Yucatec Mayan Dictionary and Phrasebook

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E n g l i s h - M a y a

J o h n M o n t g o m


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M AYA-EN GLISHENGLISH-MAYA

(Yucatec)

Dictionary & Phrasebook

J o h n M o n t g o m e r y

H i p p o c r en e B o o r s , I n c .

New York


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Overview of Maya Grammar 23S e n t e n c e S t r u c t u r e 23V e r b F o r m s 24

Aspect 24Pronominal Affixes 25

Set A 25Set B 26Set C 27

Incompletive Intransitives 27Incompletive Transitives 30Completive Intransitives 32Completive lYansitives 34Subjunctive Verbs 36

Passive Verbs 37Irregular Verbs 37

Auxiliaries 38Stative Verbs 40

Have Verbs 41N o u n P h r a s e s 4 1

Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases 42Plurals 43Demonstratives 43Possessives 44

R e q u e s t s 45Q u e s t i o n s 45P h r a s e M a r k e r s 46D i s c o u r s e M a r k e r s 46Q u a n t i f i e r s 47N u m e r i c a l C l a s s i f i e r s 47

Maya-English Dictionary 49

English-Maya Dictionary 87

Phrasebook 137

INTRODUCTION

W h e n I lecture on Maya culture and Precolumbian civilization someone almost alwaysasks me what happened to the Maya people.There seems to be a notion among segments ofthe public that when the civilization vanished, sodid the Maya, erased along with their lost world of jungle-shrouded pyramids.

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Approximately ten million Native Americans stillspeak Mayan, one of the largest continuous blocksof indigenous people on the American continents.Some thirty to thirty-four separate versions ofMayan are still spoken over large areas of Mexico,including the modern states of Chiapas, Tabasco,Vera Cruz, Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Yucatn.Mayan is also spoken in the Central Americancountries of Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras.

The present dictionary and phrasebook offera selection of the most common words anduseful phrases in what linguists generally callYucatec Maya, probably the largest group ofMayan speakers. The book also includes a broadrange of items of interest to travelers, students, and scholars. Spoken over virtually the entiretyof Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Yucatnthatis, the Yucatn Peninsulaand isolated areas of Belize, as well as neighboring El Petn in

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Guatemala, Yucatec Maya constitutes the language generally referred to as Maya for historical reasons. Actually Maya, both culturally andlinguistically, derives from a sixteenth-centuryapplication of Mayathan or Mayataan,meaning literally, Maya language (maya +

t aan language). What early Europeans failedto understand was that Maya referred to thelanguage spoken by the group of people withwhom they were then in contact, and that it boreonly an affinitywith other languages spoken innearby areas. Each of these languages identifiesitself by its own singular name: Quiche, Tzotsil,Tzeltal, and so on. It was linguists who perpetuated the name Mayan in reference to all ofthese related groups.

Strictly speaking, then, Maya refers only to

Mayataan, the language linguists call Yucatec.For clarity, this book will use Maya only forthat branch, while identifying others as QuicheMaya, Cakchiquel Maya, and so on, with theunderstanding that Mayan refers to the largerlanguage group. The main thing to remember isthat Maya means Yucatec, Mayan the languagegroup as a whole.

To my knowledge, this is the first combinationdictionary/phrasebook in Maya/English and English/Maya ever published. (See Methods of

Learning Maya.) As such, it allows for the use ofMaya in most contexts where Spanish would normally be used, although such opportunities arerare for most travelers. Essentially, this book offers Maya in a nutshell, distilling the essence of the language and focusing on areas of general interest. The goal is to present essential information about the language in the simplest, clearest,

and most useful way possible. While a completeexplanation of grammar lies outside the scope ofthe presentation, I do discuss the basic rulesoffering something of a refresher for thosewho have experience with the language, makingintelligible why the language works the way itdoes for beginners, and as a quick reference.

However, a number of complicated issues havebeen omitted or greatly simplified in the interest of ease o f use.

Each Maya word or phrase includes its phonetic pronunciation, plus the Spanishequivalent,since most communication in Mexico and CentralAmerica takes place in that language. This bookassumes some prior knowledge of Spanish, sothese entries lack pronunciation guides.

Maya arises out of an incredibly rich cultural

tradition, one that holds a great deal of interest for people from outside the Maya world. Fromancient pyramids to unique cuisine to personalrelationships, many different experiences makethis area one of the most interesting in LatinAmerica. It is hoped that the present dictionaryand phrasebook will help facilitate those experiences, and promote a more lasting appreciationof Mayataanthe Maya language.

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A BRIEF HISTORYOF THE

MAYAN LANGUAGE GROUP

A n c i e n t a n d W r i t t e n M a y a n

Archaeologists have found evidence of farmingvillages on the Yucatn Peninsula dating back toat least 1200 b . c . , and we know that even beforethat date primitive hunter-gatherers foraged for

jungle and coastal resources. Whether these were Mayan speakers remains uncertain. Linguists

argue that, based on sound changes among thevarious branches of Mayan, there was a singledominant language as early as 2000 B.C., calledProto-Mayan, which began to evolve into severalmajor divisions not long afterwards. Yucatec, orMaya, emerged as a separate branch of this larger language family by around 1000 b . c . Todaythe Yucatecan branch includes Yucatec proper,or Maya, as well as Lacandon, Itz, and Mopan.Certainly Yucatec Maya has a continuous historyof at least three thousand years.

Mayan speakers created the high Precolumbiancivilization of the Classic Period, which flourishedfrom about a . d . 250 to 900. Whatever dialect theyspoke, they were responsible for perhaps thegreatest intellectual achievement of Native American historythe invention of a fully developedwritten script, or Maya hieroglyphic writing. Whilescholars long have believed the glyphs record

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predominantly a Cholan Maya language, speakersof Yucatec Maya were writing in books made frombark paper when Corts and his Spanish conquistadors arrived in the early sixteenth century, andthe closely related Itz Maya were still maintaining books as late as 1697. Clearly, Mayanwritten in its own native systemhas a longer history than either written English (eighth centurya .d . ) or Spanish (eleventh century a .d .) .

Following the Spanish conquest, a few Mayanspeakers wrote their language with Europeancharacters, producing works of epic literatureand chronicles. The manuscripts known asthe books of Chilam Balamconstitute some of thebest-known literature of the latter type, detailinggreat epochs in Maya history. This series of documents was widely published in both Spanish

and English translations. In more recent years,epigraphers, or decipherers of hieroglyphs, havereintroduced to native speakers the originalhieroglyphic system, a renaissance taken up withalacrity by speakers of different branches of theMayan language group.

N a h u a t l a n d S p a n i s h L o a n w o r d s

With the collapse of Classic Maya civilization in

the ninth and tenth centuries a .d ., widespreadcultural change took place throughout Precolumbian America. Eventually the Aztec empireemerged as the most powerful civilization inPrecolumbian history. Speakers of the Azteclanguage, which is called Nahuatl, ranged fardown the coasts of Honduras and Panama. Theywere mostly traders and merchants who brought

various soc ial changes and introduced features ofmaterial culture.

Even before this a variety of peoples hadpenetrated the Maya area from central Mexicoand elsewhere, establishing political control insome cases over local populations. Overall, whatresulted were sundry borrowings from the

Mexican Nahuatl language (or one of its variants),as well as intermarriage between these distinctgroups of people.

Through Nahuatl new personal names wereintroduced to the Maya, as well as words forthings and places (for example, mase walIndian, Maya, from Nahuatl macehuali, freecommoner).

Spains conquest of the New World in the sixteenth century inevitably destroyed much ofNative American civilization, and although fero

ciously resistant, the Maya also succumbed. Withthe wholesale introduction by the conquerorsof new foods, methods of cooking, clothing,weapons, and social and political institutions, theMaya were forced to adapt in different ways. Theydid so not least by employing Spanish words forthings of which they had no experience, and evenfor some familiar things. Examples include

asukaar, from the Spanish azcar sugar,amigoh from the Spanish amigo friend, andpaapah,from the Spanishpap father.

Spanish continues to encroach on the Mayaworld (and almost as importantly, English now does so as well). Most Maya men have to be bilingual because of contacts beyond their villages,and they can switch back and forth between Spanish and their own language in the middle ofconversation, a process called code-shifting.However, pronunciation of Spanish tends to be

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Mayanized by lengthening the vowels, changingthe location of accents, adding the characteristicMaya singsong tonality and pitch, and substituting Maya sounds for Spanish ones not foundin Maya. At the same time Maya speakers retain traditional Spanish pronunciation for technicalterms. In particular, Spanish proper and personal

names remain a prominent feature of todaysspoken Maya.

M o d e r n M a y a

Ancient Maya and Colonial Maya from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries differ considerably from Modern Maya, and many terms andconventions regularly used in the past have fallenaway. Moreover, because modem Maya for the

most part remains aspokenlanguage as opposedto a written one, and because speech constantlychanges and adapts, Maya lacks uniformity among its several million speakers. There really is no such thing as pure Maya or standard Maya. The historical tendency of the Maya toseek isolation and independence led to numeroussub-dialects, and just about every Maya has his or her own way of speaking. Regional variationsexist as well. Speakers of Maya can readily understand each other (although not necessarily other

branches of Mayan such as Quiche or Tzotsil), butthe situation poses some difficulty for speakersof Maya as a foreign language. Changes in the language from one village to another and fromone area to the next can be very confusing forthe beginner.

METHODS OFLEARNING MAYA

A s with any language, the process of learningMaya may seem at first overwhelming. Unfamiliar sounds can strike the ear of the beginner asimpossibly complex, especially when spoken rapidly. Difficulty in distinguishing where oneword begins and another ends can hopelessly confuse the student, even a vigilant one.

In contrast, like languages everywhere around

the world, Maya becomes far easier to learn whenthe student listens and familiarizes his- or herselfwith the sound of the language. Familiarity breeds affinity, even endearment, with the spokenlanguage, while the minds inner ear and subconscious quietly absorb what we learn, often withmuch greater depth than the conscious mind realizes. The true seat of language belongs to the subconscious, which stores information aboutlanguage very much like an automated dictionaryand grammar.

Anyone interested in learning Maya can choosefrom several approaches, depending on what goalhe or she has in mind. An informal conversationalcommand of Maya for personal reasons probablycan best be achieved through total immersion.On the other hand, a more scholarly interestmight require formal classroom instruction orthe use of language tapes. Certainly all serious

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students will master spoken Maya most thoroughly by availing themselves of every resourcethat time and money allow.

T o t a l Im m e r s i o n

To totally absorb the language, the student shouldvisit the Yucatn Peninsula and live among theMaya for as extended a period as possible. Totalimmersion involves living, eating, and sleepingwith a Maya family. Daily routine and habitualexposure to the language immerses the studentin all things Maya. Such an approach probably offers the quickest and most surefire way to learnthe language, but will probably cost more thanother methods. Generally students can simply

approach individual Maya or their families andhire them as teachers. Language schools, usuallyoperated out of Mrida, often place students withMaya families to supplement one-on-one instruction through trained teachers.

O n e - o n - O n e F o r m a l E d u c a t i o n

Probably the second quickest (and second mostreliable) method involves the pairing of students

with a native Maya speaker who acts either as aninformal teacher or trained instructor. Usuallylanguage academies offer this kind of instruction,generally in Mrida but also elsewhere on thepeninsula. Virtually any Maya speaker willing toteach will suffice, although professionally trainedteachers often prove more valuable for studentsseeking academic knowledge of the language.

F o b m a l C l a s s r o o m In s t r u c t i o n

Highly efficient but more formally organized andstructured than either total immersion or one-on-one contact with an instructor, formal classroominstruction offers an extremely valuable resource,especially when conducted by native speakers

or where native speakers serve as teacher assistants. A main disadvantage is that students may not receive enough personal attention or may failto keep up with the classroom pace. Duke University provides the best-known program, conducted for four weeks during the summer monthsthrough the Institute of Latin American Studies.The program offers an optional two-week fieldschool with one-on-one instruction and totalimmersion, conducted on the Yucatn Peninsula.

L a n g u a g e T a p e s/C D s

Language tapes offer a key tool for anyone wantingto learn Maya. They allow students to listen to andlearn Maya outside the classroom and withoutlive native speakers. With this method, personalized learning can take place in a variety of settings, for example, while driving an automobile orin the privacy of the home. Currently only one complete audio language course exists, Spoken(Yucatec) Mayaby Robert Blair and Refugio Ver-mont-Salas, which was produced in the 1960s. Axeroxed transcription of the tapes can be orderedseparately from the University of Chicago Library(Microfilm Collection of Manuscripts on American Indian Cultural Anthropology, numbers65-66, Series X). The tapes are available from theUniversitys language library.

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I >l< T I O NIA NIK S

Dictionaries and grammars provide crucialresources for any student, and students shoulddevelop a reference library with as many published and privately printed resources as pos

sible. Gary BevingtonsMaya For Travelers andStudents: A Guide to Language and Culture inYucatan(University of Texas Press, Austin, 1995)provides the most valuable and accessible compendium of modern Maya, including Maya-to-English and English-to-Maya dictionaries.Bevingtons volume also comes with a separatelanguage tape that provides introductory material, although the tape and dictionary are sometimes packaged together. A Dictiona ry of the

Maya Language As Spoken in Hocab, Yucatan,

compiled by Victoria Bricker, Eleuterio PootYah, and Ofelia Dzul de Poot, offers anotherextensive if academic resource (University ofUtah Press, Salt Lake City, 1998). Many additional locally published dictionaries can befound in bookstores in Mrida and other townson the peninsula, although these usually provide Maya-to-Spanish entries.

The best approach that any student can take isto combine the above resources into one system

atic course of study. Accordingly, anyone seriouslyinterested in learning Maya should live with native speakers while undertaking one-on-oneinstruction, and then should follow with formalclassroom instruction and the regular use of language tapes.

PRONUNCIATION ANDSPELLING GUIDE

IVlaya and other members of the Mayan languagefamily use letters from the Spanish alphabet, omitting ones for which Mayan has no sounds andadding combinations of letters for the Mayansounds that Spanish lacks. However, at the timeof the Spanish conquest Spanish itself lacked consistency or even rules for basic punctuation,and a large degree of variation resulted. Modem

linguists transcribing Maya into English compounded the problem.

Worse, todays spelling conventions amongspeakers of both Maya and Spanish vary tremendously. Spanish alone presents somethingof a nightmare; consider alternative spellings ofcowvaca versus bacaor Jimnez versusXimnes. (Even English includes similar andconfusing spellings or pronunciations, as forexample cock, meaning rooster, versus theappelative Coch or Koch).

The problem increases exponentially withMaya, because certain sounds have no equivalenteither in Spanish or English. A survey of dictionaries and maps turns up a confused array ofspellings, as in tsib, tz ib, and dzib for the wordwriting.

Recently, native language academies haveintroduced a uniform alphabet, a system taken up

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by decipherers of Maya hieroglyphs and exemplified in the massive Maya/Spanish dictionarypublished in Mexico, known as the Cordemex.Although often used inconsistently, the systemhas an advantage of fairly wide acceptance. Thepresent dictionary follows the Cordemexwith theexception that it retains traditional spellings for

personal and place names used in the Maya areaand on maps (for example, Dzibalchaltun insteadof Tzibalchaltun), and it distinguishes long andshort vowels.

G l o t t a l S t o p s

Like the click sounds made in certain Africanlanguages, the glottal stop poses a distinct problem for non-native speakers. In the alphabet

used to write Maya, represents the sound madein stopping the breath which is similar to the stoppage of air in English uh-oh or in buttonwhen spoken rapidly. Pronounced simultaneouslywith the vowel or consonant that it accompanies,the glottal stop gives a characteristic pop to thesound.

Glottal stops might pose little problem if theycarried no meaning, but the distinction between

kab (without the stop) and k ab (with the stop)represents an important difference. The one

means bee, the other manual labor. This issimar to the difference betweensweetandsweatin English. The glottal stop changes everything.

Any vowel can be glottalized, but Maya includesonly five glottalized consonants where the glottalstop changes the meaning.

ch k p t tz

linguists sometimes glottalize other consonants,for example b , but these make no differencein meaning. The present dictionary ignores theglottalization of consonants except the frve listedabove.

V o w e l s

Maya uses the same vowels as Spanish, but distinguishes between long and short ones. Lengthening the vowel changes the meaning of a word. The present bookdoubleslong vowels when thesemake a difference in meaning, for example katwo versuskaa again. Short vowels should bepronounced as follows:

A The sound of a in fatherE The sound ofain fateI The sound of eein feet0 The sound ofoin goU The sound of o in who

Long vowels incorporate a system of tonalitythat differentiates meaning. The present dictionary renders high-toned long vowels by adding anaccent over the first vowel, while it leaves low-

toned long vowels unmarkedfor example, a(high tone) andaa (low tone).

C o n s o n a n t s

Maya employs nineteen consonants, with all butsix consonants pronounced like their Spanish

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B Sounds like thebin bed but somewhatsofter between vowels; often weak orunpronounced at the ends of words

CH The sound ofchin church

CH The sound ofchin church but withbreath-stream stopped at the same time

H Unlikehin Spanish, which is alwayssilent; instead, sounds like Englishhinhouse; but unlike English it can occurbefore other consonants, as inhmeenshaman

R Sounds like English hardcin caught

or cat

R Sounds like English hard c but withbreath-stream stopped at the same time

L Like Spanish or EnglishIbut often weakor ini pronounced at the ends of words

M Like Spanish or Englishm

N Like Spanish or Englishn

P Like Spanish or Englishp

P Like Spanish or Englishpbut with thebreath-stream stopped at the same time

S Like Spanish or English 5

T Like Spanish or Englisht

T Like Spanish or Englishtbut with thehreath-stream stopped at the same time

counterparts. Note that Maya lacks d ,f , or v. Forthe most part r remains exceptionally rare.

TZ Sounds liketsin English lets or toots

TZ Liketsin English lets but withbreath-stream stopped at the same time

X Sounds like Englishshin shoe

W Like Spanish or English w

Y Sounds like Englishy in yes

S y n c o p a t e d V o w e l s

a n d C o n s o n a n t s

In certain instances when adding suffixes toverbs, Maya drops unglottalized short vowels inthe middle of words, not unlike English whenadding -ing to sicken or label,which results in

sickning and tabling. In a variation of this, longvowels become shortened, depending on thesounds that follow. In these instancesaabecomes

a. Words with b and Iat the end regularly dropthese consonants. However, in certain words thefinal b and I and long vowels with an internalglottal stop (for example ee)mustbe pronounced.In addition, in normal to rapid speech nativespeakers of Maya often ignore glottal stops.

S t r e s s a n d In t o n a t i o n

Modulation of tone and pitch gives Maya amarked singsong quality best learned by imitation. This rhythmic, melifluous characteristic makes Maya one of the most attractive NativeAmerican languages spoken today. In general,

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three types of observations can be made regardingpitch and tone:

1) Pitch rises toward the ends of words2) Vowels last or second to last rise in pitch in

many words3) The long vowels in some words, even

towards the beginning of the word, form apeak in overall pitch

S p e l l i n g C o n v e n t i o n s U s e d f o r

V o w e l s i n P r o n u n c i a t i o n G u i d e s

In the Maya-English Dictionary, English-MayaDictionary, and Phrasebook sections of the present book, the pronunciation guides (given in

parentheses after individual Maya words and sentences) use the following conventions to represent vowels.

a = ah (pronounced as in the Englishexclamatory expression ah!)

Example: sak (sahk)

aa = aah (pronounced as ah but with vowelelongated)

Example: saak (saahk)

ah = ah (pronounced as aah but withinitial raised in tone)

Example: sal (sahl)

e = eh (pronounced like ay in English pay)Example: kex (kehsh)

ee = eeh (pronounced as eh but with vowelelongated)

Example: beel (beehl)

e = eh (pronounced as eeh but with initial raised in tone)

Example: keh (keh)

i = ee (pronounced as in the English wordsee)

Example: pik (peek)

ii = eee (pronounced as ee but with vowelelongated)

Example: piitz (peeetz)

i = ee (pronounced as ee but with initial

raised in tone)Example: pim (peem)

o = oh (pronounced as in the Englishexclamatory expression oh!)

Example: toh (toh)

oo = ooh (pronounced as oh but with vowelelongated)

Example: toon (toohn)

o = oh (pronounced as ooh but withinitial raised in tone)

Example: ton (tohn)

u = o o (pronounced as in the English wordzoo)

Example: lu (loo)

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uu = ooo (pronounced as oo but with vowelelongated)

Example: luuk (loook)

u = oo (pronounced as oo but with initial raised in tone)

Example: lub (loob)

ABBREVIATIONS

adjective adj.adverb/adverbial adv.auxiliary aux.completive com.conjunction conj.demonstrative dem.English Eng.first person 1st p.

imperative imper.incompletive incom.interrogative inter.intransitive in.noun n.participle par.phrase phr.plural pi.preposition prep.pronoun pron.reflexive refl.second person 2nd p.singular s.Spanish Sp.third person 5rd p.transitive tr.verb V.

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OVERVIEW OFMAYA GRAMMAR

S e n t e n c e S t r u c t u r e

S entences with subjects only (intransitive): InMaya the subject can either lead or follow theverb or predicate, but most cO mm only in Mayathe subject follows the verb. Hence an intransitive sentence is either VERB-SUBJECT (VS) orSUBJECT-VERB (SV).

English: As fo r John, he is sleeping.

Maya: eitherJuanetan u wenel(SV)or

t/ian u wenel Juan(VS)

Sentences with both object and subject(Iransitive): As in intransitive sentences, the sub

ject in transitive sentences can either lead orfollow the verb, with the object placed after theverb. In Maya, however, the subject most commonly follows both the verb and object. Hence,most transitive sentences are VERB-OBJECT-SUBJECT (VOS).

English: John saw PeterMaya: either

Juane tu yilah Pedro

orTu yilah Pedro Juan(equivalent tosaw Peter John)

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V e r b F o r m s

Verbs express action. Maya has three basic verbforms (transitive, intransitive, and passive), plusthree aspects (completive, incompletive, andsubjunctive). For purposes of simplification thediscussion ignores both passive and subjunctiveforms. Overall, Maya includes four qualities thatneed to be taken into consideration when formingverbs: 1) transitive/intransitive; 2) completive/incompletive; 3) singular/plural; and 4) first,second, or third person. In addition, most verb

forms have three basic elements of construction:1) a verb root that includes a postfix differentiating transitivity as well as aspect; 2) usually anauxiliary verb; 5) and pronominal affixes (prefixes, suffixes, and infixes).

While sentence structure depends on the presence of a subject or object, verbs incorporate root words that must be inflected depending onwhether the verb is transitive (subject plus object)or intransitive (subject only).

han = eattin hanal - I am eating (intransitive)tin haantik = I am eating it (transitive)

Aspect

Aspect can be thought of more or less as tensein English or time relationships. Affixes that

Placing the subject before the verb highlightsthe subject, with the highlighted subject oftenpresented as new information.

indicate aspect depend on whether the action iscompleted at the time of the utterance (completive) or ongoing (incompletive; resembles theinfinitive in English). For all intents and purposesMaya lacks a future tense, but the future canstill be expressed through the use of the auxilhary

verbheelwill.

Completive: Can be thought of essentially aspast tense, in other words as afinishedaction.

tin haantah le waaho =I ate that tortilla

Incompletive: Indicates an action that eitherwas or is ongoing, not unlike the English infinitivewhere the verb ends in -ing.Also used with verbs

where the activity is repetitive or habitual.

tin haantik waah = I was/am eating tortillas

Pronominal Affixes

Pronouns differentiate person and number, as inI/we said it (first person), you said it (secondperson), and he/she/they said it (third person).Maya incorporates three distinctive sets of pronouns: Set A, Set B, and Set C. These are attached

either to the verb stem or to another componentof the sentence.

Set A:

Pronouns from Set A, called the Ergative Set,mark the subjects of transitive verbs and the possessors of nouns. Ergative refers to the function

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of the pronoun to indicate the agent or instrumentof an action (the subject).

When singular pronominal affixes from Set Aprecede a root word beginning with a vowel, the root takes wprefixed to it after the pronouns inor

a.However, if a word already begins with a voweland calls for the third-person pronoun u, thethird-person pronoun affix changes to y and theinitial vowel of the root is often dropped (both with verbs and possessed nouns).

u baak = his/her boneyotoch = his/her house

The following table lists the various pronounsfrom Set A in singular and plural forms. Note thatpronoun forms can both begin and end the root,the latter indicated by .

Singular Plural

1st person in kino on

keex

2nd person a aeex

3rd person u uoob

Set B:

Also called the Absolutive Set, Set B consistsexclusively of pronominal affixes attached to theend of the verb root (as opposed to those in Set A,which can occur both at the beginning and end).Set B pronouns occur with some incompletivetransitive constructions and with completiveintransitives to mark the subject.

The following table lists the various pronounsfrom Set B.

Singular Plural

Ist person -een -oon

2nd person -eech -eex

3rd person -ih* -oob

*Technically not a pronoun but rather the completive marker. Present when the pronoun marks the subjectand the verb is the last word in the sentence. Otherwisethe third-person singu lar has a silentma rker (f), or an invisibleand unpronounced affix.

Set C:

Pronouns from Set C use pronouns from Set B, butcombine these with the preposition ti,meaningto (tialso means at, in, on, and with).

Singular Plural

Ist person teen(to me) to on

2nd person leech(to you) teex

3rd person leeti(to him/her) leetioobtie(to him/her) tioob(e)

Incompletive Intransitives

In addition to pronominal inflection, an incompletive intransitive verbal construction will takeIhe suffix -vl,where v stands for a changeable vowel andI provides the final consonant. When

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the verb is simple, rather than complex, thenvowels used in the final - \lsuffix reflect the samevowel used in the root word. Otherwise v = a.Incompletive intransitives also take an auxiliary, a wide variety of which may be used. Twovariations of intransitive verbal constructions distinguish this category: 1) Set A pronoun affix >

stem > suffix (relatively rare); and 2) auxiliary >Set A pronoun > stem > suffix.

1st Person:Singular

k > in > han

aux. 1st p. s. verb stemSet A eat

Translation:kin hanalI eat

Plural

k > in > han-al > -oon

aux. 1st p. s. verb stem eat lstp .p l.Set A + incom. in. suffix Set A

Translation:kin hanaloonwe eat

Plural (alternate)

k > han-al > -eex

aux. verb stem eat 1st p. pi.+ incom. in. suffix Set A

Translation:k hanaleexwe eat

-al

> incom. in.suffix

k > a > han-a l

aux. 2nd p. s. -verb stem eatSet A -+ incom. in. suffix

IVanslation:ka hana lyou eat

2nd Person:

Singular

Plural

k > a > han-al > -eex

aux. 2nd p. s. verb stem eat . 2nd p. pi.Set A + incom. in. suffix Set A

'IVanslation:ka hanaleexyou all eat

ir d Person:Singular

k > u > han-al

aux. 3rd p. s. verb stem eatSet A + incom. in. suffix

Translation:ku hanalhe/she eats

Plural

k > u > han-al > -oob

aux. 3rd p. s. verb stem eat 3rd p. pi.Set A + incom. in. suffix Set A

Translation:ku hanaloobthey eat

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Thus the inflectional paradigm of incompletiveintransitives may be characterized as:

Singular kin hanal = I eatka hanal = you eatku hanal = he/she eats

Plural kinhanaloon = we eatk hanaleex

khanal

ka hanaleex = you all eatku hanaloob = they eat

Incomple tive Transitives

Verbs marked as incompletive transitives take thesuffix -ikplus an auxiliary verb, in addition to SetA and Set B pronouns, where Set B pronouns canbe added to the end of the verbal construction orto mark the object.

1st Person :

Singular

k > in > ha tz -ik

aux. 1st p. s. verb stem > incom. tr.Set A hit suffix

Translation:kin hatzikI hit it/him/her (periodically in the present)

Plural

k >hatz > ik > -eexaux. verb stem incom. tr. 1st p. pi.

hit suffix Set A

IVanslation:k hatzikeexwe hit it/him/her

Ilural (alternate)

k > in >hatz > -ik > -o onmix. 1stp. s. verb stem incom.tr. ls tp .p l.

Set A hit suffix Set A

IVanslation:kin hatzikoonwe hit it/him/her

2nd P erson:

Singular

k >a > hatz > -ikmix. 2nd p. s. verb stem incom. tr.

Set A hit . suffix

IVanslation:ka hatzikyou hit it/him/her

I'lural

k > a > ha tz > -ik > -eex

mix. 2nd p. s. verb stem incom. tr. 2nd p. pi.Set A hit suffix Set A

IVanslation:ka hatzikeexyou all hit it/him/her

fr d Perso n:

Singular

k > u > ha tz > -ikaux. 3rd p. s. verb stem incom. tr.

Set A hit suffix

'IVanslation:ku hatzikhe/she hits it/him/her

Ilural

k > u > hatz > -ik > -oob

aux. 3rd p. s. verb stem incom. tr. 3rd p. pi.Set A hit suffix Set A

'IVanslation:ku hatzikoobthey hit it/him/her

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To specify exactly who or what was hit in all ofthe above examples, simply add a name or noun phrase at the end, as in kin hatzik Juan (I hitJuan) and ku hatzik le pako(She/he hits thewall). You can also add the Set B pronouns(except -i)to the end of these forms, except thatthe singular/plural markers must not be doubled.Examples of the latter include kin hatzikeechIhit you, andka ha tzikeenyou hit me.

The inflectional paradigm of incompletivetransitives may be characterized as:

Singular kin hatzik = I hit itka hatzik = you hit itku hatzik = he/she hit it

Plural kin h atzikeex = we hit it

k hatzikoonk hatzikka hatzikeex = you all hit itku hatzikoob = they hit it

Com pletive Intransitives

Completive intransitive verbal constructionsrequire no auxiliary, but they take Set B pronounsto mark the subject. All that completive intransitives require is the verb root and a Set B suffix.

1st Person:

Singular

han > -eenverb stem 1st p. s.ate* Set B

Translation:haneenI ate

Ilural

han > -oonverb stem 1st p. pi.

SetB

IVanslation:hanoonwe ate

2nd Person:Singular

han > -eechverb stem 2nd p. s.

Set B

'IVanslation:haneechyou ate

Plural

ha n > -eex verb stem 2nd p. pi.Set B

'translation:haneex you all ate

ir d Person:Singular

han > -ihverb stem 3rd p. s.

Set B

IVanslation:hanihhe/she ate

Plural

han > -oobverb stem 3rd p. pi.

Set B

'IVanslation:hanoobthey ate

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The inflectional paradigm of completive intran-sitives may be characterized as:

2nd Perso n:

Singular

Singular haneen = I atehaneech = you atehanih = he/she ate

Plural hanoon = we ate

haneex = you all atehanoob = they ate

Completive Transitives

Just as incompletive intransitives take the suffix-aland incompletive transitives the suffix -ik, sotoo completive transitives add the suffix -ah.Theyalso use the auxiliaryt-,together with Set A pronouns, while Set B pronouns mark the object.

1st Person:

Singular

t > -in > ha tz > -ah

aux. 1st p. s. stem com.tr.Set A hit suffix

Translation:tin hatzahI hit it (in the past)

Plural

t > ha tz > -ah > -eexaux. stem com. tr. 1st p. pi.

hit Set A

Translation:t hatzaheexwe hit it (in the past)

Plural (alternate)

t > -in > ha tz' >-ah > -oon

aux. 1st p. s. stem com. tr. 1st p. pi.Set A hit suffix Set A

Translation:tin hatzahoonwe hit it (in the past)

I > a > ha tz > -ah

mix. 2n d p. s. stem com.tr.Set A hit suffix

'iranslation:ta h atzahyou hit it (in the past)

Ilural

I > a > hatz >-ah > -eex

aux. 2nd p. s. stem com. tr. 2nd p. pi.Set A hit suffix Set A

Translation: ta hatzaheexyou all hit it (in thepast)

frd Person:Singular

I > u > hat z > -ah

aux. 3rd p. s. stem com. tr.Set A hit suffix

iranslation:tu hatzahhe/she hit it (in the past)

Plural

t > u > hat z > -ah > -oobaux. 3rd p. s. stem com.tr. 3rdp.pl.

Set A hit suffix Set A

'IV-anslation:tu hatzaho ohthey hit it (in the past)

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Singular tin hatzah = I hit itta hatzah = you hit ittu hatzah = he/she hit it

Plural tha tz aheex = we hit ittin hatzahoon

ta h atzaheex = you all hit ittu hatzahoob = they hit it

Subjunctive Verbs

Subjunctive verbs appear in the context of subjective, doubtful, hypothetical, or grammaticallysubordinate statements and are thought of as

expressing a mood of uncertainty. For simplification, the present dictionary and phrasebookavoids subjunctive entries.

Subjunctive Transitive: Set A pronominalaffix followed by the transitive verb stem, withSet B pronouns suffixed when required as objectpronouns.

Subjunctive Intransitive: Intransitive verb

stem followed by the suffix -vk, with v determined by the vowel of the stem, followed in turnby a Set B pronominal suffix except when thirdperson singular.

Subjunctive Passive: Transitive verb stem followed by the suffix -a ak, together with Set Bpronominal suffix.

The inflectional paradigm of completive intransitives may be characterized as:

Passive Verbs

Verbs rendered in the passive voice indicate thatthe subject o f the sentence undergoes the actionof the verb, without direct reference to an object,as in the English example, the ball is carried.For all intents and purposes the present dictionary and phrasebook avoids entries in the passive voice.

Passive Completive: Transitive verb stemmarked by the suffix -ab,with-pronominal suffixfrom Set B added as subject.

Passive Incompletive: Transitive verb stemwith the suffix -a al,prefixed by the optional auxiliarytanand Set A pronominal affix in.

Irregula r Verbs

Maya incorporates speciai classes of verbs thatmust be conjugated in ways that differ from the paradigms given above. For example, notall incompletive intransitive verbs take the -v/ending, although otherwise they are inflectedaccording to the regular pattern. Such verbs add asuffix to the stem before adding any Set B pronouns, with the suffix commonly consisting of a

consonant followed by -ah (as in -nah). Exceptions include the verbsbingo andtaalcome,as intin binI am going, andtaleenI came.

Another class of irregular verbs consists ofintransitives ending in -tal, which express ameaning of becoming or the process of gettingto a particular state or condition. Examplesinclude sastal become light and no koytal

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Auxiliaries

Auxiliaries consist of a wide variety of supplemental elements that mark incompletive transitive, completive transitive, and intransitive verbs.When verbs take auxiliaries, a Set A pronoun always immediately follows the auxiliary form.Sometimes auxiliaries contract or combine withthe following pronoun, not unlike the contractionin English of words such as cant (for can not).

tan:Denotes activities as processes, like the progressive -ingform in English. Sometimes, but not

always, contracts in the following ways:

tan in = tintan a = tantan u = tun

tan k - tank

Example:tin haantik waah Im eating tortillas

k:Kind of a default auxiliary of vague meaningand origin. Common in questions that ask for

information. Also used in sentences describinghabitual or repeated action.

tu ux ka bin = where do you go?baax ka w aalik = what did you say?Juane ku konik si = John sells firewood

become overcast. In the completive -chahreplaces the -talsuffix, and Set B pronouns areadded, as in kalchaheechyou got drunk.

ina:The negative particle meaning no or not.Negative sentences endin -i,so thatma_______ Valmost always frames the verb stem.

ina + in = minina+a - ma

m a+u = mu

min woohli = I dont knowmuk ahoteeni = she/he doesnt

recognize me

taak:Expresses desire. Never contracts with thepronoun.

taak in kanik le = I want to learn

maya t aano Maya

ho op/h ok:An inceptive auxiliary meaning toinitiate or begin something. Can be used, alongwith appropriate endings, as a regular verb.Hokserves as an auxiliary variant in Quintana Roo.

hoopu hanal = she is beginningto eat

k abet: An auxiliary that indicates necessity orobligation.

k abet in antik le = Ive got to help thatnohoch m ako old man

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yan:An auxiliary that expresses need or necessity,but associated with volition and intention. Oftenan expression of future time. In addition,yanhasa completed formyanhiused as an equivalentto the English had to.

yan in antik le

nohoch mako'

yanhi in antik lenohoch mako

Im going to help

the old manI should help the

old manI had to help the

old man

tz ok:A terminative auxiliary that focuses attention on the end or completion of something. Usedwith incompletive verb forms although it focuseson the end of something. Sometimes contractswith the singular pronoun from Set A, and can be used withkwe.

tz in

tza

tzu

tzok in hanaltzok in k atik

Stative Verbs

Im done eatingIve already asked

for it

Stative verbs express states of being, as inkeeleenI am cold. Not all verbs that express states function as statives, but rather, statives function as theequivalent of adjectives in English or Spanish. In

addition, nouns can be converted to stative verbs,as with wttnik I am a man (wiinik = man,person), and some statives can be used to formsentences all by them selves, for examplekeeleencold/I am cold. Statives can also have associatedsubjects:

k ohaank oh aan JuanJnane k ohaan

= sick= sick is John= John is sick

To speak about I, we, you, and so forth, simply add the appropriate Set B pronoun:

k ohaaneen = I am sick

Have VerbsSpeakers of English use the word have toinquire about things, as in do you have anymoney? In Maya, as in Spanish, the speaker alsoinquires about something by asking about its existence in conjunction with the have verbyaan:

ya an teech ta akin? do you have any money?When the thing inquired about involves alienablepossession, as with things that can be disposed ofby sale, abandonment, or loss, yaa n combines

with a C Set pronoun (yaan + tioob).

N o u n P h r a s e s

Noun phrases, consisting of the subject phrasedominated by a noun, take additional elementsthat modify the subject. Determinatives, which

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consist of articles and elements that substitute for articles, function as the most basic set ofnoun modifiers, and include demonstratives(this/that) and possessives (my/your). Othermodifiers include:

Prepositions andPrepositional PhrasesLocatives: Include the all-purpose preposition inMaya, ti ,and indicate general direction or location: to, from, in, on, at. When the article le orpronominal affixes in, a,or ufollowti ,typically intheir possessive function, the two contract: te, tin,ta,and tu. In addition, Set C pronouns resemblecontractions ofti with Set B pronouns, as in teento me, teech to you, te ex to you (plural),

to onto us, leetito him/her, and leetioobtothem. To express to him/her/it you use ti byitself, marked with clause-final -etacked on:

ti e = to him/herti oob(e) = to them

Other prepositional forms include:

yetel = withutia al = foryokol = over, aboveyanal = undertu = besidechumuk = in the middle

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Plurals

As with Spanish and English, plural forms inMaya take a single suffix, in this case -o ob (chetree, versus cheo ob trees). However, whencontext makes it obvious that something involvesmore than one thing, the plural marker may be

dropped (as in the imperativeak! turtle!when,for example, sighting a bevy of turtles along the beach). The word for tortilla (waah) nevertakes the plural suffix, and as a rule, nouns arerarely pluralized after numbers and quantifiers.

Demonstratives

Demonstratives emphasize a noun, as in the English examples the tree, this tree, and thattree. The most common Maya demonstrative

simply adds the determinative article le to thebeginning of the noun and the suffix -oat the end.

le cheo = that treele cheoobo = those trees

To say this or these simply add -ainstead of -o :

le chea = this treelecheooba = these trees

To say a or an (as in English a tree or an hour), add hun one before the noun togetherwith a numerical classifier (something that marksthe counting of or number of a particular class of things, for example to mark animate versus

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innanimate things). Indefinite plurals lack anarticle.

hunkul che = a treecheo ob = trees

PossessivesNouns take Set A pronouns to form the possessive, and -ilor -v/ may be added as an optional suffix, where v stands for vowel and corresponds tothe vowel of the noun stem.

nah = housein nahil = my house

a nahileex = your (pi.) house

Special rules apply to possessives. The -il/\tsuffix comes before any other suffix. In addition,the plural suffix always precedes the -eexpart,as innahilo beex your (pi.) houses. Lastly, onlyone -oob suffix can be used, as in u nahiloob,which serves to designate his/her houses,their house, and their houses. Some nounsare always possessed, for example, body partsand family relatives: a n i your nose and a

taatahyour father. Names or descriptive nouns that possess something take u as prefix andsometimes the -il/yl suffix, together with thename of the possessor: u nahil Juan Johnshouse. Ucan also be used to form the equivalent of English o f:

chumuk = middleu chumuk = its middleu chumuk le kaaho = the middle of town

R e q u e s t s

Korins that express requests, or imperatives, differfor transitive and intransitive verbs. Transitivesinclude simply the verb stem, with all aspectualsuffixation stripped away. Sometimes eandhcanbe added.

tasik = bring (incom. t.)las ten hu mpel = bring me a (cup of)

siis h a hot waterhanteh = eat it (fromhaantik)chupeh = fill it (fromchupik)

Intransitives are formed by removing any aspectual suffix and adding the imperative suffix -en.

hanal = eathanen = eat!

Request forms ofbinandtaalbecomexengo andko otencome. All command forms can be plurai-ized by adding -eex: kooteneex you all come.

Q u e s t i o n s

Questions in Maya generally incorporate wordsthat end inx and that occur at the beginning of asentence. The primary exception is the word

makalmak,meaning which?

baax = what?maxi = who?bix = how?tuux = where?

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The wordku xserves to ask the sane question asecond time but about a different person or object.

ba ax taak a ukul?

kux teech?

= what do you wantto drink?

= and you?

P h r a s e M a r k e r s

Phrase markers bracket or sandwich a noun or anoun and an adjective.

Le + -o or -a:le peeko obale nukuch peekoob o

M a + -im a in wooh limin woohli

these dogsthose big dogs

I dont knowI dont know

D i s c o u r s e M a r k e r s

Suffix -V:Tacked onto the end of question words when these are used alone:

baax

baaxi

= what?= what is it?

Suffix - eAdded to the subject to focus the subject when itappears before a verb.

Juan tun wenelJuane tun wenel

= John is sleeping= as for John, h es

sleeping

Suffixes -ih and -e used as terminals:Function like punctuation marks at the end ofverbs, and include -eafter the prepositionti (tieto him) and -ih after completive intransitives(binihhe went).

Q u a n t i f i e r s

Quantifiers consist of words used to express relative amounts. They may or may not include aplural marker, in which case the quantifier

appears redundant.

ya ab =

ya a bh a =y a abach =y a ab mak =y a abach ma k(oob) =

a lot, mucha lot of watermanya lot of peoplemany people

N u m e r i c a l C l a s s i f i e r s

When counting something, numbers take specialsuffixes called numerical classifiers. Classifiersdiffer depending on what the speaker counts.For example, -pel follows the number whencounting inanimate things, -t ziit follows whencounting slender, long things, -kulfollows whencounting trees, and -tulfollows when countingpeople or animals.

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Ifhunone andkan four take the classifier-pel, then the n in the stem word changes to m(for example,humpel).

The use of numerical classifiers has declinedover the years, and many Maya speakers simplyuse the -pel suffix with all inanimate objects,

rather than using -kuland -tztit.

M AYA-EN GLISHDICTIONARY

Aii (nil) Set A pron.second-person singular; second-person

plura l to ge ther w ith suffix -eexit a bit (AH-beet) n.grandchifd; nietoniich (aahch) n.spur, goad, sting; espuela, ramal,

picadura Bilk (aahk) n. grass;yierbalink (ahk) n.turtle; tortugaitiikan (AH-kahn) n.snort, bellow, groan; bufido,

gemidoa k tu n (AHK-toon) n. cave; cuevaaak (ahk) n.tongue; vine; lengua-, bejucolak (ahk) adj. fresh, green (immalure);./reseo, verde

(immaduro)riukab (AHR-ahb) n. night; nochertakabtal (ahk-AHB-tahf) in. v.to become night;

anocheceraakal (AAHK-ah) n.fagoon, spring, swamp, tank,

reservoir; laguna, cinega, pantano, tanque, embalselak bak (AHK bahk) n.fresh meat; carne frescoaaknai (AAHR-naht) n.green com; ma z verdeaksa (AHK-sah) n.green co m gruel, fresh maize

gruei;atole de ma z tierno, atole nuevo

aat (aahl) n.son, daughter; weight; hijo, hija; pesoaalak (AAHL-ahk) n.pet, domestic animaf; animal

domsticoaalaktik (aahf-AHR-teek) tr. v.domesticate, grow;

criarlo, crecerloalka b (AHL-kahb) in. v.run, do something very fast;

correr, hacer algo de prisaatkab meyah (AHL-kahb MEHY-ah) in. v. phr.work

rapidly; trabajar muy rpidoaal kab (aahf kahb) n.finger; dedo

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aalnook (AAHL-noohk) n.doll; muecaaal ook (AAHL oohk) n.toe; dedo de pieamigoh (ah-MEE-goh) n.friend; Sp. loanword; amigoaanis (AAHN-ees) n.com mercial cane liquor;

Sp. loanword; ans, aguardienteaantah (AAHN-tah) n.helper; ayudanteantah (AHN-tah) in. v.help; ayudara nt ik (AAHN-teek) tr. v.help; ayudarlo

aanyo (AAHN-yoh) n.year; Sp. loanword; ao aasta (AAHS-tah)prep,until; Sp. loanword; hastaaax (aahsh) n.wart; verrugaayin (AAHY-een) n.crocodile, caiman, alligator;

cocodrilo, caimnabal (AHB-ahl) n.plum; ciruelaahal (AH-hahl) adj.awake; despiertoahal (AH-hahl) in. v.awaken; despertarseahal (AH-hahl) tr. v.awaken; despertarloak (ahk) adj.last; ltimoak (ahk) n.clitoris; clitorisalu x (AH-loosh) n.forest spirit, guardian of a cornfield;

duende del bosque, guardin de la milpa

am (ahm) n.spider; araaasben/asbeen (AHS-behn/AHS-beh-ehn) adj.secondhand , used; de medio uso

asukaar (ah-SOO-kaahr) n.sugar; Sp. loanword; azcaratan (AH-tahn) n.wife; esposaawal (AH-waht) n.shout; gritoay (ahy) general expression of pain or disgust; ay, dios!ayikal (ahy-EEK-ahl) adj.rich, wealthy; ricoaal(ik) (AH-AHL-[eek]) tr. v.say, tell; decir

B

baab (baahb) n. piece (continuous); pedazo (continuo)bab (bahb) in. v. swim; nadarbaa ch (baahch) n. chachalaca (bird, Ortalis vetula)-,

pjaro que se llaman chachalacabaak (baahk) n.bone; horn; hueso; cuernobala m /b alan (BAAH-lahm/BAH-lahn) n.jaguar;

jaguar, tigre

balc he (BAAHL-cheh) n.ferm ented honey beer,flavored with bark; balche

baanda (BAAHND-ah) n.area, place; banda, lugar

liat (baht) n.ax, hatc he t; hachahaatz (baahtz) n.m onk ey (howler); mono chilln,

saraguate

bt axal (BAHSH-ahl) in. v.joke, play; bromear, jugarbiiaxat (BAHSH-ahl) tr. v.amuse; entretener, divertirbitaxal taa n (BAHSH-ahl TAAN) n.joke, pun;

chiste, retucanobi iaxtik (BASH-teek) tr. v.play, toy with; use;

jugarlo; usarlo bab (BAHB) n. crab; cangrejo Itabahkil (BAHB-ahk-eel) adj.crowded; inflamed;

slocked (well-); atestado; hinchado; bien surtidobokal (BAHK-ahl) n. corncob; hueso del maz,

tusa (de maz)ba k (bahk) n.meat; carnebakel li t (BAHK-ehl EEET) n.buttock, rump; nalgal>at (baht) n.hall; (piedra de) granizobaal (bah-ahl) n.thing; cosahaalche (BAH-AHL-che) n. animal (wild); animal

silvestre, bruta, bestia

l>aate /b aate el (BAH-AH-teh/ BAH-AH-teh-ehl)n.

light; problem;pelea; problema baax (BAH-ahsh) inter,what?; qu?baax kiin (BAH-ahsh KEEEN) inter,when (what day)?;

cundo (qu da)?ba ax o orah (BAH-ahsh OOHB-ah) inter,when (what

hour)?; cundo (qu hora)?baax te n (BAH-ahsh-tehn) inter,why?; por qu?bee ch (beehch) n. quail; codornizbee l (beehl) n. affair, ma tter; road; asunto; caminobee tik (BEEH-teek) tr. v.do, make; hacerbeey w ale (beehy WAHL-eh) adv.perhap s it is so!;

tal vez es posible!

be hlaak (BEH-lah-ahk) adv.e arlie r today, today(earlier); hoy anteriormente

beh la (e) (beh-LAH-[eh]) n.nowadays, today; hoybek ech (BEH-kehch) adj.slender, thin; delgadobeo or ah (beh-OOH-rah) adv. immediately;

Sp. loanword; en seguidobeya (BEH-yah) adv.like this; asbeyo (BEH-yoh) adv.like that; asbix (beesh ) inter,how?; cmo?bin (been) in. v. go; irse

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bin ka ak abta l (been kah AHK-ahb-tahl) n.dusk,sunset; anochecer

bi s( ik) (BEES-[eek]) tr. v. take; llevarlobolon (BOH-lohn) (hypothetical) n.nine; nuevebonik (BOHN-eek) tr. v.paint;pintarloboch (boohch) n. shawl; rebozo, chalbook (boohk) n. odor, smell; olorboon (boohn) n.dye, paint; tinta, pintura

bo onol/b oon (BOOHN-ohl/BOH-ohn) adj. painted;pin tado

box (bohsh) n.Ups; labiosbox (bohsh) adj.black; negroboxha (BOHSH-hah) n. coffee; cafboot(ik) (BOH-OHT-[eek]) tr. v.pay (for);pagarlo boox (BOH-ohsh) n.buttocks; nalgasbooy (BOH-ohy) n. shade, shadow; sombrabulu k (BOO-look) (hypothetical) n. eleven; oncebutik (BOOT-eek) tr. v.pack, stuff, fill; embutirlo,

llenarlo

buuh (booo) n.owl; possible Sp. loanword; bho(tecolote)

bukin ti k (boo-KEEN-teek) tr. v. dress, pu t onclothes; vestirse, ponerlo ropa

buutz (boootz) n. smoke; humobuul (BOO-ool) n.bean, fr ijol

CH

chak (chahk) re. rain; lluviachaam pa l (chaahm-PAHL) n.baby, child; nio/nia, bebchaanbeel (CHAAHN-beehl) adj. slow; despacio, lentocha b (chahb) n. anteater; oso hormigueroch a( ik) (CHAH-[eek]) tr. v.allow, permit;permitirlo,

dejarlo

chak (chahk) adj. red; colorado, rojoch ak ika t (chahk-EEK-aht) n.hurricane, cyclone;

huricn, ciclnchakmool (chahk-MOH-OHL) n.jaguar (Felis onca)-,

jaguar, tigrechaknul (chahk-NOOL); adj. naked; desnudochakposeen (chahk-poh-SEH-ehn) adj.pink; rosadoch ak xich (CHAHK-sheech) adj.blond; fair; gerocha n (chahn) adj.little, small;pequeo, chico

cliiin chee l (CHAHN cheehl) n.redheaded child,blond child; nio gero

ch a (chah ) tr. v.free, loosen, release, allow, let;dejar libre, desatar, soltar, dejar, permitir

rlid an (cha h-ahn ) re. spectacle, show; espectculoch eba (CHEHB-ah) n.beer; cervezaehcem (cheehm) n. canoe; boat; washtub; canoa;

barco; cuba de lavar

che (cheh) n.p ole , stick; wood; tree;palo, vara;madera; rbol

cheeh (cheh-eh) n. laughter; risaclieeh (cheh-eh) in. v.laugh; rersecliich (cheech) adj.strong; tough;/krte; durochichan (CHEECH-ahn) adj.httle, small;pequeo, chicovhichiik (CHEECH-eeek) n.hu rricane, storm;

huracn, tempestad, temporalchiich (cheeech) re. grandmother; abuelacliiinah (CHEEE-nah) n. orange (sweet); naranja dulcecliiin ah p ah (CHEEE-nah PAH) re. orange (sour);

naranja agriach iin w ol (CHEEEN wohl) re. tarantula; tarntula

chikoop (CHEE-koohp) re. bat (vampire); murcilagode vampiro

chikin (CHEE-keen) re. west; oeste, occidente, ponienterhilankabil (chee-lahn-KAHB-eel) re. relative-,parientechiltal (CHEEL-tahl) in. v.he down; acostarse, echarse

(en el suelo)

ch i (ch ee) n. edge; mouth, opening; orilla; bocachiibal (CHEE-EE-bahl) in. v.bite; hurt; morder; dolerchiik (chee-eek) re. coatimundi (Nasua narica

yucatanica ); coatimundichiikam (CHEE-EE-kahm) n.jicam a (edible plant);

jicam a

chokoh (CHOHK-oh) adj.hot; calientecho ko k un tik (choh-koh-ROON-teek) tr. v.heat;

calentarlo

chokotal (chohk-oh-TAHL) in. v.become hot;calentarse

chokwil (CHOHK-weel) re. fever; calenturachoo ch (choohch) re. intestines; intestinos, tripaschowak (CHOH-wahk) adj. long; largochowakil (CHOH-wahk-eel) n. length; largura,

longitudchukaan (CHOO-kah-ahn) adj.captured; capturado

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ch uk besik (CHOOK-beh-seek) tr. v.complete , finish;completarlo, terminarlo

ch uk ik (CHOOR-eek) tr. v.catch; attain; alcanzarlo;pescarlo

ch uk pa ch tik (chook-PACH-teek) tr. v. overtake,pu rsue , catch up with someone; alcanzar, alcanzarl que va adelante, a lcanzar alguien

chu nc hu m uk (choon-CHOO-mook) adj. fifty-fty;mitad y mitad

chunpahal (choon-PAH-hahl) in. v.get started;empezarse, comenzar

ch up ik (CHOOP-eek) tr. v. fill; llenarlo, hincharlochuh (chooh) n.bottle gourd (legonaria siceraria),

canteen; calabaza para llevar agua, calabazavinatera

chuk (chook) n. charcoal; carbnchukaan (CHOOK-ah-ahn) adj.complete, finished;

completo, terminadochumuk (CHOOM-ook) n.center, middle;

centro, medio

ch um uk akab (CHOOM-ook AAHK-ahb) n.midnight; media nochech u m uk kiin (CHOOM-ook KEEEN) n. noon;

media da

chuun (chooon) n.base, stem, trunk; beginning,origin; raz, principio, tronco; origen

ch uu ni k (CHOOON-eek) tr. v.begin; empezarlo,comenzarlo

ch uu p (chooop) adj.full, swollen; lleno, hinchadochuupul (CHOOOP-ool) adj.filled; hinchado chuuy (choooy) in v.sew; costurar

CHch ai k (CHAH-eek) tr. v.seize, take; use; agarrarlo,

llevarlo; usarloch ak ik (CHAHK-eek) tr. v.cut with a blow; cortarlo

con un golpe

chamak/chomak (CHAH-mahk/CHOH-mahk) n.coyote; fox; coyote; zorro

chaiik/chaik iik (CHAH-eeek/CHAH-eek EEEK)tr. v. breathe; respirar

cheel (cheehl) adj.fair; blond; redheaded; gero;rubio; pelirrojo

cheel (cheehl) n.magpie; urraca cheeh (cheh-eh) adj. noisy, loud; ruidoso, bulliciosoch een (CHEH-ehn) n. cistern , well; cisterna, pozochihaan (CHEE-hah-ahn) adj.old; viejochich (cheech) n. bird; ave, pjarochiih (cheeeh) tr. v.m ake old, age; hacer viejo

chiihil (CHEEE-eel) adj.grown; crecidochilib (CHEEL-eeb) n.toothpick; twig;palillo de

dientes; ramitachinik (CHEEN-eek) tr. v.throw; throw stones (at);

tirarlo; tirar piedras achoom (choohm) n.vulture; buzzard;zopilote; busardochop (choohp) adj.blind; ciegochoy (chohy) n.bucket; cubeta, cubocho (choh) n.mouse; rat; ratn; ratach uhuk (CHOO-hook) adj. sweet; dulcech uhuk (CHOO-hook) n. candy; dulcechukik (CHOOK-eek) tr. v.loosen; wrinkle; desatar;

arrugarse

chul chahtal (chool CHAH-lahl) in. v.become wet;mojarse

chulik (CHOOL-eek) tr. v.mo isten; drench; mojarlo;remojarlo

chuk (CHOOK) in. v. spy; espiarchuul (choool) adj.moist, wet; mojadochuyul (CHOOY-ool) in. v.hang (fruit); colgarse

fruta

chuytal (CHOOY-tahl) tr. v. hang, suspend; colgarlochu (choo) n.epiphyte; espilladero, epfita

E

eek (eehk) n. star; estrellaek (ehk) adj.dirty; black; sucio; negroemel (EHM-ehl) in. v. descend; bajarseen sik (EHN-seek)Ir. v.lower; bajarloet (eht) aux. v.equal; same; igual; mismoeex (eehsh) n.pants; underwear;pantaln; calznehocheen (eh-HOHCH-eh-ehn) adj.dark; oscuroeh (eh) n. file, edge-, Jiloelel (ehl-ehl) in. v.bum; quemarse, arderse

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eesik (EH-EHS-eek) tr. v.show; mostrarloeesk u bah (EH-EHSK oo BAH) refl. v. show oneself;

mostrarse

H

h (h) nominal honorific denoting masculine names, he

of; honorfico denotando nombres masculinos, l dehaa h (haah) adj. true; verdaderohaa h (haah) adv.yes; shaahil (HAAH-eel) n. truth; verdadha l (hahl) n. base; edge, side; raz; orillahaale b (HAAHL-ehb) n.paca, spotted cavy (kind of

rodent, cuniculus paca); tapescuintlehanil (HAHN-eel) adj. clean, c lear (of objects);

limpio

haantik (HAAHN-teek) tr. v. eat; comerlohaa y (haahy) adj.thin (paper, clothes);papel o ropa

delgado

ha y (hahy) adj. cloak, cape (article of clothing);

napkin; capa; servilletahach (hahch) adv.very; muy ha ch kaas u b in (HAHCH kaahs oo BEEN) adj.

dangerous;peligroso ha ch yaab (HAHCH yah-ahb) adj.a lot, much;

enough, too much; mucho; bastantehachik (HAHCH-eek) tr. v. chew; mascarlohahalkil/hoholkil (hah-hahl-KEEL/hoh-hohl-KEEL)

adj. slippery, smooth; liso, resbalosohak ola l (hah-KOHL-ahl) adj. surprising,

frightening; sorprendente, con sustohanal (HAHN-ahl) n.food, meal; comidahanal (HAHN-ahl) in. v. eat; comerhatzik (HAHTZ-eek) tr. v.divide; diminish; leave; take

away; dividirlo, partirlo; disminuir; dejarlo; quitarlohatzkab kiin (hahtz-kahb KEEEN) adv.early;

morning; temprano; la maana hatzik (HAHTZ-eek) tr. v. beat, hit, whip, strike;

golpearlo, azotarlo, pegarloha tzutz (HAHTZ-ootz) adj. beautiful, nice, very good;

hermoso, bonito, bello, muy bienhatzutzil (HAHTZ-ootz-eel) n.beauty; goodness;

belleza; bondad

huykintaan (hahy-KEEN-tah-ahn) adj.dried; secohayk inti k (hahy-KEEN -teek) tr. v. dry (in th e sun);

secarlo en el sollia (hah) n.lake; rain; w ate r (in general); laguna;

lluvia; agua (en general)liaab (hah-ahb) n.year; aohaabil (u) (HAH-AHB-eel [oo]) n. age; edadliaas (hah-ahs) n. banana;pltano

heban/hean/heik (heh-BAHN/heh-AHN/heh-EEK)adj.open; abierto

hcbik (heh-BEEK) tr. v.open; abrirloheeb (heehb) in. v. open; abrirseheel (heehl) adj.different; other; diferente; otroliclaan (HEH-lah-ahn) adj. different, distinct, strange;

diferente, distinto, extraohetzaan (HEHTZ-ah -ahn) adj.firm, seated, secured,

fixed, settled;,/irme, sentado, asegurado, funda do he (heh) n.egg; huevoheel (a )/ (o ) (HEH-EHL-a/o ) dem.he re/th ere it is!;

aqu/all est(a = close, o = furth er away)heelel (hehehl-EHL) in. v.rest; descansarlieele (HEH-EHL-eh) adv.indeed, yes, to be sure;

s, claro

hee max (heh-eh MAHSH)pron.whoever, anyone;quien, cualquier persona

heesik u b a (HEH-EHS-eek oo bah) refl. v.restoneself; descansarse

he u b ee ta ale (heh ooh BEEH-tah-ahl-eh) adj.possible (if); si se puede

hmeen (ah-MEEHN) n.herbalist, shaman, curer;yerbatero, curandero

hochik (HOHCH-eek) tr. v. harvest; cosecharlohoma (HOH-mah) n.gourd (large); calabaza/jicara

grande

hooch (hoohch) in. v.harvest; cosecharhokol (HOHK-ohl) in. v.come out; go, leave;

manifestarse; salirhoo l (hoohl) n.entrance; hole, opening; entrada;

hoyo, huecoho l (hohl) adj.all; todohoykeep (HOHY-keehp) n.lazy man; hombre flojoho (HOH) n.five; cincoho ka l (HOH kahl) (hypothetical) n. one hundred;

cien, ciento

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ho lahun (HOH LAH-hoon) (hypothetical) n.fifteen;quince

hool (hoh-ohl) n.head; hair; cabeza; peloho olh eyak (HOH-ohl-HEH-yahk) n.yesterday; ayerhoosik (HOH-OHS-eek) tr. v.take out; extract; sacarlohta m an (ah-TAH-mahn) n.goat, kid; sheep; chivo,

cabro; borregohtoot (ah-TOOHT) n.mute person;persona muda

htzo (ah-tzoh) n. turkey (male);pa vo (macho)htzaa k (ah-TZAAHK) n.male doctor, physician;

doctor, mdicohtuup (ah-TOOOP) n.brother (youngest); hermano

menor

hu ch i (HOOCH-ee) imper.scram! (to pigs, chickens,etc.); vete! (a puercos, pollos, etc.)

huch (hooch) n. com dough; maz molidohuchbil (HOOCH-beel) adj.ground; molidohuc hik (HOOCH-eek) tr. v.grind; molerlohuch k uum (HOOCH koo-oom) tr. v. grind

(lime-soaked com); moler nixtamal/masa

huhum pitil (HOO-hoom PEET-eel) adv.little bylittle;poco a pocohu m ch ak (HOOM chahk) n.thunder; truenohum pu li (hoom POO-lee) adv.completely, totally;

completamente, totalmentehu m pel (hoom PEHL) adj., pron.a (thing), one

(thing); uri(a) (cosa)hum pit (HOOM peet) n.bit (a), little (a); un poco,

pocos

hun (hoon) adj., n. single; one; solito, solo; unohun bak (HOON bahk) (hypothetical) n.four hundred;

cuatrocientos

hunkul (hoon-KOOL) adj., pron.a (tree), one (tree);

un(a) (rbol)hun kal (HOON kahl) (hypothetical) n.twenty;

veinte

hun pik (hoon PEEK) (hypothetical) n.eigh t thousand;ocho mil

hu nt ul (hoon-TOOL) adj., pron.a (person oranimal), one (person or animal); un(a) (persona oanimal)

huntzit (hoon-TZEET) adj., pron.a (long thing),one (long thing); un(a) (cosa larga)

liuuh (hoooh) n. igua na; lizard; iguana; lagartijaliuum (hooom) n. noise, sound; ruido, sonidoliu chabale (hoo CHAHB-ahl-eh) aux. v.may;

se puede, se perm ite hu u b iit aale (h ooh oo BEEE-tah-AHL-eh) adj.

possible (it is); es posibleliuun (hoo-oon) n.book; letter; paper; libro; carta;

papel

hwaach (ah-WAAHCH) n.Mexican (male); mexicnoliway (ah-wahy) n.wizard; brujo

I

ich (eech) n. eye; face ; ojo; caraichil (EECH-eel)prep,in, inside, within; dentroichkil (EECH-keel) in. v.bathe; baarseiib (eeeb) n.bean (lima) ,fri jol de lima icham (EECH-ahm) n.husband; marido, esposoichak (EE-chahk) n.fingernail, claw; ua

iik (eeek) n. chile, pepper; chile, ajiik (eeek) n.air, wind; aire, vientoim (eeem) n.bosom, breast, teat; seno, pecho, tetaipil (EEEP-eel) n.dress (native womans); hupiliis (eees) n.yam, sweet potato; camoteiit (eeet) n.anus; bottom, base; ano; baseiitz (eeetz) n.sap, resin; rust; resina o leche de rbol;

oxidado

itzin (EETZ-een) n.brother (younger), sister(younger); hermano/a menor

ileh (EEL-eh) imper.see it!; vlo!ilik (EEL-eek) tr. v. see; verloixbal (EESH-bahl) in. v.break out in a rash; tener

ronchaiin ah (EE-EE-nah) n.seed com; semilla pa ra

sembrar maz

K

kaab (kaahb) n.bee; honey; earth; world; abeja; miel;tierra; mundo

kaabal (KAAHB-ahl) adv.below; low; abajo; bajo

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kaachaal (kaah-CHAH-ahl) adj.broken, busted; split;fractured; quebrado; hendido; fracturado

kaah (kaah) n.place; town; lugar; pueblo, pobla don kah sik (KAH-seek) tr. v.begin; comenzarlokaahtal (KAAH-tahl) n.place; ranch; lugar; ranchoka ah ta l (KAAH-tahl) in. v.live, reside; vivirkaal (kaahl) n.neck; throat; voice; cuello; garganta; voz kaltal (KAHL-tahl) in. v.become drunk;

emborracharsekaa n (kaahn) n. snake; worm; culebra; gusanokaanilha (kaahn-eel-HAH) n. eel; anguilakapeh (KAH-peh) re. coffee; cafkaax (kaahsh) n. chicken;pollo ka ch lk (KAH-cheek) tr. v.to break , split, fractu re (long

things); quebrar, hender, fra ctu rar (cosas largas)ka laan (KAH-lah-ahn) adj. drunk, intoxicated;

borracho

kaldo kaax (KAHL-doh KAAHSH) n. consum(chicken); Sp. + Maya; caldo de pollo

ka m pel (kahm-PEHL) adj., pron.four (inanimatethings); cuatro (cosas)

kan (kahn) n.four; cuatrokanantik (KAHN-ahn-teek) tr. v.care for (take care

of); cuidarlokanik (KAHN-eek) tr. v.ieam; aprenderlo kan kal (KAHN kahl) (hypothetical) n.eighty;

ochenta

ka n la hu n (kahn LAH-hoon) (hypothetical) n.fourteen; catorce

ka nt ul (kahn-TOOL) adj., pron. four (people oranimals, anim ate things); cuatro (personas oanimales)

ka xt ik (KAHSH-teek) tr. v.find; look for, seek; hallarlo,

buscarlokay (kahy) n.fish;pescadokaabeh (KAH-AHB-eh) n.day after tomorrow;

la ma ana siguientekaach (kah-ahch) adv. earlier, previously;

antiguamente, entonceska ah (kah-ah) adv. again; otra vez, de nuevoka ah (kah-ah) conj.and; that; when;y; que; cuando ka 'ah (kah-ah) n.metate, saddle quern, grinding

stone; two; metate; dos

luiakat(e) (KAH-AH-kah-t[e]) adv.afterward; later;soon; al rato; u n poco despus; ms tarde

kaan (kah-ahn) n.heaven; sky; cieloka an al (KAH-AHN-ahl) adj. up; above; high;

arriba; alto

Uuanal (KAH-AHN-ahl) adv.up; above; arribaka an al (KAH-AHN-ahl)prep,up; above; arribakuanal (KAH-AHN-ahl) in. v. tire; cansarse

kuanaan (KAH-AH-nah-ahn) adj.tired; cansadokaanche (KAH-AHN-che) n.altar; raised seedbed;

altar; planto elevadokaansah (KAH-AHN-sah) n. teacher; maestrokuansik (KAH-AHN-seek) tr. v.teach; ensearloka apul (KAH-AH-pool) adv.twp times, twice;

dos veces

kaapel (KAH-AH-pehl) adj., pron. two (inanimatethings); dos (cosas)

ka at u l (KAH-AH-tool) adj., pron.two (people oranimals, anim ate things); dos (personas o animales)

ka bak (KAH bahk) (hypothetical) n.eight hundred;ochocientos

ka kal (KAH kahl) (hypothetical) re. forty; cuarentake ch tik (KEHCH-teek) tr. v.deceive, fool, trick;

embaucarlo

keh (keh) n. deer; venison; venado; came de venadokelembal (KEH-lehm-bahl) n.shoulder; hombrokcnsa bixi (kehn-sah BEE-shee) adv.who knows;

quien sabe

ketik (KEH-teek) tr. v.start (a fight); accept (aproposition); comenzar (una pelea); aceptar(una proposition)

kex (kehsh) conj. although; aunquekeel (keh-ehl) adj. cold (m e te o ro logi ca I);fr o

kib (keeb) re. candle; candela, velakih (kee) re. agave; hemp; maguey; henequinkiik (keeek) re. older sister; hermana mayo rkimil (KEE-meel) in. v.die; morirkiiritz (KEEER-eetz) re. v.grime (aroun d collar);

mugre

kiis (keees) n. flatulence;pedokiis (keees) in. v.break wind; echar pedoskimen (KEE-melin) adj. dead; muertokinb esik (keen-BEH-seek) tr. v.hurt; herirlo

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kinpahal (keen-PAH-habl) in. v.hurt (oneself); herirsekinsik (KEEN-seek) tr. v.kill; matarlokisin (KEES-een) n. devil; diablokltam (REE-tahm) n. boar; collared peccary (Pcari

tajacu)-, jabal; coche del monteki (kee) adj.tasty; sabrosokiichpam (KEE-EECH-pahm) adj. good-looking,

pretty; hermoso, guapo, bonito

kiim ak ol (KEE-EE-m ahk OHL) adj. content,happy; contento

koh (koh) n.beak; tooth; puma;pico; diente; pumakonik (ROHN-eek) tr. v. sell; venderloko ch (kohch) adj.broad, wide; anchoko k (kohk) adj. deaf; sordokoo l (koohl) n.personal cornfield (milpa); milpakolik (ROHL-eek) tr. v.pull;jalarlo ko oln al (ROOHL-nahl) n.farmer, milpa tiller;

campesino, milperokom (kohm) adj.narrow; short; estrecho; cortoko on ol (ROOHN-ohl) n.vendor (male), salesman;

vendedorkoos (koohs) n. falcon; halcnkopik (ROH-peek) tr. v.coil (rope), roll, twist, screw;

enrollar sogako oh (koh-oh) adj. expensive; caroko olel (ROH-ohl-EHL) n.woman; mujerkooten (KOH-OH-tehn) imper.come!; ven!ko'o x (koh-osh) imper.lets go!; vmanos! (vamos)ku ch ik (ROOCH-eek) tr. v. carry (on the back);

cargarlo (en la espalda), llevarloku laan (koo-LAH-ahn) adj. seated; sentadokultal (ROOL-tahl) in. v.sit down; sentarseku p ah tal (koo PAH-tahl) in. v.can (able to);

se puede

kuuch (koooch) n.burden, load; obligation; carga;obligacin

k uk (kook) n.elbow; codoku utz (koootz) n.wild oscelated turkey (Agriocharis

ocellata);pa vo del monte ku xa an (ROO-shah-ahn) adj.alive, living; vivoku xta l (KOOSH-tahl) n. life; vidakuuk (ROO-ook) n. squirrel; ardilla

K

kaab/kaa (kaahb/kaah) n.broth; juice; caldo; jugokaaba (RAAHB-ah) n.name; nombreU'aab china (kaahb CHEE-nah) n.o range juice;

jugo de nara nja k'ah (kah) adj.bitter; amargoka k (kah k) n. ftre-, fuego

kuala l (RAAHL-ahl) adj. closed, locked; cerradokan (kahn) n. hammock; hamaca kanche (KAHN-cheh) n. stool; banqueta para

sentarsekaas (kaahs) adj.bad; malokaas (kaahs) n. evil; mal, maldadkaas wayak (kaahs WAHY-ahk) .nightmare;

ma l sueo, pesadillakiat (kaht) in. v.(I) want; quierok'aatal (RAAH-tahl) adj. crossed; cruzadok'atik (RAHT-eek) tr. v. ask for;pedirlo, preguntarlok'ax (kahsh) adj.angry; hateful; enojado; odiosoka x (kahsh) n.brush, weed, forest, jungle;

monte, bosquekaa y (kaahy) n.music, song; cancinkaay (kaahy) in. v. sing; cantarkab (kahb) n.arm; hand; branch; brazo; mano; ram akabet (RAHB-et) adj.necessary; necesariokah o l (RAH-ohl) tr. v.know (someone); conocerlokaholtik (RAH-ohl-TEER) tr. v.recognize;

reconocerlokalik (KAHL-eek) tr. v. close; cerrarlokam ik (RAHM-eek) tr. v.receive; recibirkan (kahn) adj.ripe; yellow; maduro; amarillokas (kahs) n.somewhat; de una parte, un poquitokas keel (KAHS keh-ehl) adj. cool; medio Jrio

kas kfilkab (kahs REEL-kahb) adj.muggy;medio sudando, hmedo

kat (kaht) n.clay; barrokaxab nak (RAHSH-ahb nahk) n.belt, strap;

cinturn, fajakax ik (RAHSH-eek) tr. v.tie; amarrarlo kaam (RAH-ahm) adj.harsh; strong; recio; fuertekaanaan (RAH-AH-nah-ahn) adj.important,

necessary; importante, necesariok'a atik (RAH-AH-teek) tr. v.grill, roast; asarlo

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k aTail (KAH-beel) adj.grilled, roasted; asadok 'a bil bak (RAH-beel BAHR) adj.grilled (meat);

(came) asadakeban (KEH-bahn) adj.wrong, sin;pecadokeken (REH-kehn) n.pig;puercok ewel (REH-wehl) n.hide, leather, skin;piel,

pellejo, cuerokeexel (REEHSH-ehl) adj.changed, exchanged,

substituted; cambiado, trocadokexik (REHSH-eek) tr. v.change; exchange;substitute; cambiarlo, trocarlo

k eyem (KEH-yehm) n.gruel, posol;pozole keyik (REHY-eek)Ir. v.rep rimand, scold; reprenderlo,

reirlo

kilkab (REEL-kahb) adj.hot (weather), humid(weather); perspiration; (hace) calor, hmedo; sudor

k iin (keeen ) n.day; sun; time; da; sol; tiempokinal (REE-nahl) adj.h eated up; hot; lukewarm;

tepid; calientado; tibiok in an (in) h ool (REEN-ahn een HOH-OHL) n. phr.

headache; dolor de cabeza

kiwi (REE-wee) n.annatto (red food dye); achiotekiik (kee-eek) n. blood; sangrek iin am (REE-EE-nahm) n.pain; dolorkiix (REE-eesh) n.thorn; espinakiix pech ooch (REE-EESH pehch OOHCH) n.

porcupine; cuerpo espinkoh aan (ROH-hah-ahn) adj. sick; enfermokohaanil (koh-HAH-AHN-eel) n. illness; enfermedadkohaan ta l (koh-HAH-AHN-tahl) in. v.ill (to

become); enfermarseko nooch (ROH noh-ohch) n.ch in (literally double

chin); barbillakooben (ROOH-behn) n.hearth; kitchen;/o^ra; cocina

kol (kohl) n. broth; stew; caldo; guisokosik (ROHS-eek) tr. v.cut with scissors; cortarlo

con tijera

koxol (ROHSH-ohl) n.mosquito; mosquito, moscokoox (ROH-ohsh) adj.wild; bravo, salvaje, cimarrnkubik (ROOB-eek) tr. v.deliver; entregarlokubul (ROOB-ool) n. oriole; oriolkuchul (ROOCH-ool) in. v.arrive; llegarkuhoob (ROO-hoh-ohb)pi. n. gods, saints; dioses,

santos

kuhi (ROOL-oo) n.raccoon; mapachekum (koom) n.pumpkin, squash; calabazakuutz (koootz) n.marijuana; tobacco; marijuana;

tabaco

kuxu (ROO-shoo) n.annatto (red food dye); achioteku (koo) n.nest; nidokuuk um (koo-ook-OOM) n.feathers;plumas

L

I a h (lah) adj.all; todolak (lahk) adj. other; otrolak (lahk) n.parent; relative; spouse;pariente,

miembro de familia; esposolaktzil (LAHR-tzeel) n.true sibling; hennano(a)

verdadero(a)lal (lahl) n.nettle; ortiga, chichicastalayli(e) (lahy-LEE-[eh]) adv. always; siemprelah ka a (LAH-kah-ah) (hypothetical) n.twelve; docelahun (LAH-hoon) (hypothetical) n.ten; diez

lahun kal (LAH-hoon KAHL) (hypothetical) n.twohundred; doscientos

lak in (LAH-keen) n.east; este, orientele beetik (leh BEEEH-teek) adv.therefore;por esole k aa pelil (leh kah-ah PEEH-leel) adj.,prep.

possibly;posiblelela (LEH-lah)pron.this (one); ste, stalelo (LEH-loh)pron.that (one); se, sale (leh) n.leaf; hojalikil (LEEER-eel) in. v.arise, rise; levantarseliisik (LEE-EES-eek) tr. v.raise; levantarloliisik u ba (LEE-EES-eek oo BAH) refl. v. ready

(oneself);prepararse

lisik (LEE-seek) tr. v.m ake ready, prepare ; alistarlo,prepararlo

loob (loohb) n.accident, misfortune; injury, wound;accidente, infortunio; dao, herrida

lob (lohb) n.digging stick; coaloobil (LOOHB-eel) n.wound; blow; herida; golpelool (loohl) n.flower, rose;flor, rosalox ik (LOHSH-eek) tr. v.punch (with fist);pegarlo con

pu o ceradolu bu l (LOOB-ool) in. v.fall; caerse

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luuch (loooch) re. gourd (from a tree); jicara, calabaza de rbol

lukum (LOOK-00111) adj.fine, nice, delicate; //>io,bueno, delicado

lu kul (LOOK-ool) in. v. leave; quitarseluuk (loook) in. v. swallow; tragarlub (loob) n. league (measure); legualu (loo) n.catfish; bagre

luum (loo-oom) n.dirt, earth, soil; suelo, tierra

M

mak (mahk) n.man, person; hombre, personam a kalm a k (MAHK-ahl-MAHK) inter,which?;

cul?

makan (MAH-kahn) n.arbor, bower; enramadam aam (maahm) n.mother; madrem an (mahn) in. v.pass by;pasarm ase w al (mah-SEH-wahl) n.Indian, inferior;

indgena, mazehual, inferiorm ask ab (MAHS-kahb) n.iron; machete; hierro-,

machete

m askab il xa m ac h (mahs-KAHB-eel SHAH-mahch)n.griddle (iron); comal de hierro

m ax (mahsh)pron.who; quienm axi (mahsh-EE ) inter,who?; quin?machik (MAHCH-eek) tr. v.grab, grasp; agarrarlomach (mahch) tr. v.flatten (something); allanar,

aplanar, aplastarmahantik (MAH-hahn-teek) tr. v.lend, loan;

prestarlo

mahan (MAH-hahn) adj.borrowed;prestado

m ah an yu um (MAH-hahn YOOOM) n.stepfather(borrowed father);padrastro

makantik (MAH-kahn-TEEK) tr. v.make (by hand);prepare; hacerlo a mano; prepararlo

ma ldisy on tik (MAHL-dees-yohn-TEEK) tr. v. curse;(Sp. + Maya) maldecirlo

m an ik (MAHN-eek) tr. v.buy; comprarlom an sik (MAHN-seek) tr. v.pass;pasarloma (mah) adv.no, not; nomaa kaal (MAH-AH kaahl) adj.hoarse; ronco

maalob (mah-AHL-ohb) adj. good, OK, well; bien,bueno, adecuado

ma a taan (MAH-AH taahn) adv. wont; no maa t ech (MAH-AH tehch) adv. never;jams maax (mah-ahsh) n.monkey; monoma koohi (MAH koh-oh-hee) adj.cheap; baratoma teen i (mah TEEHN-ee) adv.not me;yo noma tu p a ht al (m ah too PAH-tahl) in. v. cannot;

no se puedema u chaTjal (m ah 00CHAH-bahl) aux. v.m ay not;

no se permite

ma yaabi (MAH yah-ah -bee) adj. little, not much;no mucho, poco

mekik (MEH-k-eek) tr. v.embrace; abrazarlom eere ch (MEEHR-ehch) n.lizard (species of);

lagartija (una especie)inehen (MEH-hehn) adj.little, small;pequeo, chicoine ntik (MEHN-teek) tr. v.make; hacerloiney ah (MEH-yah) n.work; trabajoiney ah (MEH-yah) in. v.work; trabajarineex (meh-ehsh) n.beard, moustache; barba, bigote

iniis (meees) n. cat; gatoinis (mees) n.broom; escobainistik (MEES-teek) tr. v. sweep; barrerloinina an (MEE-nah-ahn) adv. there isnt/there arent;

no hay

mix b aal (meesh BAH-ahl)pron. nothing; nadamix b ikin (meesh BEE-keen) adv.never; nuncamix m a k (MEESH mahk) pron.no one; ninguno,

nadie

mix t an u b ee taale (meesh TAHN 00beeh-tah-AHL-eh) adj.no t possible; no es posible

mix tuux (MEESH too-oosh) re. nowhere; en ningunaparte

mootz (moohtz) n.root; razmo (moh) n.macaw; guacanmyomukik (MOOK-eek) tr. v.bury; enterrarlo, sepultarlom u(n )y al (MOO[N]-yahl) re. cloud; nubemut (moot) re. bird; ave, pjaromuuch (moooch) n.frog, toad; rana, sapomuuk (moook) adj. iotce{\i\;juertemuuk (moook) re. strength;/'rsc;muul (moool) re. hill; pyramid; cerro; pirm idemux bil (MOOSH-beel) adj.ground (into meal); molido

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N

n ach (nahch) adj.distant; lejosn ac hi l (NAHCH-eel) n.distance; distancianaa pul (NAAH-pool) adv.direct, directly; directo,

inmediatona ap ula k (naah-POOL-ahk) adv.immediately, right

away; en seguidonaatz (naahtz) adj.near; cercanaatzal (NAAHTZ-ahl) in. v. approach; acercarnaatzik (NAAHTZ-eek) tr. v.approach; acercarlon ay (nahy) in. v. dream; soarna h (nah) n.house; casanahil (NAH-eel) n.building, home; edificio, casanah (nah) n.mother; madrenak (nahk) n.abdomen, stomach, belly; barriga,

pa nza, estmagonak (nahk) tr. v. abandon; abandonarna l (nahl) n. com (ear of); elotena pt za h (NAHP-tzah) tr. v. become accustom ed to;

acostumbrarlo, habituarlonaakal (NAH-AHK-ahl) tr. v. climb; subirnaat ik (NAH-AH-teek) tr. v. understand; entenderlo.

comprenderlon en (nehn) n.mirror; espejonee k (neehk) n. seed; semilla, pepitane h (neh) n. tail; cola, rabonix (neesh) n.inc line, slope; cuesta, ladera,

inclinacinniix il (NEEESH-eel) adj.tilted; inclinadonikte (NEER-teh) n.flower, frangipani;JZor,

Jrangipanieronixik (NEESH-eek) tr. v.tilt; inclinarlo

ni (nee ) n.nose; nariznohoch (NOH-hohch) adj.big, large; old; gran,grande; viejo

nohochil (noh-hoh-CHEEL) n.size; tamaonohoch koolel (NOH-hoch koh-ohl-EHL) n.old

woman; viejano ho ch taa t(a h) (NOH-hohch TAAHT-[ah]) n.

grandfather; abuelonohoch winik (NOH-hoch WEEN-eek) n.old man;

viejo

no ho l (NOH-hohl) n.south; sur

68 M a y a - E n g u s h / E n g l j s h - M a y a ( Y u c a t e c) D i

Yucatec Mayan Dictionary and Phrasebook

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