Inuktitut phrasebook

Inuktitut (ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ) is the name for the varieties of Inuit spoken in Canada. It is an Eskimo-Aleut language that is known for having lots of very long agglutinative words, owing to the fact that there are a very large number of infixes (parts of speech which modify the meaning of a word), but it does not have the same irregularities as Indo-European languages. There is also a rumour that the language has hundreds of different words for snow; in reality there are only four (these four are: spread-out snow - aput, snow like salt - pokaktok, newly-drifted snow - akelrorak and soft snow - mauyaôlertok). There are a few (not hundreds) of words relating to snow eg. snow block (auverk), igloo (iglu), snow knife (panar), snow on clothes, boots etc. (ayak). It is primarily spoken in the territory of Nunavut, as well as in the northern regions of Quebec province.

A a

Like "a" in "cat".

I i

Like "ee" in "feet".

U u

Like "u" in "put".

G g

Like "g" in "get".

J j

Like "y" in "yet".

K k

Like "k" in "oak".

L l

Like "l" in "let".

M m

Like "m" in "man".

N n

Like "n" in "no".

P p

Like "p" in "pan".

Q q

Like "c" in "car" but deeper in the throat.

R r

Like the French R, pronounced at the back of the throat.

S s

Like "s" in "sing".

T t

Like "t" in "stop".

ng

Like "ng" in "sing".

& - ɬ

place the tongue at the top of the mouth and blow.

Hello.

Ai. (Ey)

How are you?

Qanuipit? (Kan-oo-ee-peet)

Fine, thank you.

Qaniungi. (Kan-ee-oo-ngee)

What is your name?

Kinauvit? (Keen-a-oo-veet?)

My name is ______ .

Uvanga _____ ativa (Oov-a-nga _____ at-ee-va)

Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you. (NIGHSS t' meet YOO)

Please.

Please. (pleez)

Thank you.

Naqurmiik. (Nak-urm-eek)

You're welcome.

Ilaali. (Eel-a-lee)

Yes.

Î. (Ee)

No.

Nakka. (Nak-a)

Excuse me. (getting attention)

Excuse me. (ehkz-KYOOZ mee)

Excuse me. (begging pardon)

Excuse me. (ehkz-KYOOZ mee)

I'm sorry.

Ogguarpunga. (Og-oo-ar-pu-nga)

Goodbye (to one person)

Tavvauvutit. (Tav-a-oov-oo-teet)

Goodbye (to many people)

Tavvauvusi. (Tav-a-oov-oo-see)

I can't speak Inuktitut [well].

I can't speak Inuktitut [well]. (IGH cant speek IN-ook-tee-toot [wehl])

Do you speak English?

Qallunaatittusuunguviit? (KAH-loo-nah-tee-tu-SOONG-oo-veet?)

Is there someone here who speaks English?

Is there someone here who speaks English? (IZ thayr SUM-wun heer hoo speekz ING-lush?)

Help!

Ikajunga! (Ee-ka-yu-nga!)

Look out!

Look out! (look OWT!)

Good morning.

Ulaakut. (Ool-ak-oot)

Good evening.

Unnukut. (OOH-noo-KOOT)

Good night.

Unnukkut. (Oon-oo-koot)

Good night (to sleep)

Good night. (good NIGHT)

I don't understand.

Tukisinngittung. (Too-kees-ee-ng-toong)

Where is the toilet?

Where is the toilet? (WAYR iz thuh TOY-leht?)

1/2 -

0 -

1 - atausiq

2 - marruuq

3 - pingasut

4 - tisamat

5 - tallimat

6 - pingasuujuqtut

7 - tisamaujunngigaqtut

8 - tisamaujuqtut

9 - quliunngigaqtut

10 - qulit

11 - qulit atausirlu

12 - qulit marruuglu

13 - qulit pingasullu

14 - qulit tisamallu

15 - quli tallimallu

16 - qulit pingasuujuqtullu

17 - qulit tisamaujunngigaqtullu

18 - qulit tisamaujuqtullu

19 - qulit quliunngigaqtullu

20 - avatit

21 - avatillu atausirlu

30 - avatillu qulillu

40 - avatit marruuk

50 - avatit marruuk qulillu

60 - avatit pingasut

70 - avatit pingasut qulillu

80 - avatit tisamat

90 - avatit tisamat qulillu

100 - avatit tallimat

uamuuqtuq - It is 1:00

tuumuuqtuq - It is 2:00.

taliimuuqtuq - It is 3:00.

puamuuqtuq - It is 4:00.

paimuuqtuq - It is 5:00.

satsitmuuqtuq - It is 6:00.

saipanmuuqtuq - It is 7:00.

iitmuuqtuq - It is 8:00.

nainmuuqtuq - It is 9:00.

tajanmuuqtuq - It is 10:00.

illiapanmuuqtuq - It is 11:00.

tuajatmuuqtuq - It is 12:00.

uamiinngaaliqtuq - It is after 1:00. (Used from 1:00 to 1:29)

tuumuuliqtuq - It is going to be 2:00. (Used from 1:30 to 1:59)

1-muuqqat - It will happen at 1:00.

1-miinngaaliqqat - It will happen after 1:00.

1-muuliqqat. - It will happen before 1:00.

2-muurngat - It happened at 2:00.

2-miinngaalirngat - It happened after 2:00.

2-muulirngat- It happened before 2:00.

Qatsimuuqqa? - What time is it.

Qatsimuuqqat? - At what time will it happen?

Qatsimuurngat? - At what time did it happen?

maanna - now

ullaaq - morning

unnusa - afternoon

unnuk - evening

unnuaq - night

ikkaarniq - hour

ikaarnirup avvanga - half hour

ubluq / ulluq - day

pinahuaruhiq - week

tatqiqhiut - month

aippaagu - year, next year

ublumi / ullumi - today

ikpakhaq - yesterday

ippakhaani - two days before

aqagu - tomorrow

pinahuaruhiutaaqtumi - last week

pinahuaruhikhami - next week

pinahuaruhiup nunngua - weekend

havanngaut - Monday

aippiut - Tuesday

pingattiut - Wednesday

hitammiut - Thursday

tallirmiut - Friday

saaluti - Saturday

havangnaittuq - Sunday

Orange

aupajaangajug

Blue

tungujuqtag

Purple

tungujuangajug

Pink

aupajaattug

Brown

kajug

Black

girni taq

White

qakuqtaq

Red

aupajaaqtuq

Yellow

quriiqtaq

Green

hungajaaqtuq

Note that since places that speak Inuktitut are very rural, very little words exist for words in transit, and there are little to no resources for any words like these, so the reason why you might not be able to ask for a train, taxi, or bicycle - is because they've barely seen one before to document a word for it.

akhaluut - car

umiaq - boat

umiarjuaq - ship

qangatasuuq - airplane

qamutaujakkut - by snowmobile

nunakkuurut - land vehicle (in general)

There has only been recently any buses and no trains in any places that speak Inuktitut, so phrases can't really be documented, so it's probably best if you use another language. Most people use a car or go by plane.

manut? - Where to?

nakit? - From where?

ikani - there

uvani - here in this spot

maani - here in this area

unani - down there

saumimmut sanglutit - Turn left

taliqpimmut sangulutit - Turn right

tukiliarlutit - Go straight

namunngaqqit - Where are you going?

piqatikkuttinni - at my friend's place

anaanakkutinni - at my mother's place

uvattinni - at my place

...-mit - from...

...-mut - to...

When going anywhere, you say where you are going when asked "namunngaqqit?" but replacing the final consonant of the noun with m, followed by -mit or -mut. If the final consonant of the unchanged noun is q, change the final consonant from q to r, followed by either -mit or -mut. The bolded letter is the consonant you change to k, and if a q, the text will also be slanted.

qangatasuukkuvik - airport

kiinaujakkuvik - bank

niuvirviralaaq - corner store

iqaluktaarvik - fish store

tujurmivik - hotel

paliisikkut - police department

nirivik - restaurant

___ aqqut - ___

niuvirvik - store

namiippit? - Where are you at?

...-mi - at the...

Qatsiralaaqpa? - How much is it?

-mik - ... dollars.

...-turumajunga ...-is what I would like.

This follows the same rule as -mit or -mut.

uujuq - boiled meat with broth

kikkajaaq - bones with meat

tuttuminiq - caribou meat

nikku - dried meat

igunaq - fermented walrus meat

quaq - frozen meat

nanuminiq - polar bear meat

mikigaq - raw meat

natsiminiq - ringed seal meat

mitiq - duck

iqaluminiq - fish

uugaq - cod

siisi - cheese

kigutangirnaq - blueberry

kimminnaq - cranberry

immuk - milk

imiq - water

tii - tea

kaapi - coffee

pia - beer

Colors

White

qakuqtaq

Plant

Piruqtuq

Wild flower

Piruqtusajaq

Berry plant

Kallaquti

Grass

Pitsaq

Sedge

Ivik

Lichen

Tingaujaq

Purple saxifrage

Aupaluktunnguat

Caribou

Tuktu (tuk-TOO)

Walrus

Aiviq

Polar bear

Nanuq (nan-NOOK)

Arctic fox

Tiriganniak

Wolf

Amaruq

Muskox

Omingmak