Level 1 PDF

1. Introduce Yourself

In this lesson, you will learn the basic concepts that will enable you to initiate a conversation in the wolastoqey language. You will learn the dialogues for introducing yourself, asking how the person you are talking to and saying goodbye.

1.1. Dialogue: Greetings

Question:  Qey ! Tan kahk olu kil ? / Hello! How are you?
Answer:     Qey ! Mec-ote pesqon ! / Hello! I’m fine.

Qey !	Hello!
Tan	How
Kahk	Particle meaning but; however; obviously and emphasizes the preceding word.
Olu	Particle indicating a change in the direction of the conversation
Kil	You

Qey !	Hello!
Mec-ote	Particle meaning again; still the same, it’s okay
Pesqon	One, whole

Nil	Me, I
Ona	Also
Woliwon !	Thank you!

Dialogue example:
Person 1:  Qey ! Tan kahk olu kil ? / Hello! How are you?
Person 2:  Qey ! Mec-ote pesqon. Tan kahk olu kil ? / Hello! I’m fine. How are you?
Person 1:  Nil ona, mec-ote pesqon, Woliwon ! / Me too, I’m fine. Thank you!

1.2. Dialogue: Introducing oneself

- Key concept -
Before a noun or a verb, the particles «nil» or «kil» transform into simple «n» and «k» to indicate the first or second person respectively.
Nil (Me, I)	Kil (You)
Nil-ona (Me too)	Ntoliwis (My name)
Kil-ona (You too)	Ktoliwis (Your name)

Question:  Keq kil ktoliwis ? / What’s your name?
Answer:     Ntoliwis nil Ahtuwen. Kil-olu tan ? / My name is Anthony. And you?

Keq	What
Kil	You
Ktoliwis ?	What’s your name?
Ntoliwis	My name is
Nil	Me, I
Ahtuwen	Anthony
Kil-olu	You (+ particle indicating a change in direction of the conversation: and you?)
Tan ?	How?

1.3. Dialogue: saying goodbye

Question:  Apc-oc knomiyul ! / See you soon!
Answer:     Aha ! Apc-oc knomiyul ! / Yes, see you soon!

Apc-oc	Particle meaning again, in the future
Knomiyul	See you
Aha !	Yes!

- Key concept -
Aha	Yes
Ontama	No

1.4. Concept with animals and other words

- Key concept -
In the wolastoqey language, the word "and" is said "naka".
Naka	And
Kosona	Or
Tan kal	I don’t know
Nit-te psiw	That’s all

Here are examples of sentence combinations that can be used to describe oneself by mentioning one’s name and favorite animal, or one’s name and nationality.
Dialogue example:
1 - Ntoliwis nil Ahtuwen naka nil muwin. / My name is Anthony and I am a bear.
2 - Ntoliwis nil Piyel naka nil Polecomon. / My name is Peter and I am English.

Ntoliwis nil ...	My name is ...
Naka	And
Nil	Me, I
Muwin	Bear
Polecomon	English