Greenlandic phrasebook



Greenlandic (Kalaallisut) is the main and since 2009 the sole official language of Greenland. It is an Eskimo–Aleut language, closely related to the Inuit languages in Canada such as Inuktitut.

There are quite big differences between dialects. The name Kalaallisut can refer either to the language or to the main variety, Western Greenlandic. Tunumiit oraasiat or East Greenlandic and Inuktun or Polar Eskimo are the other main varieties, the latter especially close to Inuktitut.

Greenlandic is a polysynthetic language that allows the creation of long words by stringing together roots and suffixes. Inflection is quite complex. Greenlandic usually constructs new words made from Greenlandic roots, by the very rich derivative mechanisms, but Greenlandic also has many loans from Danish and English.

Pronunciation guide[edit]

Vowels[edit]

A
E
I
O
U

Vowels for loanwords and names[edit]

Æ
Ø
Å
Y

Consonants[edit]

F
G
H
J
like yes
K
like ski
L
like land
M
like man
N
like now
P
like spoil
Q
like k but further down the throat
R
like French rester
S
like soon
T
like stop
V
like love

Consonants for loanwords and names[edit]

B
C
D
W
X
Y
Z

Common diphthongs[edit]

Phrase list[edit]

Basics[edit]

Hello.
Haluu. ( )
Hello. (informal)
Kutaa. ( )
How are you?
Qanoq ippit?( ?)
Are you well/good?
Ajunngilatit? ( )
Fine, thank you.
Ajunngilanga, qujanaq. ( )
It's good/fine.
Ajunngilaq. ( )
What is your name?
Qanoq ateqarpit? ( ?)
My name is ______ .
______-mik ateqarpunga . ( _____ .)
Nice to meet you.
. ( )
Please.
. ( )
Thank you.
Qujanaq. ( )
You're welcome. (you too)
Illillu. ( )
Yes.
Aap/Aappi/Suu. ( )
No.
Naa/Naamik. ( )
Maybe.
Immaqa. ( )
Right?
Ilaa? ( )
Excuse me. (getting attention)
. ( )
Excuse me. (begging pardon)
. ( )
I'm sorry.
Utoqqatserpunga. ( )
Goodbye
Baaj/Baj/Baabaj ( )
See you!
Takuss!( )
I can't speak Greenlandic [well].
Kalaallisut oqalusinnanngilanga. ( [ ])
Do you speak English?
Tuluttut oqaluttarpi? ( ?)
Is there someone here who speaks English?
? ( ?)
Help!
Ikiu! ( !)
Look out!
Mianersorit! ( !)
Good morning.
Kumoorn. ( )
Good afternoon
Kutaa. ( )
Good evening.
. ( )
Good night.
Kunaat. ( )
Good night (sleep well, to one person)
Sinilluarit. ( )
I don't understand.
Paasinngilanga. ( )
Where is the toilet?
Anartarfik sumiippa? ( ?)

Problems[edit]

Numbers[edit]

Cardinal Numbers[edit]

In Greenland only 1–12 in Greenlandic are used. This is caused by a system of numerals used in the past where the toes and fingers were used to count to 20 which would be inuk naallugu or a complete human. 79 would be four complete humans minus one.

0
nuulu, noor'lu (NOO-loo, NOR-loo)
1
ataaseq (at-AR-sek)
2
marluk (MAR-look)
3
pingasut (PEEN-ga-soot)
4
sisamat (SEE-sa-mat)
5
tallimat (TAL-li-mat)
6
arfineq (when counting and with time), arfinillit (when counting objects) (AR-feen-ek, ar-FEEN-eel-lit)
7
arfineq marluk (AR-feen-ek MAR-look)
8
arfineq pingasut (AR-feen-ek PEEN-ga-soot)
9
(Northern Greenlandic) qulingiluat (counting/time), qualaaluat (objects) (kwel-LING-il-yoo-at, kwal-AA-loo-at)

(Southern Greenlandic) qulaaluat (kwul-AA-loo-at)

10
qulit (kwulit)
11
aqqaneq (counting/time), aqqanillit (objects) (AK-kan-ek, ak-KAN-eel-lit)

(Northern Greenlandic) isikkaneq (counting/time), isikkanillit (objects) (ISI-kan-ek, isi-kan-EEL-lit)

12
aqqaneq marluk (AK-kan-ek MAR-look)

(North Greenlandic) isikkaneq marluk (ISI-kan-ek MAR-look)

The numerals after 12 are Danish now but 13–20 in old Greenlandic are underneath as well as 100 and 1000:

13
aqqaneq pingasut (AK-kan-ek PEEN-ga-soot)
14
aqqaneq sisamat (AK-kan-ek SEE-sa-mat)
15
aqqaneq tallimat (AK-kan-ek TAL-lee-mat)
16
arvirsanillit (arv-ER-san-eel-lit)
17
arvirsani marluk (arv-ER-san-ee MAR-look)
18
arvirsani pingasut (arv-ER-san-ee PEEN-ga-soot)
19
arvirsani sisamat (arv-ER-san-ee SEE-sa-mat)
20
arvirsani tallimat (arv-ER-san-ee TAL-lee-mat) or inuk naallugu (een-ook narl-loogoo)
100
untriti (un-TREE-tee)
1000
tuusinti (too-SEEN-tee)

Ordinal Numbers[edit]

first
siulleq (SEE-oo-leek)
second
aappaa (ARP-par)
third
pingajuat (peen-GA-joo-at)
fourth
sisamaat (SEE-sa-mart)
fifth
tallimaat (tal-LEE-mart)
sixth
arvirnat (arv-ERN-at)
seventh
arviniq aappaat (ARV-in-ik ARP-part)
eighth
arviniq pingajuat (ARV-in-ik peen-GA-joo-at)
ninth
qulingiluaat (Northern), qulaaluaat (Southern) (kwoo-LEENG-eel-yoo-art, KWOO-lar-loo-art)
tenth
qulingat (kwoo-LEENG-at)
eleventh
aqqarnat (ak-KAR-nat)
twelfth
aqqaneq aappaat (AK-kan-ek ARP-part)

Numbers over 12th are Danish loan-numerals such as tretteniat is 13th and tyviat is 20th.

Time[edit]

yesterday
ippassaq ( )
the day before yesterday
ippassaani ( )
today
ullumi ( )
tomorrow
aqagu ( )
the day after tomorrow
aqaguagu ( )
morning
ullaaq ( )
day
ulloq ( )
evening
unnuaq ( )
year
ukioq ( )
spring
upernaq ( )
summer
aasaq ( )
fall/autumn
ukiaq ( )
winter
ukioq (same as year, )

Clock time[edit]

Duration[edit]

North Avannaq / South Kujataa / East Kangia / West Kitaa /

Days[edit]

Monday
ataasinngorneq ( )
Tuesday
marlunngorneq ( )
Wednesday
pingasunngorneq ( )
Thursday
sisamanngorneq ( )
Friday
tallimanngorneq ( )
Saturday
arfininngorneq ( )
Sunday
sapaat ( )

Months[edit]

January
Januaari ( )
February
Februaari ( )
March
Marsi ( )
April
Apriili ( )
May
Maaji ( )
June
Juuni ( )
July
Juuli ( )
August
Aggusti ( )
September
Septembari ( )
October
Oktobari ( )
November
Novembari ( )
December
Decembari ( )

Writing time and date[edit]

Colors[edit]

West Kitaa /

white
qaqortoq ( )
black
qernertoq ( )
red
aappalaartoq ( )
green
qorsoq ( )
blue
tungujortoq ( )
yellow
sungaartoq ( )

Transportation[edit]

car
biili ( )
bicycle
sikkili ( )
boat (small, personal)
umiatsiaq ( )
boat (traditional, for women)
umiaq/umiak ( )
boat (big)
umiarsuaq ( )
kayak
qajaq ( )
dog sled
qimusseq ( )

Bus and train[edit]

bus
bussi ( )

Directions[edit]

forward
siumut ( )

Taxi[edit]

taxa
tarssa ( )

Lodging[edit]

house
illu/illoq ( )
room
ini ( )
apartment
inissiaq ( )

Money[edit]

money
aningaasat ( )
Danish Kroner
koroonit ( )
Danish Øre
oorit ( )

Eating[edit]

Bars[edit]

Shopping[edit]

Driving[edit]

Authority[edit]

police
politii ( )
doctor
nakorsaq ( )
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