Inuit Nipingit—Inuit Sounds

Notes on Inuktitut Pronunciation
There are some sounds in Inuktitut that may be unfamiliar to English speakers. The pronunciations below convey those sounds in the following ways:
• A double vowel (e.g., aa, ee) creates a long vowel sound.
• Capitalized letters indicate emphasis.
ŋ is a sound similar to “ng” in the word “sing.”
q is a “uvular” sound, which is a sound that comes from the very back of the throat (the uvula). This is different from the k sound, which is the same as the typical English k sound (known as a “velar” sound).
• R is a rolled “r” sound.
• ll is a rolled “l” sound.

The diagram below shows the place of articulation (the origin of the sound in the mouth) for each Inuktitut sound.

Inuktitut Term Pronunciation Meaning
aakuluk AA-ku-look dear
Aasivak AA-si-vak mythological being that is an ancient spider in human form
ai ai greeting
ajai a-YAI whoa
ajaraaq a-ya-RAAQ string game
alianait a-LI-A-na-it expression of joy
amaruujaq a-ma-RUU-yaq wolf game
amauti a-MOW-ti woman’s parka with a pouch for carrying a child
Anaana a-NAA-na Mother
Anaanatsiaq a-NAA-nat-si-aq Grandmother
angaju a-ŊA-yu older brother
angakkuq a-ŋak-KOOQ shaman
Anigit! a-NE-git Get out!
Anirniq a-NIR-niq name
Arnariinaq aR-na-REE-naq name
Ataata a-TAA-ta Father
Ataatatsiaq a-TAA-tat-si-aq Grandfather
atausiq a-TOW-siq one
atii a-TEE come on
Avani! A-va-ni Go away!
Avvajja av-VAJ-jah place name
iggaak ig-GAAK snow goggles
iglu IG-loo snow house
igluit IG-loo-it snow houses
ii ee yes
ijiraujaq e-yi-ROW-yaq zombie
Ijiraujaq qukiqtara e-yi-ROW-yaq qu-kiq-ta-ra I shot a zombie
ijiraujat e-yi-ROW-yat zombies
iksarvik ik-SAR-vik breakwater
Inu I-nu name
Inugarulligaarjuit e-nu-ga-Rul-li-GAAR-ju-it mythological race of little people
Inukpasugjuit e-NOOK-pa-SOOG-ju-it mythological race of great giants, can be massive, nearly the size of mountains
inuksuit e-NOOK-su-it plural of inuksuk
inuksuk e-NOOK-sook rock cairn used to aid hunters and indicate direction
Inuktitut e-NOOK-ti-toot Inuit language, when using or referring to a specific dialect
Inuktut e-NOOK-toot Inuit language, when referring to all dialects of Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun
iqaluit e-QA-lu-it many Arctic char
iqaluk E-qa-look Arctic char
Iqsinaqtutalik Piqtuq IQ-si-naq-TOOQ-ta-lik PIQ-tooq haunted blizzard
Ittuq IT-tooq name
kakivaak ka-ki-VAAK
kamiik ka-MEEK two skin boots
kamiit ka-MEET many skin boots
kamik ka-MIK one skin boot
Kinngait KING-ŋa-it place name
Kiviuq KI-vi-ooq great adventurer from Inuit mythology
kunik KOO-nik kiss given by placing the nose on a person’s face and breathing in
Mahaha MA-ha-ha mythological creature that tickles people to death
maktaaq mak-TAAQ
maktak MUK-tuk bowhead skin and blubber
Markoosie MAH-koo-see name
marruuk maR-RUUK two
naja NA-ya older sister
nanuq na-NUQ polar bear
nanurluk na-NUR-look giant polar bear
natsiq NAT-siq seal
niam NI-am yummy
Niaqunnguup Kuunga n-ia-qung-ŋuup koo-ŋa Apex River
niksik NIK-sik a hook used to snag a shot seal
nukaq NOO-kaq younger brother
Nuliajuk nu-LI-a-yook the name of a spirit that lives at the bottom of the sea and controls the sea mammals
nunangat nu-na-ŋat homeland
pana PA-na snow knife
Panik PA-nik Daughter
pingasut pi-ŋa-SOOT three
pissi PIS-si dried fish
puukuluk POO-ku-look birth mother
qaggiq QAG-giq a large iglu made for celebration purposes, also the name of the celebrations held in this iglu
qajait ka-YA-it kayaks
qajaq QA-yaq kayak
qallunaaq qal-lu-NAAQ a white person
qallunaat qal-lu-NAAT white people
qallupilluit QAL-lu-PIL-lu-it plural of qallupilluq
qallupilluq QAL-lu-PIL-look mythological sea creature that seals children through ice cracks
qamutiik qa-mu-TEEK sled
qamutiit qa-mu-TEET many sleds
Qanuikkavit? qa-nu-IK-ka-vit What’s wrong?
Qanuinngilatit? qu-nu-ing-ŋi-LA-tit Are you okay?
qarmaq QAR-maq sod house
qulliq QUL-liq seal oil lamp
qunguliit qu-ŋu-LIIT mountain sorrel
savikkuvik sa-vik-ku-VIK grub box
sila SI-la sky
Siqiniq si-QI-niq name
sitamat SI-ta-mat four
taaqtumi TAAQ-tu-mi in the dark
taima TAI-ma the end
tallimat TAL-li-mat five
tauvigjuaq tow-VIG-ju-aq the great darkness
Tavvaniippit? tav-va-NEEP-pit Are you there?
Timuu ti-MOO name
tiriganniaq ti-Ri-GAN-ni-aq Arctic fox
Tuavi! tu-A-VI Hurry up!
tuktu TOOk-tu caribou
tulugaq TU-lu-gaq raven
Tuniit tu-NEET plural of Tuniq
Tuniq TU-niq extinct race of people that populated the Arctic before Inuit
tupiq TU-piq tent
tuurngait TUUR-ŋa-it spirit guides
tuurngaq TUUR-ŋaq a spirit guide
ukpik OOK-pik snowy owl
Ulii u-LEE name
ulu OO-lu crescent knife traditionally used by women
utiqtuq u-TIQ-tooq returning or going back

This list of Inuktitut terms will be continually updated and expanded.
Audio recordings of each of the terms above to come.