3. Words with the "i" sound

Pronunciation vocabulary primer_Ii_Ii

Click on the audio player below each word to hear it spoken.

Click HERE to download a printable PDF with all of the "i" words and images in flash card format (*with* QR codes, so you can listen to audio via your smartphone). 

UPDATE: These new printouts also feature bonus content, with sentences from the archives that contain the key vocabulary words, and additional audio where available. If you print the flash cards double-sided, the example sentences will print on the reverse side of the vocabulary word (e.g. sentences containing "mip/vip" will print on the back of the "mip/vip" flash card, etc.).

Pronunciation vocabulary primer_Ii_bi_mosquitoSpoken by Della Prince:
Pronunciation vocabulary primer_Ii_hi_yesSpoken by Della Prince (Mrs. Prince and the linguist Karl Teeter are laughing because when he first asked her the word for "yes", she replied "yes" in English):

Example sentences from the language archives:
  1. Hi yililh, “hi’.” = He said, “yes.” [Jerry James, from the story “Twine-Eater”]
  2. Hi’, wik wou’l. = Yes, I am from the north. [Elsie Barto?]
  3. Hi’, gouwil swalughurr. = Yes, someone got shot. [Elsie Barto]
  4. Hi, lhu butserr. = Yes, they are dry. [Elsie Barto]
  5. Witgalh yililh, “Hi’, dumi’.” = Coyote said, “Yes, I’m sitting.” [Jane Duncan Searson, from the story “Coyote and Panther”]
Pronunciation vocabulary primer_Ii_yil_ISpoken by Della Prince:
Example sentences from the language archives:
  1. Yil gitga hutsuvous. = I’m going to give you something. [Della Prince]


  1. Yil vadi da’ digamu. = I’m chopping wood. [Della Prince]
  2. Yil gutslhawil. = I’m cold. [unknown speaker, 1889]
  3. Yil qhili da. = I’m here. [unknown speaker, 1889]
  4. Yil da daqugh. = I snore. [Elsie Barto?]
  5. Yil gou lugh. = I went back. [Elsie Barto]
Pronunciation vocabulary primer_Ii_kil_youSpoken by Della Prince:

Example sentences from the language archives:
  1. Kil ya vou’di’wiluvut? = Do you like to eat it? [Della Prince]


  1. Kil gutslhawilat. = You were cold. [unknown speaker, 1889]
  2. Kil qhili dat. = You are here. [unknown speaker, 1889]
  3. Kil hutsuvavulut. = You gave it to me. [Elsie Barto?]
  4. Kil juwa rrinut. = That’s your name/that’s what you are called. [Della Prince]
Pronunciation vocabulary primer_Ii_mip_vip_blackberryMany Wiyot words can start with "m" OR "v" with no change in meaning (see words with "m" and words with "v").
Spoken by Della Prince (she first says "vip", then "mip"):
Example sentences from the language archives:
  1. Mip lhu gawa lup. = The blackberries are starting to ripen. [Amos Riley] 
  2. Mip hi’ wula. = I saw blackberries. [Amos Riley]
Pronunciation vocabulary primer_Ii_milh_vilh_nettleSpoken by Della Prince (in this recording, Mrs. Prince pronounces this word "vilh"; however, we know from records of other speakers that it can also be pronounced "milh". Many Wiyot words can be pronounced with either "m" OR "v"; see words with "m" and words with "v"):

Example sentences from the language archives:
  1. Tighudalilh, vilh hi va vu’luwilh. = He went out and got nettles. [Jerry James, from the story “Nettle Medicine”]
  2. Hi dalasilh vilh/milh. = He put in nettles. [Jerry James, from the story “Nettle Medicine”]
  3. Hiyu wulilh milh. = She saw nettles. [Jerry James, from the story “Nettle Medicine”]