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 ( )