This collection of over 1,500 Tlingit example sentences and audio recordings was part of a Sealaska Heritage Institute project funded by the Administration for Native Americans between 2005 and 2009. Sentences were provided by elders Keiyishí Bessie Cooley, Kingeistí David Katzeek, Saḵaayí Anita Lafferty, Ḵooteix̱téek Johnny Marks, Aan Yax̱ Saxeex June Pegues, Ḵáachkoo.aaḵw Helen Sarabia, and G̱unaakʼw Fred White. Written examples were compiled by Keri Eggleston. Audio recordings feature the voices of Kingeistí David Katzeek, Saḵaayí Anita Lafferty, Ḵooteix̱téek Johnny Marks, Aan Yax̱ Saxeex June Pegues, Ḵáachkoo.aaḵw Helen Sarabia, and G̱unaakʼw Fred White.
Upload of this resource to this website was made possible by funding from the National Science Foundationʼs Dynamic Languages Infrastructure Program, award #BCS- 2125197 “Morphologically Complex Data Collection and Analysis for Improving Lexicographic Models” to the University of Alaska Fairbanks with Keri Eggleston as PI.
NOTE: We recommend not using Safari as your browser for this resource as it may not load properly. Please note that there are many typos, misspellings, missing tones, etc. in the written examples, as well as many places where the audio recording doesnʼt match up with the written examples in terms of word order. There are also some examples where the audio isnʼt available. The present project however, has concluded, and itʼs not possible to fix these problems at this time. In the interest of making this resource available to the community ASAP, it is being included here despite these issues. The goal during the next phase of the project will be to edit the written examples to match the audio recordings and fix any other typos and correct instances of missing audio. In the meantime, please enjoy the voices of our elders!
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Haa aan s’aatí Lingít shaawát áwé. Our mayor is a Tlingit woman. aan s’aatí, shaawát
Haa a tóox’ at dult’ix’ át shaawahík dzísk’w dleeyí teen. Our freezer is full of moose meat. a tóox’ at dult’ix’ át, sha-ya-heek0.1, dzísk’w, dleey
Haadaadóoshi kadligáas’. Tigers are striped. ka-li-gaas’, haadaahóoshi
Haadaadóoshi tin yéijiné wé k̲áa. That man is working with tigers. haadaadóoshi, yéi + ji-ya-nei
Haadaag̲oojí a oox̲ú dak̲digéix’. Lion teeth are large. haadaag̲oojí, a oox̲ú, dax̲-, ya-gei1
Haadaag̲oojí éil’ héen diyáanax̲.áx’ dul’óon. People hunt lions across the ocean. haadaag̲oojí, éil’, diyáanax̲.á, a-ya-l’oon
Haadéi at kagax̲dujéil a ya.áak x'wán yéi nasne. Make sure you make room, they will be bringing it all. a ya.áak, x'wán, ka-ya-jeil0.1, si-nee0.2
Haadé yaa s k̲unatín Wáashdan K̲wáan. The Americans are traveling here. Wáashdan K̲wáan, k̲u-ya-teen
Haa hídi altín. She is watching our house. haa, hít, li-tín
Haa kagéide yaa ana.át. They are coming toward us. haa, du kagé, -de, yaa, ya-.aat1
Haa kát ayawashát wé xóon. The wind hit us in gusts. haa, a ká, -t, A- + a-ya-ya-shaat, wé, xóon
Haa k’idaaká aa taat kánáx̲ has at shí. Our neighbors sang all night long. (euphemism for being drunk) k'idaaká aa, taat
Haa k’ínk’ yan wuneeyí yayís áyá k̲ux̲waa.éex’. I am inviting everyone for when our stink heads are done. a yayís, k’ink’, ya-.eex’, ya-nee0.2
Haa k̲oon sh kalneegí áwé k̲únáx̲ tuli.aan. Our preacher is very kind. k̲oon sh kalneegí, tu-li-.aan1
Haa léelk’w has du tuwáadáx̲ áwé gútk haa jeet kawduwatée. If it wasn’t for the will of our elders, we wouldn’t be here. du tuwáadáx̲, du léelk’w, k̲aa jee- + ka-ya-tee
Haandé wé ách at dusx̲a át! Hand me the fork! ách at dusx̲a át, haandé
Haandé wé kadulg̲óok s'eenáa! Hand me that flashlight! kadulg̲óok s'eenáa
Háas’ yáx̲ sh tudinook. He feels like he’s going to vomit. háas', A + sh di-nook2
Háas' du eet yéi uwanéi yá yagiyee. He has been vomiting today. háas', du eet, A + ya-nee
Haat kalajúx wé t’ooch’. Wheel the coal over here. haa, -t, ka-li-joox, t’ooch’
Haat kei wudaayí tléil ux̲satínch. He has not seen the tide rise yet. haat, kei, ya-daa1, si-teen
Haat kool héen yíkde dutéen nooch. Whirlpools are visible in rivers. haat kool, héen, a yík, ya-teen, -de
Haa tláa hás k̲útl’gi g̲áa has na.átch has du k̲’eikaxwéini yís. Our mothers send us for soil for their flowers. haa, tláa, hás, k̲útl’kw, g̲áa, k̲’eikaxwéin
Haaw héende awli.aat g̲áax’w káx̲. She put branches in the water for herring eggs. haaw, héen, g̲áax’w, li-.aat2
Haaw yan awli.át a káa ng̲ataayít. He put branches down so he could sleep on it. haaw, li-.aat2, a ká, ya-taa1
Haa x̲’anaatx̲ wuhán, yak’éiyi k̲áa. Move out of our way, good man. a x̲'anaa, k̲áa
Haa x̲ooní Anóoshi aaní kaadé kuwateenín. Our friend had traveled to Russian country. du x̲ooní, Anóoshi, aan, a ká, k̲u-ya-teen
Haa yéi áwé has duwasáakw K̲'eik̲'w Sháa Xunaadáx̲. They are called the Sea Pigeon gals from Hoonah. haa, k̲'eik̲'w, sháa, Xunaa, ya-saa2
Has aawanéegwál’ wé gánti yaakw. They painted the steamboat. ya-néegwal’, wé, gánti yaakw
Has ang̲al'éix̲ k̲aa shukát wé at yátx'i. Let the children dance before everyone. a-ya-l'eix̲, a shukát, at yátx'i
Has du kagé yís yan x̲wasinei yáa eet ká, haat has k̲uwateení. I have reserved this room for when they arrive. du kagé, eet ká, haa, -t, k̲u-ya-teen
Has du léelk’w du x̲’áat áa. Their grandmother is sitting between them. has, du léelk’w, du x̲’aa, -t, ya-.aa1
Has du x̲’áakx’ yan hán. Stand between them. a x̲'áak
Has du x̲’eis has at gawdzi.ée wé aantk̲eení dei káx’ yéi jineiyí. The townspeople cooked food for the people working on the road. aantk̲eeni, du x̲’eis, dei
Has g̲aduskóot áwé koogéinaa yéi s aya.oo. They are recognizable by the sash that they wear. koogwéinaa, si-koo2
Ha wáa sás shkadulneek? What’s the latest news? wáa sá, sh ka-dli-neek
Héen áanjís kahéeni x̲oot akawsixáa. He poured water in with the orange juice. áanjís kahéeni, ka-si-xaa
Héen a kaa yéi yatee wé káast. There is water in that barrel. káast, héen, a ká
Héen kaadáx̲ ákwé du een wéi kanták̲w? Is the lupine picked from the water? héen, a ká, -dáx̲, ákwé, kanták̲w
Héen kanadaayí géide kei nak̲úx̲. She is driving her boat up against the current. héen kanadaayí, a géide, ya-k̲oox̲1
Héen kawulkuxú dutéen nooch wé hintu.eejí. When water levels drop, you can see the reef. héen, ka-li-koox, ya-teen, hintu.eejí
Héen shú at hán wé dzísk’w. That moose is standing at the edge of the water. héen shú, dzísk’w, ya-haan1
Héen shút wulihaash wé kayaaní. The leaf floated to the edge of the water. héen shú, kayaaní, li-haash, -t
Héen táat jinaskwánchi át áwé wé atxaayí. The centipede swims on top of the water. héen, ji-dzi-kwaan, atxaayí
Héent wushix̲'íl'. He slipped into the water. héen, -t, shi-x̲’eel’
Héen t'iká át la.áa du hídi. His house sits beside the river. héen t'iká, á, -t, li-.aa1, du, hít
Héen t'iká ax̲ yawashóo k̲aa x̲’usdeiyí. The foot trail goes beside the river. héen t'iká, k̲aa x̲’usdei, A- + ya-shoo
Héen wantút woogoot wé gus'yadóoli. The sandpiper is walking around the riverbank. héen wantú, gus’yadóoli, -t, ya-goot1
Héen wát át wusikwaan wé gáaxw. The ducks are swimming around at the mouth of the river. héen wát, gáaxw, si-kwaan
Héen wátt uwax’ák wé t’ási. The grayling are swimming at the mouth of the river. héen wát, t’ási, ya-x’aak, -t
Héen x̲’ayaax̲ yagéi kaxwéix̲. There are a lot of highbush cranberries along the river. kaxwéix̲, héen x̲’ayaax̲, ya-gei1
Héen yaa anasxát’. He is hauling water. héen, si-xaat’
Héen yáx̲ kawdiyés’ du kinaak.ádi. His jacket is dark blue-gray in color. héen, kinaak.át, ka-di-yeis’
Héen yáx̲ kawdiyés’ has du káayi. Their car is dark blue-gray in color. héen, ka-di-yeis’, káa
Héen yíkde aawa.aat al’óon. People went up the river hunting. héen yík, a-ya-l’oon, ya-.aat1
Héen yíkde wook̲oox̲. He went up the river (by boat). héen, a yík, ya-k̲oox̲1
Héen yíkde wook̲oox̲ wé yaakw. The boat went up the river. héen yík, yaakw
Héen yík héen kanadaayí wáa yateeyi yéix’ kulax̲éitl’ nooch. Sometimes currents in a river are dangerous. héen kanadaayí, ka-li-x̲éetl’shan
Héix̲waa yéi daadunéiyin ch’áakw. People used to use magic long ago. héix̲waa, ch’áakw, yéi + daa-ya-nei
Hintaak xóodzi akawshixít. She photographed a polar bear. hintak xóodzi, ka-shi-xeet
Hintaak xóodzi has aawal’óon. They hunted polar bears. hintak xóodzi, a-ya-l’oon
Hintakx'óosi nóox’u kayat’éex’ Coral shells are hard. hintakx'óosi, nóox’, ka-ya-t’eex’
Hintakx'óosi tléil yáax’ yéi aa utí. There is no coral here. hintakx'óosi, A-x’ + yéi + ya-tee1
Hintu.eejí kát wulihásh du yaagú. Her boat drifted/floated onto a reef. hintu.eejí, yaakw, li-haash
Hinyaa K̲wáan Celebrationx’ has aawal’eix̲. The Klawock people danced at Celebration. Hinyaa K̲wáan, a-ya-l’eix̲
Hinyaa K̲wáan x̲ánde woogoot wé shaawát. The woman went to visit the Klawock people. Hinyaa K̲wáan, du x̲án, ya-goot1
Hinyikgáaxu kindachooneit x̲oot wusikwaan. Golden eye ducks are swimming around among the Mallard ducks. hinyikgáaxu, kindachooneit, a x̲oo, si-kwaan
Hinyikgáaxu kúdi awsiteen. She saw a golden eye duck’s nest. hinyikgáaxu, kúdi
Hít kageidí át kawdigán wé s’eenáa. The light is shining on the side of the house. hít, a kageidí, A- + a-ka-ya-gaan1.2, wé, s’eenáa
Hít kaságu yaa anasxát’. He is dragging rafters. hít kaságu, si-xaat’
Hít kat'áayi yátx'i wé sée hídi káa yéi awa.óo. He put the small shingles on that doll house. hít kat’áayi, sée, hít
Hít kat'áayi yóox’ dulyéix̲. They manufacture shingles over there. hít kat'áayi
Hít shantú awlik’éi. She cleaned upstairs. hít shantú, li-k’ei
Hít shantúde akaawajeil wé x’óow. She took the blankets upstairs. hít shantú, x’óow, ka-ya-jeil
Hít tayee gáas'i káa awliyéx̲ du hídi. He built his house on pilings. hít tayee gáas'i
Hít tayee gáas'i káx̲ aas aawas’úw. He chopped down trees for pilings. hít tayee gáas'i, aas, ya-s’oow
Hóon yís aswáat gishoo. He raises pigs to sell. gishoo, hóon, si-waat
Hoon daakahídidáx̲ g̲ánch has aawa.oo. They bought tobacco from the store. hoon dakahídi, g̲ánch, ya.óo2
Hoon daakahídidé has woo.aat ax̲ séek’ hás. My daughters have gone to the store. hoon daakahídi, séek’, hás
Hoon daakahídidéi nagú káaxwei g̲aa. Go to the store for some coffee. hoon daakahídi, ya-goot1, káaxwei, -g̲aa
Hú áwé ax̲ éet wudishée. It is he who helped me. hú, A- + di-shee
Hú áwé x̲’ak̲g̲eewóos’. It is he that you will ask. hú, x̲’a-ya-woos’1
Hú k̲u.aa áyá ch'a g̲óot yéide yan kawdiyaa ax̲ tláa, du éeshch áyá du yát saa uwatí Shaaxeidi Tláa. But with my mother it was different, because her father named her Shaaxeidi Tláa. a g̲óot, ka-di-yaa1, du tláa, du éesh, du yá, saa, ya-tee1.1