Iñupiatun
Inupiaq
Eskimo-Aleut (Inuit)
Iñupiaq (ISO 639-1: ik) is an Inuit–Yupik–Unangan language spoken across northern and northwestern Alaska. Alaskan Iñupiaq has two major dialect groups: North Alaskan Iñupiaq, including North Slope and Malimiut, and Seward Peninsula Iñupiaq, including Qawiaraq and Bering Strait; the two groups differ substantially, while neighboring varieties form a continuum. Current Alaska estimates identify roughly 500–1,500 highly proficient speakers, alongside second-language learners, and transmission to children has greatly weakened. Iñupiaq is polysynthetic, building complex words from multiple morphemes, and is written in a Latin-based orthography with letters such as ġ, ł, ñ, and ŋ. It is one of Alaska’s official languages, and community programs and University of Alaska courses support documentation and revitalization.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Inupiaq
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Eskimo-Aleut (Inuit)
| Meaning | Inupiaq | Inuktitut | Greenlandic | Central Alaskan Yupik | Central Siberian Yupik | Aleut | Tokelauan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | imiq /imiq/ | ᐃᒪᖅ /imaq/ | imeq /imeq/ | meq /məq/ | мыӄ /mɨq/ | таӈах̆ /taŋaχ/ | vai /vai/ |
| Fire | igniq /iɡniq/ | ᐃᑯᒪ /ikuma/ | inneq /inːeq/ | keneq /kənəq/ | кыныӄ /kɨnɨq/ | кигнах̆ /kiɡnaχ/ | afi /afi/ |
| Sun | siqiñiq /siqiɲiq/ | ᓯᕿᓂᖅ /siqiniq/ | seqineq /seqineq/ | akerta /akəʁta/ | сиӄиныӄ /siqinɨq/ | агадгих̆ /aɡaðɣiχ/ | lā /laː/ |
| Moon | tatqiq /tatqiq/ | ᑕᖅᑭᖅ /taqːiq/ | qaammat /qaːmːat/ | iraluq /iraluq/ | танӄиӄ /tanqiq/ | тугидах̆ /tuɣiðaχ/ | māhina /maːhina/ |
| Star | uvluġiaq /uvluʁiaq/ | ᐅᓪᓗᕆᐊᖅ /ulːuʁiaq/ | ulloriaq /uɬːoʁiaq/ | agyaq /aɣjaq/ | иӷалыӄытаӄ /iɣalɨqɨtaq/ | сдах /sðax/ | fetu /fetu/ |
| Night | unnuaq /unːuaq/ | ᐅᓐᓄᐊᖅ /unːuaq/ | unnuaq /unːuaq/ | unuk /unuk/ | унук /unuk/ | амах̆ /amaχ/ | pō /poː/ |
| Rain | siḷaluk /siʎaluk/ | ᓯᐊᓗᒃ /sialuk/ | sialuk /sialuk/ | ellalluk /əɬːaɬuk/ | ныпсюк /nɨpsjuk/ | кимдух̆ /kimduχ/ | ua /ua/ |
| Snow | apun /apun/ | ᐊᐳᑦ /aput/ | aput /aput/ | qanikcaq /qaniktʃaq/ | анигу /aniɣu/ | каниих̆ /qaniːχ/ | kiona /kiona/ |
| Wind | anuġi /anuʁi/ | ᐊᓄᕆ /anuʁi/ | anori /anoʁi/ | anuqa /anuqa/ | ануӄа /anuqa/ | — | matagi /mataŋi/ |
| Earth | nuna /nuna/ | ᓄᓇ /nuna/ | nuna /nuna/ | nuna /nuna/ | нуна /nuna/ | танах̆ /tanaχ/ | kelekele /kelekele/ |
| Stone | uyaġak /ujaʁak/ | ᐅᔭᕋᒃ /uˈjaʁak/ | ujarak /uˈjaʁak/ | teggalquq /təxalquq/ | уйӷак /ujɣak/ | нух̆ /nuχ/ | fatu /fatu/ |
| Mountain | iġġi /iʁːi/ | ᖃᖅᑲᖅ /qaqqaq/ | qaqqaq /qaqːaq/ | ingriq /iŋʁiq/ | найӷаӄ /najɣaq/ | кииг̆уусих̆ /kiːɣuːsiχ/ | mauga /mauŋa/ |
| Sea | taġiuq /taʁiuq/ | ᐃᒪᖅ /imaq/ | imaq /imaq/ | imarpik /imaʁpik/ | имаӄ /imaq/ | алаг̆ух̆ /alaɣuχ/ | moana /moana/ |
| Mother | aaka /aːka/ | ᐊᓈᓇ /anaːna/ | anaana /anaːna/ | aana /aːna/ | на /na/ | анаах̆ /anaːχ/ | mātua /maːtua/ |
| Father | aapa /aːpa/ | ᐊᑖᑕ /ataːta/ | ataata /ataːta/ | aata /aːta/ | ата /ata/ | адаах̆ /aðaːχ/ | tamana /tamana/ |
| Daughter | panik /panik/ | ᐸᓂᒃ /panik/ | panik /panik/ | panik /panik/ | паник /panik/ | асхинух̆ /asxinuχ/ | afafine /afafine/ |
| I | uvaŋa /uvaŋa/ | ᐅᕙᖓ /uˈvaŋa/ | uanga /uaŋa/ | wiinga /wiːŋa/ | ху̌аӈа /xwaŋa/ | тиӈ /tiŋ/ | au /au/ |
| You | ilviñ /ilviɲ/ | ᐃᕝᕕᑦ /ivːit/ | illit /iɬːit/ | elpet /əɬpət/ | ылъпык /ɨɬpɨk/ | тхин /txin/ | koe /koe/ |
| We | uvagut /uvaɡut/ | ᐅᕙᒍᑦ /uˈvaɡut/ | uagut /uaɣut/ | wangkuta /waŋkuta/ | ху̌аӈкута /xwaŋkuta/ | тимис /timis/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ |
| Name | atiq /atiq/ | ᐊᑎᖅ /aˈtiq/ | ateq /atəq/ | ateq /atəq/ | атыӄ /atɨq/ | асах /asax/ | igoa /iŋoa/ |
| Person | iñuk /iɲuk/ | ᐃᓄᒃ /inuk/ | inuk /inuk/ | yuk /juk/ | юк /juk/ | — | tagata /taŋata/ |
| Eye | iri /iri/ | ᐃᔨ /iji/ | isi /isi/ | ii /iː/ | ия /ija/ | дах̆ /ðaχ/ | mata /mata/ |
| Ear | siun /siun/ | ᓯᐅᑦ /siut/ | siut /siut/ | ciun /tʃiun/ | — | tutusix /tutusiχ/ | taliga /taliŋa/ |
| Nose | qiŋaq /qiŋaq/ | ᕿᖓᖅ /qiŋaq/ | qingaq /qiŋaq/ | qengaq /qəŋaq/ | ӄыӈаӄ /qɨŋaq/ | — | ihu /ihu/ |
| Mouth | qaniq /qaniq/ | ᖃᓂᖅ /qaniq/ | qaneq /qaneq/ | qaneq /qanəq/ | ӄагыӄ /qaɡɨq/ | агилг̆их̆ /aɡilɣiχ/ | gutu /ŋutu/ |
| Tooth | kigun /kiɡun/ | ᑭᒍᑎᒃ /kiɡutik/ | kigut /kiɣut/ | keggun /kəxun/ | хута /xuta/ | агалух̆ /aɡaloχ/ | nifo /nifo/ |
| Tongue | uqaq /uqaq/ | ᐅᖃᖅ /uqaq/ | oqaq /oqaq/ | uluq /uluq/ | улю /ulʲu/ | агнах̆ /aɡnaχ/ | alelo /alelo/ |
| Hand | argak /arɡak/ | ᐊᒡᒑᖅ /aɡːaːq/ | assak /asːak/ | unan /unan/ | иха /ixa/ | чах̆ /tʃaχ/ | lima /lima/ |
| Foot | isigak /isiɡak/ | ᐃᑎᒐᒃ /itiɡak/ | isigak /isiɣak/ | itʼgaq /itʼɣaq/ | итыӷаӄ /itɨɣaq/ | китах̆ /kitaχ/ | vae /vae/ |
| Heart | uumman /uːmːan/ | ᐆᒻᒪᑦ /uːmːat/ | uummat /uːmːat/ | ircaquq /irtʃaquq/ | иӽсяӄуӄ /iχsjaquq/ | канух̆ /kanuχ/ | fatu /fatu/ |
| Bone | sauniq /sauniq/ | ᓴᐅᓂᖅ /sauniq/ | saaneq /saːneq/ | eneq /ənəq/ | нэӄваӄ /nəqʷaq/ | кахна /qaxna/ | ivi /ivi/ |
| Blood | auk /auk/ | ᐊᐅᒃ /auk/ | aak /aːk/ | auk /auk/ | ау̌к /awk/ | аамах̆ /aːmaχ/ | toto /toto/ |
| Love | piqpakkun /piqpakːun/ | ᓇᒡᓕᒍᓱᒃ- /naɡliɡusuk/ | asavaa /asavaː/ | kenka /kənka/ | пиниӄаӄа /piniqaqa/ | кидук- /kiðuk-/ | alofa /alofa/ |
| Tree | napaaqtuq /napaːqtuq/ | ᓇᐹᖅᑐᖅ /napaːqtuq/ | orpik /oʁpik/ | napa /napa/ | уӄфиӽаӄ /uqfiχaq/ | ях̆ /jaχ/ | lākau /laːkau/ |
| Dog | qimmiq /qimːiq/ | ᕿᒻᒥᖅ /qimːiq/ | qimmeq /qimːeq/ | qimugta /qimuɣta/ | ӄикмиӄ /qikmiq/ | сабаакаах̆ /sabaːkaːχ/ | kuli /kuli/ |
| Cat | pusiuraq /pusiuraq/ | ᐱᓯᒃᑎ /pisikti/ | qitsuk /qitsuk/ | kuskaq /kuskaq/ | пуси /pusi/ | кошкаах̆ /koʃkaːχ/ | puhi /puhi/ |
| Fish | iqaluk /iqaluk/ | ᐃᖃᓗᒃ /iqaluk/ | aalisagaq /aːlisaɣaq/ | neqa /nəqa/ | иӄалъюк /iqaɬjuk/ | ках̆ /qaχ/ | ika /ika/ |
| Bird | tiŋmiaq /tiŋmiaq/ | ᑎᖕᒥᐊᖅ /tiŋmiaq/ | timmiaq /timːiaq/ | tengmiaq /təŋmiaq/ | ӄау̌ак /qawak/ | сах̆ /saχ/ | manu /manu/ |
| Egg | mannik /manːik/ | ᒪᓐᓂᒃ /manːik/ | mannik /manːik/ | kayangaq /kajaˈŋaq/ | маник /manik/ | саамлах̆ /saːmlaχ/ | fuāmoa /fuaːmoa/ |
| Bear | akłaq /akɬaq/ | ᓇᓄᖅ /nanuq/ | nanoq /nanoq/ | taqukaq /taqukaq/ | кайӈа /kajŋa/ | — | pea /pea/ |
| Horse | tuttuqpak /tutːuqpak/ | ᕿᒻᒥᕐᔪᐊᖅ /qimːiʁjuaq/ | hiisti /hiːsti/ | kuuniq /kuːniq/ | кони /kɔni/ | куунух̆ /kuːnuχ/ | holofanua /holofanua/ |
| House | iglu /iɡlu/ | ᐃᒡᓗ /iɡlu/ | illu /iɬːu/ | ena /əna/ | мыӈтыӷаӄ /mɨŋtɨɣaq/ | улах̆ /ulaχ/ | fale /fale/ |
| Milk | immuk /imːuk/ | ᐃᒻᒧᒃ /imːuk/ | immuk /imːuk/ | mulukʼuuq /mulukʔuːq/ | мамаӄ /mamaq/ | мулуках̆ /mulukaχ/ | huāhuhu /huaːhuhu/ |
| Salt | taġiuq /taʁiuq/ | ᑕᕆᐅᖅ /taʁiuq/ | taratsut /taʁatsut/ | taryuq /taʁjuq/ | таӷьюӄ /taɣjuq/ | — | māhima /maːhima/ |
| Wine | misuġuq /misuʁuq/ | ᐅᐂᓂ /uvaːni/ | viinni /viːnːi/ | — | вино /vinɔ/ | — | uaina /uaina/ |
| Iron | saviksraq /savikʂaq/ | ᓴᕕᕋᔭᒃ /saviʁajak/ | savimineq /savimineq/ | cavik /tʃavik/ | — | к̆умлих̆ух̆ /qumliχuχ/ | ukamea /ukamea/ |
| Wheel | aksraligaun /akʐaliɡaun/ | ᐊᒃᓴᓗᐊᖅ /aksaluaq/ | assakaasoq /asːakaːsoq/ | akalria /akaɬʁia/ | — | — | uili /uili/ |
| Book | makpiġaat /makpiʁaːt/ | ᕿᒥᕐᕈᐊᑦ /qimiʁːuat/ | atuagaq /atuaɣaq/ | naaqerkaq /naːqəʁkaq/ | игаӄ /iɡaq/ | каликах̆ /kalikaχ/ | tuhi /tuhi/ |
| Eat | niġiruq /niʁiruq/ | ᓂᕆ- /niʁi/ | nerivoq /neʁivoq/ | nerʼuq /nerʔuq/ | ныӷаӄуӄ /nɨɣaquq/ | ках̆тах /qaχtax/ | kai /kai/ |
| Drink | imiġuq /imiʁuq/ | ᐃᒥᖅ- /imiq/ | imerpoq /imeʁpoq/ | mertuq /məʁtuq/ | мыӷаӄуӄ /mɨɣaquq/ | таӈах̆- /taŋaχ-/ | inu /inu/ |
| Sleep | siñiktuq /siɲiktuq/ | ᓯᓂᒃ /siˈnik/ | sinippoq /siˈnippɔq/ | qavartuq /qavaʁtuq/ | ӄаваӷаӄуӄ /qavaɣaquq/ | саг̆алих /saɣalix/ | moe /moe/ |
| One | atausiq /atausiq/ | ᐊᑕᐅᓯᖅ /atausiq/ | ataaseq /ataːseq/ | atauciq /atautʃiq/ | атасиӄ /atasiq/ | атак̆ан /ataqan/ | tahi /tahi/ |
| Two | malġuk /malʁuk/ | ᒪᕐᕈᒃ /maʁːuk/ | marluk /maɬːuk/ | malruk /maɬʁuk/ | малӷук /malɣuk/ | аалах /aːlax/ | lua /lua/ |
| Three | piŋasut /piŋasut/ | ᐱᖓᓱᑦ /piŋasut/ | pingasut /piŋasut/ | pingayun /piŋajun/ | пиӈают /piŋajut/ | к̆аанкун /qaːnkun/ | tolu /tolu/ |
| Four | sisamat /sisamat/ | ᓯᑕᒪᑦ /sitamat/ | sisamat /sisamat/ | cetaman /tʃətaman/ | ыстамат /ɨstamat/ | сичин /sitʃin/ | fā /faː/ |
| Five | tallimat /talːimat/ | ᑕᓪᓕᒪᑦ /tallimat/ | tallimat /taɬːimat/ | talliman /taɬiman/ | талъимат /taɬimat/ | chaang /tʃaːŋ/ | lima /lima/ |
| Hundred | tallimakipiat /talːimakipiat/ | — | untritit /untʁitit/ | yuinaat talliman /juinaːt taɬiman/ | ю̄к талъимат /juːk taɬimat/ | сисах̆ /sisaχ/ | helau /helau/ |
| Hello | aluu /aluː/ | ᐊᐃ /aj/ | aluu /aluː/ | waqaa /waqaː/ | аипак /aipak/ | аӈ /aŋ/ | malo ni /malo ni/ |
| Thank you | quyanaq /qujanaq/ | ᓇᑯᕐᒦᒃ /nakuʁmiːk/ | qujanaq /qujanaq/ | quyana /qujana/ | игамсиӄанаӄ /iɡamsiqanaq/ | к̆аг̆аасак /qaɣaːsak/ | fakafetai /fakafetai/ |
| Good | nakuuruq /nakuːruq/ | ᐱᐅᔪᖅ /piujuq/ | ajunngilaq /ajuŋːilaq/ | assirtuq /asːirtuq/ | пинилӷи /pinilɣi/ | игах̆ /iɣaχ/ | lelei /lelei/ |
| New | nutaaq /nutaːq/ | ᓄᑖᖅ /nutaːq/ | nutaaq /nutaːq/ | nutaraq /nutaraq/ | нутаӷаӄ /nutaɣaq/ | тагадах̆ /taɡaðaχ/ | fou /fou/ |
| Red | kaviqsaaq /kaviqsaːq/ | ᐊᐅᐸᖅᑐᖅ /aupaqtuq/ | aappaluttoq /aːpːalutːoq/ | kavirliq /kavirɬiq/ | кавилӈуӄ /kavilŋuq/ | улуудалих /uluːdalix/ | kukula /kukula/ |
| White | qatiqtuq /qatiqtuq/ | ᖃᑯᖅᑕᖅ /qakuqtaq/ | qaqortoq /qaqoχtoq/ | qatellria /qatəɬʁia/ | ӄатылӷи /qatɨlɣi/ | к̆умалих /qumalix/ | paepae /paepae/ |
| Green | suŋaaqtaaq /suŋaːqtaːq/ | ᐆᔭᐅᔭᖅ /uːjaujaq/ | qorsuk /qoχsuk/ | cungagliq /tʃuŋaɣɬiq/ | ӄигуӷмылӈуӄ /qiɡuɣmɨlŋuq/ | чидг̆ааюлих /tʃiðɣaːjulix/ | lanu meamata /lanu meamata/ |
| Blue | suŋauraaq /suŋauʁaːq/ | ᑐᖑᔪᖅᑐᖅ /tuŋujuqtuq/ | tungujorpoq /tuŋuˈjɔʁpɔq/ | qiugliq /qiuɣɬiq/ | сюӈаӷьюкыӽтаӄ /sjuŋɣajukɨxˈtaq/ | chidǵilix /tʃiðɣilix/ | lanumoana /lanumoana/ |
| Computer | qaqasauraq /qaqasauraq/ | ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᖅ /qaʁasaujaq/ | qarasaasiaq /qaʁasaːsiaq/ | naaqsuun /naːqsuːn/ | — | — | komepiuta /komepiuta/ |
| Tea | saiyu /saiju/ | ᑏ /tiː/ | tii /tiː/ | caayuq /tʃaːjuq/ | — | chaayux́ /tʃaːjuχ/ | — |
| Coffee | kuukpiaq /kuːkpiaq/ | ᑳᐱ /kaːpi/ | kaffi /kafːi/ | kuuvviaq /kuːvːiaq/ | — | — | — |
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