Maya tʼaan
Yucatec Maya
Mayan (Yucatecan)
Yucatec Maya (Maaya tʼaan) is the most widely spoken Mayan language in Mexico, native to the Yucatán Peninsula (states of Yucatán, Quintana Roo, Campeche), with ~770K speakers, plus communities in Belize and northern Guatemala. It is recognized as a national language by Mexico's Ley General de Derechos Lingüísticos (2003). Unlike most Mayan languages, Yucatec is tonal (high vs. low), preserves substantial inherited Mayan vocabulary, and has rich verb morphology with status (perfective/imperfective/subjunctive) suffixes. The colonial-era Books of Chilam Balam and the modern Maya literary movement attest a long literary tradition.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Yucatec Maya
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Mayan (Yucatecan)
| Meaning | Yucatec Maya | Itzá Maya | Classical Maya | Tabasco Chontal | Tojolabal | Tzeltal | Proto-Mayan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | jaʼ /haʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | haʼ /haʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | *haʔ /haʔ/ |
| Fire | kʼáakʼ /kʼaːkʼ/ | kʼakʼ /kʼakʼ/ | kʼahkʼ /kʼahkʼ/ | kʼakʼ /kʼakʼ/ | kʼakʼ /kʼakʼ/ | kʼajkʼ /kʼahkʼ/ | *qʼaaqʼ /qʼaaqʼ/ |
| Sun | kʼiin /kʼiːn/ | kʼin /kʼin/ | kʼin /kʼin/ | kʼin /kʼin/ | kʼakʼu /kʼakʼu/ | kʼajkʼal /kʼahkʼal/ | *qʼiinh /qʼiinh/ |
| Moon | uj /uh/ | uj /uh/ | uh /uh/ | ä /æ/ | ixaw /iʃaw/ | u /u/ | *uːh /uːh/ |
| Star | eekʼ /eːkʼ/ | ekʼ /ekʼ/ | ekʼ /eːkʼ/ | ekʼ /ʔekʼ/ | kʼanal /kʼanal/ | ekʼ /ekʼ/ | *eʼq /eʼq/ |
| Night | áakʼabʼ /aːkʼaɓ/ | akʼabʼ /akʼaɓ/ | akʼabʼ /akʼaɓ/ | akʼäb /akʼɨb/ | aʼkwal /aʔkʷal/ | ajkʼabal /ahkʼaɓal/ | *aqʼabʼ /aqʼaɓ/ |
| Rain | cháak /tʃáːk/ | — | haʼal /haʔal/ | — | — | jaʼal /haʔal/ | *nhabʼ /ŋaɓ/ |
| Snow | nieve /njebe/ | — | — | nieve /ˈnjebe/ | sakal kʼinal /sakal kʼinal/ | — | — |
| Wind | iikʼ /iːkʼ/ | ikʼ /ikʼ/ | ikʼ /ikʼ/ | — | ikʼ /ʔikʼ/ | ikʼ /ʔikʼ/ | *ʔiʔqʼ /ʔiʔqʼ/ |
| Earth | luʼum /luʔum/ | luʼum /luʔum/ | kab /kab/ | lum /lum/ | luʼum /luʔum/ | lum /lum/ | *chʼohchʼ /tʃʼohtʃʼ/ |
| Stone | tuunich /tuːˈnitʃ/ | tunich /tunitʃ/ | tuun /tuːn/ | jiʼtun /hiʔtun/ | ton /ton/ | ton /ton/ | *ʔaʔbʼaj /ʔaʔbʼaj/ |
| Mountain | wiits /wiːts/ | — | witz /wits/ | tzʼik /tsʼik/ | wits /wits/ | wits /wits/ | *witz /wits/ |
| Sea | kʼáaʼnáab /kʼaːʔnaːb/ | — | kʼahkʼ nab /kʼahkʼ nab/ | nab /nab/ | niwan paman jaʼ /niwan paman haʔ/ | mar /mar/ | — |
| Mother | naʼ /naʔ/ | naʼ /naʔ/ | naʼ /naʔ/ | naʼ /naʔ/ | nan /nan/ | meʼ /meʔ/ | *naʔ /naʔ/ |
| Father | taata /taːta/ | tat /tat/ | yuum /juːm/ | tat /tat/ | tat /tat/ | tat /tat/ | *taat /taat/ |
| Daughter | x aal /ʃaːl/ | — | — | jixik chʼok /hiʃik tʃʼok/ | ʼixukil /ʔiʃukil/ | antsil nichʼan /antsil nitʃʼan/ | — |
| I | teen /teːn/ | ten /ten/ | hiin /hiːn/ | noʼon /noʔon/ | keʼn /keʔn/ | joʼon /hoʔon/ | *in /in/ |
| You | teech /teːtʃ/ | tech /tetʃ/ | hat /hat/ | neʼet /neʔet/ | weʼn /weʔn/ | jaʼat /haʔat/ | *ʔat /ʔat/ |
| We | toʼon /toʔon/ | toʼon /toʔon/ | — /—/ | noʼonla /noʔonla/ | keʼntik / keʼntikon /keʔntik / keʔntikon/ | joʼotik / joʼotikon /hoʔotik / hoʔotikon/ | — /—/ |
| Name | kʼaabaʼ /kʼaːɓaʔ/ | kʼabaʼ /kʼaɓaʔ/ | kʼabaʼ /kʼaˈɓaʔ/ | kʼabaʼ /kʼaɓaʔ/ | bʼiʼil /ɓiʔil/ | biil /ɓiːl/ | *bʼih /bʼih/ |
| Person | máak /maːk/ | — | winik /winik/ | winik /winik/ | winkil /winkil/ | ants winik /ants winik/ | *winaq /winaq/ |
| Head | pool /poːl/ | — | jol /hol/ | pam /pam/ | ʼolom /ʔolom/ | jol /hol/ | — |
| Eye | ich /itʃ/ | ich /itʃ/ | ut /ut/ | wich /witʃ/ | satej /sateh/ | sit /sit/ | *Haty /hatʲ/ |
| Ear | xikin /ʃikin/ | xikin /ʃikin/ | chikin /tʃikin/ | chikin /tʃikin/ | chikin /tʃikin/ | chikin /tʃikin/ | *xikin /ʃikin/ |
| Nose | niʼ /niʔ/ | niʼ /niʔ/ | niʼ /niʔ/ | niʼ /niʔ/ | niʼ /niʔ/ | niʼ /niʔ/ | *nhiiʔ /ŋiːʔ/ |
| Mouth | chiʼ /tʃiʔ/ | chiʼ /tʃiʔ/ | tiʼ /tiʔ/ | tiʼ /tiʔ/ | tiʼ /tiʔ/ | tiʼ /tiʔ/ | *tyiiʔ /tʲiːʔ/ |
| Tooth | koh /koh/ | koh /koh/ | eh /eh/ | ej /eh/ | ex /eʃ/ | ehal /ehal/ | *ʔeeh /ʔeːh/ |
| Tongue | aakʼ /aːkʼ/ | akʼ /akʼ/ | akʼ /akʼ/ | akʼ /akʼ/ | akʼ /akʼ/ | akʼ /akʼ/ | *aaqʼ /aːqʼ/ |
| Hand | kʼabʼ /kʼaɓ/ | kʼab /kʼab/ | kʼab /kʼab/ | kʼäb /kʼɨb/ | kʼabʼ /kʼaɓ/ | kʼab /kʼab/ | *qʼabʼ /qʼabʼ/ |
| Foot | ook /oːk/ | — | ook /oːk/ | ok /ok/ | ok /ok/ | ok /ok/ | *ʔooq /ʔoːq/ |
| Heart | puksiʼikʼal /puksiʔikʼal/ | pukʼsikʼal /pukʼsikʼal/ | pixan /piʃan/ | pixan /piʃan/ | altzil /altsil/ | oʼtan /oʔtan/ | — /—/ |
| Bone | bʼaak /ɓaːk/ | bʼak /ɓak/ | baak /ɓaːk/ | bak /ɓak/ | bakel /ɓakel/ | bak /ɓak/ | *bʼaaq /ɓaːq/ |
| Blood | kʼiʼikʼ /kʼiʔikʼ/ | kʼikʼ /kʼikʼ/ | kʼikʼ /kʼikʼ/ | chʼichʼ /tʃʼitʃʼ/ | chikʼel /tʃikʼel/ | chʼichʼ /tʃʼitʃʼ/ | *kikʼ /kikʼ/ |
| Poop | taʼ /taʔ/ | — | — | taʼ /taʔ/ | kʼoy /kʼoj/ | tsaʼ /tsaʔ/ | *ta7 /taʔ/ |
| Love | yaakuntej /jaːkunteh/ | yakunti /jakunti/ | yaah /jaːh/ | kʼuxbe /kʼuʃbe/ | skʼana /skʼana/ | kʼanbey /kʼanbej/ | — /—/ |
| Tree | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | *teʔ /teʔ/ |
| Dog | peekʼ /peːkʼ/ | pekʼ /pekʼ/ | peekʼ /peːkʼ/ | wichuʼ /witʃuʔ/ | tsʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | tsʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | *tzʼiʔ /tzʼiʔ/ |
| Cat | miis /miːs/ | mis /mis/ | miis /miːs/ | ajmis /ahmis/ | mis /mis/ | mis /mis/ | — /—/ |
| Fish | kay /kaj/ | käy /kɨj/ | kay /kaj/ | buchʼ /butʃʼ/ | chay /tʃaj/ | chay /tʃaj/ | *kar /kar/ |
| Bird | chʼíichʼ /tʃʼiːtʃʼ/ | chʼiichʼ /tʃʼiːtʃʼ/ | mut /mut/ | mut /mut/ | yal chan /jal tʃan/ | mut /mut/ | *tzʼikin /tzʼikin/ |
| Butterfly | péepen /peːpen/ | — | — | ajpempem /ahpempem/ | pejpen /pehpen/ | pejpen /pehpen/ | *pehpen /pehpen/ |
| Egg | jeʼ /heʔ/ | jeʼ /heʔ/ | — | säktokʼ /sɨktokʼ/ | nolobʼ /noloɓ/ | tomut /tomut/ | — |
| Bear | oso /oso/ | — | — | oso /ˈoso/ | oso /oso/ | oso /oso/ | — |
| Horse | tsíimin /tsiːmin/ | — | — | tzimim /tsimim/ | kawu /kawu/ | kawu /kawu/ | — |
| House | naj /nah/ | nah /nah/ | otoch /otoːtʃ/ | otot /otot/ | naj /nah/ | na /na/ | *nah /nah/ |
| Milk | leche /letʃe/ | — | — | leche /letʃe/ | lech /letʃ/ | lech /letʃ/ | — |
| Honey | kaab /kaːb/ | — | — | chab /tʃaɓ/ | chab /tʃaɓ/ | chab /tʃab/ | *kaabʼ /kaːɓ/ |
| Salt | taʼab /taʔaɓ/ | tab /tab/ | — | atzʼam /atsʼam/ | atsʼam /atsʼam/ | atsʼam /atsʼam/ | *ʔaʔtzʼaam /ʔaʔtsʼaːm/ |
| Wine | vino /bino/ | — | — | vino /ˈbino/ | yaalel tzʼusub /jaːlel tsʼusub/ | vino /bino/ | — |
| Rice | arroz /aros/ | — | — | arroz /aros/ | ʼaros /ʔaros/ | — | — |
| Chocolate | chukwaʼ /tʃukwaʔ/ | — | — | — | tsʼanubʼal kakaw /tsʼanuɓal kakaw/ | — | — |
| Iron | máaskab /maːskab/ | — | — | palib /palib/ | takʼin /takʼin/ | takʼin /takʼin/ | — |
| Wheel | rueda /rweda/ | — | — | rueda /rweda/ | rweda /rweda/ | — | — |
| Silk | seda /seda/ | — | — | seda /ˈseda/ | seda /seda/ | seda /seda/ | — |
| Book | juʼun /huʔun/ | Juʼumilxok /huʔumilʃok/ | huun /huːn/ | jun /hun/ | juʼun /huʔun/ | jun /hun/ | — |
| Eat | jaant /haːnt/ | jant /hant/ | weʼ /weʔ/ | weʼ /weʔ/ | waʼel /waʔel/ | weʼel /weʔel/ | *waʔ /waʔ/ |
| Drink | ukʼul /ukʼul/ | ukʼ /ukʼ/ | ukʼ /ukʼ/ | ukʼe /ukʼe/ | ukʼ /ukʼ/ | uchʼel /utʃʼel/ | *ʔukʼ /ʔukʼ/ |
| Sleep | wenel /wenel/ | wenel /wenel/ | way /waj/ | wäye /wɨje/ | wayel /wajel/ | way /waj/ | *war /war/ |
| One | jun /hun/ | jun /hun/ | jun /hun/ | un /un/ | jun /hun/ | jun /hun/ | *jun /jun/ |
| Two | kaʼ /kaʔ/ | kaʼ /kaʔ/ | chaʼ /tʃaʔ/ | chaʼ /tʃaʔ/ | chabʼ /tʃaɓ/ | cheb /tʃeb/ | *kaʼ /kaʼ/ |
| Three | óox /ʔoːʃ/ | ox /oʃ/ | ox /oʃ/ | ux /uʃ/ | oxe /oʃe/ | oxeb /oʃeb/ | *ʼoxibʼ /ʔoʃiɓ/ |
| Four | kan /kan/ | kan /kan/ | kan /kan/ | chan /tʃan/ | chane /tʃane/ | chaneb /tʃaneb/ | *kaŋibʼ /kaŋiɓ/ |
| Five | joʼ /hoʔ/ | — | hoʼ /hoʔ/ | joʼ /hoʔ/ | joʼe /hoʔe/ | joʼeb /hoʔeɓ/ | *hoʔ /hoʔ/ |
| Hundred | joʼokʼáal /hoʔokʼaːl/ | — | — | cien /sjen/ | joʼ winkeʼ /hoʔ winkeʔ/ | joʼ winik /hoʔ winik/ | — |
| Hello | baʼax ka waʼalik /baʔaʃ ka waʔalik/ | bʼix a tʼan /biʃ a tʼan/ | bix a beel /biʃ a beːl/ | bin a bel /bin a bel/ | lekilukʼ /lekilukʼ/ | banti winik /banti winik/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | dios boʼotik /dios boʔotik/ | dios bʼotik /dios botik/ | nibʼoolal /nibʼoːlal/ | dios boʼtik /dios boʔtik/ | yuj /juh/ | wokol awal /wokol awal/ | — /—/ |
| Good | maʼalob /maʔalob/ | malobʼ /malob/ | utz /uts/ | tsʼak /tsʼak/ | lek /lek/ | lek /lek/ | *utz /utz/ |
| New | túumben /tuːmben/ | — | achʼ /atʃʼ/ | tzijib /tsihib/ | yajkʼachil /jahkʼatʃil/ | achʼ /atʃʼ/ | *ʔa(a)kʼ /ʔakʼ/ |
| Red | chak /tʃak/ | chäk /tʃɨk/ | chak /tʃak/ | chäk /tʃɨk/ | chak /tʃak/ | tsajal /tsahal/ | *kaq /kaq/ |
| White | sak /sak/ | säk /sək/ | sak /sak/ | säk /sæk/ | sak /sak/ | sak /sak/ | *saq /saq/ |
| Black | box /boʃ/ | — | — | ikʼ /ikʼ/ | kʼikʼ /kʼikʼ/ | ijkʼal /ihkʼal/ | *ʔejqʼ /ʔejqʼ/ |
| Green | yaʼax /jaʔaʃ/ | yaʼax /jaʔaʃ/ | yax /jaʃ/ | yäx /jɨʃ/ | yaʼax /jaʔaʃ/ | yax /jaʃ/ | *raʔx /raʔʃ/ |
| Blue | yaʼax /jaʔaʃ/ | — | — | yäx /jɨʃ/ | yaʼax /jaʔaʃ/ | yax /jaʃ/ | — |
| Computer | computadora /komputadora/ | — | — | — | computadora /komputadora/ | komputadora /komputadora/ | — |
| Tea | té /te/ | — | — | — | té /te/ | té /te/ | — |
| Coffee | café /kafe/ | — | — | — | kajpe /kahpe/ | kajpel /kahpel/ | — |
| Sugar | asukaar /asukaːr/ | chʼuuk /tʃʼuːk/ | — | — | sakal askal /sakal ʔaskal/ | sakil asukal /sakil asukal/ | — |
| Orange | pakʼáal /pakʼaːl/ | — | — | aranxax /aranʃaʃ/ | naranja /naranha/ | alaxax /alaʃaʃ/ | — |
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