How are you feeling?

The SSBMI Language Department created "feelings" posters which you can use to learn how to ask "How are you?" and share your own feelings in Nisenan and Northern Sierra Miwok. Here, you can learn how to say the language on these posters and other useful phrases.

You can ask how someone is feeling using one of the following phrases. Note that, when speaking Nisenan or Miwok, you use different language depending on whether you are asking 1 person or a group of people how they feel:

English

How are you?

(said to 1 person)

Nisenan

Homáabe mi?

Miwok

Kucí’’acin aa?

Esak’ábe mi? (Do you know?) There are many different ways to ask "How are you?" in Nisenan and Miwok. For example, you may also hear Nisenan speakers ask Homáakani? (How are you?). The Miwok phrase that we share here, Kucí’’acin aa?, more literally means "Are you well?", but you can also ask someone Micɨ́ksɨs? (How are you?) which is also used as a greeting.

You can respond in any of a number of ways. For example, here are some phrases that you might use to share how you feel in Nisenan or Miwok:

I am good.

Nisenan

Wenném ni.

Miwok

Kucít.

I am not good.

Nisenan

Wennemením ni.

Miwok

Kucí’wat.

I am happy.

Nisenan

Kɨɨpém ni.

Miwok

Apóoyum.

I am unhappy/sad.

Nisenan

Kɨɨpemením ni.

Miwok

Eyáhŋem.

I am angry.

(said by a woman)

Nisenan

Hont’owím ni.

Miwok

Osá’ŋem.

I am angry.

(said by a man)

Nisenan

Əəním ni.

Miwok

Naŋá’ŋem.

I am scared/nervous.

Nisenan

Bɨɨk’ɨ́m ni.

Miwok

Yɨtɨ́ttɨttɨm.

I am healthy/well.

Nisenan

Wadáam ni.

Miwok

Kucí’’acit.

I am sick.

Nisenan

Wamayím ni.

Miwok

Halɨ́yŋem.

I am hurt.

Nisenan

K’ɨɨt’ím ni.

Miwok

Sikéenɨm.

I am tired.

Nisenan

Helúum ni.

Miwok

Ṭánŋem.

I am sleepy.

Nisenan

Yɨk’ɨk’ɨ́m ni.

Miwok

Yáŋ’eksɨm.

I am hungry.

Nisenan

Ok’óm ni.

Miwok

Hakáyŋem.

I am thirsty.

Nisenan

Mowoonóm ni.

Miwok

Heléwŋem.

Esak’ahá daak’ábe mi c’aykɨ́? (Do you want to know more?)

You may have noticed that some pairs of phrases that have opposite meanings in English differ only slighty in Nisenan & Miwok. For example, compare Nisenan Kɨɨpém ni (I am happy) with Kɨɨpemením ni (I am not happy), or Miwok Kucít (I am good) with Kucí’wat (I am not good).

In Nisenan and Miwok, negation (i.e. how you say "no" or "not") is expressed through the use of suffixes, which attach to the ends of words to negate their meanings. In Nisenan, the suffix -men means "no, not". In Miwok, the suffix -wa is one of several suffixes that means "no, not".

You may have also noticed that women and men say different things when they are angry. In Nisenan & Miwok, you use different words to talk about a "woman" being angry versus a "man" being angry. Namely, a woman (but not a man) would express their anger by saying Hont’owím ni in Nisenan or Osá’ŋem in Miwok. Conversely, a man (but not a woman) would say Əəním ni in Nisenan or Naŋá’ŋem in Miwok.

In Miwok, the verbs osá’ŋe- (to be angry (woman)) and naŋá’ŋe- (to be angry (man)) are related to the words óssa (woman) and náŋŋa (man).

Of course, a man would still use the "woman"-words to talk about a woman who is angry, and vice versa, so you should learn both phrases.

The Miwok phrase Yɨtɨ́ttɨttɨm (I am scared/nervous) is a fun phrase to say. In Miwok, the word yɨtɨ́ttɨttɨ- imitates the sound of someone's teeth chattering. So, when you say Yɨtɨ́ttɨttɨm, you are literally saying "I am teeth-chattering"!

Would you like a copy?

If you would like a free copy of the Nisenan poster (shown here) or the Miwok poster, please visit the SSBMI Language Department in the Tribal Admin building or contact us at Language@ssband.org.

Wenném! Sitapáy’omís! (Thank you! Take care of yourself!)

Webpage last updated: 2024-05-04