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Greenlandic (Kalaallisut) is the main language of Greenland.

Pronunciation guide

Vowels

  • A
  • E
  • I
  • O
  • U

Vowels for loanwords and names

  • Æ
  • Ø
  • Å
  • Y

Consonants

  • F
  • G
  • H
  • J
  • K
  • L
  • M
  • N
  • P
  • Q
  • R
  • S
  • T
  • V

Consonants for loanwords and names

  • B
  • C
  • D
  • W
  • X
  • Y
  • Z

Common diphthongs

Phrase list

Basics

Hello.
Haluu. ( )
Hello. (informal)
Kutaa. ( )
How are you?
Qanoq ippit?( ?)
Are you well/good?
Ajunngilatit? ( )
Fine, thank you.
Ajunngilanga, qujanaq. ( )
It's good/fine.
Ajunngilaq. ( )
What is your name?
Qanoq ateqarpit? ( ?)
My name is ______ .
______-mik ateqarpunga . ( _____ .)
Nice to meet you.
. ( )
Please.
. ( )
Thank you.
Qujanaq. ( )
You're welcome. (you too)
Illillu. ( )
Yes.
Aap/Aappi/Suu. ( )
No.
Naa/Naamik. ( )
Maybe.
Immaqa. ( )
Right?
Ilaa? ( )
Excuse me. (getting attention)
. ( )
Excuse me. (begging pardon)
. ( )
I'm sorry.
Utoqqatserpunga. ( )
Goodbye
Baaj/Baj/Baabaj ( )
See you!
Takuss!( )
I can't speak name of language [well].
. ( [ ])
Do you speak English?
Tuluttut oqaluttarpi? ( ?)
Is there someone here who speaks English?
? ( ?)
Help!
Ikiu! ( !)
Look out!
Mianersorit! ( !)
Good morning.
Kumoorn. ( )
Good afternoon
. ( )
Good evening.
. ( )
Good night.
Kunaat. ( )
Good night (sleep well, to one person)
Sinilluarit. ( )
I don't understand.
Paasinngilanga. ( )
Where is the toilet?
Anartarfik sumiippa? ( ?)

Problems

Numbers

Cardinal Numbers

In Greenland only 1-12 in Greenlandic are used. This is caused by a system of numerals used in the past where the toes and fingers were used to count to 20 which would be inuk naallugu or a complete human. 79 would be four complete humans minus one.

0
nuulu, noor'lu (NOO-loo, NOR-loo)
1
ataaseq (at-AR-sek)
2
marluk (MAR-look)
3
pingasut (PEEN-ga-soot)
4
sisamat (SEE-sa-mat)
5
tallimat (TAL-li-mat)
6
arfineq (when counting and with time), arfinillit (when counting objects) (AR-feen-ek, ar-FEEN-eel-lit)
7
arfineq marluk (AR-feen-ek MAR-look)
8
arfineq pingasut (AR-feen-ek PEEN-ga-soot)
9
(Northern Greenlandic) qulingiluat (counting/time), qualaaluat (objects) (kwel-LING-il-yoo-at, kwal-AA-loo-at)

(Southern Greenlandic) qulaaluat (kwul-AA-loo-at)

10
qulit (kwulit)
11
aqqaneq (counting/time), aqqanillit (objects) (AK-kan-ek, ak-KAN-eel-lit)

(Northern Greenlandic) isikkaneq (counting/time), isikkanillit (objects) (ISI-kan-ek, isi-kan-EEL-lit)

12
aqqaneq marluk (AK-kan-ek MAR-look)

(North Greenlandic) isikkaneq marluk (ISI-kan-ek MAR-look)

The numerals after 12 are Danish now but 13-20 in old Greenlandic are underneath as well as 100 and 1000:

13
aqqaneq pingasut (AK-kan-ek PEEN-ga-soot)
14
aqqaneq sisamat (AK-kan-ek SEE-sa-mat)
15
aqqaneq tallimat (AK-kan-ek TAL-lee-mat)
16
arvirsanillit (arv-ER-san-eel-lit)
17
arvirsani marluk (arv-ER-san-ee MAR-look)
18
arvirsani pingasut ( arv-ER-san-ee PEEN-ga-soot)
19
arvirsani sisamat (arv-ER-san-ee SEE-sa-mat)
20
arvirsani tallimat (arv-ER-san-ee TAL-lee-mat) or inuk naallugu (een-ook narl-loogoo)
100
untriti (un-TREE-tee)
1000
tuusinti (too-SEEN-tee)

Ordinal Numbers

first
siulleq (SEE-oo-leek)
second
aappaa (ARP-par)
third
pingajuat (peen-GA-joo-at)
fourth
sisamaat (SEE-sa-mart)
fifth
tallimaat (tal-LEE-mart)
sixth
arvirnat (arv-ERN-at)
seventh
arviniq aappaat (ARV-in-ik ARP-part)
eighth
arviniq pingajuat (ARV-in-ik peen-GA-joo-at)
ninth
qulingiluaat (Northern), qulaaluaat (Southern) (kwoo-LEENG-eel-yoo-art, KWOO-lar-loo-art)
tenth
qulingat (kwoo-LEENG-at)
eleventh
aqqarnat (ak-KAR-nat)
twelfth
aqqaneq aappaat (AK-kan-ek ARP-part)

Numbers over 12th are Danish loan-numerals such as tretteniat is 13th and tyviat is 20th.

Time

yesterday
ippassaq ( )
the day before yesterday
ippassaani ( )
today
ullumi ( )
tomorrow
aqagu ( )
the day after tomorrow
aqaguagu ( )
morning
ullaaq ( )
day
ulloq ( )
evening
unnuaq ( )
year
ukioq ( )
spring
upernaq ( )
summer
aasaq ( )
fall/autumn
ukiaq ( )
winter
ukioq (same as year, )

Clock time

Duration

North Avannaq / South Kujataa / East Kangia / West Kitaa /

Days

Monday
ataasinngorneq ( )
Tuesday
marlunngorneq ( )
Wednesday
pingasunngorneq ( )
Thursday
sisamanngorneq ( )
Friday
tallimanngorneq ( )
Saturday
arfininngorneq ( )
Sunday
sapaat ( )

Months

January
Januaari ( )
February
Februaari ( )
March
Marsi ( )
April
Apriili ( )
May
Maaji ( )
June
Juuni ( )
July
Juuli ( )
August
Aggusti ( )
September
Septembari ( )
October
Oktobari ( )
November
Novembari ( )
December
Decembari ( )

Writing time and date

Colors

West Kitaa /

white
qaqortoq ( )
black
qernertoq ( )
red
aappalaartoq ( )
green
qorsoq ( )
blue
tungujortoq ( )
yellow
sungaartoq ( )

Transportation

car
biili ( )
bicycle
sikkili ( )
boat (small, personal)
umiatsiaq ( )
boat (traditional, for women)
umiaq/umiak ( )
boat (big)
umiarsuaq ( )
kayak
qajaq ( )
dog sled
qimusseq ( )

Bus and train

bus
bussi ( )

Directions

forward
siumut ( )

Taxi

taxa
tarssa ( )

Lodging

house
illu/illoq ( )
room
ini ( )
apartment
inissiaq ( )

Money

money
aningaasat ( )
Danish Kroner
koroonit ( )
Danish Øre
oorit ( )

Eating

Bars

Shopping

Driving

Authority

police
politii ( )
doctor
nakorsaq ( )
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