Plains Cree

ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐍᐏᐣ (Nēhiyawēwin)

Plains Cree belongs to the Algonquian language family and is one of the five main dialects of the Cree language (Woods Cree, Swampy Cree, Moose Cree and Atikamekw); Plains Cree being the most widely spoken. Plains Cree is spoken by about roughly 34,000 people mainly in Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba and Montana. Plains Cree is also a component language in two contact languages, Michif and Bungi. Both languages are spoken by Métis people. Michif is a mixed language which combines Cree with French. For the most part, Michif uses Cree verbs, question words, and demonstratives while using French nouns. Michif is spoken in the Canadian prairie provinces as well as North Dakota and Montana in the United States.Bungi is a creole based on Scots, Scottish Gaelic, Cree and Ojibwe. Some French words have also been incorporated into its lexicon. Cree has also been incorporated into another mixed language within Canada called Nehipwat, which is a blending of Cree with Assiniboine. Nehipwat is found only in a few southern Saskatchewan reserves and is now nearing extinction. Nothing is known of its structure.

Some vocabulary using the two writing systems (Latin script + Cree syllabics)

Hello - Tānisi | ᑖᓂᓯ

How are you? - Tānisi kiya? | ᑖᓂᓯ ᑭᔭ?

I’m fine - Namōya nānitaw | ᓇᒨᔭ ᓈᓂᑕᐤ

What is you name? - Tānisi ē-isiyhkāsoyan? | ᑕᓂᓯ ᐁ-ᐃᓯᐩᐦᑳᓱᔭᐣ?

My name is - Ēkosi nitisiyihkāso | ᐁᑯᓯ ᓂᑎᓯᔨᐦᑲᓱ

Nice to meet you - Nimanā skomon ē-nakiskātān | ᓂᒪᓈ ᐢᑯᒧᐣ ᐁᓇᑭᐢᑳᑖᐣ

Are you Cree? - Nēhiyaw cīkiya? | ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐤ ᒌᑭᔭ?

Yes, I am Cree - Āha, niya nēhiyaw | ᐦᐊ ᓂᔭ ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐤ

Where are you from? - Tānitē ohci kiya? | ᑖᓂᑌ ᐅᐦᒋ ᑭᔭ?

I am from Piapot - Niya ohci nēhiyaw pwātināhk | ᓂᔭ ᐅᐦᒋ ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐤ ᑇᑎᓈᕽ

Do you speak Cree? - Kinēhiyawān cī? | ᑭᓀᐦᐃᔭᐚᐣ ᒌ?

Yes, I speak Cree - Āha, ninēhiyawān | ᐦᐊ ᓂᓀᐦᐃᔭᐚᐣ