Mexicaneru
Isthmus Nahuatl
Uto-Aztecan
Isthmus Nahuatl (also Mecayapan-Pajapan Nahuatl, Náhuatl del Istmo) is one of the ~30 modern Nahuatl varieties of Mexico, spoken in three municipalities of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec area in Veracruz. The Nahuan family (descended from Classical Nahuatl nci, the literary language of the Aztec Empire) divides into Eastern Nahuan (including Isthmus) vs. Western Nahuan vs. Pochutec extinct branches. Isthmus Nahuatl is part of the eastern variant cluster, mutually unintelligible with the larger Huasteca Nahuatl (nhe) and Sierra de Puebla Nahuatl varieties. Bilingual education programs since the 1990s have produced standardized literacy materials, with Isthmus Nahuatl notable for preserving classical Nahuatl features (saltillo glottal stops, vowel length distinctions) lost in some western varieties.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Isthmus Nahuatl
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Uto-Aztecan
| Meaning | Isthmus Nahuatl | Nawat | Classical Nahuatl | Central Huasteca Nahuatl | Eastern Huasteca Nahuatl | Western Huasteca Nahuatl | Guerrero Nahuatl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | a̱ꞌti /aːʔti/ | at /at/ | ātl /aːtɬ/ | atl /atɬ/ | atl /atɬ/ | atl /atɬ/ | atl /atɬ/ |
| Fire | tiꞌti /tiʔti/ | tit /tit/ | tlētl /tɬeːtɬ/ | tlitl /tɬitɬ/ | tlitl /tɬitɬ/ | tlitl /tɬitɬ/ | tlitl /tɬitɬ/ |
| Sun | to̱nati̱ꞌ /toːnatiːʔ/ | tunal /tunal/ | tōnatiuh /toːnatiw/ | tonati /tonati/ | tonatih /tonatih/ | tonati /tonati/ | tonajli /tonahli/ |
| Moon | me̱tzti /meːtsti/ | metzti /meːtsti/ | mētztli /meːtstɬi/ | metztli /metstɬi/ | metztli /metstɬi/ | metztli /metstɬi/ | metztli /metstɬi/ |
| Star | si̱talin /siːtalin/ | sital /ˈsital/ | cītlālin /siːˈtɬaːlin/ | sitlalij /siˈtɬalih/ | sitlalij /siˈtɬalih/ | sitlalij /siˈtɬalih/ | sitlalin /siˈtɬalin/ |
| Night | yóhual /ˈjowal/ | tayua /tajuwa/ | yohualli /joːwalːi/ | youali /jowali/ | yohuali /jowali/ | yohuali /jowali/ | yowalli /jowalːi/ |
| Rain | tiahua̱ꞌ /tiawaːʔ/ | kiawit /kiawit/ | quiyahuitl /kiˈjawitɬ/ | kiyawit /kiˈjawit/ | quiyahuitl /kijawitɬ/ | quiyahuitl /kijawitɬ/ | quiyahuitl /kijawitɬ/ |
| Wind | ejecaꞌ /ehekaʔ/ | ejekat /eˈhekat/ | ehecatl /eˈhekatɬ/ | ajakatl /ahakatɬ/ | ajacatl /ahakatɬ/ | ajacatl /ahakatɬ/ | ajacatl /ahakatɬ/ |
| Earth | ta̱jli /taːhli/ | tal /ˈtaːl/ | tlālli /tɬaːlːi/ | tlali /tɬali/ | tlali /tɬali/ | tlali /tɬali/ | tlajli /tɬahli/ |
| Stone | teꞌti /teʔti/ | tet /tet/ | tetl /tetɬ/ | tetl /tetɬ/ | tetl /tetɬ/ | tetl /teːtɬ/ | tetl /teːtɬ/ |
| Mountain | tepe̱ꞌ /tepeːʔ/ | tepet /ˈtepet/ | tepētl /ˈtepeːtɬ/ | tepetl /ˈtepeːtɬ/ | tepetl /ˈtepeːtɬ/ | tepetl /ˈtepeːtɬ/ | tepetl /ˈtepeːtɬ/ |
| Sea | láma̱r /ˈlamaːr/ | — | hueyatl /ˈweːjaːtɬ/ | hueyatl /ˈwejatɬ/ | hueyiatl /weˈjiatɬ/ | hueyatl /ˈwejatɬ/ | mar /mar/ |
| Mother | te̱ye̱ꞌ /teːjeːʔ/ | nan /nan/ | nāntli /naːntɬi/ | nana /nana/ | mama /mama/ | nana /nana/ | nanan /nanan/ |
| Father | te̱taj /teːtah/ | tat /tat/ | tahtli /tahtɬi/ | tata /tata/ | tata /tata/ | tata /tata/ | tatah /tatah/ |
| Daughter | isihua̱piltzi̱n /isiwaːpiltsiːn/ | nusiwapiltzin /nusiwaˈpiltsin/ | ichpōchtli /itʃpoːtʃtɬi/ | noichpoca /noitʃˈpoka/ | noichpoca /noitʃˈpoka/ | noichpoca /noitʃˈpoka/ | nochpoch /ˈnotʃpotʃ/ |
| I | nej /neh/ | naja /ˈnaha/ | nehhuātl /neʔˈwaːtɬ/ | na /na/ | na /na/ | na /na/ | nejua /neˈwa/ |
| You | tej /teh/ | taja /ˈtaha/ | tehhuātl /teʔˈwaːtɬ/ | ta /ta/ | ta /ta/ | ta /ta/ | tejua /teˈwa/ |
| We | tejame̱n / nejame̱n /tehameːn / nehameːn/ | tejemet /teˈhemet/ | tehhuāntin /teʔˈwaːntin/ | tohuanti /toˈwanti/ | tohuanti /toˈwanti/ | tohuanti /toˈwanti/ | tejuamej /teˈwameh/ |
| Name | to̱ca̱ꞌ /toːkaːʔ/ | tukay /ˈtukaj/ | tōcāitl /toːˈkaːitɬ/ | tocaxtli /toˈkaʃtɬi/ | tocaxtli /toˈkaʃtɬi/ | tocaxtli /toˈkaʃtɬi/ | tocaitl /toˈkaitɬ/ |
| Head | tzontecon /tsontekon/ | tzuntekun /tsuntekun/ | cuāitl /kʷaːitɬ/ | tzontecomitl /tsonteˈkomitɬ/ | tzontecomitl /tsonteˈkomitɬ/ | tzontecomitl /tsonteˈkomitɬ/ | tzontecomitl /tsonteˈkomitɬ/ |
| Eye | i̱xti /iːʃti/ | ish /iʃ/ | īxtli /iːʃtɬi/ | ixtioli /iʃtioli/ | ixtiyol /iʃtijol/ | ixteyol /iʃtejol/ | ixtololo /iʃtololo/ |
| Ear | nacas /nakas/ | nakas /nakas/ | nacaztli /nakastɬi/ | nacastli /nakastɬi/ | nacastli /nakastɬi/ | nacastli /nakastɬi/ | nacas /nakas/ |
| Nose | yacti /jakti/ | yak /jak/ | yacatl /jakatɬ/ | yakatsoli /jakatsoli/ | yacatl /jakatɬ/ | yacatl /jakatɬ/ | yacatl /jakatɬ/ |
| Mouth | te̱nti /teːnti/ | ten /ten/ | camatl /kamatɬ/ | camactli /kaˈmaktɬi/ | camactli /kaˈmaktɬi/ | camactli /kaˈmaktɬi/ | camactli /kaˈmaktɬi/ |
| Tooth | tanti /tanti/ | tan /tan/ | tlantli /tɬantɬi/ | tlankoch /tɬankotʃ/ | tlankoch /tɬankotʃ/ | tlankoch /tɬankotʃ/ | tlan /tɬan/ |
| Tongue | le̱nguaj /leːnɡʷah/ | nenepil /nenepil/ | nenepilli /nenepilːi/ | nenepili /nenepili/ | nenepil /nenepil/ | nenepil /nenepil/ | nenepil /nenepil/ |
| Hand | mayiꞌ /majiʔ/ | mey /mei/ | māitl /maːitɬ/ | maitl /maitɬ/ | maitl /maitɬ/ | maitl /maitɬ/ | maitl /maitɬ/ |
| Foot | icxi /ikʃi/ | ikshi /ikʃi/ | icxitl /ikʃitɬ/ | icxitl /ikʃitɬ/ | icxitl /ikʃitɬ/ | icxitl /ikʃitɬ/ | icxitl /ikʃitɬ/ |
| Heart | iya̱lmaj /ijaːlmah/ | yulu /julu/ | yōllōtl /joːlːoːtɬ/ | yolotl /jolotɬ/ | yollotl /jolːotɬ/ | yolotl /jolotɬ/ | yojlotl /johlotɬ/ |
| Bone | omiꞌ /omiʔ/ | umit /umit/ | omitl /omitɬ/ | omitl /omitɬ/ | omitl /omitɬ/ | omitl /omitɬ/ | omitl /omitɬ/ |
| Blood | esti /esti/ | esti /esti/ | eztli /esˈtɬi/ | estli /estɬi/ | estli /estɬi/ | estli /estɬi/ | yestli /jestɬi/ |
| Poop | cuitaꞌ /kʷitaʔ/ | kwitat /kʷitat/ | cuitlatl /kʷitɬatɬ/ | cuitlatl /ˈkʷitɬatɬ/ | cuitlatl /ˈkʷitɬatɬ/ | cuitlatl /ˈkʷitɬatɬ/ | — |
| Love | quinequi /kineki/ | tasujta /tasuhta/ | tlazōhtla /tɬasoːhtɬa/ | tlazohtla /tɬasoʔtɬa/ | tlasojtla /tɬasohtɬa/ | tlasojtla /tɬasohtɬa/ | tlazohtla /tɬasoʔtɬa/ |
| Tree | cuahuiꞌ /kʷawiʔ/ | kwawit /kʷawit/ | cuahuitl /kʷawitɬ/ | cuahuitl /kʷawitɬ/ | cuahuitl /kʷawitɬ/ | cuahuitl /kʷawitɬ/ | kojtli /kohtɬi/ |
| Dog | pe̱lo /peːlo/ | pelu /peːlu/ | itzcuīntli /itskʷiːntɬi/ | chichi /tʃitʃi/ | chichi /tʃitʃi/ | chichi /tʃitʃi/ | itzcuintli /itskʷintɬi/ |
| Cat | misto̱n /mistoːn/ | mistun /mistuːŋ/ | mīztōn /miːstoːn/ | misto /misto/ | mizto /misto/ | mizton /miston/ | miston /miston/ |
| Fish | to̱poj /toːpoh/ | michin /mitʃin/ | michin /mitʃin/ | michi /mitʃi/ | michi /mitʃi/ | michi /mitʃi/ | michin /mitʃin/ |
| Bird | to̱to̱ꞌ /toːtoːʔ/ | tutut /tutut/ | tōtōtl /toːtoːtɬ/ | tototl /tototɬ/ | tototl /ˈtototɬ/ | tototl /tototɬ/ | tototl /ˈtototɬ/ |
| Butterfly | me̱me̱ /meːmeː/ | papalut /papalut/ | pāpālōtl /paːpaːloːtɬ/ | papalotl /paˈpalotɬ/ | papalotl /paˈpalotɬ/ | papalotl /paˈpalotɬ/ | papalotl /paˈpalotɬ/ |
| Egg | itecsis /iteksis/ | teksisti /teksisti/ | tōtoltetl /toːtoltetɬ/ | tejsistli /tehsistɬi/ | tejquistli /tehkistɬi/ | tecsistli /teksistɬi/ | totoltetl /totolˈtetɬ/ |
| Bear | oso /oso/ | tekwani metzkujkutu /teːˈkʷani metskuhkutu/ | tlācamāyeh /tɬaːkamaːjeʔ/ | oso /oso/ | oso /oso/ | oso /oso/ | oso /ˈoso/ |
| Horse | cahua̱yoj /kaˈwaːjoh/ | cahuayoh /kaˈwajuh/ | cahuallo /kaˈwaːlːo/ | kauayoj /kaˈwajoh/ | kawayoh /kaˈwaːjoh/ | cahuayoj /kaˈwajoh/ | caballo /kaˈbajo/ |
| House | cajli /kahli/ | kal /kal/ | calli /kalːi/ | kali /kali/ | cali /kali/ | cali /kali/ | kajli /kahli/ |
| Milk | chi̱chihuala̱ꞌ /tʃiːtʃiwalaːʔ/ | — | chīchīhualāyōtl /tʃiːtʃiːwalaːjoːtɬ/ | lechi /letʃi/ | lechi /letʃi/ | lechi /letʃi/ | leche /ˈletʃe/ |
| Honey | necti /nekti/ | nekti /nekti/ | neuctli /nekʷtɬi/ | necti /nekti/ | nectli /nektɬi/ | nectli /nektɬi/ | necutli /neˈkutɬi/ |
| Salt | istaꞌ /istaʔ/ | istat /istat/ | iztatl /istatɬ/ | istatl /istatɬ/ | istatl /istatɬ/ | istatl /istatɬ/ | istatl /istatɬ/ |
| Wine | vino /ˈbino/ | — | vino /ˈbino/ | xocomeca at /ʃokomeka at/ | xocomeca atl /ʃokomeka atɬ/ | xocomeca atl /ʃokomeka atɬ/ | vino /ˈbino/ |
| Rice | arro̱j /aroːh/ | — | — | arroz /aˈros/ | — | — | arroz /aˈros/ |
| Iron | tepos /tepos/ | tepusti /tepusti/ | tepoztli /tepostɬi/ | tepostli /tepostɬi/ | tepostli /tepostɬi/ | tepostli /tepostɬi/ | tepostli /tepostɬi/ |
| Silk | seda /seda/ | — | — | seda /ˈseda/ | seda /ˈseda/ | seda /ˈseda/ | seda /ˈseda/ |
| Book | a̱maꞌ /aːmaʔ/ | amat /amat/ | āmoxtli /aːˈmoʃtɬi/ | amochtli /aˈmotʃtɬi/ | amoxtli /aˈmoʃtɬi/ | libro /ˈlibro/ | libro /ˈlibro/ |
| Eat | tacua /takʷa/ | takwa /takwa/ | tlacua /tɬakʷa/ | tlacua /tɬakʷa/ | tlacua /tɬakʷa/ | tlacua /tɬakʷa/ | tlakua /tɬakʷa/ |
| Drink | a̱ti /aːti/ | ati /ati/ | ātli /aːtɬi/ | atli /atɬi/ | atli /atɬi/ | atli /atɬi/ | koni /koni/ |
| Sleep | cochi /kotʃi/ | kuchi /ˈkutʃi/ | cochi /kotʃi/ | cochi /ˈkotʃi/ | cochi /ˈkotʃi/ | cochi /ˈkotʃi/ | cochi /ˈkotʃi/ |
| One | se̱ /seː/ | se /se/ | cē /seː/ | ce /se/ | ce /se/ | ce /se/ | ce /se/ |
| Two | o̱me /oːme/ | ume /ˈume/ | ōme /ˈoːme/ | ome /ˈome/ | ome /ˈome/ | ome /ˈome/ | ome /ˈome/ |
| Three | e̱yi /eːji/ | yey /jej/ | yei /jeːi/ | eyi /ejiː/ | eyi /ejiː/ | eyi /ejiː/ | yeyi /jeji/ |
| Four | na̱hui /naːwi/ | nawi /naːwi/ | nāhui /naːwi/ | nahui /naːwi/ | nahui /naːwi/ | nahui /nawi/ | nahui /nawi/ |
| Five | cinco /sinko/ | makwil /maˈkʷil/ | mācuīlli /maːˈkʷiːlːi/ | makuili /maˈkʷili/ | macuili /maˈkʷili/ | macuili /maˈkʷili/ | makuijli /makʷihli/ |
| Hundred | cien /sjen/ | tzunti /tsunti/ | mācuīlpōhualli /maːkʷiːlpoːˈwalːi/ | cien /sjen/ | cien /sjen/ | cien /sjen/ | ciento /ˈsjento/ |
| Hello | — /—/ | ne pakua /ne pakwa/ | niltze /niltse/ | niltze /niltse/ | nimitzpaca /nimitspaka/ | niltze /niltse/ | panolti /panolti/ |
| Thank you | gracias /ɡrasjas/ | padiush /padjuʃ/ | tlazōhcāmati /tɬasoːhkaːmati/ | tlaskamati /tɬaskamati/ | tlascamati /tɬaskamati/ | tlascamati /tɬaskamati/ | tlazohcamati /tɬasoʔkamati/ |
| Good | ye̱cti /jeːkti/ | yek /jeːk/ | cualli /kʷalːi/ | kuali /kʷali/ | cuali /kʷali/ | cuali /kʷali/ | kuajli /kʷahli/ |
| New | yancuiꞌ /jankʷiʔ/ | yankwik /jaŋkʷik/ | yancuic /jankʷik/ | yancuic /ˈjankʷik/ | yancuic /ˈjankʷik/ | yancuic /ˈjankʷik/ | yencuic /ˈjenkʷik/ |
| Red | chi̱ltiꞌ /tʃiːltiʔ/ | chiltik /tʃiltik/ | chichiltic /tʃitʃiltik/ | chichiltik /tʃitʃiltik/ | chichiltik /tʃitʃiltik/ | chichiltik /tʃitʃiltik/ | chichiltik /tʃitʃiltik/ |
| White | ista̱ꞌ /istaːʔ/ | istak /istak/ | iztāc /istaːk/ | istak /istak/ | chipahuac /tʃipawak/ | chipahuac /tʃipawak/ | istak /istak/ |
| Black | pi̱stiꞌ /piːstiʔ/ | tiltik /tiltik/ | tlīltic /tɬiːltik/ | yayahuic /jaˈjawik/ | yayahuic /jaˈjawik/ | yayahuic /jaˈjawik/ | capotztic /kaˈpotstik/ |
| Green | xoxoctiꞌ /ʃoʃoktiʔ/ | shushuwik /ʃuʃuwik/ | xoxoctic /ʃoʃoktik/ | xoxohuic /ʃoˈʃowik/ | xoxohuic /ʃoˈʃowik/ | xoxohuic /ʃoˈʃowik/ | xoxojki /ʃoˈʃohki/ |
| Blue | aso̱ltiꞌ /asoːltiʔ/ | — | — | azultic /aˈsultik/ | azultic /aˈsultik/ | azultic /aˈsultik/ | azul /aˈsul/ |
| Coffee | capej /kapeh/ | — | — | kafej /kafeh/ | cafe /kafe/ | — | café /kaˈfe/ |
Page 1/9
Open the interactive map: Word Map · HanMap · Name Map · Word Order · Tree
Part of LangMap — a linguistic visualization project. This is a static, crawlable summary; the interactive maps offer pronunciation audio, filters, and a globe view.
Made by Heuron Inc. · GitHub · cho@heuron.com · LangMap home