Cree Dialect of the Anishinabe Language

Woodlands Cree is one of the western and eastern dialects of the Anishinabe language. It was spoken from western Quebec to British Columbia and, of course, in Montana and north dakota. Pronouncing Anishinabe words is simple! Starting with the "a" sound, it usually sounds like the ah in ah-choo. The b and p sounds are the same and sound like ba (as in bud but without pronouncing the ending d sound), bi (as in pronouncing the English letter b), bo (as in boat but without pronouncing the ending t sound), and boo (as in pronouncing boot but without pronouncing the ending t sound), and pa, pi, po, and poo are the same. Another important fact about the Anishinabe "oo" vowel sound, is the many variations it comes in such as in boo and poo, and goo and koo, and soo and shoo, and just the simple oo sound. The "g" sound always sounds like English words like gave, get, give, and so on, excepting when a wa, wi, wo, and woo follows. An example includes, the Anishinabe word for fish which is gigo. You pronounce it as you would pronounce the English word geek, but without pronouncing the ending k sound. So it sounds like gi-go. Of course the go part of gigo sounds like the English word go. The Anishinabe "g" sounds are identical to the Anishinabe b and p sounds. They sound like ga, gi, go, and goo, excepting when the wa, wi, wo, and woo follows. They sound like gwa, gwi, gwo, and gwoo. The same applies to the Anishinabe "k" sounds. They sound like ka, ki, ko, and koo, excepting when the wa, wi, wo, and woo follows. They sound like kwa, kwi, kwo, and kwoo. The Anishinabe "s" sounds are identical to the Anishinabe b and p sounds, and the g and k sounds, excepting when a wa, wi, wo, and woo follows. They sound like Swa, Swi, Swo, and Swoo. They sound like sa, si, so, soo.

The same applies to the Anishinabe "sh" and "zh" sounds. They sound like sha, shi, sho, and shoo, and zha, zhi, zho, and zhoo. The Anishinabe "m" and "n" sounds are also identical to the Anishinabe b and p sounds, g and k sounds, and so on. They sound like ma, mi, mo, and moo, and na, ni, no, and noo. The Anishinabe "ch" sounds sound like the English words cheat, chick, chuck and so on. They sound like cha, chi, cho, and choo. Anishinabe vowels are easy as well. The most important being probably the Anishinabe "e" vowel, which always sounds like day, gay, may, pay and so on. I write the Anishinabe "e" vowel sound as it is pronounced as in the Anishinabe word for the number three, which is in-sway. Whenever you see an ay, in the Anishinabe word i have written, it sounds like the sounds in English words like day, gay, may, pay and so on. Then we have Anishinabe words which end in either "sh" or "zh" to pronounce. You pronounce them as you would with English words like crush, brush, and hush. We also have the Anishinabe words which have the "j" sound. You pronounce those Anishinabe words with the "j" sound like English words like join, judge and just. They sound like ja, ji, jo, and joo. We also have the Anishinabe "j" sound in the middle of the word before a consonant. We pronounce those Anishinabe words like the Anishinabe word for later, which is na-gaj, as that. They are also spelled with a ch on many occasions.

English sounds in English words like nose, knows, goes and toes, are written like goze, koze, boze and oze (not os), in the Anishinabe words below. Remember that the Anishinabe syllables written as goze; koze; boze; and oze (as in os) represent only one sound, and not two sounds such as in the English word co-zy. When you see an "ai" in Anishinabe words, particularly in the middle of those words, they sound like na-i-gan. In Cree, the "ai" usually sounds ah-hi, instead of ah-i. The Anishinabe "i" vowel sounds like the English letter e. An example would be the Anishinabe words for book and lake. You pronounce them like ma-zi-na-i-gan, and za-ga-i-gan. The Anishinabe "ii" vowel sounds identical to English words like lean, seen and teen. When you see an "oak" at the end of a syllable, you know it sounds like the English words oak, broke, smoke and so on. The same applies to "oag", excepting it has the softer sounding "oag" sound rather than the hard "oak" sound. When you see an "ow" at the end of an Anishinabe syllable you know it sounds like English words like cow, even if the Anishinabe syllable is "ow." When you see an Anishinabe syllable written below with the Anishinabe "ii" vowel, you know it sounds like lean, seen and teen. When you see an e at the end of an Anishinabe syllable below, you know it sounds like the English words bone, home, loan, and tone. Even if the syllable ends with a s or z, such as bones, homes, loans and tones. When you see an "ie" at the end of an Anishinabe syllable below, you know it sounds like the sound in English words like die, tie and why. I have written the Anishinabe words like syllabics in order for you to correctly pronounce the Anishinabe words. When you see b, d, t, g, k, s, z, at the end of an Anishinabe word, they have the ending b, d, t, g, k, s, and z sounds. Not the beginning.
In the cree numbers, there is evidence that the whites have corrupted the Cree language. In the other Anishinabe dialects, after ten the "and" is pronounced between the 10, 20, 30 and so on and following numbers, one through 9. For an example, in Saulteaux 11 is pronounced as mi-ta-so ah-si bay-zik, which means ten "and" one. In Cree, 11 is pronounced mi-ta-tut pay-ya-ko-sup, which means ten-one "and." In Odawa, 11 is pronounced mi-da-sway sha bay-zhik, which means ten "and" one of course. In Potawatomi, 11 is pronounced da-so shech n-got, which means ten "and" one of course. In Algonquin, 11 is pronounced mi-da-sway a-sij pay-zhik, which means ten "and" one of course.

Numbers

one = pay-yak
two = ni-so (as in knees)
three = niis-to
four = ni-yo
five = ni-ya-nan
six = ni-go-twa-sik
seven = tay-pa-gope
eight = i-yi-na-ah-noo
nine = ki-ga mi-ta-tut
ten = mi-ta-tut
eleven = mi-ta-tut pay-ya-ko-sup
twelve = mi-ta-tut ni-so-sup
thirteen = mi-ta-tut niis-to-sup
fourteen = mi-ta-tut ni-yo-sup
fifteen = mi-ta-tut ni-ya-no-sup
sixteen = mi-ta-tut ni-go-twa-so-sup
seventeen = mi-ta-tut tay-pa-go-po-sup
eighteen = mi-ta-tut i-yi-na-ah-noo-o-sup
nineteen = mi-ta-tut ki-ga-mi-ta-tut-to-sup
twenty = niiz-ta-na
twenty one = niiz-ta-na pay-ya-ko-sup
thirty = niis-to-mi-ta-na
thirty one = niis-to-mi-ta-na pay-ya-ko-sup
forty = ni-mi-ta-na
forty one = ni-mi-ta-na pay-ya-ko-sup
fifty = ni-ya-na-no-mi-ta-na
fifty one = ni-ya-na-no-mi-ta-na pay-ya-ko-sup
sixty = ni-go-twa-si-ko-mi-ta-na
sixty one = ni-go-twa-si-ko-mi-ta-na pay-ya-ko-sup
seventy = tay-pa-go-po-mi-ta-na
seventy one = tay-pa-go-po-mi-ta-na pay-ya-ko-sup
eighty = i-yi-ah-ni-mi-ta-na
eighty one = i-yi-ah-ni-mi-ta-na pay-ya-ko-sup
ninety = ki-ga-mi-ta-to-mi-ta-na
ninety one = ki-ga-mi-ta-to-mi-ta-na pay-ya-ko-sup
one hundred = mi-ta-to-mi-ta-na

Directions

north = ki-way-ti-noak
south = sow-wa-noak
east = sow-gas-ti-noak
west = pa-gi-si-mo-tek

Seasons and Dates

summer = ni-pin
spring = si-gwan
autumn = ta-gwa-gin
winter = bi-boon

january = o-pow-wa-chi-ga na-ziis
february = ki-si pi-sim
march = mi-ki-zoo-wi pi-sim
april = niis-ki pi-sim
may = ah-thi-gi pi-sim
june = o-pi-ni-ya-wi-wi pi-sim
july = o-pas-ko-wi pi-sim
august = o-pa-ho-wi pi-sim
september = ni-mi-ta-ha-mo-wi pi-sim
october = pi-ma-ha-mo-wi pi-sim
november = kas-ka-ti-no-wi pi-sim
december = thi-thi-ko-pi-wi pi-sim

sunday = ah-yam-hi-wi gi-zi-gow
monday = pay-ya-go gi-zi-gow
tuesday = ni-so gi-zi-gow
wednesday = niis-to gi-zi-gow
thursday = ni-yo gi-zi-gow
friday - ni-ya-na-no gi-zi-gow
saturday = mat-no-way gi-zi-gow

moon = ti-pi-skow-wi pi-sim
sun = pi-sim
sky = ki-zik
it is foggy = kas-kaw-wa-ka-min
it is hot = ki-zas-too
rainbow = pi-si-mo-ya-pi
raining = ki-mi-won
snowing = mis-pun
windy = tho-tin

General Words

what = kay-kwan
who = ah-way-na
door = ish-kwa-tim
car = o-ta-pon-nask
shelf (bookshelf) = ah-go-chi-gan
dish = o-pa-gan
fire = i-ish-ka-ta
cup = mi-ni-kwa-gan
chair = ta-ti-pi-win
book = ma-si-ni-hi-gan
good = mi-wow
bad = mi-chi-won
blanket = wa-poo-yon
boat = chi-mon
ship = na-pi-kwan
hat = as-to-tan
dress = is-kwi-wa-sa-ah-gay
coat = mis-ko-ta-gay
raincoat = ki-mo-won-ah-sa-gay
rubberboot = ki-no-ga-ti-was-ki-sin
running shoe = op-pa-gwa-so-niis-kiis-sin
shirt = pa-pa-ki-wa-yon
shorts = kiis-ki-tas
window = wa-sin-na-nin
clock = pi-si-mo-kan
radio (record player) = ki-to-chi-gan
paint = si-so-pi-ga-hi-gan
glue = pa-sa-gwa-hi-gan
paper = ma-si-na-hi-ga-ni-gan
pensil = ma-si-na-hi-ga-na-tik
eraser = kiit-sta-hi-gan
plane = pi-ni-ya-gan
truck = ah-wa-tas-wa-gan
tree = mis-tik
lake = sa-ga-hi-gan
stone-rock = ah-sin-ni
island = min-is-tik
mountain = wa-chi
knife = mo-ko-man
spoon = ay-mi-kwan
half = ah-bi-ta
prairie = mus-ko-too
my mother = ni ma-ma
my father = ni pa-pa
my daughter = ni ta-nis
boy = na-pay-zis
girl = ish-kway-zis
man = na-poo
woman = is-kwoo

Foods

bananna = wa-gas
bannock = pa-kway-zi-gan
blueberry = ith-i-ni-mi-na
bread = o-pi-ka-si-gan
cake = si-wi-kas-si-gan
carrots = skot-tas-ko-ka-nak
corn = ma-ta-min
crackers = kas-pi-pak-kwi-si-gans-sag
cranberry = wi-sa-gi-mi-na
lettuce = ah-ski-po-wi-puck
meat = wi-yas
macaroni = o-ko-tas-kwa-ah-sa
milk = to-to-sa-po-wi
oat meal = gi-gi-zi-pa mi-chi-win
pancakes = na-pa-gi-kas-si-gans-sag
potatoes = na-pa-ta-kwa
rasberries = ah-pos-ka-nak
rice = o-chi-sak
strawberry = o-ti-yi-mi-na
tomatoe = mis-to-gi-ni-yuk
turnup = oat-si-gan
water = ni-bi

Animals

badger = mis-ta-nask
bat = op-pa-kwa-chiiz
beaver = ah-misk
bear = mas-kwa
bee = ah-mo
bird = pi-nay-sis
bobcat = pi-zoo
buffalo = mos-tos
bug = man-ni-chos
caribou = ah-tik
cat = po-zi
chicken = mi-si-thi-oo
cow = mos-tos
coyote = ma-chi-chi-ga-nis
dog = ah-tim
duck = si-siip
eagle = mi-ki-zoo
fish = ki-none-za
goat = ma-tha-tik
goose = nis-ka
horse = mis-tat-tim
lamb = ma-tha-chi-ko-ziis
lynx = pi-zoo
marten = wa-pis-ton
mink = sa-gway-zoo
moose = moos
mouse = op-pa-go-ziis
muskrat = wa-task
otter = niin-giig
pig = ko-kos
pickeral = o-gow
porcupine = kug-gwa
rabbit = wa-bos
skunk = si-gak
snake = ki-nay-big
trout = na-may-gos
weasel = zi-gos
whitefish = ah-tik-ah-mek
wolf = ma-hi-gan

Buildings

bank = zone-yow-wi-ga-mik plural zone-yow-wi-ga-mi-gone
church = ah-ya-mi-hi-wi-ga-mik plural ah-ya-mi-hi-wi-ga-mi-gone
clinic = mus-ki-ki-wi ga-mi-gos
courthouse = o-tha-so-yu-wi-ga-mik plural o-tha-so-yu-wi-ga-mi-gone
drug store (pharmacy) = mus-ki-ki-wa-ta-wi-ga-mik plural mus-ki-ki-wa-ta-wi-ga-mi-gone
hospital = ah-ko-zi-wi-ga-mik plural ah-ko-zi-wi-ga-mi-gone
hotel = ka-pi-si-yu-ga-mik plural ka-pi-si-yu-ga-mi-gone
house = wa-ka-hi-gan
library = ma-si-na-hi-ga-ni-ga-mik plural ma-si-na-hi-ga-ni-ga-mi-gone
recreation hall (gym) = mi-ta-wi-wi-ga-mik plural mi-ta-wi-wi-ga-mi-gone
police station (jail) = si-ma-ga-ni-si-yu-wi-ga-mik plural si-ma-ga-ni-si-yu-wi-ga-mi-gone
post office = ma-si-na-ha-ma-to-wi-ga-mik plural ma-si-na-ha-ma-to-wi-ga-mi-gone
restauraunt = mi-chow-wi-ga-mik plural mi-chow-wi-ga-mi-gone
school = kis-ki-no-ha-ma-to-wi-ga-mik plural kis-ki-no-ha-ma-to-wi-ga-mi-gone
small store (confectionary) = ah-cha-wi-ga-mi-gos
store = ah-ta-wi-ga-mik plural ah-ta-wi-ga-mi-gone
tent = pa-gwa-ni-ga-mik plural pa-gwa-ni-ga-mi-gone