Swadesh list

A Swadesh list is one of several lists of vocabulary with "basic" meanings, developed by Morris Swadesh in the 1940=9650s, which is used in lexicostatistics (quantitative language relatedness assessment) and glottochronology (language divergence dating).

See also Sino-Tibetan Swadesh lists for a comparison of Mandarin, Cantonese, Amoy, Teochew, Hakka, and Burmese.

English word...POS...MTL...notes

I...personal pronoun...goar...
you(singular)...personal pronoun...lie...
he...personal pronoun...y...
we...personal pronoun...gurn/goarn...we (not including you)

- ...larn...we (including you)

you(plural)...personal pronoun...lirn...
they...personal pronoun...yn...
this...demonstrative pronoun...zef...

- ...cit'ee...

that...demonstrative pronoun...hef...

- ...hit'ee...

here...demonstrative pronoun...ciaf...
there...demonstrative pronoun...hiaf...
who...interrogative...sviaflaang...

- ...siafng...contraction of sviaflaang

what...interrogative...sviafmih...

- ...symmih...
- ...tQfcidee...which

where...interrogative...tQfui...
when...interrogative...symmih-sizun...what time

- ...tangsii...

how...interrogative...juhQo...formal

- ...afnzvoar...informal
- ...zvoafviu...in what way

not......pud...literary

- ...m...is not/does not
- ...boe...is not able to
- ...maix...do not (imperative)
- ...bQo...does not have/did not

all...quantifier...zoanpo...all of it

- ...kuy...ex. all day
- ...sofu...ex. all cars
- ...lorng...ex. they all see it.
- ...lofngzorng...ex. how many in all?

many...quantifier...zoe...
some...quantifier...cidkoar...

- ...kuynaxee...

few...quantifier...ciQr...
other...quantifier...kithvaf...

- ...padee...

one...cardinal number...id...more than 10

- ...cit...less than 10

two...cardinal number...ji...

- ...nng...

three...cardinal number...svaf...
four...cardinal number...six...
five...cardinal number...go...
big...adjective...toa...
long...adjective...tngg...
wide...adjective...khoafn...
thick...adjective...kau...
heavy...adjective...tang...
small...adjective...soex...
short...adjective...tQea...
narrow...adjective...oeh...
thin...adjective...pQh...
woman...noun...lwjiin...formal

- ...zabor...informal

man(adult male)...noun...lamjiin...formal

- ...zapof...informal

man(human being)...noun...laang...
child(a youth)...noun...gyn'ar...informal

- ...jitoong...formal

wife...noun...bor...
husband...noun...afng...
mother...noun...bwchyn/bQfchyn...literary

- ...lauxbuo...
- ...mamaf...
- ...abuo...

father...noun...huxchyn...literary

- ...lauxpe...
- ...papaf...
- ...apaf...

animal...noun...toxngbut...
fish...noun...hii...
bird...noun...ciao...

- ...ciawar...

dog...noun...kao...

- ...kawar...

louse...noun...sad...

- ...satbuo...

snake...noun...zoaa...
worm...noun...thaang...

- ...toxurn...earthworm
- ...toxkurn...earthworm

tree...noun...chiu...

- ...chiu'ar (chiu-ar)...

forest...noun...simliim...

- ...chiuxnaa...

stick...noun...chiuxky...tree branch

- ...ki'ar...informal

fruit...noun...zuykQr...

- ...koefcie...

seed...noun...zefngcie...
leaf...noun...hiQh...

- ...hiQqar...

root...noun...kwn...
bark...noun...chiuxphQee...
flower...noun...hoef...
grass...noun...zhao...
rope...noun...sQq...

- ...sQh'ar...

skin...noun...phQee...

- ...phQehw...

meat...noun...baq...
blood...noun...huiq...

- ...hiet'ek...

bone...noun...kud...

- ...kutthaau...

fat...noun...cihoong...academic

- ...jixnngg...colloquial

egg...noun...nng...

- ...koenng...chicken egg

horn...noun...kag...
tail...noun...bQea...

- ...bQefliw...

feather...noun...ciawmngg...
hair...noun...thaumngg...
head...noun...thaau...affix

- ...thaukhag...

ear...noun...hvi...

- ...hvi'ar (hvi-ar)...
- ...hvixkhafng...

eye...noun...bagciw...
nose...noun...phvi...

- ...phvi'ar (phvi-ar)...

mouth...noun...zhuix...
tooth...noun...zhuiekhie...
tongue...noun...cih...

- ...zhuiecih...

fingernail...noun...zefngkaq...
foot...noun...khaf...
leg...noun...thuie...
knee...noun...khathauw...
hand...noun...chiuo...
wing...noun...ek...literary

- ...sit...
- ...sidar...
- ...sidkor...

belly...noun...paktor...
guts...noun...tng'ar...
neck...noun...axmkurn...
back...noun...khaciahphviaf...
breast...noun...hiofng...chest (affix)

- ...hiongpo...chest (academic)
- ...hengkharm...chest (generic)
- ...lengpoong...female organ

heart...noun...simzong...
liver...noun...kvoaf...affix

- ...kvoazong...

drink...verb...lym...
eat...verb...ciah...
bite...verb...ka...
suck...verb...khib...affix

- ...cip...sip
- ...suq...suck

spit...verb...phuix...generic

- ...phuienoa...lit. spit saliva (informal)
- ...phuiezhuienoa...lit. spit saliva (informal)
- ...phuiethaam...lit. spit phlegm (informal)

vomit...verb...ao...informal

- ...thox...informal
- ...awthox...formal

blow...verb...zhef...

- ...puun...

breathe...verb...hokhib...academic (respire)

- ...zhoafnkhuix...

laugh...verb...chiQx...
see...verb...khvoax...
hear...verb...thviaf...
know...verb...zay...

- ...zaiviar...
- ...pad...to recognize

think...verb...sviu...
smell...verb...phvi...
fear...verb...kviaf...
sleep...verb...khuxn...
live...verb...oah...
die...verb...sie...
kill...verb...thaai...
fight...verb...oankef...argue

- ...siQphaq...fists
- ...siQthaai...war

hunt...verb...phahlah...
hit...verb...phaq...
cut...verb...koaq...cut in two

- ...chied...slice
- ...kaf...scissors

split...verb...phoarkhuy...transitive split open

- ...liqkhuy...intransitive split open
- ...hunkhuy...split up

stab...verb...chix...

- ...zaan...
- ...tuh...

scratch...verb...pee...
dig...verb...or...

- ...oea...
- ...iaq...
- ...liuo...
- ...kut...

swim...verb...siuzuie...
fly...verb...pef...
walk...verb...kviaa...generic

- ...kvialo...go on foot (informal)
- ...poxheeng...go on foot (formal)
- ...poxkviaa...go on foot (formal)
- ...poxliern...go on foot (formal)

come...verb...laai...
lie...verb...tQr...horizontal
sit...verb...ze...
stand...verb...zam...affix

- ...khia...

turn...verb...oad...change direction
fall...verb...laklQh...drop
give...verb...ho...
hold...verb...theh...
squeeze...verb...lut...
rub...verb...loarn...massage; knead
wash...verb...soea...
wipe...verb...chid...
pull...verb...khiuo...

- ...giuo...

push...verb...sag...
throw...verb...taxn...
tie...verb...pak...
sew...verb...paang...

- ...thvi...

count...verb...siaux...
say...verb...korng...
sing...verb...chviux...
play...verb...sngr...

- ...chitthQo...intransitive

float...verb...phuu...
flow...verb...laau...
freeze...verb...kietpefng...
swell...verb...phorngtoa...
sun...noun...thaeioong...scientific

- ...jidthaau...informal

moon...noun...gQeqniuu...
star...noun...chvy...
water...noun...zuie...
rain...noun...ho...
river...noun...hQo...
lake...noun...oo...
sea...noun...hae...
salt...noun...iaam...
stone...noun...ciQh...affix

- ...ciQqthaau...

sand...noun...soaf...
dust...noun...thohurn...
earth...noun...texkiuu...planet
cloud...noun...huun...
fog...noun...bu...
sky...noun...thvy...
wind...noun...hofng...
snow...noun...seq...
ice...noun...pefng...
smoke...noun...hwn...
fire...noun...hea...
ashes...noun...hef...ashes or dust

- ...hefhw...

burn...verb...hviaa...
road...noun...lo...
mountain...noun...svoaf...
red...adjective...aang...
green...adjective...lek...

- ...chvy...

yellow...adjective...ngg...
white...adjective...peh...
black...adjective...of...
night...noun...armsii...
day...noun...jidsii...
year...noun...nii...
warm...adjective...siQlQ...
cold...adjective...kvoaa...
full...adjective...boarn...

- ...moar...
- ...tvi...

new...adjective...syn...
old...adjective...lau...not young

- ...ku...not new

good...adjective...hQr...
bad...adjective...phvae...
rotten...adjective...aux...

- ...zhaonoa...

dirty...adjective...lahsab...
straight...adjective...tit...
round...adjective...vii...
sharp...adjective...lai...
dull...adjective...tun...
smooth...adjective...kngkut...
wet...adjective...sib...

- ...taam...

dry...adjective...taf...
correct...adjective...tiQh...informal

- ...zerngkhag...formal

near...adjective...kun...
far...adjective...hng...
right...adjective...cviax...
left...adjective...tQx...
at...preposition...ti...
in...preposition...ti...lai...
with...conjunction...kab...
and...conjunction...kab...
if...conjunction...naxsi...
because...conjunction...in'ui...
name...noun...miaa...affix or generic

Swadesh list

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