Greenlandic phrasebook

Greenlandic (Kalaallisut) is the main and since 2009 the sole official language of Greenland. It is an Eskimo–Aleut language, closely related to the Inuit languages in Canada such as Inuktitut.

There are quite big differences between dialects. The name Kalaallisut can refer either to the language or to the main variety, Western Greenlandic. Tunumiit oraasiat or East Greenlandic and Inuktun or Polar Eskimo are the other main varieties, the latter especially close to Inuktitut.

Greenlandic is a polysynthetic language that allows the creation of long words by stringing together roots and suffixes. Inflection is quite complex. Greenlandic usually constructs new words made from Greenlandic roots, by the very rich derivative mechanisms, but Greenlandic also has many loans from Danish and English.

Pronunciation guide

Vowels

• A
• E
• I
• O
• U

Vowels for loanwords and names

• Æ
• Ø
• Å
• Y

Consonants

• F
• G
• H
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• V

Consonants for loanwords and names

• B
• C
• D
• W
• X
• Y
• Z

Common diphthongs

Phrase list

Basics

Hello. 

Haluu. ( )

Hello. (informal) 

Kutaa. ( )

How are you? 

Qanoq ippit?( ?)

Are you well/good? 

Ajunngilatit? ( )

Fine, thank you. 

Ajunngilanga, qujanaq. ( )

It's good/fine. 

Ajunngilaq. ( )

What is your name? 

Qanoq ateqarpit? ( ?)

My name is ______ . 

______-mik ateqarpunga . ( _____ .)

Nice to meet you. 

. ( )

Please. 

. ( )

Thank you. 

Qujanaq. ( )

You're welcome. (you too) 

Illillu. ( )

Yes. 

Aap/Aappi/Suu. ( )

No. 

Naa/Naamik. ( )

Maybe. 

Immaqa. ( )

Right? 

Ilaa? ( )

Excuse me. (getting attention) 

. ( )

Excuse me. (begging pardon) 

. ( )

I'm sorry. 

Utoqqatserpunga. ( )

Goodbye 

Baaj/Baj/Baabaj ( )

See you! 

Takuss!( )

I can't speak name of language [well]. 

. ( [ ])

Do you speak English? 

Tuluttut oqaluttarpi? ( ?)

Is there someone here who speaks English? 

? ( ?)

Help! 

Ikiu! ( !)

Look out! 

Mianersorit! ( !)

Good morning. 

Kumoorn. ( )

Good afternoon 

. ( )

Good evening. 

. ( )

Good night. 

Kunaat. ( )

Good night (sleep well, to one person) 

Sinilluarit. ( )

I don't understand. 

Paasinngilanga. ( )

Where is the toilet? 

Anartarfik sumiippa? ( ?)

Problems

Numbers

Cardinal Numbers

In Greenland only 1–12 in Greenlandic are used. This is caused by a system of numerals used in the past where the toes and fingers were used to count to 20 which would be inuk naallugu or a complete human. 79 would be four complete humans minus one.

0 

nuulu, noor'lu (NOO-loo, NOR-loo)

1 

ataaseq (at-AR-sek)

2 

marluk (MAR-look)

3 

pingasut (PEEN-ga-soot)

4 

sisamat (SEE-sa-mat)

5 

tallimat (TAL-li-mat)

6 

arfineq (when counting and with time), arfinillit (when counting objects) (AR-feen-ek, ar-FEEN-eel-lit)

7 

arfineq marluk (AR-feen-ek MAR-look)

8 

arfineq pingasut (AR-feen-ek PEEN-ga-soot)

9 

(Northern Greenlandic) qulingiluat (counting/time), qualaaluat (objects) (kwel-LING-il-yoo-at, kwal-AA-loo-at)

(Southern Greenlandic) qulaaluat (kwul-AA-loo-at)

10 

qulit (kwulit)

11 

aqqaneq (counting/time), aqqanillit (objects) (AK-kan-ek, ak-KAN-eel-lit)

(Northern Greenlandic) isikkaneq (counting/time), isikkanillit (objects) (ISI-kan-ek, isi-kan-EEL-lit)

12 

aqqaneq marluk (AK-kan-ek MAR-look)

(North Greenlandic) isikkaneq marluk (ISI-kan-ek MAR-look)

The numerals after 12 are Danish now but 13–20 in old Greenlandic are underneath as well as 100 and 1000:

13 

aqqaneq pingasut (AK-kan-ek PEEN-ga-soot)

14 

aqqaneq sisamat (AK-kan-ek SEE-sa-mat)

15 

aqqaneq tallimat (AK-kan-ek TAL-lee-mat)

16 

arvirsanillit (arv-ER-san-eel-lit)

17 

arvirsani marluk (arv-ER-san-ee MAR-look)

18 

arvirsani pingasut (arv-ER-san-ee PEEN-ga-soot)

19 

arvirsani sisamat (arv-ER-san-ee SEE-sa-mat)

20 

arvirsani tallimat (arv-ER-san-ee TAL-lee-mat) or inuk naallugu (een-ook narl-loogoo)

100 

untriti (un-TREE-tee)

1000 

tuusinti (too-SEEN-tee)

Ordinal Numbers

first 

siulleq (SEE-oo-leek)

second 

aappaa (ARP-par)

third 

pingajuat (peen-GA-joo-at)

fourth 

sisamaat (SEE-sa-mart)

fifth 

tallimaat (tal-LEE-mart)

sixth 

arvirnat (arv-ERN-at)

seventh 

arviniq aappaat (ARV-in-ik ARP-part)

eighth 

arviniq pingajuat (ARV-in-ik peen-GA-joo-at)

ninth 

qulingiluaat (Northern), qulaaluaat (Southern) (kwoo-LEENG-eel-yoo-art, KWOO-lar-loo-art)

tenth 

qulingat (kwoo-LEENG-at)

eleventh 

aqqarnat (ak-KAR-nat)

twelfth 

aqqaneq aappaat (AK-kan-ek ARP-part)

Numbers over 12th are Danish loan-numerals such as tretteniat is 13th and tyviat is 20th.

Time

yesterday 

ippassaq ( )

the day before yesterday 

ippassaani ( )

today 

ullumi ( )

tomorrow 

aqagu ( )

the day after tomorrow 

aqaguagu ( )

morning 

ullaaq ( )

day 

ulloq ( )

evening 

unnuaq ( )

year 

ukioq ( )

spring 

upernaq ( )

summer 

aasaq ( )

fall/autumn 

ukiaq ( )

winter 

ukioq (same as year, )

Clock time

Duration

North Avannaq / South Kujataa / East Kangia / West Kitaa /

Days

Monday 

ataasinngorneq ( )

Tuesday 

marlunngorneq ( )

Wednesday 

pingasunngorneq ( )

Thursday 

sisamanngorneq ( )

Friday 

tallimanngorneq ( )

Saturday 

arfininngorneq ( )

Sunday 

sapaat ( )

Months

January 

Januaari ( )

February 

Februaari ( )

March 

Marsi ( )

April 

Apriili ( )

May 

Maaji ( )

June 

Juuni ( )

July 

Juuli ( )

August 

Aggusti ( )

September 

Septembari ( )

October 

Oktobari ( )

November 

Novembari ( )

December 

Decembari ( )

Writing time and date

Colors

West Kitaa /

white 

qaqortoq ( )

black 

qernertoq ( )

red 

aappalaartoq ( )

green 

qorsoq ( )

blue 

tungujortoq ( )

yellow 

sungaartoq ( )

Transportation

car 

biili ( )

bicycle 

sikkili ( )

boat (small, personal) 

umiatsiaq ( )

boat (traditional, for women) 

umiaq/umiak ( )

boat (big) 

umiarsuaq ( )

kayak 

qajaq ( )

dog sled 

qimusseq ( )

Bus and train

bus 

bussi ( )

Directions

forward 

siumut ( )

Taxi

taxa 

tarssa ( )

Lodging

house 

illu/illoq ( )

room 

ini ( )

apartment 

inissiaq ( )

Money

money 

aningaasat ( )

Danish Kroner 

koroonit ( )

Danish Øre 

oorit ( )

Eating

Bars

Shopping

Driving

Authority

police 

politii ( )

doctor 

nakorsaq ( )