ | ᓂᐦᑎᕀ /nihtij/ | nipicwapo /nipiʃwapo/ | aniibiish /aniːbiːʃ/ | — | — | — |
| Coffee | ᐱᐦᑲᐦᑌᐚᐳᕀ /pihkahteːwaːpoj/ | ᐱᐦᑲᐦᑌᐚᐳᕀ /pihkahteːwaːpoj/ | kapi /kapi/ | makade-mashkikiwaaboo /makade maʃkikiwaːboː/ | — | — | — |
| Sugar | ᓰᐏᓂᑲᐣ /siːwinikan/ | ᓰᐏᓂᑲᐣ /siːwinikan/ | — | ziinzibaakwad /ziːnzibaːkwad/ | — | — | — |
| Orange | ᐅᓵᐚᐢ /osaːwaːs/ | ᐅᓵᐚᐢ /osaːwaːs/ | — | wezaawiminagizid /wezaːwiminaɡizid/ | — | — | — |
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