A collection of useful phrases in Plains Cree (ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐍᐏᐣ / nēhiyawēwin), an Algonquin language spoken in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba in Canada, and in and Montana in the USA.
See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder. If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me.
| Phrase | ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐍᐏᐣ / Nēhiyawēwin (Plains Cree) |
|---|---|
| Welcome | ᑕᐋᐧᐤ (tawâw) - come in, you’re welcome / there’s room ᑕᑕᐊᐧᐤ (tatawaw) ᒥᔪᑌᐦ ᑲ ᐃᐧᓴᒥᐦᐟ ᐊᐄᐧᔭᐠ (miyoteh ka wisamiht awîyak) |
| Hello (General greeting) | ᑖᓂᓯ (tânisi) |
| Hello (on phone) | |
| How are you? | ᑖᓂᓯ (tânisi) ᑖᓂᓯ ᐁᑲᐧ (tânisi êkwa) ᑖᓂᓯ ᑭᔭ ᒫᑲ (tânisi, kiya mâka?) |
| Reply to 'How are you?' | ᓇᒧᔭ ᓇᐣᑐᐤ. ᑭᔭ ᒫᑲ (namoya nantow. kiýa mâka?) ᐋᑯᑖᐦ (âkutâh) |
| Long time no see | |
| What's your name? | ᑖᓂᓯ ᐁᐃᓯᔨᐦᑳᓱᔭᐣ (tânisi ê-isiyihkâsoyan?) ᑖᓂᓯ ᑭᑎᓯᔨᐦᑳᓱᐣ (tânisi kitisiyihkâson?) |
| My name is ... | ᓂᓯᔨᐦᑳᓱᐣ ... (... nitisiyihkâson) |
| Where are you from? | ᑖᓂᑌ ᐁᐅᐦᒌᔭᐣ (tânitê ê-ohcîyan?) ᑖᓂᑏ ᐅᐦᒋ ᑭᔭ (tânitî ohci kiya?) |
| I'm from ... | ... ᐅᐦᒋ ᓂᔭ (... ohci niya) |
| Pleased to meet you | |
| Good morning (Morning greeting) |
|
| Good afternoon (Afternoon greeting) |
|
| Good evening (Evening greeting) |
|
| Good night | |
| Goodbye (Parting phrases) |
ᑭᑎᐘᒼ ᐊᓯᒥᓇ ᑲᐘᐸᒥᑎᐣ (kitiwam asimina kawapamitan) (I will see you again) |
| Good luck! | |
| Cheers! Good Health! (Toasts used when drinking) |
|
| Have a nice day | |
| Bon appetit / Have a nice meal |
|
| Bon voyage / Have a good journey |
|
| Yes | ᐁᐦᐊ (êha) ᐁᐦᐁ (êhê) ᐄᐦᐃ (îhi) |
| No | ᓇᒨᔭ (namôya) ᓇᒧᐃ (namui) |
| Maybe | ᐊᐦᐴ (ahpô) ᐁᑐᑫ (etoke) |
| I don't know | ᑖᐹ ᓂᒋᔅᒑᔨᒫᐅ (tâpâ nichischâyimâu) ᑖᓂᓯ ᐁᑎᑫᐧ (tânisi êtikwê) ᓇᒨᔭ ᓂᑭᔅᑫᔩᒫᐤ (namôya nikiskêyimâw) |
| Do you understand? | ᑭᓂᓯᑐᐦᑌᐣ?(kinisitohten?) |
| I understand | ᓂᓂᐢᑐᐦᑌᐣ (ninistohten) |
| I don't understand | |
| Please speak more slowly | |
| Please say that again | ᑮᐦᐟᐙᐧᒼ ᐃᐟᐌ (kîhtwâm itwê) ᑮᐦᐟᐙᐧᒼ ᐃᐟᐎ (kîhtwâm itwî) |
| Please write it down | ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐊ (masinaha) |
| Do you speak English? | |
| Do you speak Cree? | ᑭᓀᐦᐃᔭᐘᐣ ᒋ (kinehiyawan ci?) |
| Yes, a little (reply to 'Do you speak ...?') |
ᐁᐦᐊ. ᐊᐱᓯᐢ ᐱᑯ ᓂᓀᐦᔭᐘᐣ (eha. apisis piko ninehiyawan |
| Speak to me in Cree | |
| How do you say ... in Cree? | ᑖᓂᓯ ᑳᐃᐟᐘᐣ ... ᑳ ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐚᐣ (tânsi kâ-itwan ... kâ nehiyawan) |
| Excuse me | |
| How much is this? | |
| Sorry | |
| Please | |
| Thank you | ᐊᕀ (ay) ᐊᕀ ᐊᕀ (ay-ay) ᐊᕀ ᐦᐊᕀ (ay-hay) ᐦᐊᕀ ᐦᐊᕀ (hay-hay) ᑌᓂᑭ (têniki) ᑭᓇᓈᐢᑯᒥᑎᐣ (kinanâskomitin) - thank you, I am grateful to you ᑭᑕᑕᒥᐦᐃᐣ (kitatamihin) - thank you, you make me smile, you please me ᒦᒃᐌᒡ (mîkwêc) ᐁᑯᓯ (ekosi) |
| Reply to thank you | ᑭᔮᒼ (kiyâm) |
| Where's the toilet / bathroom? | |
| This gentleman will pay for everything | |
| This lady will pay for everything | |
| Would you like to dance with me? | |
| Do you come here often? | |
| I miss you | |
| I love you | ᑮᓯᑲᐦᐄᐦᐃᑏᐣ (kîsikahîhitin) ("you are loved by me") |
| Get well soon | |
| Go away! | ᐊᐊᐧᐢ! (awas!) |
| Leave me alone! | |
| Help! | ᐎᒋᐦᐃᐣ (wîcihin) |
| Fire! | ᐃᐢᑯᑌᐤ (iskotew) |
| Stop! | ᓇᑭ (naki) |
| Call the police! | |
| Christmas greetings | ᒥᑐ ᒪᑯᓯ ᑫᓯᑲᓐᓯ (mitho makosi kesikansi) |
| New Year greetings | ᐊᐢᐱᓄᔦ (aspinoyê) |
| Easter greetings | |
| Birthday greetings | ᑲᐐᒥᔪᑎᐱᔅᑫᓐ (kawīmiyotipiskēn) |
| One language is never enough | |
| My hovercraft is full of eels |
Some phrases provided by Calvin Taylor nitsîkason
If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.
Hear some cree phrases:
Information about Plains Cree | Phrases | Numbers
Other collections of Cree phrases
https://youtu.be/OY5vGplRn14
http://nisto.com/cree/lesson/
https://www.miyo.ca/index.php/cree-resources-and-links/23-departments/cree-language/15-cree-words-phrases
http://www.tansi.tv/creewords/
http://www.phrasebase.com/archive2/cree/cree-grammar-lessons.html
Arapaho, Atikamekw, Cheyenne, Cree (Plains), Innu, Míkmaq, Ojibwe, Sauk, Shawnee
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