Apatani English

[abù] adj. many; numerous; a lot of; plenty of

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[aháa pìitã] n. thirst

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[akì dula] n. rope used to tie dogs; dog rope

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[arè] adj. loose; not fixed tightly or firmly

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[atúu] n. progeny; young; offspring; baby animal

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[ajobo] n. mother-in-law (term of reference)

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[biɉe] n. generic term for bamboo; bamboo species commonly cultivated by the Apatanis (Phyllostachys bambusoides)

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[boha] n. cane rope tied to a babó for acrobatic game; acrobatic game played on the rope

Example: Photo by Tage Kanno

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[bɨsã tabú] n. a variety of snake; Green Ratsnake (Senticolis triaspis)

Speaker: Tage Kanno,
Dialect: var. busañ tabú

[bjajũ] n. tomato; potato

Speaker: Tage Kanno,
Dialect: var. beyuñ

[bóì] n. track made by large game

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[cãtɨ] n. earth

Speaker: Tage Yassing

[cixo] adj. clever; smart; successful person

Speaker: Tage Yassing

[cí] v. claim (ownership)

Speaker: Tage Yassing

[dãsò] n. spear with long handle

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[dãxo] n. long sharp stick

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[deʎã rɨci] n. bell

Speaker: Tage Kanno,
Dialect: syn. defañ rwcañ

[dodĩ-dolo] n. world; realm

Speaker: Tage Kanno,
Dialect: syn. doha-dolo

[dormaa] n. salary; wage

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[dɨɁ] v. have adverse or allergic reaction to something ingested

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[dɨpjonɨ] n. thief; robber; bandit

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[empjaɁ] n. cotton; wool

Speaker: Tage Yassing,
Dialect: var. impya’

[ẽtɨ pǝrǝ] n. large cane mat used for temporary storage of harvested paddy in the field

Speaker: Tage Yassing

[gaambɨ] n. border; brim; boundary

Speaker: Tage Numpi

[gehe] v. yawn

Speaker: Tage Numpi

[helo] v. pardon; forgive

Speaker: Nani Anga

[heme] v. promise; vow; pledge

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[hemĩ-hẽɉa] adj. intimate; open (of relationship)

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[hilĩ] n. clotted blood

Speaker: Nani Anga

[hoɁjo-hoɁci] v. mixed up; mingle; intermingle; amalgamate

Speaker: Nani Anga,
Dialect: syn. ho’gyo-ho’fo

[hogja gjamu] n. clouded leopard

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[hokɨ] post. from

Speaker: Nani Anga

[huã alló] n. backbone

Speaker: Nani Anga,
Dialect: var. hoañ alló

[hurĩ] n. protective body armor of cane belt worn around the waist

Speaker: Nani Anga

[hɨɲã] v. be shy

Speaker: Nani Anga

[ɉimǝr] pron. all; whole

Speaker: Tage Yassing,
Dialect: syn. mwlañ

[ɉuɉu] n. winnowing

Speaker: Tage Yassing

[ɉáaɉi] n. aeroplane

Speaker: Tage Yassing

[kado-lili] adv. publicly; in everybody’s full view

Speaker: Tage Yassing

[kagɨ] v. learn (by seeing)

Speaker: Tage Yassing

[kami] prep. at the back; after; rear of

Speaker: Tage Yassing,
Dialect: syn. kokañ

[keemeɁ] adj. taste, as of spoilt fat; rancid

Speaker: Tage Yassing,
Dialect: syn. keembe’

[kẽ] v. injure; cause pain or discomfort

Speaker: Tage Yassing

[koɁbɨ] n. traditional relationship usually the maternal uncle to whom a portion of the sacrificial animal is offered

Speaker: Tage Yassing,
Dialect: syn. ko’bu

[kɨra] n. a variety of tree; oak tree (Lithocarpus dealbata)

Example: Photo by Tage Kanno

Speaker: Tage Yassing

[lalala] conj. then; and then

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[lãgja] adj. (dog) with a white neck

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[lembo] n. road

Speaker: Tage Kanno,
Dialect: var. leñbo

[leŋò aɉi] n. rice field near the village

Speaker: Tage Kanno,
Dialect: ant. jabyò aji

[lugjaɁ] v. speak wrongly

Speaker: Tage Kanno,
Dialect: syn. luxa’

[luɉiɁ] adj. friendly; amicable

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[migĩ] n. expert hunter

Speaker: Tage Yassing

[muɁ] v. blow (air)

Speaker: Tage Yassing

[muɁ] v. brew (beer)

Speaker: Tage Yassing

[murpu] n. bonfire

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[mɨbur] v. do something in an inopportune way

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[mɨɉaɁ] v. tear something by handing it

Speaker: Tage Yassing

[mɨniɁ] v. Injure a bit while doing something

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[mɨpiɁ] v. break something fragile like an egg

Speaker: Tage Yassing

[mɨɲo] v. do something without purpose or for free

Speaker: Tage Yassing

[mjamja pɨro] n. plated bamboo basket for storing the myamya brass plate

Speaker: Tage Yassing

[pacá] v. levy fine

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[pemiɁ] v. put off (light)

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[piɁreɁ] v. sharpen; hone; whet

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[pĩcuɁ] n. bottle; elongated liquid container made from the hard hollowed and dried skin of gourd

Example: Photo by Tage Kanno

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[pĩkã] adv. nasalized speech or voice

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[poɁ] v. hop; bounce; leap

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[poi] n. residual fermented millet after preparation of beer

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[pɨɲu] n. spoon

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[pjàpu] v. destroy by mistake

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[párxɨ] v. twist; spin; twirl

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[ŋaare] adj. lose taste or inability to eat more

Speaker: Tage Kanno,
Dialect: syn. qaatw

[raɁ] v. bind; strap; fasten

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[reɁ] v. shave; scrape

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[rĩbi tasũ] n. spider web

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[ruu] v. chase away; drive away

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[rɨgũ] n. cane loop tied on the horns of cows or mithuns

Speaker: Tage Kanno,
Dialect: syn. rwgo’

[saɁka-saɁka] v. hesitate; be uncertain; be of two minds

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[sãɉe] n. timber; wood

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[subu] n. mithun; bos frontalis

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[sɨlo] n. today

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[sɨro] n. this morning

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[taʎa] v. listen

Speaker: Tage Numpi

[tanoɁ] n. snot

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[taŋu-aláa] n. honey

Speaker: Tage Numpi

[tarpĩ] n. maggots

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[tasã-tajĩ] n. beads

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[tisǝr] adj. sweet

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[tuŋĩ] n. stump of a felled tree

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[ubúu] n. hole

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[uuxaɁ] adj. shallow

Speaker: Tage Kanno,
Dialect: syn. aaxa’ ant. ùurañ

[ɨdo] n. stalk

Speaker: Tage Kanno,
Dialect: var. ado

[ɨɉã] n. sun

Speaker: Tage Kanno,
Dialect: syn. dazí

[xuu] adj. old

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[xɨɉã] n. small intestine

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[jaɉuɁ] n. ladle

Example: Photo by Tage Kanno

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[jorsã] n. green chili

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[ju] v. chant an ayú

Speaker: Tage Kanno

[jugjã] n. ritual altar of the Apatanis

Example: Photo by Tage Kanno

Speaker: Tage Kanno,
Dialect: syn. agyañ

[ǝǝŋ] letter name ñ the letter representing nasalization on the preceding vowel in the Apatani alphabet

Speaker: Tage Kanno