Instructions

Welcome to the Gitxan Alphabet where you will learn the sounds needed to pronounce the Giitxsanimx words. Your teacher will tell you how many words to learn.

Download and print the PDF of the Gitxsan Alphabet.

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a - short a

wan - deer

Short a sound

Wan

aa - long aa

anaax - bread

long a sound

Anaax

b - soft b

bilan - belt

soft b sound

Bilan

d - soft d

duus - cat

soft d sound

Duus

e - short e

ye’e - grandfather

Short e sound

Ye’e

ee - long ee

ginees - little boy

long e sound

ginees

g - soft front g

guphl - to eat

soft front g sound

Guphl

gw - soft gw

gwidats - coat

soft gw sound

Gwidats

g̱ - soft back g̱

g̱an - tree

Soft back g̱

G̱an

h - aitch

hanaḵ - woman

aitch sound

Hanaḵ

hl - aitch ell

hlgim ha - eggs

aitch ell sound

Hlgim ha

i - short i

is - soapberries

short i sound

Is

ii - long i

siipxw - sick, painful

long i sound

Siipxw

j - soft j

jin - hummingbird

soft j sound

Jin

k - soft front k

aks - water

soft front k sound

Aks

k’ - hard front k

k’ets’ - chin

hard front k sound

K’ets’

kw - soft kw

amalkw - scab from a cut

soft kw sound

Amalkw

kw’ - hard kw’

kw’ast - broken

hard kw sound

Kw’ast

ḵ - soft back k

ts’aḵ - nose

soft back k sound

Ts’aḵ

ḵ’ - hard back k

ḵ’uts - to cut

hard back k sound

Ḵ’uts

l - soft ell

lalt - snake

soft ell sound

Lalt

’l - hard ell

a’lax - angry

hard ell sound

A’lax

m - soft em

mismuus - cow

soft em sound

Mismuus

’m - hard em

’mal - canoe

hard em sound

’Mal

n - sound enn

nax̱ - snowshoes

soft enn sound

Nax̱

’n - hard enn

’nax - bait

hard enn sound

’Nax

o - short o

hon - fish

short o sound

Hon

oo - long o

moos - thumb

long o sound

Moos

p - soft p

wilp - house

soft p sound

Wilp

’p - hard p

ansiip’binsxw

hard p sound

Ansiip’binsxw

s - ess

sim’oogit - chief

ess sound

Sim’oogit

t - soft t

g̱oot - heart

soft t sound

G̱oot

t’ - hard t

t’ax̱ - lake

hard t sound

T’ax̱

tl’ - hard tee-ell

tl’ak - frown, pouting

hard tee-ell sound

Tl’ak

ts - soft tee-ess

yats - chop, hit

soft tee-ess sound

Yats

ts’ - hard tee-ess

ts’awax̱s - shoes

hard tee-ess sound

Ts’awax̱s

u - short u

anuhl - drum

soft u sound

Anuhl

uu - long u

gibuu - wolf

long u sound

Gibuu

w - soft w

wit - collarbone

soft w sound

Wit

’w - hard w

’watsx̱ - otter

hard w sound

’Watsx̱

x - front eks

xsi - river

front eks sound

Xsi

xw - eks-w

ixw - fish hook and line

eks-w sound

Ixw

x̱ - back eks

bax̱ - run

back eks sound

Bax̱

y - soft y

yip - land, ground

soft y sound

Yip

’y - hard y

yans - leaf

hard y sound

Yans

’ - glottal stop

an’on - hands

glottal stop, a break in the word

An’on