Alphabet
a     e     h     i    k    n
   o    r    s     t    w
Vowel Sounds
a    e    i    o    en    on    ia
   ie    io    ien    ion
Consonant Sounds
h   k   kh   n   r   s   sh   t
  th   w   wh    kw   khw    ts    ths
The following syllable chart is from Kahnawake, it may not reflect what 
is presently being used on other reserves to spell the Mohawk langauge.  
        a   -    e   -    i   
-   o   -    en    -  on
h     -  ha    -  he      hi   -  
ho  -    hen   -  hon
k    -   ka   -   ke      ki   -  
ko   -   ken    - kon
kh   -   kha   -  khe     khi -    kho 
-   khen    khon
n     -  na    -  ne      ni   -  
no    -  nen -    non
r     -  ra    -  re  -    ri  -   
ro    -  ren  -   ron
s      - sa    -  se   -   si    - 
so   -   sen   -  son
sh  -    sha   -  she   -  shi   -  sho 
-   shen  -  shon
t    -   ta     - te    -  ti   -  
to    -  ten   -  ton
th   -   tha  -   the    - thi  -   tho
-    then  -  thon
w   -    wa   -   we    -  wi     
--      wen     --
wh    -  wha     --      --     
--      when    --
The following syllable chart is from Kahnawake, it may not reflect what 
is presently being used on other reserves to spell the Mohawk langauge.  
Kanien'keha tsi nikontiwenno:tens
        ia      ie     
ii      io      ien     ion
h       hia     hie     --     
hio     hien    hion
k       --      --     
--      --      --      --
kh      khia    khie    --     
khio    khien   khion
n       nia     nie     --     
nio     nien    nion
r       ria     rie     --     
rio     rien    rion
s       sia     sie     --     
sio     sien    sion
sh      sha     she     --     
sho     shen    shon
t       tia     tie     --     
tio     tien    tion
th      thia    thie    --     
thio    thien   thion
PRONOUNCIATION TABLE
Vowels
Approximate English Equivilant
Mohawk Example
a
as a in father
kasere' [ka:-se-re'] car
ahta' [ah-ta'] shoe(s)
e
(1)as e in they, or ay in say
(2)as e in met, bet
(1) wake' [wa:-ke'] I am going
kenenhskwas [ke-nenhs-kwas] I steal
(2) kasere [ka:-se-re'] car
ohere [o-he-reh] corn stalk
i
as ee in see, or ea in meat
ise [i:-se'] you
owira [o-wi:-ra'] baby
o
as o in note, poke
okonhsa [o-konh-sa'] face
okara [o-ka:-ra'] story
NASAL
en
as sound similar to u in
sun when pronounced
through nose
owenna [0wen:na'] word
kenenhskwas [kenenhs-kwas] I steal
on
as a sound similar to oo in
moon when pronounced
through the nose
oronya' [o-ron:ya'] blue
ohonte [o-hon-teh] green, grass
k
(1)as g in gate: when occurring
between vowels, when
followed by a vowle, or
when occurring before a w
  
(2)as k in skate: when occurring
before a consonant
wake' [ wa:-ke'] I am going
ka:sere' [ka:-se-re'] car
ikkwas [ik-kwas] I pick
t
(1)as d in dog: when occurring
between vowles, when
follwoed by a vowel, or
when occuring before y
  
(2)as t in take: when occurring
before a consonant
(1) tare' [ta:-re'] her is coming
akta [ak-ta'] near, beside
o'tara [o'-ta:-ra'] clay
atyatawi' [a-tya:-ta-wi'] coat
(2) katstha' [kats-tha'] I use it
ketshenryes [kets-hen-ryes] I find
s
(1) as s in say: when occurring before another
consonant, or before a vowel
  
(2) as a soft z sound when
occurring after a long stress
(ie. see: in bracket samples)
  
(3) as sh in she: when occurring
before a consonant y and in
some dialects when
occurring before vowel i
(1) wakatste' [wa:-kats-te'] I used it
ohsera [oh-se-ra'] year
(2) kasere' [ka:-se-re'] car
(3)katstahsyons [kats-tah-syons] I finish using athsyana [athsya:-na'] a handful
ahsita' [oh-si:ta'] foot
SONORANTS
n
as n in now, note, never
onen [o:-nenh] now, already
ohna [oh-na'] skin
r
as an rl combination: in
some dialects it occurs more
line an r, while in others
it may occur like an l
raksa'a [rak-sa:-'ah] boy
ohere [o-he-reh] corn stalk
SEMI-VOWELS
w
as w in way, win
  
NOTE: w will change to
vowel when it occurs
between consonants
wahenron' [wa-hen:-ron'] he said
wake' [wa-:ke'] I am going
o'waronk [o'wa:-ronk] meat
y
as y in yet, yellow
oyente [o:yen-teh] firewood
yehninons [yeh-ni:nons] she buys
atyatawi' [a-tya:ta-wi'] coat
h
(1) as in hat, hard
  
(2) as a puff of air after a
vowel, or directly after a
consonant before a vowel
(1) ohere [o-he-reh] corn stalk
wahenron' [wa-hen:ron'] he said
  (2) ahta' [ah-ta'] shoes(s)
wakhrorih [wak-hro:-rih] I did say
GLOTTAL
'
as a stop occurring directly
after vowels
wakko' [wa:k-ko'] I picked
o'tara [o'ta:-ra'] clay, clan
COMBINATIONS
hw
as wh in where
onhwentsya [on-hwen-tsya'] earth
kahwenkare [ka-hwen:-ka-reh] snowshoes
kh
as c in cat, c in cow
khekens [khe:-kens] I see her
wa-khrori' [wa'-khro:ri'] I hold
khw
as qu in queen, quiet
kakhwa [ ka-khwa'] food
kw
should be pronuonced as
a g /gate/ plus w /way/
combination
okwaho [okwa-hoh] wolf
akwekon [a-kwe:-konh] all
ky
should be pronounced as
a g /gate/ plus y /yet/
combination
wakyen' [wa:kyen'] I put down
anokyen [a-no-kyen'] muskrat
ny
should be pronounced as
a n /now/ plus y /yet/
combination
ohnyara [oh-nya:-ra'] throat
onyare [o-nya-reh] snake
ry
each consonant should be
pronounced seperately: r as
per Mohawk pronounciation,
and y as in yet.
wat'kathroryana'
       [wa'-kat-hro-rya:-na']
       I am going to tell about it
sh
should be pronounced
seperately as a s /say/ plus
h /hat/ combination
ohshehs [ohs-hehs] syrop
enshiken' [ens-hi:ken'] I see him again
sy
as sh in she, show, but with
more of a sh plus y
combined sound.
ohsya [oh-sya'] palm of the hand
wahsyen' [wah-syen'] you put down
th
each consonant in this
combination should be
pronounced seperately: t as
in take, h as in hat
wakthare' [wak-tha-re'] I am speaking
thonne's [thon:-ne'] they are about
tsy
(1)this combination represents
the j sound (a sound midway
between English j an ch)
(2)when tsy occurs between
consonants as it will be
represented as tsi with a
sound similar to gee
(1)kanatsyonk [ka-na:--tsyonk] pail
tsyatak [tsya:-tak] seven
(2)otsitsya [0-tsi:-tsya'] flower
ostinekwar [0-tsi:-ne-kwar] yellow
tshy
this consonant combination
provides a sound very
similar to the English ch as
in church
wat'tshyatkahtho'
              [wa'tshyat-kah-tho'] I saw
him
ty
each consonant in this
combination should be
pronounced seperately: t as
in dog, y as in yet
satyen [sa-tyen] sit down
atyatawi' [a-tya:-ta-wi'] coat
wh
as a soft f sound, as
pronounced by slightly
touching the lower lip to the
upper teeth
ohwhare [oh-wha-reh] fur
o'whahsa [o'whah-sa'] skirt
Kaie:ri Niwakenhnhake (Four Seasons)
Kanenna'ke:ne - Fall
Akohsera:ke - Winter
Kakwite:ne - Spring
Akenhnha:ke - Summer
Kaie:ri Nikawera:ke (Four Directions)
Kaie:ri Nikawera:ke (Four Directions)
Othore:ke - North
Entie - South
Na:kon Nonkwa:ti - East
E:neken Nonkwa:ti - West
Ononhkwa'shon:'a (Herb Medicine)
Ononhkwa'shon:'a (Herb Medicine)
ani:tas ken:ie - skunk oil
a'no:wara raoti:ris - turtle socks, pitcher plant akohsa:tens aotihso:kwa - chestnut
ietsi'tsaienthos - saffron, autumn crocus iokhahon - garlic
iokhahon'ko:wa - wild garlic
kahentakon - sweetgrass
kanon'tinekens - milk weed
ken' niiohontesha - strawberries
o'nionkseri'ko:wa - wild onions
ohrhohtehko:wa - burdock
ohnenna:ta - potato
oien'kwa'on:we - tabacco
onen'takwenhten:tsera - cedar
o:nenhste ionta'tihonhkwa - corn starch
onono:ron - sweetflag
oso:ra ohnehta - spruce gum
osti:nekwar nikahtehro:ten - golden thread teiakonia'tawen:'eks - chokecherry
tsohnohskwen:rie - snake root
tekaren'to:ken - gensing
tekanekwenhsia'ks - bloodroot
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Okwire'shon:'a (Trees)
Okwire'shon:'a (Trees)
aka:ratsi - elm tree
atiehwa:ta - butternut
ehsa - black ash
erihko:wa - wild cherry
kanen:ten's - tamarack
kaneron/o'non:na - white ash
karihton - black oak
karihton ohso:kwa - acorn
karontara:ken - white tree
ohi:kta - thorn tree, thorn bush
ohosera - basswood
ohniohkwa - bulbs
ohtsohko:ton - balsam
o:kwire - tree, sapling
onekwenhtara niwatahtshero:ten - red willow onennohkara - hisckory tree
onen:ta, onehta - pine tree
onen'ta'on:we - hemlock
onen'takwenhten:tshera - cedar
onerahtase'ko:wa - white pine
onerahte - leaf
onerahton:ta - poplar
o'rhenionkwa - shrubs or bush
o:se - willow
ose'ko:wa - black willow
o'so:ra - spruce
otokenha - white oak
otsken:rha - beechnut
owi:ra - marsh wood, swampwood
sewahio:wane o:kwire - apple tree
sewahiowane'on:we - crabapple
tara:kwi - sumac
teiakonia'tawne:'eks - choke cherry
tekontinonniakwa - scotch pine
tsorahsa - iron wood
tsiorahsa - iron wood
wahta - red maple
watenake:tarons - white birch
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Names of Rocks
atonhnhehtshera - Minerals
atonhnhehtshera onen:ia feld -spar
iawenie:nare onen:ia - graphite
iohseriie:ta - asbestos
ionekwenhtare onen:ia - copper
ioneniahni:rons ne kawistana:wens granite ionthe'seronnia:tha onen:ia - talk rock
kahwistara:ken nikahneko:ten - mercury, quicksilver kahwistara:ken onen:ia - silver ore
kaneniano:ron - diamond
kaneniarihton - bricks
karista onen:ia - ore
ken'taraken:ra - limestone
ohwistano:ron onen:ia - gold
ona:kara onen:ia - mica
******************
Otsi:sta'shon:'a (Flowers)
a'no:wara raoti:ris - turtle socks, pitcher plant iotitsha:ni - petunia
kahonro;totha otsi:tsa - dandelions
kakwitehnehkha otsi:tsa - tulips
kanon'tinekens - milkweed
katsi'tsakeras - marigolds
konwakeri - daisey
ohrhon'kehnehkha otsi:tsa - morning glory okonhsa - pansy
otsikwa:rhe raotsi:tsa - iris
otsi'tsa'ko:wa - sunflower
So:se raotsi:tsa - atamasco, white lily
teiohnionwaron:ton otsi:tsa - rose
******************
Bird Names
a:kweks - eagle
atiaren'ta:'a - canary
atiaren'ta'ko:wa - oriole
io'kohsen:ton - penguin
iotiwisto - snowbirds
kahrhakon:ha - hawk(older)
kanatakon:ha - sparrow
karontakaroks - woodpecker
ken'tarakonha:ka - swallow
kwanene'ko:wa - ostrich (I never seen ostrich in Mohawk Territory) kwarero:ha - owl(barn)
oha:kwaront - heron
**********
Otsi'nonwa'shon:'a (Insects)
e:so tekahsinon:ton - millopede, cenetipede kontihneko'tsi:reks - aphids
ohwhara:ne - caterpillar
okariahta:ne - mosquito
oneron:ta - wasp
o'no:wa - beetle
otsin'non:wa - bug, insect
otsi:non - flea, louse
otsi'nahkontahkwa:ne - bee
otsi'nonwahnhe:ta - worm
takwa'ahson - spider
takwa'ahson tehota'a:ronte - spider web
taraktarak - cricket
tewattsirokwas - firefly
tsi'ks - fly
tsikenenhston:ko - cicada(harvest fly)
tsi'ksko:wa - horse fly
tsiki'nhontstokhi - ant
tsikenon'waristak - dragon fly
tsikenithe:sera - moth
tsiktsinen:sawen - butterfly
tsista:rare - grasshopper
*******************************
Weather Expressions
wenhniseri:io - it is a nice day
teiotsha:taien - it is foggy
teionien'kwata:se - it is snowing(storming) iowehronhaties - it is thundering
tewani'nehkara'wanions - it is lightening Oh ni:ioht natste? - How is it outside?
Oh niwenhnisero:ten? - What kind of day is it? wenhniseraksen - It is a bad day.
io'tarihen natste - It is warm outside.
iotho:re natste. - It is cold outside.
*******************************
Additional Weather Expressions
iaonhara:ien - there is frost on the ground iowisontion - it is hailing
ionen'ontion - there is an ice storm
ioniehtarorokhon - snowdrifts
iohsa'kensera:ien - frost
iowistanawenhatie - it is melting
kaniehtake:ron - there is snow here & there oniehte - snow
otsha:ta - fog
owera - wind
o:wise - ice
teiotsha:taien - it is foggy
teiowerata:se - it is very windy
tekanien'kwatasehe - there will be a snow storm
*********************************
Onontara'shon:'a
Onatsa'ko:wa - barley
Ase'shon:'a - vegetable
Kitkit wateshe'rhawe'nonnia:ton - chicken noodle Kitkit tanon onatsaken:ra - chicken and rice Onenhsto - corn soup
Onekwa - pea soup
Wateshe'rhakwe'nonnia:ton - macaroni soup
*********************************
Ohneka'shon:'a
Ohso'kwakeri - coffee
Kahentanawenhton - tea
Onon:ta - milk
Athehsa nikanon'to:ten - chocolate milk
Otsi:nekwar niwahio:ten kahnekinekenhton - orange juice O'nenhare kahnekiekenhton - grape juice
McCain thia'tekahne:kake - McCain's assorted drinks
********************************
 
Kakhwa'shon:'a
Wenhetsho:ron - hot dog
Wenhetsho:ron tanon tiononhkwa'tsherosko:wa - chili dog Teka'wahrahrihton ka'wahro:ron - hamburger Teka'wahrahrihton ka'wahro:ron tanon tsi:s - cheeseburger Tariien raotina:taro - pizza
Wathon:ros tekana'tara:sere - submarine
Tiononhkwa'tsherosko:wa onon:tara - chili con carne Tka'wa:ra - meat pie
***************************
Oshokwa'shon:'a (Colors)
ata'kenhrohkwa - grey
atiaren:ta - orange
athehsa - brown
kahon:tsi - black
kara:ken - white
karonhiahon:tsi - navy blue, dark blue
kanekwenhtarahon:tsi - maroon, dark red
onekwenhtara - red
kanekwenhtarara:ken - light red
ohonte - green
kahontara:ken - light green
oron:ia - blue
karonhiara:ken light blue, powder blue
oharennahta - purple
arihwawa'konhneha - purple(also used)
waharennahtara:ken - mauve
otsi:nekwar - yellow
katsi'nekwarara:ken - pale yellow
wahsen:rate - pink
wahsenrate'tsherara:ken - pale pink
wathehsara:ken - tan, beige, cream color, light brown wata'kenhrohkwara:ken - light grey
***********************************
NUMBER:
Ohiatonhkwa'shon:a
enska - 1
tekeni - 2
ahsen - 3
kaie:ri - 4
wisk - 5
ia:iak - 6
tsa:ta - 7
sha'te:kon - 8
tiohton - 9
oie:ri - 10
enska iawen:re - 11
tekeni iawen:re 12
ahsen iawen:re - 13
kaie:ri iawe