Food

"What are some names of traditional Yurok foods?"

SEE Nue-ne-pueh: Food


traditional food cards - cake walk

Animals

"We are planning curriculum for Head Start. Can you help with the spellings for these animal words?"


SEE
Yurok Writing System
SEE
Hoo-re'-mos: Animal Terms
SEE
Nue-ne-pueh: Food
SEE
Ney-pe'-weesh: Sealife
SEE
'A'-te-meyr neeen': Read it!
SEE
Pyuer-keyr-es: Play it


For audio, see the sections above. Here are the YLP spellings:

  • chyer'ery' - black bear (audio by 'aa-wok Aileen)
    neek-wech - grizzly

  • twey-goh - raccoon (audio by 'aa-wok Jimmie)

  • puuek - deer (audio by 'aa-wok Aileen)

  • ney-puy - salmon (audio by 'aa-wok Aileen)

  • ney-pe'weesh-neg - river otter (audio by 'aa-wok Aileen)

  • key'ween - eel - (audio by 'aa-wok Aileen)

  • ko'ses - crab (audio by 'aa-wok Aileen)

  • pee'eeh - mussels (audio by 'aa-wok Aileen)

  • chey-gel' - seaweed (edible) (audio by 'aa-wok Georgiana)

  • mue-lah - horse (audio by 'aa-wok Florence)

  • kwey-ge-ruer' - pig (audio by 'aa-wok Florence)

  • chee-kee - chicken (audio by Brit)

  • mues-mues - cow (audio by 'aa-wok Aileen)

  • sheeep - sheep (audio by Brit)

  • hlkwer-terrkws - frog (audio by 'aa-wok Violet)

  • ner-yert - duck (audio by 'aa-wok Florence)
    muuern - river duck (audio by Brit)

  • herk'werh - rabbit (audio by 'aa-wok Aileen)

"How do I say blue jay?"
Steller's Jay: k'ooy'
Scrub Jay: sraat

Phrases

"How do I say 'My name is _____.'?"

  • Nek 'new (NAME).
    "My name is _______."

  • (NAME) 'new.
    "_________ is my name."

  • (NAME) wey-go-nee'.
    "They call me (NAME)."

  • Wey-go-nee' (NAME).
    "They call me (NAME)."

"How do I say 'Happy birthday'?"

Yurok people did not celebrate birthdays, but in today's society, we sometimes use these phrases:

  • Tey-wo-mehl 'ue-ke-choyn ("It's a happy day")

  • Skue-yen' 'ue-ke-choyn ("It's a good day")

"How can I learn a Yurok prayer?"

Prayers are deeply personal. We recommend connecting with a Yurok language speaker.


You may join a morning prayer M-Th. See the Yurok Language Event Calendar for details

SEE Language Calendar

Tree Studies

"Can you help me with spellings for these tree terms?"

SEE Trees

"I was also wondering if there is a generic term for tree and the parts of a tree: trunk, leaves, roots, pine needle, pinecone?"

Yurok is a very specific language, especially with terms for things in our natural environment.

For example, werh-kweech is fir-tree bark, roo-get is tanoak bark, etc.

The words that are available can be found in Trees .


Plants

"Can you help me with some names for native plants and their uses?"

SEE Trees
SEE
Plants
SEE
Nue-ne-pueh: Food

Environment

"Can you help me with spellings for these terms?"
SEE Trees
SEE
Plants
SEE
Yurok Orthography (Writing System)

  • Tey-poo - Douglas Fir and also sometimes used to talk about types of trees
    (for example, 'er-plers 'we-tey-poo "apple tree" because those were not Native to this area so they came up with a name for them later)

Birds

Songs

"Where can I listen to Yurok language songs?"

SEE Sing it!
SEE
Watch it!
SEE
Yurok Language Program YouTube Channel

Carole's Language CD

"Will you please share some Circle Time songs?"

SEE Sing it!
SEE
Watch it!
SEE
Yurok Language Program YouTube Channel

Morning Song: LISTEN HERE

Skue-yen' 'ue-koy 'ne-rah-cheen.
(Good morning, my friends)

Skue-yen' 'ue-koy 'ne-rah-cheen.
(Good morning, my friends)

Skue-yen' 'ue-koy 'ne-rah-cheen,
(Good morning, my friends)

Keech 'ee' roo kee 'ne-ruer-o-woo'-moh!
(It's time for us to sing!)

----------------------------------------------

Goodbye Song: LISTEN HERE

Chuue', 'ne-rah-cheen.
(So long, my friends)

Chuue', 'ne-rah-cheen.
(So long, my friends)

Chuue', 'ne-rah-cheen,
(So long, my friends)

Keech 'ee' roo kee 'ne-ke-mey-e'-moh!
(It's time for us to to go home!)

Greetings/Goodbyes

"How do I say 'good morning,' 'good afternoon,' thank you,' and 'you're welcome'?"


These phrases are a bit more complex than word-for-word translations. Both "good morning" and "good afternoon" are English greetings that were adopted into common conversation later.


Good morning: skue-yen' 'ue-koy

Good afternoon: skue-yen' 'ue-ke-choyhl


For other ways to greet and take leave in Yurok, SEE Greetings


I was told that ko-weesh-cho' is for things that you are consuming or using temporarily (food, water, etc.), whereas, wok-hlew is for things like prayer and long-lasting appreciation.


We express 'you're welcome' by saying things like pee'-woh "sure" and 'ohl-kuem "of course" (which I was told is somewhat more common for women to use). Some concepts in Yurok don't have words (like "I'm sorry") because it is something that you show not say.

Critters (non-mammals, bugs, insects, reptiles)

"How do I say different types of bugs in Yurok?"


SEE
Critters

Body Parts

"How do you tell someone to wash their hands?"


SEE
Sing it!

"Will you please send me some terms for body parts?"


SEE
Sing it!

"Can you help us with some translations for Covid safety?"


Stories

"Where can I hear a Yurok story?"


Cultural Coordinator, James Gensaw, shares a story every Friday. See the
Yurok Language Event Calender for details


SEE Language Calendar

SEE Yurok Language Program YouTube Channel

SEE Read it!


"How do you say 'acorns' in Yurok?"


SEE Language Calendar

SEE Yurok Language Program YouTube Channel

SEE Read it!