Letter A Yaqui Dictionary

A

a suf. 1. objective case marker (on demonstratives, before postpositions are added) Inepo iniau nooka. I
talked with this person. Itepo iniamak sahak. We went with this person. 2. with person markers (nea, ea,
itoa, emoa, amea; metathesized as ae) used with certain verbs such as ichakte, be bored with; rohikte,
be tired of; tiiwe, be ashamed of
-‘a suf. var. of -ra, characterized by (-r- may be lost between vowels; ex. ete’a, lice-headed; tene’a, have
a big mouth
a pn. her, his, its; her, him, it (cf. apo’ik)
a”ache rdp. of ache, laugh
a”ansu rdp. of ansu, finish up
a”awa rdp. of a’awa, ask for
a’a’ate rdp. of a’ate, carry on head
a’aakta rdp. of aakta, put on head to carry
a’aetua dv. be cussing someone out
a’amu rdp. of amuse, go hunting
a’ana tv. dress (with a or au; ~-, rdp. a’aana)
a’aniame n. helper, assistant
emo ~ n. colleague, ally
a’asoa iv. fertile, able to bear children
a’asoaatua tv. deliver a child
a’asoatuame n. midwife (with yee)
a’ate tv. carry on head (a’ati-, a’a’ate)
a’ava adv. it … here (with verbs of transfer such as toha or bwise); ~ toha. Bring it here.
a’avo adv. there (over there); Yuke ~ weye. Rain is coming.
a’avo aneme n. visitor
a’avose tv. feed visitors (aavos-, aavose)
a’awa tv. ask for (a’aw-, a”awa)
a’awe- comb. of aawe, be able
a’awek pst. of aawe, be able
a’awia iv. get fat; Tahkaim yee ~. Tortillas are fattening.
a’ayu iv. 1. there is/there are 2. be in stock (cf. kakkaitu) (pst. ayukan, ayu-); Aman muunim ~k. There
are beans there. Ime livrom mesapo ~. The book(s) is/are on the table.
a’e interj. ay, well (fem.; masc. abwe)
aa adv. can, be able (ex. aa tottotte, flexible, can be bent); Aapo chea a vichaka ka aa weyentia. When
s/he saw it, s/he was unable to move. Ketun usitaka ne ~ vuivuiten. As a boy, I could run.
~ hinu iv. afford (lit. can buy)
~ tekipanoa iv. be industrious
aa’akte rdp. of aakte, put on head
aache iv. 1. laugh 2. grin, smile (a’at-, a”ache)
aakame n. rattlesnake; cf. awa’ala
aakame nakapit n. type of rattlesnake (lit. deaf rattlesnake)
aaki n. pitahaya, organpipe cactus (Stenocereus thurberi), the fruit of which is a favorite food
aakta tv. put on head to carry 2. gore (~-, a’aakta); Tooro ne ~k. The bull gored me.
aakte iv. put on one’s head (aakti-, aa’akte)
aamak pn. with her/him/it (comitative); cf. -mak
aamu tv. hunt (~-, a’amu)
aane iv. do; be around, about (pst. aayuk/auka; an-/au-/ane-; a’ane); tiusi ~, embarrassing; ex. kaupo
aukamta, that which is in the mountains. noki ama aune, there would be talk; Itom ansuko yuktaetek.
After we finished, it started to rain. Haise ~? How are you doing? Wepul choki kalalipapati ~. One star is
twinkling. Amak ume miisim into ume totoim si haiti ama a’ane. Sometimes the cats and the chickens
mess around in there. Abwe heewi ne ket kia enchim suate vicha enchim ovisi aneo huni’i. I’m
bothering you when you’re very busy. Sinkuenta peesom hiva ama aayuk. There was fifty dollars left
over.
aapa n. harp
aapaleo n. harpist
aapat pn. in front of her/him/it, ahead of her/him/it (with verbs of motion)
aapo pn. he, she, it
aapolai adv. by one’s self
aasa n. lips; rim of a pot
aasos n. garlic
aasowaara n. nephew, niece
aavo rukte iv. approach, get close to
aawam n. horn, antler (comb. awa-); U masokova ~ kottek. The dearhead’s antlers broke.
aawas n. obscuring one’s view
aawas kopte tv. forget (syn. veaskopte, wahkopte)
aawe iv. be able, know how to do a physical thing (var. aa; pst. a’awek; a’awe- or aawe-); cf. ta’a,
hu’unea; Aa kuvahe hoa. He knows how to make drums. Aa warim hoa. She knows how to make
baskets. Aa karote weetua. S/he can drive a car. U lootor ka ama ~. The doctor is not competent (syn.
ka tu’i)
aayuk iv. 1. did, was (pst. of aane) 2. be room (ex. kampo ~, there is room in the yard)
abwa’atu adj. edible
abwe interj. well (masc., var. bwe; syn. huntunko; fem. a’e); A: Emesu haisa aane — kave ko’okoe? B:
Abwe Diosta ela’apo ian lautipo kave ko’okoe. A: How are all of you (in the family) doing — is everyone
well? B: Well, God be thanked, just now no one is sick. A: Haisa ka womtek? B: Abwe heewi, apo chea
a vichaka ka aa weyentia. A: Wasn’t s/he frightened? B: Why yes, s/he was unable to move when s/he
saw it.
~ he interj. well, yes
achai n. father (masc.; s. achali)
~ O’ola, God (syn. Itom ~);
~ Taa’a, Father Sun (the Creator in myths; cf. Lios Achai Ola)
Achai, Itom n. God, Jesus, Our Father
achali n. father (s.; = achai)
achaiwai n. father (as family head)
achakaari n. crab
ache’a n. one who laughs a lot (var. ache’era)
ache’era var. of ache’a, one who laughs a lot
achi pn. at/on her, him, it
aduana n. customs (at border)
advervio n. adverb
ae1 pn. of her/him/it (with ichakte, rohikte, tiiwe)
~ amapo adv. after, behind
~ chaka’aku postp. beside
~ nachi postp. by, near (resp.)
ae2 n. mother (var. aye); Itom Ae, the Virgin Mary
aechi postp. on
aepat postp. in front of; U hamut aepat weye. The woman is ahead.
aet postp. on her, him, it; cf. iat; Aapo ~ hiohte. S/he is writing about him. Aapo Kahe’emetat livrom
yak. S/he wrote a book about Cajeme.
~ ea iv. depend on someone; Apo aet ea. S/he depends on her/him.
~ eetu iv. be dependable
~ eewachi iv. be dependable
~ cha’aku interj. behind
~ hohowame n. bathroom stool
~ nooka iv. criticize
~ venta tv. slander
aetana postp. from/alongside her, him, it
agila n. eagle
ahi’itu adj. potable, drinkable
aho n. amaranth (syn. wee’e)
ahta conj. until, up to a certain point (var. ahtake); Ahta ke aman yahak. They finally got there.
Ahteeka n. 1. Mexicano, Aztec 2. the Matachin dance
ai1 postp. with (by means of)
ai2 interj. wow; A: Im sofaapo chuvala yeesa. B: Heewi, tua su tu’i. ~ tu’isi bwalko. A: Sit here on the
sofa for awhile. B: Yes, it’s truly good. Wow, and so soft.
ainam n. flour
aetua dv. swear, curse
affiler n. safety pine
aiya n. guasima (Guazuma ulmifolia), a medium sized tree with edible fruit, the wood being used for the
tampaleo’s drum and drum making in general
aki taaka n. organpipe cactus or pitahaya fruit
akia n. ditch, trench
ako n. sister (older; fem.)
akwo n. saguaro skeleton, dry saguaro ribs
ala conj., interj. 1. conj. if 2. interj. well now 3. contrastive particle; ian ~, right now; ~ a tekipanoatek
tu’i’ean. If s/he could work, it would be good. ~ ian itou yevihne u heeka. Well, the storm is heading our
way. Aman sahak ~ a teune. If they go there, they will find it. Hunuen a sikak ~tu’i machi. If you cut
your hair like that, it would be good. Hunuen aayuk ~ tu’i. It’s good for you to do that. A: Waáte ka yee
nake. B: Aapo ~ yee nake. A: S/he doesn’t care about other people. B: But s/he does care about others.
ala maachi iv. keep it up (said to a Pascola dancer as an encouragement when he is dancing); ~,
pahko’ola, tua e sumwachim wokek. Keep it up, Pascola, you really have frightening feet (are dancing
up a storm).
ala’akun interj. so it is, keep it up, atta boy
ala’amai n. bullsnake
alasu interj. 1. how nice (resp.) 2. yes, you’re right; A: Hose pahko’ola yi’ivae. B: ~. A: Joe wants to
dance pascola. B: That’s good. A: U hamut tuu hiapsek. B: ~. A: That lady is really good hearted. B:
You’re right.
alavalo n. dawn service
alavansam n. 1. hymn, chant 2. the tuning and music used from the beginning of a fiesta until midnight
(see soonim); Bwe chupuk u ~teame u naatei, kanaria. The alabanzas finish that which was started,
the canarios.
alavea interj. I see, really?, is that so?; A: Maala ko’okoe. B: ~. A: Mother is sick. B: Oh, I see.
Aleluya n. Easter Sunday
alevenak yaa tv. copy
alevena interj. the same (in reply); A: Hoseta vena? B: ~. A: Like Joe? B: Just so/just the same.
alfonram n. rug
alhevra n. algebra
alilite iv. be loose (pst. ~n; aliliti-; no rdp.); In tamim ~. My teeth are loose. U sapti ~. The wall is loose.
aliliti adv. loose (with aane); Kuta ~ aane. The post is loose. Tamim ~ aane. The teeth are loose.
alkohol n. alcohol
allea adj. happy, content; lively, exciting; cf. allete’ea; Aleskau saka’apo tu’isi ~ machi. It would be
exciting to go to Alaska.
alle’eetua tv. console
alleaka adv. happily
alleaka aman yevihne exp. good-bye (lit. happily you will arrive)
alleaka yeu matchune exp. goodnight (lit. may you come out happily in the morning)
alle’ela iv. has gotten happy
allete’ea iv. become happy, content
alletua iv. amuse
yee ~wame n. amusement
allewame n. health, fitness, well being
almanaake n. calendar
almario n. cupboard (especially standing)
alpes n. flag-bearer
altaria n. altar
alva n. dawn
alvanyi n. mason
am pn. them (var. ame)
ama adv. var. of aman(i), there; Siari bwa’amta bwa’awapo ~ aune. Vegetables are the best food.
~ hiove tv. try on
~ vutti adv. a lot, desperately
~ vutti machi, iv. be harsh
~ vuttia iv. exaggerate, say too much
~ weye iv. belong there, go there, fit in
amae adv. over there (cf. aman(i), wannavo)
~ yehte iv. change one’s mind (pl. ~ hoote)
~ yeehte iv. always change one’s mind (pl. ~ hohote)
amak(o) adv. sometimes; ~ aapo aavo yepsa. Sometimes s/he comes over.
~ weama iv. date (as a couple)
aman(i) adv. there (near speaker; var. ama; cf. amae, um, hunam(a), wannavo); Vempo totomekapo ~
vempo chea hooka. They have a monetary advantage.
aman vicha, adv. toward over there
amapo postp. behind (not moving), at/on there (with a noun in obj. case, or the following paradigm: ne,
ee, ae, itom, enchim, vempo’im)
amau vicha adv. backwards; Empo amau vicha weyeteka, empo hani em mala kokoe tatapne tea.
They say if you walk backwards (at night) you will make your mother sick.
amawa adv. it … to the back (with verbs of transfer or placement; pl. ~m); ~m hoa, set them in the back
amawi adv. towards there, behind, in the back (resp.)
ame pn. of am, them
amea pn. of them (with ichakte, rohikte, tiiwe)
amemak pn. with them (comitative)
amene adv. (so) much; ia ~, this much; veeki ~, so much; wa ~, that much
amepat pn. in front of them (with verbs of motion)
amet pn. at/on them
ametana pn. from/alongside them
ameu pn. to/into/beside/from them; cf. -wi, -u
amma’ali adv. 1. properly 2. medium in color (cf. kutwo)
ka ~ anwame n. sin
~ aane iv. do the right thing, behave properly
~ hia iv. say the right thing ~ nooka iv. talk properly
~ siki adj. pink
~ suka adj. tepid/lukewarm
amoe n., iv. 1. n. cooked grains 2. iv. get thick, agglutinate, increase in size by swelling (~-, a’amoe)
amto pn. from them
amu n. grandchild (of daughter; fem.)
amu- comb. of amuse, go hunting
amureo n. hunter
amuse iv. go hunting (sg.; pl. amuvo; pst. amusuk, amu-, a’amu)
amusuk pst. of amuse, go hunting
ana comb. of a, object marker and ne, I; Ana hu’une’eiyak waka ama tekipanoamta. I found out who
works there.
andarera n. walker (for elderly)
anheles n. angel
anhelito n. little angel
anhelwarda n. guardian angel
anhenhivle n. ginger
ánia tv. help, aid, assist (~-, a’ania); Dios ket apo enchi ~ne. God himself will help you. Dios em
chania. God help you (traditional greeting; sg. addressee; pl. addressee: Dios em chaniavu; see
hiokoe, keche, kette). Tu’i u ~. It’s nice weather. Ka tu’i u ~. The weather is not nice.
au ~ iv. defend self; ka aa au ánia, defenseless; Apo au ániane. S/he will defend themself.
ániawame n. assistance
anía n. 1. world 2. weather (s. aniwa); ~ au yoa, earthquake; ~ vuite, earthquake; Bwe’tuk yoko ~ ka
tu’ivae. Because tomorrow the weather will not be good. Yoko ~ tu’ine. Tomorrow the weather will be
good. Tu’i u ~. It’s nice outside. ~ haisa maachi? What’s the weather like? ~ ka tu’ivae. The weather
looks bad.
anilio n. ring (finger)
anima n. soul
animalim n. beast, animal (particularly domesticated)
Animam n. Book of Departed Souls
Animam Mikwa n. All Souls Day (lit. Giving to Departed Souls)
anisim n. anise
aniwa n. world (s.; = ánia); Empo sewa yo huya ~ (s.). You (are) an enchanted flower wilderness world.
anoki’ichi n. liar; U ili o’ou tu’isi ~. The little boy is such a liar.
anoki’ichia n. lie, falsehood
~ta nooka tv. lie, tell falsehood (may also be used with the verb teuwa); Aapo ~ta neu teuwak. S/he told
me a lie.
ansu iv. have just finished (~-, a”ansu)
nok ~ tv. conclude, summarize (orally)
hiote ~ tv. conclude, summarize (in writing)
ansuwa iv. end, terminate, be finishing up
antas n. litter (for holy figure)
ante interj. let’s (used only for going; cf. te); Ante puevlowi. Let’s go to town. Ante vihtammewi. Let’s go
to the movies.
antema interj. okay, let’s go (resp. to antevu)
antevu interj. let’s go (to sg. or pl. addressee); cf. antema
antihom n. eyeglasses (Son.; cf. leentim)
antuari n. whore, prostitute, loose woman
anwa iv. be there, be around; Wa’emammeu ~. They hang out at Guaymas.
apa n. grandfather (maternal)
apat postp. ahead of her, him, it
~ kivake iv. cut (in line)
apela pn. one’s self, herself, himself (var. apola)
apelai n. 1. alone, single (unmarried) 2. old bachelor, old maid
apohtolo n. apostle
Apo’i n. the Devil (lit. he himself; the Devil’s real name is not used because its use might summon him; if
one whistles at night, the Devil will answer and lure the person into the wilderness)
apo’ik pn. her, him, it (cf. a; apo’ik is used to code different subject in subordinate clauses, while a is used
to code same subject; I u tesoro ~ teaka’u. This is the treasure which he found. Apo hu’unea haveeta a
vichaka’apo. He1 knows the one who saw him1. Apo hu’unea haveeta a vichaka’apo. He1 knows the
one who saw him2. ~ a maka. Give it to her/him.
apola var. of apela, one’s self
arau n. plough
arko n. arch
armorio n. cupboard
arosim n. rice
arte n. art
artikulo n. article
asafaata n. baking pan
asaroonim n. hoe
asautu adj. good at following orders
ase’ebwa n. father-in-law
asei tuuna n. olive
aseite n. oil, olive oil
aseka n. mother-in-law
aso’ola n. baby, infant; chuu’u ~, puppy; miisi ~, kitten; kava’i ~, colt
asoa n.,iv. 1. n. child (of either sex; fem.; cf. uusi, maara) 2. iv. give birth (~-, a’asoa)
asoakari n. placenta, afterbirth
asoavae iv. be pregnant
asu n. grandmother (maternal)
asukatua tv. sweeten
Asum Kawi n. Grandmothers’ Mountain
asuuka n. sugar
at pn. var. of aet, on her/him/it
ata pn. we … her’him (< a + te)
atala adv. on one’s back; be inside out, upside down, backwards
atbwa tv. laugh at (~-, a’atbwa); ne ~, laugh at me
ateka interj. let me see
atleta n. athlete
ato pn. from her/him/it; cf. -to
atte’a n. clothing, belongings, supplies; U vuuru uka ~ta pupuate. The donkey is carrying supplies.
atte’ak tv. own, possess (pst. ~an, attea-); Aapo karita ~. S/he owns a house.
atte’akame n. owner
atte’ari n. owned item
im tahti ~ n. the sacred Yoeme boundary (syn. lindero)
atu’ulitu adj. loveable, likeable
atwame n. smiles, laughter
au1 postp. 1. toward, into her/him/it 2. beside, next to her/him/it 3. from her/him (with verbs of transaction
such as ‘buy’); cf. -wi, -u
au2 pn. herself, himself, itself; Wa bweha’i kechia ~ bwikria. The gourd also sings for itself (everything
has a language of its own). In acahi chea Yoronata ~ vitlatia. My father saw the Llorona.
~ ánía iv. defend self physically
~ bwasa iv. purify self by smudging
~ hamutle iv. think of one’s self as a woman (ex. sissy, effeminate, male homosexual)
~ hela adv. close, near; U kava’i au hela weye. The horse is walking close to him.
~ hima’ala, iv. let one’s self go, go to pot, decline
~ hiokoe iv. be greedy, selfish, egotistical
~ hitale iv. be conceited, think one’s self important
~ i’a adj. unkind, discourteous, cruel, brutal; bully
~ ___-le iv. self identify as (ex. ~ hapatle, self identify as Apache; ~ yoile, self identify as Mexican)
~ me’a iv. commit suicide (always in pst. me’ak or fut. me’ane)
~ nenka iv. surrender
~ nokria iv. defend self verbally
~ o’oule iv. think of one’s self as a man (ex. tomboy, lesbian)
~ oule iv. brave, tough, courageous
~ sua iv. be careful, conscientious
~ tu’ure iv. be conceited, vain
~ uttia iv. boast; Vahim huvek kialikun tu’isi au uttia.
au’ori n. devil’s claw (Proboscidea parviflora)
auka iv. pst. of aayuk; Haisempo ~? What happened to you?
aula iv. be wrong, be troubling (with haisempo); Haisempaula? What’s the matter with you?
aula’apo n. where it is wrong
ko’okosi a ~’apo n. wound
aulim n. clams
aulireo n. clam gatherer
aulivea n. clam shell
ausu’uli adj. pure
empo kia ota ~ exp. you are nothing but skin and bones
avachek iv. have an older brother
avachi n. brother (older; fem.)
avae iv. set corn
avah nawa n. cottonwood root, used for carving masks
avai n. corn on the cob, elote, fresh corn ear
~ choonim n. cornsilk
~ nohim n. green corn tamales
~ sita n. young corn (just developing on stalk)
avaniiko n. fan
avas n. comb. of avaso, cottonwood
~ naawa n. cottonwood root
~ veá n. cottonwood bark
avaso n. 1. cottonwood (Populus sp.), planted for shade, the boughs being used in rituals and the logs for
ramada beams (Pascola masks are made from cottonwood because they are light in weight) 2. the town
of Alamos, Sonora
Avaso Kawi n. Cottonwood Mountain, a place in Rio Yaqui; Avas Kaura adv. from Cottonwood Mountain
ave adv. almost, be about to (cf. vatte); ~ ne muuke. I almost died. Em papa ~ yepsa. Your father is
about to come home.
aveena n. 1. oats 2. cereal
avesu adv. almost; U yuku ~ itou yepsa. The rain is almost getting to us.
avesula adv. almost; U yuku ~. The rain is here.
avetuko adv. almost time for, in a while, tonight; Pahko ~ naatene. The ceremony will start tonight.
avi’itom n. habit (clothing; syn. santo supem)
aviasión n. airport
avo adv. var. of a’avo, there; ~ hela rukte. Come closer.
avogáo n. lawyer
avrekookim n. apricot
Avril n. April
awa comb. of aawam, antlers/horns
awa’ala n. sidewinder rattlesnake
awahkopte tv. forget (var. aveaskopte); cf. ta’aru
awakame n. horned one
awi1 adj. fat, obese, chubby, corpulent; cf. topa’a
awi2 postp. to her, him, it
awia iv. get fat, obese (~-, a’awia); Luis che’wasu ~. Louis is getting fat.
awilovolai n. husky, plump
awiria tv. fatten (~-, a’awiria)
Awohto n. August (var. Awosto); ~ 27-po, on August 27
aya’awi n. a type of squash
ayam n. rattles (musical; used by the Deer dancer and by Corn Wine singers; the rattles of the of the
Matachin dancers, which are called wahi
ayaman(su) adv. over there (s. = hunaman)
ayatana n. left (turn in Matachin dancing)
aye n. mother (var. of ae)