Author:
Laura McKinney
Date Of Creation:
1 August 2021
Update Date:
1 July 2024
Content
Náhuatl is a language that emerged in the 5th century in Mexico and, in a short time, became a commercial language among the locals. The Nahuatl word means "Soft and sweet tongue”.
Today this language is spoken by more than a million and a half Mexicans.
Nouns in Nahuatl
People (tlacatl)
- cihuatl: wife
- cihuatl: woman
- colli: old man, grandfather
- cone: son
- conetl: child
Family (cenyeliztli)
- ichpochtli: girl, young lady, miss
- icniuhtli: friend
- icniuhtli: brother
- icnotl: orphan ilamatl: old woman, grandmother
- nantli: mother, mother
- oquichtli: man, male
- piltzintli: baby
- pochtecatl: merchant
- tahtli: father, dad
- tecuiloni: homosexual man
- telpochtli: boy, young man
- temachtiani: teacher, teacher
- temachtilli: student, apprentice
- tenamictli: husband
- tlacah: people
- tlahtoani: ruler
- tlamatini: sage, scholar (person)
- xocoyotl: younger brother
Body (nacayotl)
- ahuacatl: testicle
- camalotl: mouth
- nacatl: meat
- cuaitl: head
- cuitlapantli: back
- elpantli: chest
- icxitl: foot
- ixpolotl: eye
- ixtli: forehead, face
- iztetl: nail
- maitl: hand
- mapilli: finger
- mapilli: finger
- metztli: leg
- molictli: elbow ahcolli: shoulder // arm
- nenepilli: tongue (muscle)
- piochtli: piocha
- quecholli: neck
- tentli: lips
- tepilli: vagina
- tepolli: penis
- tzintamalli: buttock
- tzontecomatl: head
- xopilli: toe
Animals (yolcame)
- axno: donkey
- axolotl: axolotl
- azcatl: ant
- cahuayo: horse
- chapolin: chapulín
- coatl: snake
- copitl: firefly
- coyotl: coyote
- cuacue: res
- cuanacatl: rooster
- cuauhtli: eagle
- cueyatl: frog
- epatl: skunk
- huexolotl: turkey
- huilotl: dove
- huitzitzilin: hummingbird
- ichcatl: sheep
- itzcuintli: dog
- mayatl: mayate
- michin: fish
- miztli: puma
- miztontli: cat
- moyotl: mosquito
- ozomatli: monkey
- papalotl: butterfly
- pinacatl: pinacate
- piotl: chick
- pitzotl: pork
- poloco: donkey
Plants (xihuitl)
- ahuehuetl: agüegüete
- cuahuitl: tree
- malinalli: crooked grass
- metl: maguey, pita
- qulitl: quelite
Food (tlacualli)
- acatl: reed
- ahuacatl: avocado iztatl: salt
- atolli: atole
- cacahuatl: peanut
- centli: corn
- chilli: chile
- cuaxilotl: banana
- etl: bean
- lalax: orange
- molli: mole // stew
- nacatl: meat
- nanacatl: fungus
- pinolli: pinole
- pozolatl: pozole
- tamalli: tamale
- texocotl: tejocote
- tlaxcalli: tortilla
- tzopelic: sweet
Frequent expressions in Nahuatl
- kema: yes
- I love: no
- Ken tika ?: how are you?
- ¿Quen motoka ?: (what's your name?) What's your name?
- ¿Kampa mochan ?: (where is your house?) Where do you live?
- ¿Kexqui xiuitl tikpia ?: How old are you?
- ne notoka: "my name is" "my name is"
- nochan ompa: "my house is in" or "I live in"
- nimitstlatlauki: (I'm asking you) please
- nimitstlatlaukilia: (I ask you) please
- tlasojkamati: thank you
- senka tlasojkamati: thank you very much
Frequent words in Nahuatl
- Esquite: corn snack
- cuddle: soften something with the fingertips
- avocado: means testicle. The name avocado to refer to the fruit also known as avocado takes this name because of its resemblance to a testicle.
- chocolate: cocoa mass, butter and sugar
- comal: it is the pan where corn tortillas are cooked
- friend: twin or friend
- jícara: vessel made with pumpkin. they are used to drink pozol or tejate
- wey: which means great, honorable and revered. Many compare this term with "ox".
- Straw. It's a dry hollow stem
- Tianguis: Market
- Tomato. fat water
- Kite: butterfly
- Corn: Corn on the cob
- Guacamole: Salsa
- Chewing gum: Chewing gum
- Mitote: Dance
- Tlapareía: Site where work and painting tools are for sale
