In this lesson we will learn Nahuatl greetings. People in Nahua towns of Chicontepec, greet each other by hand and they do not look each other in the eyes, especially between a man and a woman. In general, adults do not say each other’s firsts names when greeting.
Cihuatl ica Cihuatl
A: Nimitztlahpaloz ahui.
B: Aah (they greet each other), ¿tipaxaloti?
A: Quena, niquittati noichpocauh.
B: Ah, cualli.
A: Na niyohua.
B: Ooh.
Tlacatl ica Tlacatl
A: Tlayi, nimitztlahpaloz.
B: Nimitztlahpaloz.
A: ¿Tlen ticchihuaz moztla?
B: Moztla nipixcaz, ¿quenque?
A: Pampa nicnequi niquittaz tlan hueliz tinechpalehuia.
B: ¿Huan tlen ticchihuaz?
A: Nitocaz.
B: Axcanah nihueliz moztla.
A: Huacca timomelahuah
B: Timomelahuah.
Woman with woman
A: Greetings, aunt / ma’am.
B: Aahh, you are visiting?
A: Yes, I am seeing my teenage daughter.
B: Ah, good.
A: I am leaving now.
B: Ooh.
Man with man
A: Uncle / sir, greetings.
B: Greetings.
A: What are you doing tomorrow?
B: Tomorrow I harvest, why?
A: Because I need to see if you can help me.
B: And what are you doing?
A: I am planting corn.
B: I am not able tomorrow.
A: Then we will see each other later.
B: We will see each other.
Quemman motlahpaloah moilliah (When you greet you say)
¿Tlen ticchihua? Nitlahtzoma.
¿Tlen inquichihuah? Titlahtzomah.
¿Titequiti? Quena, nitequiti.
¿Timociahcahua? Quena. Nimociahcahua.
Quemman macehualli zan quinahuatihtehua ce acahya inechca quiillia (When you say farewell to someone near to you, you say)
Macehualli tlen tenahuatihtehua quihtoa (The person saying farewell says)
A: Neca nionyauh.
B: Niyohua.
A: Tiyohuihya.
Macehualli cihuatl tlananquilia quihtoa (A woman responds by saying)
Huenoh.
O’ooh / A’aah / Ho’ooh.
Titlananquilia cequin tlahtlanliztli (Respond to the following greetings)
A: Niyohua
B:
A: Tiyohuihya
B:
A: Piyalli
B:
A: Moztlayoc
B:
A: Timomelahuah
B:
A: Niyohua (Cihuatl ica tlacatl)
B: