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Ahiyaniwa Examples (with gloss)

Casey Roche GNovember 4, 2026558 words

Miyari! These sentences are to give you a feel for Ahiyaniwa and to aid in your study and comprehension of the language! The glosses will help you understand the structure of each sentence and why certain elements are present. This page may be expanded with more sentences as time goes on, so check back frequently!

Greetings & Introductions

  1. Miyari kena maburika! Toká d'iri Maria, tuwei toká b'iri? --> "Hello and welcome! My name is Maria, what's your name?"

Breakdown: miyari (hello) + kena (and) + maburika (welcome)... to- (3rd sing. inanimate) + -ka (present suffix) + d(a)- (1st sing.) + iri (name) + Maria (personal name), tuwei (what) + to- (3rd sing. inanimate) + -ka (present suffix) + b(u)- (2nd sing.) + iri (name)

  1. Taiwei! Halika buká ukairã? --> "Good morning! How are you today?"

Breakdown: taiwei (good morning/day) + halika (how) + bu-ka (2SG-COP "you are") + ukairã (today)

  1. Daká teketa xali, hahõ! Kena d'ahiyabó ahiyaniwa taino b'oma. --> "I am very happy, thank you! And I am speaking the Taíno language with you."

Breakdown: da-ka (1SG-COP) + teketa (very) + xali (happy) + hahõ (thank you) + kena (and) + da-ahiya-bo (1SG-speak-PROG) + ahiyaniwa taino (Taíno language) + bu-oma (2SG-ASSOC "in the company of you")

Cooking, Food & Hospitality

  1. Hamuwei buká? D'abokabó kasabe kaburẽkowa. --> "Are you hungry? I am cooking cassava bread on the griddle."

Breakdown: hamuwei (hungry) + bu-ka (2SG-COP) + da-aboka-bo (1SG-cook-PROG) + kasabe (cassava bread) + ka-burẽ-kowa (DET-griddle-LOC "on the griddle")

  1. W'eikahá batata, hime, kena semiku wayaba dabohiyonoloko. --> "We will eat sweet potato, fish, and sweet guava inside my house."

Breakdown: wa-eika-ha (1PL-eat-FUT) + batata (sweet potato) + hime (fish) + kena (and) + semiku wayaba (sweet guava, modifier-head order) + da-bohiyo-n-oloko (1SG-house-EPEN-inside)

  1. Ikiwa, b'ataté kurula ni kahiweranoriya! --> "Please, drink cold water from the gourd!"

Breakdown: ikiwa (please) + bu-ata-te (2SG-drink-IMP) + kurula ni (cold water) + ka-hiwera-n-oriya (DET-gourd-EPEN-ABL) "from the gourd")

Nature, Travel & Village Life

  1. Harukarã, w'okonahá karabukoyo d'awõmoma. --> "Tomorrow, we will travel toward the forest with my dog."

Breakdown: harukarã (tomorrow) + wa-okona-ha (1PL-travel-FUT) + ka-arabuko-yo (DET-forest-DIR) + da-awõ-m-oma (1SG-dog-EPENTH-INST "with my dog")

  1. N'arikẽbá ababe hikoteya kena aba manati kabeyabukowa. --> "They saw some sea turtles and a manatee at the beach."

na-arikẽ-ba (3PL-see-PST) + ababe (some/several) + hikoteya (sea turtle) + kena (and) + aba (a/an) + manati (manatee) + ka-beyabu-kowa (DET-beach-LOC)

  1. T'areiká xoko sũsũ kawayabakowa, kena toká teketa anako. --> "The small hummingbird sings at the guava tree, and it is very beautiful."

Breakdown: to-arei-ka (3SG.IN-sing-PRES) + xoko sũsũ (small hummingbird) + ka-wayaba-kowa (DET-guava-LOC) + kena (and) + to-ka (3SG.IN-COP) + teketa (very) + anako (beautiful)

Storytelling, Music & Evening Gatherings

  1. Kakaraya, l'aikalaká li kasike liduhokowa kabateikowa. --> "At night, the chief sits on his ceremonial stool at the plaza."

Breakdown: ka-karaya (DET-night) + li-aikala-ka (3SG.M-sit-PRES) + li kasike (DET.M chief) + li-duho-kowa (3SG.M-stool-LOC) + ka-batei-kowa (DET-plaza-LOC)

  1. Hukãmaté to hebe urakei w'arokotinoriya! --> "Listen (all of you) to the old story from our grandfather!"

Breakdown: hu-kãma-te (2PL-listen-IMP) + to (DET) + hebe urakei (old story) + wa-arokoti-oriya (1PL-grandfather-ABL)

  1. Naxaliká wanixibe anaihi w'areibó areito katukuyabenabõ. --> "Our hearts are happy because we are singing an areito under the stars."

Breakdown: na-xali-ka (3PL-happy-PRES) + wa-anixi-be (1PL-heart-PL.IN) + anaihi (because) + wa-arei-bo (1PL-sing-PROG) + areito (ceremonial song/dance) + ka-tukuya-be-kowa (DET-star-PL-LOC)