Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1ictionary
&
cPhrasebook
M aya-E n g l is h
E n g l is h - M aya
John M ontgom
D ic tio n a r y & P h r a se b o o k s
A n c ie n t a n d W r it te n M ayan
5
predominantly a Cholan Maya language, speakers various social changes and introduced features of
of Yucatec Maya w ere writing in books made from material culture.
bark paper when Corts and his Spanish conquis E ven before this a variety of peoples had
tadors arrived in the early sixteenth century, and penetrated the Maya area from central Mexico
the closely related Itz Maya were still main and elsewhere, establishing political control in
taining books as late as 1697. Clearly, Mayan some cases over local populations. Overall, what
written in its own native systemhas a longer resulted were sundry borrowings from the
history than either written English (eighth century Mexican Nahuatl language (or one of its variants),
a . d . ) or Spanish (eleventh century a . d .) .
as well as intermarriage between these distinct
Following the Spanish conquest, a few Mayan groups o f people.
speakers wrote their language with European Through Nahuatl new personal names were
characters, producing works of epic literature introduced to the Maya, as w ell as words for
and chronicles. The manuscripts known as things and places (for exam ple, m asew al
Indian, Maya, from Nahuatl macehuali, free
the books of Chilam Balam constitute some of the
commoner).
best-known literature of the latter type, detailing
Spains conquest of the New World in the six
great epochs in Maya history. This series of doc
teenth century inevitably destroyed much of
uments was widely published in both Spanish
Native American civilization, and although fero
and English translations. In more recent years,
ciously resistant, the Maya also succumbed. With
epigraphers, or decipherers of hieroglyphs, have
the wholesale introduction by the conquerors
reintroduced to native speakers the original of new foods, m ethods of cooking, clothing,
hieroglyphic system, a renaissance taken up with weapons, and social and political institutions, the
alacrity by speakers of different branches of the Maya were forced to adapt in different ways. They
Mayan language group. did so not least by employing Spanish words for
things of which they had no experience, and even
for som e fam iliar things. Exam ples include
N ah u a tl a n d S pa n ish L o a n w o r d s asu kaar, from the Spanish a z ca r sugar,
amigoh from the Spanish amigo friend, and
With the collapse of Classic Maya civilization in paapah, from the Spanish pap father.
the ninth and tenth centuries a .d ., widespread Spanish continues to encroach on the Maya
cultural change took place throughout Pre world (and almost as importantly, English now
columbian America. Eventually the Aztec empire does so as well). Most Maya men have to be bilin
em erged as the most powerful civilization in gual because of contacts beyond their villages,
Precolumbian history. Speakers of the Aztec and they can switch back and forth between
language, which is called Nahuatl, ranged far Spanish and their own language in the middle of
down the coasts of Honduras and Panama. They conversation, a process called code-shifting.
were mostly traders and merchants who brought However, pronunciation of Spanish tends to be
PRONUNCIATION AND
Dictionaries and grammars provide crucial
resources for any student, and students should
SPELLING GUIDE
develop a reference library with as many pub
lished and privately printed resources as pos
sible. Gary Bevingtons M aya For Travelers and
Students: A Guide to Language and Culture in
Yucatan (University of Texas Press, Austin, 1995)
provides the most valuable and accessible com IVlaya and other members of the Mayan language
pendium of modern Maya, including Maya-to- family use letters from the Spanish alphabet, omit
English and English-to-M aya d ictionaries. ting ones for which Mayan has no sounds and
Bevingtons volume also comes with a separate adding combinations of letters for the Mayan
language tape that provides introductory mate sounds that Spanish lacks. However, at the time
rial, although the tape and dictionary are some of the Spanish conquest Spanish itself lacked
times packaged together. A Dictionary o f the consistency or even rules for basic punctuation,
Maya Language As Spoken in Hocab, Yucatan, and a large degree of variation resulted. Modem
compiled by Victoria Bricker, Eleuterio Poot linguists transcribing Maya into English com
Yah, and Ofelia Dzul de Poot, offers another pounded the problem.
extensive if academic resource (University of Worse, todays spelling conventions among
Utah Press, Salt Lake City, 1998). Many addi speakers of both Maya and Spanish vary tre
tional locally published dictionaries can be mendously. Spanish alone presents something
found in bookstores in Mrida and other towns of a nightmare; consider alternative spellings of
on the peninsula, although these usually pro cowvaca versus bacaor Jimnez versus
vide Maya-to-Spanish entries. Ximnes. (Even English includes similar and
confusing spellings or pronunciations, as for
The best approach that any student can take is example cock, meaning rooster, versus the
to combine the above resources into one system appelative Coch or Koch).
atic course of study. Accordingly, anyone seriously The problem increases exponentially with
interested in learning Maya should live with Maya, because certain sounds have no equivalent
native speakers while undertaking one-on-one either in Spanish or English. A survey of dictio
instruction, and then should follow with formal naries and maps turns up a confused array of
classroom instruction and the regular use of lan spellings, as in tsib, tz ib, and dzib for the word
guage tapes. writing.
Recently, native language academ ies have
introduced a uniform alphabet, a system taken up
16 M a y a - E n g l is h / E n g l is h - M a y a ( Y u c a te c ) D ic ti o n a r y & P h r a s e b o o k
Pronunciation and. Spelling Guide 17
three types of observations can be made regarding ee = eeh (pronounced as eh but with vowel
pitch and tone: elongated)
Example: beel (beehl)
1) Pitch rises toward the ends of words
2) Vowels last or second to last rise in pitch in e = eh (pronounced as eeh but with
many words initial raised in tone)
3) The long vowels in some words, even Example: keh (keh)
towards the beginning of the word, form a
peak in overall pitch i = ee (pronounced as in the English word
see)
Example: pik (peek)
S pe l l in g C o n v e n t io n s U se d f o r
V o w els in P r o n u n c ia t io n G u id e s ii = eee (pronounced as ee but with vowel
elongated)
In the Maya-English Dictionary, English-Maya Example: piitz (peeetz)
Dictionary, and Phrasebook sections of the pre
sent book, the pronunciation guides (given in i = ee (pronounced as ee but with initial
parentheses after individual Maya words and sen raised in tone)
tences) use the following conventions to repre Example: pim (peem)
sent vowels.
o = oh (pronounced as in the English
a = ah (pronounced as in the English exclamatory expression oh!)
exclamatory expression ah!) Example: toh (toh)
Example: sak (sahk)
oo = ooh (pronounced as oh but with vowel
aa = aah (pronounced as ah but with vowel elongated)
elongated) Example: toon (toohn)
Example: saak (saahk)
o = oh (pronounced as ooh but with
ah = ah (pronounced as aah but with initial raised in tone)
initial raised in tone) Example: ton (tohn)
Example: sal (sahl)
u = o o (pronounced as in the English word
e = eh (pronounced like ay in English pay) zoo)
Example: kex (kehsh) Example: lu (loo)
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.
S en ten ce S tructure
23
Placing the subject before the verb highlights indicate aspect depend on whether the action is
the subject, with the highlighted subject often completed at the time of the utterance (comple
presented as new information. tive) o r ongoing (incompletive; resembles the
infinitive in English). For all intents and purposes
Maya lacks a future tense, but the future can
V erb F orm s still be expressed through the use of the auxilhary
verb h eel will.
Verbs express action. Maya has three basic verb
forms (transitive, intransitive, and passive), plus Completive: Can be thought of essentially as
three aspects (completive, incompletive, and
past tense, in other words as afinished action.
subjunctive). For purposes of simplification the
discussion ignores both passive and subjunctive
tin haantah le waaho = I ate that tortilla
forms. Overall, Maya includes four qualities that
need to be taken into consideration when forming
Incompletive: Indicates an action that either
verbs: 1) transitive/intransitive; 2) completive/
incompletive; 3) singular/plural; and 4) first, was or is ongoing, not unlike the English infinitive
second, or third person. In addition, most verb where the verb ends in -ing. Also used with verbs
forms have three basic elements of construction: where the activity is repetitive or habitual.
1) a verb root that includes a postfix differenti
ating transitivity as well as aspect; 2) usually an tin haantik waah = I was/am eating tortillas
auxiliary verb; 5) and pronominal affixes (pre
fixes, suffixes, and infixes). P ronom inal Affixes
While sentence structure depends on the pres
ence of a subject or object, verbs incorporate Pronouns differentiate person and number, as in
root words that must be inflected depending on I/we said it (first person), you said it (second
whether the verb is transitive (subject plus object) person), and he/she/they said it (third person).
or intransitive (subject only). Maya incorporates three distinctive sets of pro
nouns: Set A, Set B, and Set C. These are attached
han = eat either to the verb stem or to another component
tin hanal - I am eating (intransitive) of the sentence.
tin haantik = I am eating it (transitive)
Set A:
Aspect
Pronouns from Set A, called the Ergative Set,
Aspect can be thought of more or less as tense mark the subjects of transitive verbs and the pos
in English or time relationships. Affixes that sessors of nouns. Ergative refers to the function
u baak = his/her bone *Technically not a pronoun but rather the completive
marker. Present when the pronoun marks the subject
yotoch = his/her house
and the verb is the last word in the sentence. Otherwise
the third-person singular has a silentmarker (f), oran
The following table lists the various pronouns
invisibleand unpronounced affix.
from Set A in singular and plural forms. Note that
pronoun forms can both begin and end the root,
the latter indicated by . Set C:
Singular Plural Pronouns from Set C use pronouns from Set B, but
combine these with the preposition ti, meaning
1st person in k to (ti also means at, in, on, and with).
ino on
keex Singular Plural
ir d Person:
Plural Singular
k > in > han-al > -oon k > u > han-al
aux. 1st p. s. verb stem eat lstp.pl. aux. 3rd p. s. verb stem eat
Set A + incom. in. suffix Set A Set A + incom. in. suffix
Plural
Ilural
k > hatz > ik > -eex
k > u > hatz > -ik > -oob
aux. verb stem incom. tr. 1st p. pi. aux. 3rd p. s. verb stem incom. tr. 3rd p. pi.
hit suffix Set A Set A hit suffix Set A
Plural hanoon = we ate 'iranslation: ta hatzah you hit it (in the past)
haneex = you all ate
hanoob = they ate
Ilural
Com pletive Transitives I > a > hatz >-ah > -eex
Just as incompletive intransitives take the suffix aux. 2nd p. s. stem com. tr. 2nd p. pi.
Set A hit suffix Set A
-al and incompletive transitives the suffix -ik, so
too completive transitives add the suffix -ah. They
also use the auxiliary t-, together with Set A pro Translation: ta hatzaheex you all hit it (in the
nouns, while Set B pronouns mark the object. past)
1st Person:
Singular frd Person:
t > -in > hatz > -ah Singular
aux. 1st p. s. stem com.tr.
I > u > hatz > -ah
Set A hit suffix
aux. 3rd p. s. stem com. tr.
Set A hit suffix
Translation: tin hatzah I hit it (in the past)
iranslation: tu hatzah he/she hit it (in the past)
Plural
t > hatz > -ah > -eex
aux. stem com. tr. 1st p. pi.
Plural
hit Set A t > u > hatz > -ah > -oob
aux. 3rd p. s. stem com.tr. 3rdp.pl.
Translation: t hatzaheex we hit it (in the past) Set A hit suffix Set A
ina + in = min
Auxiliaries ina+ a - ma
Auxiliaries consist of a wide variety of supple m a+ u = mu
mental elements that mark incompletive transi
tive, completive transitive, and intransitive verbs. min woohli = I dont know
When verbs take auxiliaries, a Set A pronoun muk ahoteeni = she/he doesnt
always immediately follows the auxiliary form. recognize me
Sometimes auxiliaries contract or combine with
the following pronoun, not unlike the contraction
in English of words such as cant (for can not). taak: Expresses desire. Never contracts with the
pronoun.
tan: Denotes activities as processes, like the pro
gressive -ing form in English. Sometimes, but not taak in kanik le = I want to learn
always, contracts in the following ways: m ayat a ano Maya
S tative Verbs
N o u n P hrases
Stative verbs express states of being, as in keeleen
I am cold. Not all verbs that express states func Noun phrases, consisting of the subject phrase
tion as statives, but rather, statives function as the dominated by a noun, take additional elements
equivalent of adjectives in English or Spanish. In that modify the subject. Determinatives, which
A
ii (nil) Set A pron. second-person singular; second-person
plural together with suffix -eex
it a bit (AH-beet) n. grandchifd; nieto
niich (aahch) n. spur, goad, sting; espuela, ramal,
picadura
Bilk (aahk) n. grass;yierba
link (ahk) n. turtle; tortuga
itiikan (AH-kahn) n. snort, bellow, groan; bufido,
gemido
a k tu n (AHK-toon) n. cave; cueva
aak (ahk) n. tongue; vine; lengua-, bejuco
lak (ahk) adj. fresh, green (immalure);./reseo, verde
(immaduro)
riukab (AHR-ahb) n. night; noche
rtakabtal (ahk-AHB-tahf) in. v. to become night;
anochecer
aakal (AAHK-ah) n. fagoon, spring, swamp, tank,
reservoir; laguna, cinega, pantano, tanque, embalse
lak b ak (AHK bahk) n. fresh meat; carne fresco
aakn ai (AAHR-naht) n. green com; m az verde
aksa (AHK-sah) n. green com gruel, fresh maize
gruei; atole de m az tierno, atole nuevo
aat (aahl) n. son, daughter; weight; hijo, hija; peso
aalak (AAHL-ahk) n. pet, domestic animaf; animal
domstico
aalaktik (aahf-AHR-teek) tr. v. domesticate, grow;
criarlo, crecerlo
alkab (AHL-kahb) in. v. run, do something very fast;
correr, hacer algo de prisa
atkab m eyah (AHL-kahb MEHY-ah) in. v. phr. work
rapidly; trabajar muy rpido
aal kab (aahf kahb) n. finger; dedo
E
CH
eek (eehk) n. star; estrella
chaik (CHAH-eek) tr. v. seize, take; use; agarrarlo, ek (ehk) adj. dirty; black; sucio; negro
llevarlo; usarlo em el (EHM-ehl) in. v. descend; bajarse
chak ik (CHAHK-eek) tr. v. cut with a blow; cortarlo ensik (EHN-seek) Ir. v. lower; bajarlo
con un golpe et (eht) aux. v. equal; same; igual; mismo
cham ak/chom ak (CHAH-mahk/CHOH-mahk) n. eex (eehsh) n. pants; underwear; pantaln; calzn
coyote; fox; coyote; zorro eh ocheen (eh-HOHCH-eh-ehn) adj. dark; oscuro
chaiik/chaik iik (CHAH-eeek/CHAH-eek EEEK) eh (eh) n. file, edge-, Jilo
tr. v. breathe; respirar elel (ehl-ehl) in. v. bum; quemarse, arderse
82 M a y a - E n g l is h / E n g l is h - M aya ( Y u c a t e c ) D ic t io n a r y & P h r a s e b o o k
Maya-English D ictionary 83
xim bal (SHEEM-bahl) in. v. go, walk; andar, caminar xiiux (shooosh) re. wasp; avispa
xim batik (SHEEM-BAHT-eek) tr. v. visit; visitarlo xiiux (shoosh) re. basket (large); canasta grande
xiw (sheew) n. herb (medicinal); hierba (medicinal) xuuxub (SHOOO-shoob) in. v. w histle; chiflar, silbar
xikik (SHEEK-eek) tr. v. break; crack; reventarlo, xuuk (shoo-ook) re. landm ark, marker stones; comer
quebrarlo, romperlo of eye; mojn, mojones; rincn del ojo
xikin (SHEE-keen) n. ear; oreja xuupi (SHOO-OO-pee) adj. u sed up; gastado
xikin kaak (shee-keen KAAHK) re. spark; chispa xuupi (SHOO-OO-pee) par. u sed up; se gast
xiik (shee-eek) in. v. might go; vaya xw aach (eesh-WAAHCH) re. Mexican (female);
xiim (shee-eem) n. com; m az mexicna
xiipal (SHEE-EE-pahl) n. boy, youth; muchacho, joven xway (eesh-WAHY) re. witch; bruja
x kaax (EESH-kaahsh) n. hen; gallina xyaaxkach (eesh-YAH-AHSH-kahch) n. housefly;
xkoonol (eesh-KOOH-nohl) n. vendor (female), mosca
saleswoman; vendedora
xkan h o ol (eesh-RAHN-hoh-ohl) n. folded cloth
used as pillow; almohada de tela doblada Y
xm a (EESH-mah) prep, lacking, without; faltando, sin
xm a nook (EESH-mah nook) adj. naked; desnudo
ynah (yaah) re. hurt, pain; dolor
x n u u k (eesh-NOOOK) ti. old woman; vieja
y aakuntik (yaah-ROON-teek) tr. v. love; amarlo
xok (shohk) tr. v. count; contar
yaan (yaahn) adv. there is/there are; hay
xokik (SHOHK-eek) tr. v. count, read, study; contarlo
yaan (yaahn) in. v. have; tener
xook (shoohk) tr. v. read; leer
yianal (YAH-nahl) adv. below, beneath; abajo,
xotik (SHOH-teek) tr. v. cut, slice; cortarlo
xotik si (SHOH-teek see) tr. v. cut firewood; cortar lea debajo de
xtab ay/xtabay (eesh-TAH-bahy/eesh-TAH-bahy) yitanal xiik (YAH-nahl SHEEEK) re. armpit; sobaco
n. female demon, female ghost; duende feminino, yiax (yahsh) prep, first; prior; primero; previo
demonio feminino, maligno feminino yiaxil (YAHSH-eel) adj. first; primero
xtu u p (eesh-TOOOP) n. sister (youngest); last female yah (yah) adj. difficult, hard; painful; difcil, duro;
child in family; hermana menor; ltima nia doloroso
del fam ilia ya (yah) re. sapote; zapote
xtu u t (eesh-TOOOT) re. parrot; loro, perico yaab (yah-ahb) adj. lot (a), much, many; mucho(s)
xtzaa k (eesh-TZAAHK) re. female doctor, physician; yaaboob (YAH-AHB-oh-ohb) phr. they are many;
doctora, mdica son muchos
x u n a n (SHOO-nahn) re. foreigner (female), stranger, yaakach (YAH-AH-kahch) adj. many; muchos
w om an (foreign); lady; white woman; extranjera; yaax (yah-ahsh) adj. blue; green; azul; verde
ladina yeeb (yeehb) re. mist; fog; dew; neblina, roco
x u k u m (eesh-OO-koom) re. mourning dove; palorrui ytfetel (YEH-tehl) prep, with; together; core; juntos
xuul (shoool) re. end; cabo, fin yeex koolel (yeehsh KOH-OHL-ehl) n. underpants;
xul (shool) re. stick (for planting), seeder; coa, pantaletas, calzones
sembrador yih (yeeh) adj. ripe (for the picking); sazonado
x u u lab (SHOOO-lahb) re. ant (army); hormiga soldado yihtal (YEEH-tahl) tr. v. ripen; sazonarse
x u u n (shooon) re. dear (what a husband calls his wife); yon (YOHN) re. foam; espuma
cario yoom (yoh-ohm) adj. pregnant; embarazada
x u u p ul (SHOOO-pool) adj. consumed, used up; yoom chahtal (yoh-ohm-CHAH-tahl) in. v. pregnant
se gast (to become); embarazarse
86 M ay a - E n g l is h / E n g l is h - M a y a ( Y u c a t e c ) D ic t io n a r y & P h r a s e b o o k 87
afterw ard adv. kaakat(e) (KAH-AH-kah-t[e]); an te a te r n. chab (chahb); oso hormiguero
al rato, un poco despus, ms tarde anus n. iit (eeet); ano
again adv. kaah (kah-ah); otra vez, de nuevo anxious aspect m arker taak (taahk); ansioso
agave n. kih (kee); maguey anyone pron. h ee max (heh-eh MAHSH); cualquier
age n. (u) haabil ([oo] HAH-AHB-eel); edad persona
age in. v. chiih (cheeeh); hacer viejo approach in. v. naatzal (NAA \ iTZ-ah l); acercar
agouti (D asyprocta p u n cta ta ) n. tzub (tzoob); agut appro ach tr. v. naatzik (NAAHTZ-eek); acercarlo
air n. iik (eeek); aire arb o r n. m akan (MAHK-ahn);enramada
alive adj. kuxaan (KOO-shah-ahn); vivo are a n. baanda (BAAHND-ah); banda
all adj. hol (hohl), lah (lah), tulakal (too-LAHR- arise in. v. likil (LEEK-eel); levantarse
ahl); todo arm n. kab (kahb); brazo
alligator n. ayin (AAHY-een); cocodrilo arm adillo n. weech (WE E HCII); armadillo
allow tr. v. cha (chah), cha(ik) (CHAH-[eek]); dejar, arm pit n. xiik (sheeek); sobaco
permitir arrive in. v. kuchul (KOOCH-ool); llegar
alm ost adv. asab (AH-sahb); casi, por poco asham ed adj. sulak (SOO-lahk); avergenzada
alm ost prep, taaytak (TAH-AHY-tahck); ya mero, ask for tr. v. katik (KAHT-eek); pedirlo, preguntarlo
inminente, casi at prep, ti (tee); en
a lot adj. hach yaab (HAHCH yah-ahb); mucho atole (co m gruel) n. sa (sah), saksa (SAHR-sah);
already adv. sam (sahm);ya, listo atole; atole con cscara
already adv. tanil (tahn-eel-EE);ya, desde entonces, attain tr. v. chukik (CHOOR-eek); alcanzarlo,
antes de ahora conseguir
also adv. xan (shahn); tambin
avocado n. oon (oohn); aguacate
altar n. kaanche (KAH-AHN-cheh), tem (tehm); altar
aw ake n. ahal (AH-hahl); despierto
although conj. kex (kehsh); aunque
aw aken in. v. ahal (AH-hahl); despertarse
always adv. layli(e) (lahy-LEE-[eh]); siempre
aw aken tr. v. ahal (AH-hahl); despertarlo
am use tr. v. baxal (BAHSH-ahl); entretener, divertir
ax n. bat (baht); hacha
ancient adj. uchben (OOCH-behn); antiguo
an d conj. kaah (kah-ah), yetel (VEil-Lehl); j
angered adj. puuhul (POOO-hool); enojado
angry adj. kax (kahsh); enojado
B
anim al (dom estic) n. aalak (AAHL-ahk); animal
domstico baby n. chaampal (chaahm-PAHL); nio/nia, beb
anim al (wild) n. baalche (BAH-AHL-che); animal back n. paach (paahch); espalda, lomo
silvestre bad adj. kaas (kaahs); malo
anim al cou n terp art n. wayhel (WAAHY-hehl); bag n. sabukaan (SAAH-boo-kaahn); bolsa, morral
nahual, espritu bagasse (short fiber residue of heneq u in ) n.
an n atto (red food dye; also achiote) n. kiwi soosook (SOH-OH-soh-ohk) bagazo
(KEE-wee), kuxu (ROO-shoo); achiote bake in. v. tahal (TAH-hahl); cocer por horno
answ er tr. v. nukik (NOOK-eek); contestarlo, bake tr. v. tahal (TAH-hahl); cocer por horno
responderlo ban an a n. haas (hah-ahs); pltano
an t n. sinik (SEEN-eek); hormiga bar-b-que p it n. pib (peeb); barbacoa, hom o
an t (arm y) n. xuulab (SHOOO-lahb); hormiga soldado bark (tree) n. sol (sohl); corteza
an t (biting) n. popoxkan (poh-pohsh-KAHN); hormiga base n. chuun (chooon), hal (hahl), iit (eeet); raz,
que muerde principio; base
94 M a y a- E n g l is h / E n g l is h - M aya ( Y u c a t e c ) D ic t io n a r y & P h r a s e b o o k
English-Maya Dictionary 95
cook in. v., tr. v. tahal (TAlI-hahl); cocer cut firewood tr. v. xotik si (SHOH-teek see);
cook (as in beans) in. v. tah (tah); madurarse, sazonarse cortar lea
cooked adj. takan (TAH-kahn); cocido cut w ith a blow tr. v. chakik (CHAHK-eek); cortarlo
cooking pit (bar-b-que pit) n. pib (peeb); barbacoa, con un golpe
homo, pib cut w ith scissors tr. v. kosik (KOHS-eek); cortarlo
cool adj. kas keel (KAHS keh-ehl), sis (sees); medio con tijera
frio;frio cyclone n. chak-ikat (chahk-EEK-aht); huricn; cicln
copulate in. v. tzis (tzees); copular
co m n. xiim (shee-eem); maz
co m (dough) n. sakan (SAHK-ahn); masa D
co m (ear oi) n. nal (nahl); elote
corner (of eye) n. xuuk (SHOO-ook); rincn del ojo daily adv. sansamal (SAHN-sah-mahl); diario,
cornfield (personal) n. kool (koohl); milpa cada da
co m m eal n. sakan (SAHK-ahn); masa de maz dance n. okot (OH-koht); baile.
co m m eal beverage n. sa (sah), saksa (SAHK-sah); dance in. v. okot (OH-koht); bailar
dangerous adj. hach kaas u bin (HAHCH kaahs oo
atole, atole con cscara
BEEN); peligroso
co m (on th e body) n. taaham (TAAH-hahm); callo
d ark adj. ehocheen (eh-HOHCH-eh-ehn); oscuro
cotton n. taman (TAH-mahn); algodn
daw n n. sastal (SAHS-tahl); amanecer
cotton (com bed) n. piitz (peeetz); algodn desmotado
day ti. kiin (keeen); da
cough (dry) tr. v. seen (seh-ehn); toser
day after tom orrow n. kaabeh (KAH-AHB-eh);
count tr. v. xok (shohk); xokik (SHOHK-eek); contar;
la maana siguiente
contarlo
dead adj. kimen (KEE-mehn); muerto
cover n. pix (peesh); tapa, vaina deaf adj. kok (kohk); sordo
cover tr. v. toik (TOH-eek); cubrirlo deaf-m ute n. totkok (TOHT-kohk); sordomudo
cow n. wakax (WAHK-ash); vaca d ear (w hat a husband calls his wife) n. xuun
coyote n. cham ak/chomak (CHAHM-ahk/ (shooon); cario
CHOHM-ahk); coyote debris (from plants) n. sohol (SOH-hohl); basura,
crab n. bab (BAHB); cangrejo basura de hojas secas
crack tr. v. xikik (SHEEK-eek); quebrarlo, romperlo deceive tr. v. kechtik (KEHCH-teek); tusik (TOOS-eek);
crocodile n. ayin (AHY-een); cocodrilo tuus (tooos); embaucarlo; engaarlo; fingir, engaar
crossed adj. kaatal (KAAH-tahl); cruzado deep adj. taam (taahm); profundo, hondo
crow ded adj. babahkil (BAHB-ahk-eel); atestado deer n. keh (keh); venado
cm sh in. v. puchik (POOHCH-eek); despachurrar deer (small) n. yuuk (yoook); venado pequeo
cm sh tr. v. petzik (PEHTZ-eek); apretar delay in. v. xantal (SHAHN-tahl); demorarse
cry in. v. okol (OHK-ohl); llorar delicate adj. lukum (LOOH-koom); delicado
cu rer n. hm een (ah-MEEHN); curandero deliver tr. v. kubik (KOOB-eek); entregarlo
curse tr. v. maldisyontik (MAHL-dees-yohn-TEEK); dem on (female) n. xtabay/xtabay (eesh-TAH-bahy/
Sp. + Maya; maldecirlo eesh-TAH-bahy); duende feminino, demonio
custard apple (soursop) n. op (ohp); anona feminino, maligno feminino
cut tr. v. xotik (SHOH-teek); cortarlo dense (becom e) in. v. suutal (SOO-OO-tahl); espesar
cut (as in cutting fruit or leaves off a stem ) tr. v. tokik descend in. v. emel (EHM-ehl); bajarse
(TOHK-eek); cortarlo desire tr. v. tziboltik (TZEEB-ohl-teek); desearlo
cu t b ru sh tr. v. paktik (PAHK-teek); chapearlo d etain tr. v. petzik (PEHTZ-eek); detener
102 M a y a- E n g l is h / E n g l is h - M a y a ( Y u c a t e c ) D ic t io n a r y & P h r a s e b o o k
English-Maya Dictionary 103
frighten tr. v. sahahkuns (SAH-hah-koons); good-looking adj. kiichpam (REE-EECH-pahm);
asustarlo, espantarlo hermoso, guapo
frightened adj. puuhul (POOO-hool); espantado goodness n. hatzutzil (HAHTZ-ootz-eel); bondad
M ghtening adj. hakolal (hah-ROOL-ahl); con susto good (very) adj. hatzutz (HAHTZ-ootz), sen m aalob
frog n. m uuch (moooch); rana (sehn MAH-AHL-ohb); m uy bien, buensimo
from prep, tak (tahk); de, desde go o ut in. v. hokol (HOHR-ohl); manifestarse
front n. tan (tahn); frente gourd (bottle) (Legonaria siceraria) n. chuh
front of (in) prep, tanil (TAHN-eel); enfrente de (chooh); calabaza para llevar agua, calabaza
fruit n. chuhuk (C11OOH-h ook);fruta vinatera
fry tr. v. tzahik (TZAH-he ek);frerlo gourd (from a tree) n. luuch (loooch); jicara, calabaza
full adj. chuup (chooop); lleno de rbol
gourd (large) n. hom a (HOH-mali); calabaza/jicara
grande
G grab tr. v. machik (MAHCH-eek); agarrarlo
g randchild n. abil (AH-beel); nieto
gath er tr. v. tokik (TOHK-eek); recoger, bajarlo g ran d fath er n. nohoch taat(ah) (NOH-hohch TAAHT-
gay (hom osexual) n. xchupul xib (eesh-CHOOP- [ah]); abuelo
ool SHEEB); maricn (derogatory), waco g ran d fath er (aged) n. mam (malln); abuelo viejo
g ran d m o th er n. chiich (cheeech); abuela
gentlem an n. yuum (yooom); caballero, seor
grasp tr. v. machik (MAHCH-eek); asirlo
get aw ay in. v. putzul (POOTZ-ool); escaparse
grass n. suuk (soo-ook); zacate
get d ru n k in. v. kaltal (KAHL-tahl); emborracharse
grease n. tzaatz (tzaahtz); unto, lo gordo de la came
get lost in. v. satpahal (saht-PAH-hahl); desaparecerse
green adj. yaax (yah-ahsh); verde
get started in. v. chunpahal (choon-PAH-hahl);
green co m n. aknal (AHR-nahl); m az verde
empezarse, comenzar
green co m gruel n. aksa (AHR-sah); atole de m az
get u p in/on tr. v. naakal (NAH-AHR-ahl); subir tierno, atole nuevo
ghost (fem ale) n. xtabay/xtabay (eesh-TAH-bahy/ green (im m ature) adj. ak (ahk);/r<seo, verde
eesh-TAH-bahy); duende feminino, demonio (immaduro)
feminino, maligno feminino griddle (for tortillas) n. xamach (SHAH-mahch); comal
gift ti. sihbil (SEEB-eel); regalo griddle (iron) n. maskabil xamach (mahs-RAHB-eel
girl n. xchupal (eesh-CHOOP-ahl); muchacha, nia SHAH-mahch); comal de hierro
give tr. v. tznk (tzeek); darlo, ponerlo grill tr. v. kaatik (RAH-AH-teek); asarlo
give (as a gift) Ir. v. shik (SEE-heek); regalarlo grilled adj. kabil (RAHB-eel); asado
g n at n. us (oos); zancudito, jejn grilled (m eat) n. kabil bak (RAHB-eel BAHR),
go in. v. hokol (HOHR-ohl), bin (been), ximbal pok chuk (POHR chook); carne asada
(SHEEM-bahl); salir, irse, andar grim e (around collar) in. v. kiiritz (REEER-eetz);
go! imper. xeen (sheehn); vaya! mugre
goad n. aach (aahch); ramal grind in. v. puchik (POOCH-eek); moler
goat n. htam an (ah-TAH-mahn); chivo, cabro grind tr. v. huchik (HOOCH-eek); molerlo
god n. yuum (yooom); dios grinding stone n. kaah (kah-ah); metate
gods pl. n. kuhoob (ROO-hoh-ohb); dioses grind (lim e-soaked com ) tr. v. huch kuum (HOOCH
gold n. taakin (TAAH-keen); oro koo-oom); moler nixtamal/masa
go (m ight) in. v. xiik (shee-eek); vaya ground adj. huchbil (HOOCH-beel); molido
good adj. m aalob (mah-AHL-ohb), utz (ootz); ground (into m eal) adj. muxbil (MOOSH-beel); molido
bien, bueno grow tr. v. aalaktik (aahl-AHR-teek); criarlo, crecerlo
C om m on W o r d s a n d P h r a s e s 158
G r e e t i n g s a n d P o l i t e E x p r e s s io n s 145
N a m e s o f P e o p le a n d T h in g s . 147
T im e 150
A ge and S ta tu s 154
P e r s o n a l R e la tio n s h ip s 157
L o d g in g 161
R e s t a u r a n t S e r v ic e , F o o d , a n d D r in k 163
Restaurant Service 165
Maya Cuisine 167
Food 170
Drink 174
S h o p p in g 177
Clothing 179
Toiletry 180
Books and Stationery 180
T r a n s p o r ta tio n a n d T r a v e l 181
Directions 184
H e a l t h a n d P e r s o n a l H y g ie n e 185
Useful Phrases 188
W ork 191
Useful Phrases 194
E n t e r t a in m e n t 196
W e a th e r an d N a tu r a l P henom ena 198
Useful Phrases 201
N u m rers 203
P h ra sebook 137
I
COMMON WORDS AND PHRASES COMMON WORDS AND PHRASES
Hello.
Oola.
(OOH-lah)
Hola.
Surely! (Literally, Thats the way it will be.) What day do you go?
Heele! Baax kiin a bin?
(HEH-EH-leh) (BAH-AHSH keeen AH been)
Es cierto! A qu da se va?
yesterday
hoolheyak all the time, all day
(HOH-OHL-heh-yahk) lah kiinil
ayer (lah REEEN-eel)
todo el tiempo, todo el da
tomorrow
samal morning
(SAH-mahl) haatzkab kiin
maana (hah-ahtz-kahb REEEN)
maana
every day (also means over and over, regularly)
sansamal dusk
(sahn-SAHM-ahl) aakabtal
cada da (ahk-AHB-tahl)
anochecer
the day after tomorrow
kaabeh night
(KAH-AH-beh) akab
el da despus de maana (AHK-ahb)
noche
1 5 0 M a y a - E n g l i s h / E n g l i s h - M aya ( Y u c a t e c ) D i c t i o n a r y & P h r a s e b o o k
Phrasebook 151
i
TIME TIME
I
earlier
kaachih
(KAH-AH-chee)
antes
father
taat(ah)
(TAAHT-[ah])
padre
wife
atan
(AH-tahn)
esposa
my wife
in watan
(een WAH-tahn)
m i esposa
your wife
a watan
(ah WAH-tahn)
su esposa
elder broth er
Johns wife
sukuun
u yatan Juan
(SOO-kooh-oon)
(oo YAH-tahn WHAAHN)
heimano mayor
la esposa de Juan
younger brother/sister
grandfather (great father)
iitzin
nohoch taat(ah) (EETZ-een)
(NOH-hohch TAAHT-[ah]) hermano/hertnana menor
abuelo
true sibling
grandmother laktzil
chiich (LAHK-tzeel)
(cheeech) hermano(a) verdadero(a)
abuela
relative (aunt, uncle, cousin)
son/daughter lak
paal (lahk)
(paahl) miembro de familia
hijo/a
all my relatives
children tulakal in laktziloob
paaloob (tooh-LAHI-ahl een lahk-tzeel-OH-
(PAAHL-oh-ohb) OHB)
hijos toda mi familia
Phrasebook 159
158 M a y a - E n g l i s h / E n g l i s h - M a y a (Y u c a t e c ) D i c t i o n a r y & P h r a s e b o o k
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS LODGING
my stepmother L o d g in g
in mahan maamah
(een MAH-hahn maah-MAH) Lodging on th e Yucatn Peninsula ranges from
mi madrastra posh tourist re sorts to campsites on the beaches.
However, accommodations off the beaten path in
friend (Sp.) the many Maya villages remain nearly nonexis
amigoh tent, and often the traveler must Fmd a local family
(ah-MEE-goh) to stay with or find a place to hang a hammock in
a m igo the schoolhouse or community buildings (always
ask permission). Services and amenities at public
Im getting married. hotels, motels, and hostels vary widely depending
Tn tzookol in beel. on the quality and on the price the traveler is
(toon TZOH-OHR-ohl een beehl) willing to pay for a room. Often Maya families will
Voy a casarme. rent unused thatch huts for slinging hammocks,
and a variety of establishments exclusively fea
ture these types of shacks for the budget traveler.
meal
hanal, hanlil, ooch
(HAHN-ahl, HAHN-leel, OH-ohch)
comida
eat, eating
hanal (in.), haantik (tr.)
(HAHN-ahl, HAAHN-teek)
comer, comerlo
1 6 6 M aya- E n g l i s h / E n g l is h - M a y ( Y u c a t e c ) D ic t io n a r y & P h r a s e b o o k
Phrasebook 167
RESTAURANT SERVICE, inningMTTiTiTTE RESTAURANT SERVICE, K M DRIMK
the rest of the world fare without com, beans, pit bar-b-que chicken
tom atoes, potatoes, chili, squash, chocolate, pibil kaax
peanuts, vanilla, and other food plants first (PEEB-eel KAAHSH)
dom esticated in North and South America? polio pibil
Imagine pizza without tomato sauce, to give only
one example. roast pork
The Maya them selves evolved a distinctive pok chuk
cuisine from many of the New Worlds domesti (POHK chook)
cates, inventing specialty dishes that today can be cam e de chochinito asado
found in the restaurants of Mrida and Cancn as
well as other locations on the Yucatn Peninsula. grilled iish in annatto marinade (marinade based
around a red food dye)
Black beans, chili, tortillas, and boiled maize
tikin xik
products have become all-important to the Maya
(TEE-keen sheek)
diet. Most famous of all is the Maya pit bar-b-
pescado a la parilla
que, cooked in an underground cavity called a
piib, which features pork and chicken baked in
Maya egg rolls (crumbled hard-boiled eggs
banana leaves and marinated in sour orange juice,
wrapped in tortilla and dipped in pumpkin
garlic, and red achiote sauce. However, the Mayas seed sauce)
diet rarely includes meat other than chicken, papa tzules
largely for economic reasons and because of a (PAH-pah TZOOL-ehs)
decline in wild game due to loss of forest habitat. rollo relleno de huevos duras con salsa
Similarly, the Maya consume few dairy products, de calabaza
and they derive most of what they drink from
ground maize in the form of sa (atole, or cooked com mush, posol
com gruel) and k eyem (pozole, or uncooked com keyem
gruel). Of course, soft drinks (Coca Cola or other (KEH-yehm)
sodas) can be found everywhere. pozole
avocado eggs
oon heoob
(oohn) (HEH-oh-ohb)
aguacate huevos, blanquillos
banana fish
haas kay
(hah-ahs) (kahy)
pltano pescado
beans guava
buul pichi
(boo-ool) (PEECH-ee)
frijoles guava
beef honey
u bake l wakax kaab
(ooh BAHK-ehl wah-KAHSH) (kaahb)
carne de res miel
meat salt
bak taab/taabik
(bahk) (tah-ahb/TAH-AHB-eek)
carne sal
papaya squash
puut kum
(pooot) (koom)
papaya calabaza
Phrasebook 175
174 M a y a - E n g l i s h / E n g l i s h - M a y a (V u c a t e c ) D i c t i o n a r y & P h r a s e b o o k
RESTAURANT SERVICE, , AND DRINK SHOPPING
Im hurt. W OBK
Kiimpaheen.
(keeeem-PAH-heehn) As the most common occupation among the Maya
Sc me herido. of the Yucatn Peninsula, farming meets the basic
needs of the Maya family and supplies its staples.
I have a stomachache. Almost every Maya owns and works a cornfield
Hach yah in nak. either by himself or with other family members or
(hahch yah een NAHK) friends. Generally confined to a small plot of land,
Me duele la barriga. called a milpa (singular) in Spanish and kool in
Maya, the farmer (milpero or koolnal) clears
The lady is pregnant. away the jungle brush during the dry season by
Yoom le koolelo. burning it off. He then plants his triumvirate of
(yoh-ohm leh KOH-oh-LEH-Loh) agricultural producecom, beans, and squash
La mujer est embarazada. by jabbing the soil with a digging stick (lob)
and dropping seeds inside the hole. He does this
Do you have a cold? in time for the growing season, which coincides
Yaan teech seen? with the summer rains.
(yaahn teehch SEH-ehn) Probably the second most common occupa
tion among the Maya is the selling of Maya arts
Tiene catarro?
and crafts, which provides a mainstay for local
economies. Generally, the Maya occupy lesser
positions in the hotel and tourist industries,
working for the most part as bellhops, maids,
maintenance workers, and in other service posi
tions. However, many guides at local tourist
attractions tend to be bilingual in Maya and
Spanish.
bean
buul
(BOO-ool)
frijol
bean (lima)
iib
(eeeb)
frijol de lima
run
alkab
(AHL-kahb)
correr
1 9 6 M ay a - E n g u s h / E n g u s h - M ay a ( Y u c a t e c ) D ic t io n a r y & P h r a s e b o o k
Phrasebook 1 9 7
WEATHER AND NATURAL PHENOMENA WEATHER AND NATURAL PHENOMENA
W eather a nd cold
keel
N atural P henom ena
(keh-ehl)
Because it lies within the tropics at almost sea fro
level, the whole of the Yucatn Peninsula experi
ences only two seasonswet and dry. Generally dark (fairly)
beginning towards the end of February and eehocheen
ending in late May or early June, the dry season (EH-ho-CHEH-ehn)
can turn the country into a veritable desert. medio oscuro
Cactus often clings to the crest of overgrown and
ruined buildings of the ancient past, while vege earth tremor (Literally, The earth is shaking.)
tation diminishes in height toward the drier north tun kiilbal luum
until it becomes essentially scrub foresta far cry (toon KEEL-bahl loo-oom)
from the true rain forests along the peninsulas tiembla de tierra
southern base. From June to January, storms sub
ject the peninsula to frequent and often torrential great wind (literally, hard wind)
downpours. chich iik
As a tropical region that defines the western (CHEECH eeek)
limit of the Caribbean basin, the Yucatn Peninsula viento grande/Juerte
experiences regular hurricanes and other pow
erful storms that rage from out at sea to the hot, humid
east. Much less frequently, earthquakes rock the kiilkab
country, although earthquakes tend to center in the (KEEL-kahb)
more volcanic areas of Guatemala to the south. hace calor, hmedo
cloudy
morning star, Venus
nokoy
xnuk ek
(NOHK-ohy)
(EESH-nook EHK)
nublado
estrella de la maana, Venus
'Dictionary s? ^Phrasebook
M aya-E nglish
E ng lish -M aya
H ippo c r e n e B o o k s , I n c .
171 M a d i s o n A v e n u e
N e w Y o r k , N e w Y o r k 10016
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