The Miskito Phrasebook Project
| At the Doctor | ||
| Aksidentei | accidente | accident |
| Aman de keimar | quemarse | burn (yourself) |
| Antibioticas | antibioticas | antibiotics |
| Asma | asma | asthma |
| Bla aidoksa | mareada | dizzy |
| Blin | ciega | blind |
| Diabetika | diabetica | diabetic |
| Docta | doctora | doctor |
| Infeksion | infeccion | infection |
| Kana | cargar | take a bowel movement |
| Klahui | dolor | pain |
| Klaweisna | dolor | pain |
| Klekwan | herida | wound |
| Kwihirasa patbaikan | embarasada | pregnant |
| Lasaprukisa | epileptica | epileptic |
| Latwan | dolor | pain |
| Leila | siento | I feel |
| Leila klahui | dolor de cabeza | headache |
| Mini | pie | foot |
| Mini kliban | pie torqueda | sprained ankle |
| Miti | mano | hand |
| Miti kliban | mano torqueda | sprain your wrist |
| Naipa klawisna | dolor de dientes | toothache |
| Pastiya | pastillas | pills |
| Patbaikan | dar un luz | to give birth |
| Reglas | reglas | menstruation |
| Smit | sorda | deaf |
| Taiya | piel | skin |
| Taiya nari | rascos | itch |
| Taiya siknes | enfermedad de piel | rash |
| Taiya uba nari | muchos rascos | really itchy |
| Tos | tos | cough |
| Uba amori | quema del sol | sunburn |
| Unta | oreja | ear |
| Ilpeimonaya | ayudar | help |
| Ilpeimuns | ayudame | help me |
| Kema unta latwan | Tengo dolor de oreja | I have an earache |
| Kopei aidoksa | Siento major | I feel better |
| Nakauma | Como esta? Que tal? | How are you? |
| Ri aidoksa | Tengo fiebre | I have a fever |
| Ri uya adoxa | malaria (“mucho calor”) | Malaria (“lots of heat”) |
| Saura aidoksa | Siento mal | I feel bad |
| Yan biyaiyagana aka ban | tengo nausea | I’m nauseous |
| Yan docta kum wanschna | Necesito una doctora | I need a doctor |
| Yan sip kana crabras | Tengo estrenimiento | I’m constipated |
| Siknes man? | Esta enferma? | Are you sick? |
| Siknes apia | No estoy enferma | I’m not sick. |
| Siknes ow | Estoy enferma | I’m sick. |
| Dia sipsna dowkaiya kana crahabaiya Tengo asientos I have diarrhea |
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| Naha medisina dukia Esto es mi medicina normal This is my normal medicine |
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| Yan cita doctor brisna? Podria hacer cita con el doctor? Can I make an appointment with the doctor? |
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| Important Questions | ||
| Akia | Cuando? | When? |
| Ansara | Donde? | Where? |
| An | Cuanto? | How many? |
| Anza | Cual? | Which? |
| Aula | Adonde? | From where? |
| Dia | Que? | What? |
| Dia mon? | Porque? | Why? |
| Diamuni | Porque? | Why? |
| Dia Preis? | Cuanto vale? | How much? |
| Dia teim? | Que hora es? | What time is it? |
| Dia trabil? | Que pasa? | What’s up? |
| Trabil | lo que pasa | what’s happening (although the root is obviously trouble, but in Miskito, it isn’t necessarily negative at all) |
| Naki | Como? | How? |
| Sipsna? | Podria? | May I? |
| Ya | Quien? | Who? |
| Man uapo | No sabe usted | You don’t know |
| Ansara sakei | donde quedarse | Where he sits |
| Man uapo Beto ansara sakei? | ¿Donde esta Beto? | Where is Beto? |
| Place Names | ||
| Alamikamba | Muelle | Dock |
| Bambana | De donde son los Mayangnas/Sumos | Where the Mayangna/Sumo Indians are from, sometimes called Mucuswan |
| (Laguna) Bismuna | Tras de los Pinos | Through the Pines |
| Kruta | ketisque | A starchy vegetable similar to yucca and used as soup |
| Leimus | Limones | Limes |
| Maniwatla | Casa Nueva | New House |
| Prinzapolka | Lago Grande | Big Lake |
| Saslaya | Rio largo | Long River |
| Sinuna | Lugar de Minas | Place of mine (like, for gold, not landmines) |
| Tuapi | Montaña Grande | Big Mountain |
| Wawa | Puente | Bridge |
| Waounta | Lugar de Yuca | Place of Yucca |
| Waspum | Playa Grande | Big Beach |
| Yaoya | Cienaga | Swamp |
| Colors | ||
| Andeis | naranja | orange |
| Blu | azul | blue |
| Buni | verde | green |
| Cafei | café | brown |
| Pin | blanco | white |
| Poni | rojo | red |
| Sacamdei | gris | gray |
| Sixa | negro | black |
| Sixaponi | morado | purple |
| Sunny (per English) | Amarillo | yellow |
| Time | ||
| The days of the week are in Spanish, although the English names are also widely used. Months, with the exception of Julio, are also in Spanish. Julio is pronounced as in English, “July.” Also note that Miskitos use the odd anglo term “o’clock” to indicate time. | ||
| Basta | acabado | done |
| Bisiula | hace un rato | it’s been a while |
| Dia dika | Que dia? | What day? |
| Dinar | medio dia | noon, midday |
| Lapta ayima kausa | puesto del sol | sunset |
| Lasweek | semana pasada | last week |
| Mani | año | year |
| Maniwala | año pasado | last year |
| Mon | mes | month |
| Monwala | mes pasado | last month |
| Naiwadika, Niwa, Naiwawika | hoy | today |
| Nowhala (nowhala balrei) | ayer | yesterday |
| O’clock | del hora | o’clock |
| Teim | tiempo | time |
| Timia | noche | night |
| Tutnei | tarde | afternoon, later |
| Wala | pasado | past |
| Week | semana | week |
| Weekwala | semana proxima | next week |
| Yowka | mañana | tomorrow |
| Man dia dika balram nara? Que dia llego? What day did you get here? |
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| Man nowhala balrei nara Usted llego ayer Yesterday, you arrived |
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| Akya sipsma balaya Sunday baleisna Llega domingo. Come back Sunday. |
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| Akeya manikam brisna Cuando es su cumpleaños? When is your birthday? |
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| Dia teim wal prowbia? A que hora quiere usted encontrar? What time would you like to meet? |
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| Counting | ||
| In the old system, you’d basically add machit before the number in English: machitwon, machittu, machitfifty. The system below is more common today. | ||
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| 20. twenty | ||
| 100. hunded | ||
| Oneidozen | docena | one dozen |
| Ten por ten | diez por ciento | ten percent |
| Platicando/ Making Conversation | ||
| Apia | No | No |
| Aisabi | Adios | Goodbye |
| Baldimis | pase adelante | come in |
| Dingke pali | Gracias | Thank you |
| Dira apia | denada | You’re welcome |
| Escyuz | Disculpe | Excuse me |
| Good Night | buenas noches | Good Night |
| Ius | por favor | please |
| Mo’ning | Buenos dias | Good Morning |
| Nakisma? | ¿Como esta? | How are you? |
| Naksa | Hola | Hello |
| Ninan dia? | ¿Como se llama? | What is your name? |
| Ow | Si | Yes |
| Plees | por favor | please |
| Smika smoke | vamos a fumar (mota) | Let’s go smoke |
| Uba dinkei pali | Muchisimas gracias | Thanks so much |
| Widi ius | sientase | Please sit down |
| Escyuz man, nu apo ya ispel Aisee Sapa? Perdon, pero hay una persona que habla español aqui? Excuse me, but you don’t know anyone here who speaks Spanish? |
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| Naha dukia ninadia? | Como se dice? | Could you repeat that? |
| Yan manera nusna. | Se entiendo | I understand you. |
| Yan manera nusna apo. | No se entiendo. | I don’t understand you. |
| Man Miskito uya aiyi saras. No hablo mucho Miskito. I don’t speak much Miskito. |
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| Man sipsma towa ayaisaya? Podria hablar mas despacio? Could you speak more slowly? |
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| Escyus, man sipsma ilpeimonaya? Perdon, puede usted ayudarme? Excuse me, but could you help me? |
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| Yan nini Paige | Me llamo Paige | My name is Paige |
| An maninam dia? | Y como se llama? | And what’s your name? |
| Nnaki lala uram? | Como esta usted? | How are you? |
| Man sipsna lilikam mum sacaya? Podria sacar un photo? May I please snap a photo? |
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| Yankisa duri aisaya Vamos a platicar Let’s chat. |
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| Di dow kisma? | Que hace el? | What’s he doing? |
| Man ansara dimisma? | Donde vive? | Where do you live? |
| Mananei ansa wana? | De donde es? | Where are you from? |
| Dingke pali man yangara turiaisisma Gracias por hablando conmigo. Thanks for chatting with me. |
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| Man di alekshma? Que se gusta? What do you like? |
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| Yan kapi lei | Me gusta café | I like coffee |
| Man kapi lei | Te gustas café | You like coffee |
| Bahawetnika kapi lei | El le gusta el café | He likes coffee |
| Dingki pali | gracias, mucho gusto | thank you, it’s been a pleasure |
| Dia teim wal prowbia? A que hora quiere usted encontrar? What time would you like to meet? |
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| Palabritas Utiles/ Meaningful Modifiers The little words that mean so much. |
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| Baha apia | tampoco | also (negative) |
| Basim | tambien | also (positive) |
| Baila | otro | other |
| Dukiera | por, otro | for, other |
| Mangual | con usted/contigo | with you |
| Mani | algo nuevo | something new |
| Napkei | como | like |
| Ya | quien | who |
| Yangual | conmigo | with me |
| Wal | con | with |
| Wala | otra cosa | other thing |
| Man yangual wapaya wanshma? Quiere usted caminar conmigo? Would you like to walk with me? |
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| Tamaño, Size | ||
| Ailal | mucho | lots |
| Cow | más, grande | more, big |
| Cow wan | más, por favor | may I have more |
| Diarakum | algunos (cosas) | some (things) |
| Nani | mucho, mas | lots, more |
| Nisibi | menos | less |
| Lisibi (ouidalupia) | poquito | a little bit |
| Paliba | algo grande | it, when it is big |
| Tara | grande | big |
| Uba | mucho | very |
| Uba sirpe | muy pequeño | very small |
| Uba tara | muy grande | very big |
| Uya | mucho | much |
| Ubicacion, Location | ||
| Apu | no tengo | I don’t have |
| Bucarasa | Esta aquí | It’s here |
| Baha | este | this, the |
| Baha dukia | esta cosa | that thing |
| Bar sapa | donde esta | where it sits |
| Barsa | es, esta | it is |
| Barsakei | hay, esta aqui | it exists, it’s here |
| Bilalasakei | adentro | inside |
| Bukra | por alla | over there |
| Bukrasa | alla esta | there it is |
| Dowkaya | aqui | here |
| Kana | ese | this |
| Kanara | aqui | here |
| Kilbi | el | the |
| Na | ese | this |
| Naha | eso | this |
| Nara | aqui | here |
| Narasma | esta aqui | it’s here |
| Pleiskana, pleiskum | lugar | place |
| Yan nara apiasna | No estoy aquí | I am not here |
| Yan narazna | Estoy aquí | I am here |
| Narasa | aquí esta | It’s here |
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