Greetings and politeness in Inuktitut
Hello, please, thank you, sorry: the eleven openers everything else builds on. Play the ten Inuktitut words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 11 Inuktitut phrases in this lesson
- แแAI
- Hello
- แ แชแแดแแฏแฆool-LAA-sak-koot
- Good morning
- แ แแแดแแฏแฆoon-NOO-sak-koot
- Good evening
- แแแแ แชแแฆtav-vow-YOO-tit
- Goodbye
- แแฏแแแแแta-koo-LAA-ri-voo-gook
- See you
- แแah-TEE
- Please
- แแญแแแฆแkoo-yan-na-MEEK
- Thank you
- แแแee-LAA-lee
- You're welcome
- แชแฅแแแ ma-mee-AH-nak
- Sorry
- แแฏแแEE-koo-loo-ga
- Excuse me
- แฒแแแแญแฆ แแแแแ ka-tee-GAK-kit koo-vee-AH-nak
- Nice to meet you
The everyday hello across Nunavut. A smile and raised eyebrows go with it.
Literally "in the morning". แแ (AI) works at any hour.
Used for the afternoon and the evening.
Said by the one leaving to one person. To several people: แแแแ แชแฏ (tav-vow-YOO-see).
See you again soon, the South Qikiqtaaluk form.
Literally "go ahead" or "come on", placed before a request to soften it: แแ แ แแแฒแแแแฆ (ah-TEE oo-kak-kan-NEE-rit), please say it again.
The everyday thank you in Nunavut. In Nunavik, northern Quebec, it is แแฏแแฆแ (na-koor-MEEK).
Literally "of course", the reply to thanks.
Literally "it is regrettable", used for sorry and for sympathy.
A soft word to ask to pass. Many people simply say excuse me in English.
Literally "meeting you is a joy".