This page was produced in collaboration with Arapaho-speaking pre-school teachers and their assistants, who discussed the phrases they use most often, and the phrases they need to know the most.

 

When two possibilities are given, they both mean exactly the same thing, and are just examples of minor dialect differences in pronunciation. After each "most wanted phrase" are examples of variations of the phrase that you might also use.

 

Heeteenebín heiteh’éího’ (respect them) = Be nice to your friends

or
    Niiteheibín heiteh’éího’ (help them) = Be nice to your friends

 

Nehéíc or nehéícoo = Come here

Cihcíitei = Come in

 

Niisi3ei’i (means ‘work!’) = Do your work

or
Níístii (means ‘do it!’) = Do your work

Neniisi3ei'i-noo = I'm working

Neniisi3ei'i-t = He/she is working

Neniisi3ei'i-3i' = They are working

Neniisi3ei'i-no' = We are working

 

Ciibéhnihi’kóóhu = Don’t run

Nii’óóke’ = Good morning

Hiisibí = Lay down

 

Niiteiyookuu or niiteiyeekuu = Line up

Neniiteiyookuu-3i' (or neniiteiyeekuu-3i') = They are lined up

Neniiteiyookuu-no' (or neniiteiyeekuu-no') = We are lined up

 

Ceh’é3tii = Listen

Ceeh'e3tii-noo = I'm listening

Ceeh'e3tii-no' = We're listening

Ceeh'e3tii-t = He/she is listening

Ceeh'e3tii-3i' = They are listening

 

(Cih)noohow-u or (cih)néí’oohow-u = Look at me

Cihnoohob-ei'ee or cihnei'oohob-ei'ee = Look at us

Noohow-un or noohow-unee = Look at him/her/them

 

Ho-tousíhi’ = What’s your name?

Tousihi' = What's his/her name?

Ne-niisih’íít = My name

He-niisih'iit = Your name

Hi-niisih'iit = His/her name

 

Ceenóku = Sit down

Ko’éíci = Sit in a circle

Koo'eici-3i' = They are sitting in a circle

Koo'eici-no' = We are sitting in a circle

Téiitoonóku = Sit still

Teneiitoonoku-3i' = They are sitting still

Teneiitoonoku-no' = We are sitting still

Teneiitoonoku-t = He/she is sitting still

Teneiitoonoku-noo = I am sitting still

 

Kooxo'usee-noo = Slow down

    Koxo’usee (means 'walk slow') = I have slowed down

Kooxo'usee-t = He/she has slowed down

 

Bíh’inkuutii = Turn off the lights

Biih'inkuutii-noo = I have turned off the lights

Biih'inkuutii-t = He/she has turned off the lights

Noh’óéseikuutii = Turn on the lights

Nooh'oeseikuutii-noo = I have turned on the lights

Nooh'oeseikuutii-t = He/she has turned on the lights

 

Cebísee = Walk

Ceebisee-noo = I'm walking

Ceebisee-t = He/she is walking

Ceeb(i)see-3i' = They are walking

Ceeb(i)see-no' = We are walking

 

Tou’óuu3 = What day is it?

Coowo’óó’ (means 'it [weekend] is past') = Monday

Niis nonóóke’ (means 'second day') = Tuesday

Nees nonóóke’ (means 'third day') = Wednesday

Yein nonóóke’ (means 'fouth day') = Thursday

Neh’einíísi’ or neh’eheiníísi’ (means 'butchering day') = Friday

Hoxóbetiiníísi’ (means 'rations day') = Saturday

Béteeníísi’ (means 'holy day') = Sunday

 

Tóusoo cé’e3í’ = What is it like outside?

Heniinoonóe’ti’ = Cloudy

Tooyo3óó’ = Cold

Heesítee’ = Hot

Honoosóó’ or honoosóóti’ = Raining

Nooh’óuute’ = Sunny

Beneecí’ = Snowing

Heeséíse’ = Windy

 

    Koonéeni’ííni or kooníini'ííni = Are things good?

Hee(m)/ ‘oo(f) néeni’ííni or níini'ííni = Yes, things are good

Hiiko, hoowniini'iini or hoowneeni'iini = No, things are not good

 

Heitóustoo = What are you doing?

Heitoustoo-be = What are you (plural) doing?

Hiitoustoo = What is he/she doing?

Hiitoustoo-no' = What are they doing?

 

Tootéí’eihoo = Where are you going?

Tootii'ihoo = Where is she/he going?

Tootii'ihoo-no' = Where are they going?

Tootei'eihoo-be = Where are you (plural) going?

 

Heetce’noohóbeen or heetce’nóóhobé3en (means 'I'll see you again') = Goodbye