Did you know that Nunavut has four official languages? Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut, English and French! The Inuit have spoken Inuktitut for generations, but its words were only recently transcribed to paper, making it possible for everyone to learn.
Canada is home to many speakers of Inuktitut. While almost everyone in Iqaluit speaks English, we encourage our guests from the South to embrace the culture and preserve the Inuktitut language.
| English | Inuktitut | Phonetics | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hello | Halu | Ha-lu | |||||||
| Welcome | Tungasugit | Toong-a-su-git | |||||||
| Goodbye (to one person) | Tavvauvutit | Tah-vow-voo-teet | |||||||
| Goodbye to all (plural) | Tavvauvusi | Tah-vow-voo-see | |||||||
| Thank you | Nakurmiik | Na-koor-meek | |||||||
| You are welcome | Ilaali | Ee-lah-li | |||||||
| Good Morning | Ulaakut | Oo-lah-coot | |||||||
| Good Afternoon | Unusakut | Oo-nah-sa-coot | |||||||
| Good Evening | Unukut | Oo-new-coot | |||||||
| What is your name? | Kinauvit? | Kee-nau-veet? | |||||||
| How are you? | Qanuipit? | Ka-nwee-peet? | |||||||
| Help! | Ikajunga! | Ick-eang-nak-took | |||||||
| Yes | Ii | Ee | |||||||
| No | Aakka or Aagaa | Ah-ka or ah-gah | |||||||
| What is this? | Una suna? | Oo-na soo-na? | |||||||
| Do you understand? | Tukisiviit? | Too-kee-see-veet? | |||||||
| Delicious | Mamaqtuq | ma-makh-too | |||||||
| Wonderful | Alianait | ah-lee-ah-nite | |||||||
| Arctic Char | Iqaluk | Ick-ka-look | |||||||
| Polar Bear | Nanuq | Naa-nook | |||||||
| Seal | Nattiq | Naa-tick | |||||||
| Caribou | Tuktu | Took-two |
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