Colonial Valley Zapotec to English Vocabulary

This Vocabulary contains 291 words and morphemes commonly found in the documents and some of their variant spellings. There are two main parts: the main dictionary (Zapotec to English) and the English-to-Zapotec Reverse Index, which can be used to look up a word in the main section.

If you know what the word might mean, but do not know what the Zapotec word might look like, the index will likely be the most useful place for you to look. Be sure to try looking under synonyms, as well.

If you are trying to figure out what an unidentified Zapotec word might mean, recall that spelling can be quite variable. Here are some tips for finding a Zapotec word in the dictionary:

  • Disregard any accent marks. For example, if you are looking for <quéche> try by looking under <queche>.
  • If you don’t find the word spelled exactly as you found it in the text, trying changing the spelling in ways listed below. For example, if you are looking for <aanna> and do not find it there, try looking under <ana>.
    change to
    double consonants single consonants
    double vowels single vowels
    <ij> <i>
  • Disregard any <h> between two identical vowels. For example, if you are looking for <anachihi> and find nothing there, try looking under <anachi>.
  • Keep in mind that the following letter (sequences) may be used interchangeably. If you expect your word to have one of these letters, try replacing it with the one (or ones) in bold, e.g. if you are looking for <veni> you might also look under <peni> and <beni>.
    • p, b, u, v
    • t, d
    • g, gu, c, q, qu
    • s, z, x, c, ç
    • u, o
    • e, i

There are two types of entries. Main entries, like anachi and beni below, and cross references for spelling variants, like anachihi below. Cross-references always contain the headword and the cross reference to the main entry. Main entries minimally contain the headword and the definition. They may optionally contain other elements, such as notes on the composition of the word, a list of spelling variants, and sub-entries of words related to that headword. Below, three entries are broken down and their component parts are numbered. A key to these numbered parts follows directly below the sample entries.
1 headword Each definition starts with a headword.
2 definition The headword is followed by a definition. If there are multiple senses to a word, they are numbered.
3 notes on morphological composition The component parts of a word may be noted. For example anachi is made up of ana ‘now’ and chi ‘day’.
4 spelling variants Some possible spelling variants are listed.
5 cross-reference from a spelling variant Some spelling variants (sp. var.) are listed in the vocabulary with a cross reference to the main headword.
6 sub-entry Some subentries are listed under headwords. These can also be found as headwords with more information.
7 example Some entries have examples. The examples are introduced with a reference to the text from which they come, followed by the Zapotec examples in italics and the English translation in quotes.
8 cross-reference Some entries contain cross-references to other entries.
9 modern cognate with audio Some entries contain cognates with audio. Click on the blue play button to hear a native speaker pronounce the cognate in that modern Valley Zapotec variety. Click on the black arrow to jump to that entry in the corresponding Talking Dictionary.

The modern cognates with audio come from four Talking Dictionaries of modern Valley Zapotec languages. These dictionaries are collaborations with native speakers and were made possible by Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages, K. David Harrison, and Jeremy Fahringer. We owe special thanks to Fahringer for enabling the mechanism whereby Ticha can interact with the Talking Dictionaries. The language varieties are listed below with links to the Talking Dictionaries and the names of the contributing speakers.

San Jerónimo Tlacochahuaya Zapotec

http://www.talkingdictionary.org/tlacochahuaya

Speakers: Moisés García Guzmán, Angélica Guzmán Martínez, Antonio García Cruz, María Mercedes Méndez Morales.

San Lucas Quiaviní Zapotec

http://www.talkingdictionary.org/sanlucasquiavini

Speakers: Felipe H. Lopez and Victoria Lopez.

Teotitlán del Valle Zapotec

http://www.talkingdictionary.org/teotitlan

Speakers: Camillo Alavéz Alavéz, Gario Angeles, Manuel Bazan Chávez, Froilán Carreño Gutiérrez, Natalia Carreño Hernandez, Janet Chávez Santiago, Federico Chávez Sosa, Elena García Jimenez, Noel Alejandro García Juárez, Silvia González Ruiz, Ambrocio Gutiérrez, Bibiana Gutiérrez, Zenón Pablo Gutiérrez, Erasto Gutiérrez López, Celso Gutiérrez Montaño, Jorge David Hernández Sosa, Edison Hipólito de los Ángeles, Camelia Lazo Chávez, Teresa Martínez Chavez, Adrián Martínez Mendoza, Leonardo Martínez Sosa, Miguel Ángel Mendoza Bautista, Rocío Mendoza Bazán, Manuel de Jesús Mendoza Chávez, Teresa Manuela Mendoza Ruíz, Miros Laba, Cristina Ruiz, Rosa Ruiz González, Francisco Ruiz Gutiérrez, Mariano Sosa Martinez.

Tlacolula de Matamoros Zapotec

http://www.talkingdictionary.org/tlacolula

Speakers: Roberto Antonio Ruiz, and Josefina Antonio Ruiz.

Lillehaugen, Brook Danielle, George Aaron Broadwell, Michel R. Oudijk, Laurie Allen, May Helena Plumb, and Mike Zarafonetis. 2017. "Colonial Valley Zapotec to English Vocabulary." Ticha: a digital text explorer for Colonial Zapotec, first edition. Online: https://ticha.haverford.edu/en/vocabulary

A

=asp. var. of=yaI; me
acano, not (negative particle)Vellon 099 5.1Aca bixooce, naa aca nannaya niquee.No father, me-- I don't know those [things].acuahacaya=no, notyaca1no, notaca-not
acuasp. var. ofacano, not
alaariisp. var. ofalariitem
alaniitem (used to mark items in a list)alariitemalariniitem
alariitem (used to mark items in a last)alaariialaniitemalariniitem
alariniitem (used to mark items in a list)alatinilatinialaniitemalariitemalar-item
alatinisp. var. ofalariniitem
ana1nowna7yana1ana-nowanachitoday
ana3sp. var. ofnana3know
anachitodayana1nowchi3dayanachihiañachijanchiyanachianac-toda
anachihisp. var. ofanachitoday
añachijsp. var. ofanachitoday
anchisp. var. ofanachitoday

Á

B

ba-sp. var. ofbe-2causative perfective aspect
bacaa1Tlacolulabacaa2baca-tlac
bacaa2sp. var. ofbacaa1
balalatisp. var. ofbelalatibody
be-2causative perfective aspectba-pe-2
be-4reiterative perfective aspect
becogo1altar2seat; thronebecogoobeecogoobeco-alta
becogoosp. var. ofbecogoaltar, seat
becoxillasheep, ewemáni xíllapéhue-xíllapeco2dogxilla6cottonpecoxilla huinisheepbeco-shee
beecogoosp. var. ofbecogoaltar, seat
bejuanalordBesuanabexuanaBexuhuanopejuanabeju-lord
bela1iftebelaifbela-if
bela2flesh, meatpela-fleshuèti pèla
belaalatisp. var. ofbelalatibody
belalatibodybela2fleshlati1bodybalalatibelaalatipelalaripelalati
bene2mudFeria 5r 2.3oalica cani yoo cuyaa beniati, chela yagalati yoo nazaca, cani penna yoo cuyaanitruly people were formed from the earth, and not from good earth, but they were formed from mudyoo pènnebene-mud
benegolasp. var. ofbenigolaold person
benequichasp. var. ofbeniquichasick person
benexiinichildbeni1personxini1child
beni2do (perfective stem)ronido
beni1personVenijbeni-persbenexiinichildbeni cobanabeni tahomerchantbeni zaZapotec personbeniatipeoplebenigolaold personbenigonawomanbenigotidead personbeniniguiomanbeniquichasick person
beniatipeople, human kindbeni1personbeni-peop
beni cijpoor person; needy personpèni na+zijpoor personbenni zijpeni zij
beni cobanathiefbeni1personcobána
Benigichiasp. var. ofBenigichijbeniquichasick person
Benigichijsp. var. ofbeniquichasick person Benigichia
benigolaold person; elderbeni1persongolaoldbenegolabeni-oldp
benigona1woman2wifelechela 1beni1persongona2woman, femalebeni1persongona2woman, femalebennigonaabeni-woma
benigotidead personbeni1personcoti2die (perfective stem)beni-dead
benigueche1servant2vassal
beniguichasp. var. ofbeniquichasick person
beniniguiomanbeni1personniguiomale, manbeniniquiobeni-man
beniniquiosp. var. ofbeniniguioman
beniquichasick personbeni1personquicha1sickbenequichaBenigichiaBenigichijbeniguichabeni-sick
beni tahomerchanthueciyahobeni1person
beni zaZapotec personbeni1personbeni-zapo
bennigonaasp. var. ofbenigonawoman
benni zijsp. var. ofbeni cijpoor person
beosp. var. ofpeomoon, month
besosesp. var. ofbixocefather
Besuanasp. var. ofbejuanalord
bexuanasp. var. ofbejuanalord
Bexuhuanosp. var. ofbejuanalord
beyosp. var. ofpeomoon, month
bezelodevilbeeloobeze-devi
bi-2and (used in complex numbers)chijnio bij tapaanineteen
bi-1perfective aspectvi-2
bichidrybich-dry
bichichi1treasure2moneypichichibich-treabichichi nagachigoldbichichi nagaosilver
bichichi nagachigoldbichichitreasurena-stative asp.nagachebe yellowbich-gold
bichichi nagaosilverbichichitreasurebich-silv
bichinadeerbich-deerpichina conaox, bull
biga11necklace2ringbiga-neck
biganaservant
bijnijsp. var. ofpinnijseed
bijxoozeesp. var. ofbixocefather
bisasp. var. ofbizaborder marker
bitanisp. var. ofbytanihuipil
bitao1God (great spirit)2great life force, great spirit-taogreatvito
bixocefatherbesosebijxoozeebixosebixozebyxoocepisosepixocevixocetatafatherbixo-fathbixoce copabitaopriestbixozecolagrandfather
bixoce copabitaobixocefathercopapitaopriest, confessorbijxoce capautioobijxoce Copavijtoovixoce copavito
bixoozegollasp. var. ofbixozecolagrandfather
bixosesp. var. ofbixocefather
bixozesp. var. ofbixocefather
bixozecolagrandfatherbixocefathergolaoldbixoozegollatijticolaxitegoola
bixyowitch, sorcererbixy-witc
biysaasp. var. ofbizaborder marker
bizaborder markerbisabiysaabiziapisavijsaavijzavissaavizavizaabiza-bord
bizanasibling of the opposite sex, sister (of a man), brother (of a woman)biza-sibl
biziasp. var. ofbizaborder marker
bytanihuipil (a traditional garment)bitanibyta-huip
byxoocesp. var. ofbixocefather

C

c-1sp. var. ofqui-irrealis aspect
=ca2(emphatic marker)
ca3fivega2caa-five
ca2where (interrogative)ca-wher
cachesevenCochecoochecach-seve
caletwentygaleegalicale-twen
cani11and2but, howevercani-and
catotwo (B set of numbers)topatwo
cayo1three (B set of numbers)chonathreecayo-thre
cayoaone hundredcayo-oneh
cayonasixtycayo-sixt
cayoosp. var. ofgayofive
câyoosp. var. ofgayofive
cechacueotherze- 2another(pre-QUANT)chacuesomezeechacuee
celi1always2eternalceli-eter
cete4sp. var. ofrocete2learn
cete3saltcéticéyteciéteciticete-salt
cète2sp. var. ofrocete2learn
cétisp. var. ofcete3salt
cetobisp. var. ofsetobianother
céytesp. var. ofcete3salt
chachobe located separate (neutral aspect)
chacuesomechac-somecechacueother
chaga1one (B set of numbers)tobionechag-onechaga chagaevery one
chaga chagaevery, each, every onechaga1one (B set of numbers)
chana1Sir2Lady3Lordchonaachan-prie
chapayoung womanchap-younxinichapadaughter
che3sp. var. ofchi3day
chela1and, alsochelaniaandchel-andchelaneand
chelaneandchela1and=newith
chi3dayche3chy1chi-dayanachitoday
chi4whenchiijchi-when
chi1tenchi-ten
chiba5miserychib-mise
chichibeapermission
chii gallabeaat the time of?
chiijsp. var. ofchi4when
chijnio bij tapaanineteen (fifteen and four)chino2fifteenbi-2and (in complex numbers)tapa2fourchin-nine
chijñoosp. var. ofchino2fifteen
china51job, workQuela-huèni-chijna, quela-huèni-ñaani2position, officechin-work
chinisp. var. ofxini1child
chiniosp. var. ofchino2fifteen
chino1thirteenchij-thir
chino2fifteenchijñoochiniochin-fiftchijnio bij tapaanineteen
chiquethenchiq-then
chita2bonechit-bonechitacuerib
chita1fourteenchit-four
chitacueribchita2bonecue1sidechit-rib
chonathreecayo1three (B set of numbers)chon-thre
chonaasp. var. ofchanaSir, Lord
chy1sp. var. ofchi3day
=cionly, just=cy=si=xi=zici-only
ciani2morecitao2 3
ciani11many, muchcian-many
cica31thus, like this2likecica-thuscicani1thus
cicani2but
cicani1thus, like thiscica3thus, likesicanicica-like
ciétesp. var. ofcete3salt
citao21abundant, numerous2large3moreciani2narào, citàoti-taogreat
citisp. var. ofcete3salt
citobisp. var. ofsetobianother
co-3(perfective aspect)gu-2
cobánathiefribanastealbeni cobana
cobinewcobi-new
cobicha1sun2daygobichiagobijchaagobychagoobijchagoobychagoobychaagouichagovichagovijchacobi-sun
coca11be, exist (perfective stem)2be able to, can (perfective stem)raca1be, can
Cochesp. var. ofcacheseven
cogujsp. var. ofcoquinoble
cola=(plural imperative)Arte 071 3.1cǒlacǎcatonǒ Let us be!Vellon 119 2.2xinni xtennia, cola colla; cotazeeni loo Bejuanana Dios, niani cocañeeni, guezalaachini xtenni benni guicha rymy children, cry, call to God our Lord to help and have mercy on this sick person
cona3bull, oxcona-oxpichina conaox, bull
cona41offering2sacrifice3tithecónigona1gunacona-offe
cónisp. var. ofcona4offering, sacrifice
coniyamerchant
coochesp. var. ofcacheseven
coopabijtaoosp. var. ofcopapitaopriest, confessor
Cooquisp. var. ofcoquinoble
copa1guardcopapitaopriest, confessor
copabitaosp. var. ofcopapitaopriest, confessor
copa bitoosp. var. ofcopapitaopriest, confessor
copapitaopriest, confessor, friarcopa1guardbitaogreat spirit, godcoopabijtaoocopa bitoocopabitaogoPa bittobixoce copabitaopriest
coquinoble; lord, ladycogujCooquigogui2quoqui2
cotagoeat (perfective stem)rago1eat
coti2die, be dead (perfective stem)ratibe deadguela gotideath
coti1hit (perfective stem)riquinehit
cotixepay (perfective stem)riquixepay
cue11side2beside, at the side ofcue-sidechitacuerib
cue2plot (of land), fieldcuique2layolandquina1sowed land
cue3took, has takenricatake
cue layoosp. var. ofcuelayooplot of land
cuelayoolot, plot of landcue2plotlayolandcue layoocueyoofieldlayoland
cuisp. var. ofcue2plot

Ç

çòo-sp. var. ofzo-PSBL
çôtieight thousand

E

=esp. var. of=hèOh! (vocative)
ellasp. var. ofelafour hundred
entierro1entombmententierro2
escaniobench
estaciahacienda
ex-sp. var. ofxi-marker on possessed nouns

G

g-1sp. var. ofqui-irrealis aspect
ga2sp. var. ofca3five
ga1ninegaa-nine
ga-sp. var. ofqui-irrealis aspect
gaasaacasp. var. ofquezacaagain
galeesp. var. ofcaletwenty
galisp. var. ofcaletwenty
gayofivecayoocâyoogayo-five
gegosp. var. ofquecoriver
giniasp. var. ofquina1sowed land
gobichiasp. var. ofcobichasun, day
gobijchaasp. var. ofcobichasun, day
gobychasp. var. ofcobichasun, day
gochitilled, plowed, worked
gogui2sp. var. ofcoquinoble
golaoldgola-oldbixozecolagrandfather
gona1sp. var. ofcona4offering, sacrifice
gona2female; womanbenigonawoman
goobijchasp. var. ofcobichasun, day
goobychasp. var. ofcobichasun, day
goobychaasp. var. ofcobichasun, day
goPa bittosp. var. ofcopapitaopriest, confessor
gouichasp. var. ofcobichasun, day
govichasp. var. ofcobichasun, day
govijchasp. var. ofcobichasun, day
gu-2sp. var. ofco-3perfective aspect
gue-1sp. var. ofhue-2perfect aspect
gue-3sp. var. ofque-3causative irrealis aspect
gue-2sp. var. ofqui-irrealis aspect
gue=sp. var. ofquela=nominalizer
gueche1pueblo; town, villageguichaoqueche2guec-puebguechelayoworld
gueche guibanailquechi2thornquiba2metal
guechelayoworldgueche1pueblolayolandqchelayoguec-worl
gueetasp. var. ofguetaodeceased
guegosp. var. ofquecoriver
guela gotideathquela=nominalizercoti2die (perfective stem)quellagooti
guelarieni understandingquela=nominalizerrieniunderstandguelaanayanijunderstandingquel-unde
guella yootideath
guetaodeceasedgueetaquectoguet-dece
gui-sp. var. ofqui-irrealis aspect
guibasp. var. ofquiba2metal
guicha2wool
guichaosp. var. ofgueche1pueblo
guichi1sp. var. ofquichi1paper
guiesp. var. ofquie1rock
guiehuanamirrorguie-mirr
gunasp. var. ofcona4offering, sacrifice
GutierresGutierrez

H

ha3Oh! (vocative, before a noun)=hèOh! (vocative)
hacasp. var. ofacano, not
hua1question particlehua-ques
hua-1sp. var. ofhue-2perfect aspect
hua=sp. var. ofhue=perfect aspect
hualachi1homeland2native (to a place) (of a person)hual-home
hualica1true2trulyhue-2perfect aspectnalistraight, true=ca2(emphatic marker)hualliicaoalica
hualliicasp. var. ofhualicatrue, truly
huaneandhueñehueñeehuan-and
huayaani2manyAguero, 5.1Hualijca, Channa, cicaque pennia huayaanitete liaazaI have done this many times, Father
huayaaxeexpensivehuay-expe
hue-21perfect aspect2another (used before numbers, see Cordova Arte 3.2.2.3.4)3reiterative perfect aspectgue-1hua-1
hue=perfect aspect (pre-aspect marker)hua=oa=
huecayescribe
huelacelachipunishment
hueñedial. var. ofhuaneand
hueñeedial. var. ofhuaneand
huèti pèlabutcher, meat sellerroti1sellbela2flesh
huezaa2creator

I

izasp. var. ofysayear

J

juaresJuarezxuares

L

=la11and2orla-and
la1be namedlahla-name
la=1orla-or
la=2plural imperative
laa4namelaa-name
laachesp. var. oflachalarge flat land
lacathis same, same
lachaflat land, flat field (perhaps relatively large)laachelapaplain, flat landpezaaflat field
lachelasp. var. oflechelaspouse
lachi1heart2soullach-hearlachitochestrielilachibelieverolabalachithink, consider
lachitochestlachiheartlach-ches
laga1widelaga-wide
lagacasamelaga-same
lahsp. var. ofla1be named
lahui2between, among, amidstláhuilahu-betw
lani21stomachCo721-1 23.1guela nabanij selij lanij guehuij quijebaa nijin life everlasting in the kingdom of heaven2inlenilani-stom
lani1party, feastlani-part

Showing 291 total vocabulary entries.