Chapter 9 – Basic Conversation
Mixed Conversation
| Jukwa'l. | Bring something. (animate) | Jukwa'tui. | Bring something. (inanimate) |
| Talamu'k? | What [flavour/color/type]? (animate) | Talamuksit? | What [flavour/color/type]? (inanimate) |
| Maqatui …? | Can I borrow …? | Ne'a'tui. | Show me. |
| Iknumui. | Give it to me. | Iknumu'l. | Give it to him/her. |
| Wsua'tu. | Take this. | Na ta'uan. | someone. |
| A'sa ni'n. | It’s up to me. | A'sa kil. | It’s up to you. |
| O'pla'ketey. | I’m doing it wrong. | O'pla'keten. | You’re doing it wrong. |
| Apoqnmui. | Help me. | Kis apoqnmuin? | Can I help you? |
| Tepaskmay. | I can do it. | Telte'tm. | I think so. |
| Telues? | What did s/he say? | Jiksitui. | Listen to me. |
| O'plwitm. | I said it wrong. | Ki's teluey. | I already saying it. |
| Tal'lukwen? | What are you doing? | Tallukwe'sɨp? | What did you do? |
| Wen ela'tioq? | Who are you going with? | Ta'sɨkl? | How many are there? |
| Mukk awantasiw. | Don’t forget. | Mukk awanta'sualu. | Don’t forget me. |
| Awanta'sianek. | I forgot it. | Mikwete'l mitisk. | Remember me. |
| Ewlen. | You’re lying. | Mu ewlow. | Don’t lie. |
| Ewlet etuk. | I think s/he is lying. | Telte'tm ewlet. | I think s/he is lying. |
| Mektm | I don’t believe you. | Musespate'tmu. | I don’t care. |
| Ketu' amalkan? | Do you want to dance? | Ketu' tekisemin? | Do you want to swim? |
| Talkaqnik? | How is the atmosphere there? | Welkaqnik. | Fun atmosphere. |
| Wen meske'k? | Who is sad/sorry? | Wen atkitemit? | Who is crying? |
| Wen weskewe'k? | Who is laughing? | Wen wekayik? | Who is mad? |
| Wen jipasit? | Who is scared? | ||
| Ketu' maqatuwi na suliewey. | I want to borrow some money. | ||
| Wla'qnmɨn ? | Do you have lots of change ? | ||
| Siwien? | Are you tired? | ||
| Welimpanek? | Did you have a good sleep? | ||
| Welimpayek. | I had a good sleep. | Mu-welimpawanek. | I had a bad sleep. |
| Welimpanoq. | S/he had a good sleep. | Mu welipa'qaq. | S/he had a bad sleep. |
| Welne'pijik. | They had a good sleep. | Mu welimpatiki'k. | They had a bad sleep. |
| Metu'ek. | It’s hard/difficult. | ||
| Naqamasiaq | It’s easy. | ||
| Koqoey kisi-kinu'tmasin kiskuk? | What did you learn today? | ||
Jukwa'l
Translation: Bring something. (animate)
Meanings: "Bring it here!" or "Pass it to me!"
Pronunciation Guide: Joo-gwahl
Jukwa’tui
Translation: Bring something. (inanimate)
Meanings: "Bring it to me" or "Fetch it for me"
Explanation: It is the specific singular imperative command used when you want someone to physically bring an inanimate object (like a tool, a key, or a book) over to where you are standing [source: Mi'gmaq/Mi'kmaq Online Talking Dictionary].
Pronunciation Guide: Joo-gwah-doo-ee
Talamu'k
Translation: What [flavour/colour/type]? (animate)
Meanings: "What colour is it?" or "What condition is it?"
Pronunciation Guide: Dah-lah-moog?
Talamuksit
Translation: What [flavour/colour/type]? (inanimate)
Meanings: "What colour is he/she?" or "What condition is he/she in?"
Explanation: You use this term when asking about the colour or physical appearance of a person, an animal (like a horse, bird, or fish), or a living tree [source: Mi'gmaq/Mi'kmaq Online Talking Dictionary].
Pronunciation Guide: Dah-lah-moog-zid
Maqatui
Translation: Can I borrow...?
Meanings: Can you lend me some ... ?
Pronunciation Guide: Mah-gah-doo-wee
Ne'a'tui.
Translation:
Show me.
Meanings:
"he/she appears," "shows up," or "comes into view"
Explanation: It is an animate third-person singular verb used when a person, animal, or living entity (like the sun) makes an appearance or emerges from behind something.
Example: An example of usage is in the song, "Kloqoejk - Stars Song", by Dr. Bernie Francis.
Pronunciation Guide: Neh-ah-doo-ee
Iknumui
Translation: Give it to me.
Meanings: "Give it to me as a gift", "Grant it to me", or "Gift it to me"
Pronunciation Guide: Eeg-noo-mwee
Iknumu'l
Translation: Give it to him/her.
Meanings: "I give it to you as a gift" or "I grant/bestow this upon you"
Pronunciation Guide: Eeg-noo-mool
Wsua'tu
Translation: Take this.
Meanings: "Take it!" or "Pick it up!"
Pronunciation Guide: Weh-soo-ah-doo
Na'tuan
Translation: Someone.
Meanings: "someone", "somebody, or "anyone"
Pronunciation Guide: naa-doo-wen
A'sa ni'n
Translation: It’s up to me.
Meanings: "Now me," "My turn," or "It is my turn now"
Pronunciation Guide: Ah-sah neen
A'sa kil
Translation: It’s up to you.
Meanings: It’s up to you, or "Now you," "Your turn," or "It is your turn now"
Pronunciation Guide: Ah-sah geel
O'pla'ketey
Translation: I’m doing it wrong.
Meanings: "I do it wrong," "I make a mistake," or "I mess up"
Pronunciation Guide: Oh-blah-geh-dey
O'pla'keten
Translation: You’re doing it wrong.
Meanings: "you are doing it wrong," "you make a mistake," or "you are messing up"
Pronunciation Guide: Oh-blah-geh-den
Apoqnmui
Translation: Help me.
Meanings: "Help me!" or "Assist me!"
Pronunciation Guide: Ah-bohg-num-wee
Kis apoqnmuin
Translation: Can I help you?
Meanings: "Can you help me?" or "Are you able to help me?"
Pronunciation Guide: giss-ah-bo-huhn-moo-een
Tepaskmay
Translation: I can do it.
Meanings: "I can do it" or "I am capable"
Pronunciation Guide: Deh-bahsg-may
Telte'tm
Translation: I think so.
Meanings: "I think so" or "I think of it as such"
Pronunciation Guide: Del-day-dum
Telues
Translation: What did s/he say?
Meanings: "What did he/she say"
Pronunciation Guide: Del-oo-wes
Jiksitui
Translation: Listen to me.
Meanings: Listen to me!
Pronunciation Guide: Jeeg-see-dwee
O'plwitm
Translation: I said it wrong.
Meanings: "I speak Mi'kmaw incorrectly," "I make mistakes speaking Mi'kmaw," or "I mispronounce the language"
Pronunciation Guide: Ohb-lee-weed-ǝm
Ki's teluey
Translation: I already saying it. (present tense)
Meanings: "I already saying it" or "I am already saying it."
Pronunciation Guide: Gees del-oo-AY
Tal'lukwen
Translation: What are you doing?
Meanings: "What are you doing?"
Pronunciation Guide: Dahl-loog-wen
Tallukwe'sɨp?
Translation: What did you do?
Meanings: "What did you do?" or "What were you doing?"
Pronunciation Guide: Dahl-loog-weh-zɨb
Wen ela'tioq?
Translation: Who are you going with?
Meanings: "Who are you all going with?" or "Who are you all accompanying?"
Pronunciation Guide: Wen el-ah-dee-ohkh?
Ta'sɨkl
Translation: How many are there?
Meanings: "How many?"
Explanation: It is an interrogative pronoun used exclusively when asking about the quantity of inanimate (non-living) items or objects.
Pronunciation Guide: Dah-zɨ-gǝl?
Mukk awantasiw
Translation: Don’t forget.
Meanings: Don’t forget.
Pronunciation Guide: Mook ah-wun-dah-zeew
Mukk awanta'sualu
Translation: Don’t forget me.
Meanings: "Don't forget about him/her" or "Don't forget them (animate)"
Pronunciation Guide: Mook ah-wun-dah-zoo-ah-loo
Awanta'sianek
Translation: I forgot it.
Meanings: "I forgot"
Pronunciation Guide: A-one-da-see-an-eek
Mikwete'l mitisk
Translation: Remember me.
Meanings: Remember me.
Pronunciation Guide: Meeg-weh-del mee-deesg
Ewlen
Translation: You’re lying.
Meanings:
Pronunciation Guide: Eh-wlen
Mu ewlow
Translation: Don’t lie.
Meanings: Don’t lie.
Pronunciation Guide: Moo eh-wloh
Ewlet etuk
Translation: I think s/he is lying.
Meanings: "Perhaps he/she is telling a lie"
Pronunciation Guide: Eh-wled eh-doog
Telte'tm ewlet
Translation: I think s/he is lying.
Meanings: "I think he/she is telling a lie"
Pronunciation Guide: Del-day-dum eh-wled
Mektm
Translation: I don’t believe you.
Meanings: I don’t believe you.
Pronunciation Guide: Meg-dum
Musespate'tmu
Translation: I don’t care.
Meanings: I don’t care.
Pronunciation Guide: Moo-zes-bah-day-dum
Ketu' amalkan
Translation: Do you want to dance?
Meanings: "Do you want to dance?" (or "Want to dance?")
Pronunciation Guide: Keh-doo ah-mool-gahn
Ketu' tekisemin
Translation: Do you want to swim?
Meanings: Do you want to swim?
Pronunciation Guide: Keh-doo deh-gee-seh-meen
Talkaqnik
Translation: How is the atmosphere there?
Meanings:
Pronunciation Guide: Dahl-a-gahg-neeg
Welkaqnik
Translation: Fun atmosphere.
Meanings: "It is a good time," or "It is a fun time"
Pronunciation Guide: Wel-gahg-neeg
Wen meske'k
Translation: Who is sad/sorry?
Meanings: "Who is sorry?" or "Who regrets it?"
Pronunciation Guide: Wen mes-gehg?
Wen atkitemit?
Translation: Who is crying?
Meanings: Who is crying? or Who is weeping?
Pronunciation Guide: Weh ad-gee-deh-mid?
Wen weskewe'k
Translation: Who is laughing?
Meanings:Who is laughing?
Pronunciation Guide: Wen wes-geh-weg?
Wen wekayik?
Translation: Who is mad?
Meanings: "Who is mad?" or "Who is getting angry?"
Pronunciation Guide: Wen weh-gah-yeeg?
Wen jipasit?
Translation: Who is scared?
Meanings: "Who is afraid?" or "Who is scared?"
Pronunciation Guide: Wen jee-bah-zid?
Ketu' maqatuwi na suliewey
Translation: I want to borrow some money.
Meanings: I want to borrow some money.
Pronunciation Guide: Keh-doo mah-gah-doo-wee nah sool-ee-away
Wla'qnmɨn
Translation: Do you have lots of change?
Meanings:
Pronunciation Guide: Oo-lah-gǝ-nǝm-ɨn
Siwien
Translation: Are you tired?
Meanings: "Are you mentally tired?"
Pronunciation Guide: See-wee-en?
Welimpanek
Translation: Did you have a good sleep?
Meanings: "You had a good sleep" or "You slept well."
Pronunciation Guide: weh-lim-bah-neghk
Welimpayek
Translation: I had a good sleep.
Meanings: "You all slept well" (or "Did you all sleep well?" when asked with a rising question tone)
Pronunciation Guide: Wel-een-bahn-eg
Mu-welimpawanek
Translation: I had a bad sleep.
Meanings: "You didn't have a good sleep?" or "You didn't sleep well?"
Pronunciation Guide: moo-weh-lim-bah-wah-neghk
Welimpanoq
Translation: She or he had a good sleep.
Meanings: She or he had a good sleep.
Pronunciation Guide: Wel-een-bahn-okh
Mu welipa'qaq
Translation: S/he had a bad sleep.
Meanings: "I didn't sleep well" or "I didn't have a good night".
Pronunciation Guide: moo weh-lee-bah-gaghk
Welne'pijik
Translation: They had a good sleep.
Meanings: "They slept well"
Pronunciation Guide: Wel-nay-bee-jeeg
Mu-welimpatiki'k
Translation: They had a bad sleep.
Meanings: "They slept poorly" or "They had a bad sleep"
Pronunciation Guide: moo-weh-lim-bah-dee-gee-g
Metu'ek
Translation: It’s hard/difficult.
Meanings: "It is a hard time," "It is difficult," or "It is a struggle"
Pronunciation Guide: Meh-doo-eg
Tetuji naqamasiaq
Translation: It’s that easy.
Meanings: "It is so easy" or "It is so simple"
Pronunciation Guide: Deh-doo-jee nah-gah-mah-zee-ahkh
Koqoey kisi-kinu'tmasin kiskuk
Translation: What did you learn today?
Meanings: What did you learn today?"
Pronunciation Guide: Koh-gway gee-zee gee-nood-mah-seen gees-gook?
