The Gitxsan alphabet is a good lesson. It shows you the “sound” and builds your Gitxsanimx vocabulary. Here are a few useful ways to use this page:
- Whether you are using this page on your cell phone, tablet or computer, you can have a speaker with you to teach you the words.
- The audio of each word will be added as a resource for you to learn if you do not have a speaker beside you.
- This is the basics of simalgyax and having a fluent speaker or Elder with you is highly recommended.
A
am – Good/Only (verb proclitic)
ama`mas – Good looking
a`lax – Mad
alayst – Lazy
Aa
daala – Money
anaax – Bread
amksiwaa – White man
gaak – Raven
B
baasx – Fear
bak – Taste/try
ban – Belly/or ache
bilutxw – Depressed
D
dal – fight
dulpxw – short
das – touch
duus – cat
E
etxw – to call out
gen – skunk
ge`n – chew
helt – lots/many
ee
ee’e /ee- Yes
ee’esxw – promise
eek – Coho
ganeexs – Bridge
G
gya’a – See/look
gala – come (imperative)
gyamk – Warm
gyat/gyet – Man
gw
gw`nus – New born
gwaasxwt – Borrow
gwaast – Lend
gwidats – Coat
g
gaak – index finger, raven
ges – hair, head
gaakhl – mouse, rat
goot – heart
h
ha`wit – Stop it
ha`mi`ya – to be thankful (very)
hawen – Wait/just a minute
habasxw – Grass
hl
hiihluxw – Morning
hlimo`o – Help
hlabixsxw – Tired
i
Is – soapberry/urine
Ixsta – Sweet/tasty
Isxw – Stink
Ihlee’etxw – Blood
ii
iis – Necklace
miin – Base/boss
miiluxw – Dance
siipxw – hurt
j
jahl – eat up/lose
jap – to do/job
jam – cook by boiling
jok – Camp/Residence
k
aks – Water
bukxw – book
bakw -to arrive, come from (pl)
k
k`yoots – Yesterday
k`esi – knees
k`ip hlik` – flying squirrel
k`eekxw – Run away/flee
K
jakw – Kill
hlaskeekw – Getting dark
hlgilkw – Sweat
haykw – odor, spirit
(hear or smell without seeing)
Kw`
kw`ootxw – to be lost
k`uukw` – Tail
kw`ast – Brake/broken
kw`ihl bax – Run around
K`
k`ooxst – maple tree [or am k’ookst]
k`ots – cut
luulak` – corpse, ghost
(not said in front of relative of dead person)
k`okhl – cedar rope
L
Iaagalt –watch /examine (Trans)
lok – rotton
laks – wash (ones body)
limx – sing
L`
see l`ax – needle
bil`ust – star
wil`naa t`ahl – family, vegetation
– patch of trees
txwal`txw – unsettled, liquid or dry
M
ma’us – play
makt –leave (as in –put it there)
maa’y – berry/fruit
momst – to be foolish
`M
`maaxs – pants
`mukw – catch
`mii gwint – strawberry
`mook – suck
N
nuts` – snot
nax`ni – hear
neegi – not quite
nee – no
`N
`nakw – to be long (time)
`nu`w – die
`no’o – lips turned down
`neexhl – killerwhale, blackfish
(or any whale)
O
os – dog
do`o – cheek/gills
osim sbaayt gan – coyote
dok` – deaf
Oo
yookxw – to eat (intrans)
anhooya – tool
am goot – remember
hoobix – spoon
P
pdeek – tribe, phratry
phlo’on – sea otter
ptiikwxw – where you hang salmon
(for hanging salmon)
lo`op – rock/stone
P`
goyp`ax – bright
siip`in – to like (a person), really love.
gyop` – go ahead, go on (imperative)
siip`xw – casual acquaintance
S
sa`wnsxw – paper
sdil – to accompany, go with
se`e – leg/foot
sga`nist – mountain
T
tookxw – to eat (intrans)(plural)
gantxw – to be hard
ts`uuts – bird/wren
gayt – hat
T`
t`aa – sit
t`ak – forget
t`ee’esxw – hurry
t`im bok` – buttocks
Tl`
tl`ook` – mud
gitl` – any kind of salmon in the spawning stage
Ts
ts`a’a – eyes/face
ts`ahlx – laugh
ts`ak – nose
ts`ak – plate
Ts`
ts`iihl– snowbird
ts`in – to enter, go in
ts`im aak – mouth
ts`in hlik` – squirrel
U
ubin – pregnant
uut – to bake food (in ashes or oven)
umkxw – detest/dislike
uuk – copper (refined of lump of ore)
Uu
Miyuup – Rice
Nuutxw – to dress up, or best costume
ts`uusx – be small, little
Gyuu`n – now
W
w’ums – devil’s club
wineex – food
waatxw – cry
wo’os – dish/bowl
`W
`watsx – otter
`win – tooth
`wii nakw – to be long (as a train)
`witxw – to arrive, come from
X
xwdax – hungry
xsgaak – eagle
xsan – Skeena
xsi wok – dream
Xw
ts`ax`utxw – naked
xhla`wsxw – shirt
wantxw – worry
yahlxw – to be smooth, slippery
X
xadaa – moose
xsan – gamble
xdii – tea
xsdaa – win
Y
ya`a – spring salmon
yee – go/depart
yuksa – evening
yal – lie
`Y
hak`yo’o – back
maa`yim spaayt gan – any wild berry
mi`yeen – tobacco, cigarette
gwee`yt – to be soft
(soft touch, person who can’t say no)(persons or material)
` {glottal stop} The Glottal Stop
ama`mas – to be pretty, handsome
daa`wihl – leave/go with
ax`umk – to scold, to give advice
(to prevent someone from getting into mischief)
duu`u – over there (not too far)