ᏧᎾ·ᎵᏍᏓ·ᏴᏗᎢ ᏙᏣᏟᏃᎮᏍᎪᎢ

restaurant conversation

“often we converse at the restaurant”

This page is an interactive sample conversation that you can use to speak Cherokee right now! Here is a demo video of how to use this page. Depending on operating system, to listen to an audio a 2nd time you may need to rewind the audio or reload the page. If you read & write ᏣᎳᎩ syllabary: a · middle dot will be used to mark vowel deletion.

Most parts of the conversation have simple conjugations (different kinds of ways to change a verb) that will show you how to change who is doing the verb. Cherokee also other parts of speech that can conjugate. When these conjugations are available the *verb* or other parts of speech will have *asterisks* around it. The matching audio clip will pronounce multiple conjugations as well.

1ᎬᏱ

arriving

  • ᏥᎷᎦ “jee-luke” I am arriving

    ᎯᎷᎦ “he-luke” you are arriving

    ᎦᎷᎦ “gah-luke” s/he is arriving

    ᎢᏗᎷᎦ “ee-dee-luke” we (all) are arriving

  • ᎨᏙᎭ “gay-doh” I am at_

    ᎮᏙᎭ “hay-doh” you are at_

    ᎡᏙᎭ “ay-doh” s/he is at_

    ᎢᏕᏙᎭ “ee-day-doh” we (all) are at_

  • ᎭᏢ ᎨᏙᎭ? “ha-dluh gay-doh” where am I at?

    ᎭᏢ ᎮᏙᎭ? “ha-dluh hay-doh” where are you at?

    ᎭᏢ ᎡᏙᎭ? “ha-dluh ay-doh” where is s/he at?

    ᎭᏢ ᎢᏕᏙᎭ? “ha-dluh ee-day-doh” where are we (all) at?

  • ᎠᏍᏚᎢᏓ “ah-sdoo-ee-dah” it's open

  • ᎠᏍᏚᎭ ah-sdoo-ha” its closed

  • ᎧᎹ ᎢᏗᏴᎲ “kahm ee-dee-yuh-huh” let’s go inside

2Ꮑ

greeting

  • ᎯᎳᏯ ᎾᏂ? “he-lie-yah nah-knee” How many people are there?

  • ᎦᏍᎩᎸᏍ ᏣᏚᎵᎭ? “gah-ski-luhs jah-doo-lee?” Do you (1 person) want a table?

    ᎦᏍᎩᎸᏍ ᏍᏓᏚᎵᎭ? “gah-ski-luhs sdah-doo-lee?” Do y’all (2 people) want a table?

    ᎦᏍᎩᎸᏍ ᎢᏣᏚᎵᎭ? “gah-ski-luhs ee-jah-doo-lee?” Do y’all (3 or more people) want a table?

  • ᎤᏩᏂᎨ ᎬᏅᎯᏓ ᎦᏍᎩᎶᏍ ᏣᏚᎵᎭ? “uw-wah-knee-gay guh-nuh-heed gah-ski-lows jah-doo-lee” Do you (1 person) want a booth?

    ᎤᏩᏂᎨ ᎬᏅᎯᏓ ᎦᏍᎩᎶᏍ ᏍᏓᏚᎵᎭ? “uw-wah-knee-gay guh-nuh-heed gah-ski-lows sdah-doo-lee” Do y’all (2 people) want a booth?

    ᎤᏩᏂᎨ ᎬᏅᎯᏓ ᎦᏍᎩᎶᏍ ᎢᏣᏚᎵᎭ? “uw-wah-knee-gay guh-nuh-heed gah-ski-lows ee-jah-doo-lee” Do y’all (3 or more people) want a booth?

  • ᎠᎩᏲᏏᎭ“ ah-gee-yo-see” I am hungry

    ᏣᏲᏏᎭ “jah-yo-see” you are hungry

    ᎤᏲᏏᎭ “uw-yo-see” s/he is hungry

    ᎢᎩᏲᏏᎭ “ee-gee-yo-see” we (all) are hungry

  • Ꭰ·ᎩᏔᏕᎩᎠ “ahk-tah-day-gee” I am thirsty

    ·ᏣᏔᏕᎩᎠ “chtah-day-gee” you are thirsty

    ᎤᏔᏕᎩᎠ “uw-tah-day-gee” s/he is thirsty

    ᎢᎩᏔᏕᎩᎠ “ee-gee-tah-day-gee” we (all) are thirsty

  • ᎦᏙ ᎤᏍᏗ ᏣᏗᏔᏍᏗ ᏣᏚᎵᎭ “gah-dough uw-sdee jah-dee-tah-sdee jah-doo-lee“ What do you (1 person) want to drink?

    ᎦᏙ ᎤᏍᏗ ᏍᏓᏗᏔᏍᏗ ᏍᏓᏚᎵᎭ “gah-dough uw-sdee sdah-dee-tah-sdee sdah-doo-lee“ What do y’all (2 people) want to drink?

    ᎦᏙ ᎤᏍᏗ ᎢᏣᏗᏔᏍᏗ ᎢᏣᏚᎵᎭ “gah-dough uw-sdee ee-jah-dee-tah-sdee ee-jah-doo-lee“ What do y’all (3 or more people) want to drink?

3Ꮑ

ordering

  • ᎦᏙ ᎤᏍᏗ Ꮳ·ᎵᏍᏓ·ᏴᏗ ᏣᏚᎵᎭ “gah-dough uw-sdee jahl-sdye-dee jah-doo-lee“ What do you (1 person) want to eat (as a meal)?

    ᎦᏙ ᎤᏍᏗ ᏍᏓ·ᎵᏍᏓ·ᏴᏗ ᏍᏓᏚᎵᎭ “gah-dough uw-sdee sdahl-sdye-dee sdah-doo-lee“ What do y’all (2 people) want to eat (as a meal)?

    ᎦᏙ ᎤᏍᏗ ᎢᏣ·ᎵᏍᏓ·ᏴᏗ ᎢᏣᏚᎵᎭ “gah-dough uw-sdee ee-jahl-sdye-dee ee-jah-doo-lee“ What do y’all (3 or more people) want to eat (as a meal)?

  • ᎠᏆᏚᎵᎭ “ah-gwah-doo-lee” I want_

    ᏣᏚᎵᎭ “jah-doo-lee” you want_

    ᎤᏚᎵᎭ “uw-doo-lee” s/he wants_

    ᎣᎦᏚᎵᎭ “oh-gah-doo-lee” we (my group) wants_

  • ᎠᎹ “ah-mah” water

  • ᎠᏍᏛᎭᏟ “ah-sduh-hahl” burger / sandwich

  • restaurant words

    drink words

  • ᎭᏢ ᏙᏱ ᎤᏨᏍᏗ? “ha-dluh doi-yee uw-juh-sdee” where is the bathroom?

4Ꮑ

at the table

  • ᏥᎦᏘᏯ“jee-gah-tee-yah” I am waiting (for it)

    Ꭿ·ᎦᏘᏯ “heek-tee-yah” you are waiting (for it)

    Ꭰ·ᎦᏘᏯ “ahk-tee-yah” s/he is waiting (for it)

    ᎢᏗ·ᎦᏘᏯ “ee-deek-tee-yah” we (all) are waiting (for it)

  • ᎭᏢ Ꭰ·ᎵᏍᏓ·ᏴᏗ ᎠᏆᏤᎵᎢ? “ha-dluh all-sdye-dee ah-gwah-jay-lee” Where is my food?

    ᎭᏢ Ꭰ·ᎵᏍᏓ·ᏴᏗ ᏣᏤᎵᎢ? “ha-dluh all-sdye-dee jah-jay-lee” Where is your (1 person) food?

    ᎭᏢ Ꭰ·ᎵᏍᏓ·ᏴᏗ ᎤᏤᎵᎢ? “ha-dluh all-sdye-dee uw-jay-lee” Where is his/her food?

    ᎭᏢ Ꭰ·ᎵᏍᏓ·ᏴᏗ ᎩᎾᏤᎵᎢ? “ha-dluh all-sdye-dee gee-nah-jay-lee” Where is our (you and me - 2 people) food?

    ᎭᏢ Ꭰ·ᎵᏍᏓ·ᏴᏗ ᎢᎦᏤᎵᎢ? “ha-dluh all-sdye-dee ee-gah-jay-lee” Where is our (all of us - 3 or more people) food?

  • ᏥᎩᎠ“jee-gee” I am eating (1 kind of food)

    ᎯᎩᎠ “hee-gee” you are eating (1 kind of food)

    ᎠᎩᎠ “ah-gee” s/he is eating (1 kind of food)

    ᎢᏗᎩᎠ “ee-dee-gee” we (all) are eating (1 kind of food)

  • ᎦᎵᏍᏓᏴᎲᏍᎦ “gah-li-sdye-yuh-huhsk” I am eating (a meal)

    Ꭽ·ᎵᏍᏓᏴᎲᏍᎦ “hahl-sdye-yuh-huhsk” you are eating (a meal)

    Ꭰ·ᎵᏍᏓᏴᎲᏍᎦ “ahl-sdye-yuh-huhsk” s/he is eating (a meal)

    ᎢᏓ·ᎵᏍᏓᏴᎲᏍᎦ “ee-dahl-sdye-yuh-huhsk” we (all) are eating (a meal)

  • ᎠᎩᎸ·ᏉᏗ “ah-gee-luhkw-dee” I like_

    ᏣᎸ·ᏉᏗ “jah-luhkw-dee” you like_

    ᎤᎸ·ᏉᏗ “uw-luhkw-dee” s/he likes_

    ᎣᎩᎸ·ᏉᏗ “oh-gee-luhkw-dee” we (my group) like_

  • ᎪᎸᏍᎦ “goh-luhsk” I am getting full

    ᎰᏢᏍᎦ “hoh-hluhsk” you are getting full

    ᎪᏢᏍᎦ “goh-hluhsk” s/he is getting full

    ᎢᏙᏢᏍᎦ “ee-doh-hluhsk” we (all) are getting full

5Ꮑ

paying

  • ᏥᏍᏆᏓ“jee-sgwat” I am finished

    ᎯᏍᏆᏓ “hee-sgwat” you are finished

    ᎠᏍᏆᏓ “ah-sgwat” s/he is finished

    ᎢᏗᏍᏆᏓ “ee-dee-sgwat” we (all) are finished

  • ᎠᏆᏈ·ᏴᏗ ᎠᏆᏚᎵᎭ “ah-gwah-kwee-dee ah-gwah-doo-lee” I want to pay

    ᏣᏈ·ᏴᏗ ᏣᏚᎵᎭ “jah-kwee-dee jah-doo-lee” you want to pay

    ᎤᏈ·ᏴᏗ ᎤᏚᎵᎭ“uw-kwee-dee uw-doo-lee” s/he wants to pay

    ᎢᎦᏈ·ᏴᏗ ᎢᎦᏚᎵᎭ“ee-gah-kwee-dee ee-gah-doo-lee” we (all) want to pay

  • ᏓᎦᏈᏴᎯ “dah-gah-gwee-yuh-he” I will pay

    ᏔᏈᏴᎯ “tah-kwee-yuh-he” you will pay

    ᏛᏈᏴᎯ “duh-kwee-yuh-he” s/he will pay

    ᏓᏓᏈᏴᎯ “dah-dah-kwee-yuh-he” we (all) will pay

  • ᎦᏈᏱᎭ “gah-gwee-yee” I am paying (right now)

    ᎭᏈᏱᎭ “hah-kwee-yee” you are paying (right now)

    ᎠᏈᏱᎭ “ah-kwee-yee” s/he is paying (right now)

    ᎢᏓᏈᏱᎭ “ee-dah-kwee-yee” we (all) are paying (right now)

  • ᏌᏭᎯᎭ ᎢᎦᏈ·ᏴᏗ“saw-woo-hee-ha ee-gah-kwee-dee” we (all) are going to pay what we each individually ordered

  • numbers and money words

6Ꮑ

leaving

  • ᎦᏂᎩᎠ “gah-nee-gee” I am leaving

    ᎭᏂᎩᎠ “hah-hnee-gee” you are leaving

    ᎠᏂᎩᎠ “ah-hnee-gee” s/he is leaving

    ᎢᏓᏂᎩᎠ “ee-dah-hnee-gee” we (all) are leaving

  • ᏙᎾᏓᎪᎲᎢ “dough-nah-dah-go-huh-ee” (you and I) will see each other again

    ᏙᏓᏓᎪᎲᎢ “dough-dah-dah-go-huh-ee” (all of us) will see each other again

    we don’t say or have words for “bye” or “goodbye” because we believe we will see each other again

  • ᏣᏓ·ᎦᏎᏍᏕᏍᏗ “jah-dahk-say-sday-sdee” you (1 person) watch over yourself! (be safe/take care)

    ᏍᏓᏓ·ᎦᏎᏍᏕᏍᏗ “sdah-dahk-say-sday-sdee” y’all (2 people) watch over yourselves! (be safe/take care)

    ᎢᏣᏓ·ᎦᏎᏍᏕᏍᏗ “ee-jah-dahk-say-sday-sdee” y’all (3 or more people) watch over yourselves! (be safe/take care)