beana
Dog
Usage
The basic word for a dog; works as a pointing card
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender. Compounds such as barfebeana and hurvebeana exist
bussá
Cat
Usage
The word for a cat. "Mus lea bussá" means "I have a cat"
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender. "Have" is expressed as "mus lea …" (at me there is …), not with a verb
loddi
Bird
Usage
A general word for a bird; each kind has its own name
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender. It also occurs inside compounds (for example golloloddi)
guolli
Fish
Usage
The fish as an animal; the same word is used for fish as food. Dried fish is goikeguolli and salted fish is sálteguolli
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender. The stem alternates through consonant gradation: guolli / guoli
heasta
Horse
Usage
The word for a horse. "Heasta lea čáhppat" means "The horse is black"
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender. A variant with the same meaning, heavuš, also occurs
gussa
Cow
Usage
The word for a cow, the animal itself
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender.
spiidni
Pig
Usage
The word for a pig, the animal
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender.
sávza
Sheep
Usage
The word for a sheep
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender. It is the first part of compounds (for example sávzaboanda)
vuonccis
Hen
Usage
The word for a hen or chicken
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender.
boazu
Reindeer
Usage
The central animal of Sami reindeer herding (boazodoallu). The meat is bohccobiergu
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender. In compounds the stem changes to bohcco- (bohccobiergu). A bull reindeer is sarvvis
ealga
Moose / Elk
Usage
The word for the large deer of the forest
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender. The same animal is also called sarvva
rieban
Fox
Usage
The word for a fox
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender.
biikagoašku
Hedgehog
Usage
The word for a hedgehog; best shown by pointing
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender.
oarri
Squirrel
Usage
The word for a squirrel
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender.
njoammil
Hare
Usage
The word for a wild hare
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender. The word starts with the cluster nj, pronounced like the ny in "canyon"
guovža
Bear
Usage
The word for a bear; used when talking about the outdoors
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender. The same animal is also called bierdna. The ž is pronounced /ʒ/
gumpe
Wolf
Usage
The word for a wolf
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender. The same animal is also called návdi
albbas
Lynx
Usage
The word for a lynx
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender.
njuorju
Seal
Usage
The word for a seal
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender. The accusative and genitive is njuorjju (consonant gradation)
fális
Whale
Usage
The word for a large whale
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender. The á is an open a
skávhli
Gull
Usage
The word for a large gull, the kind seen at the coast and in harbours
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender.
njukča
Swan
Usage
The word for a swan. The same letters begin the month name njukčamánnu (March)
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender. The č is pronounced /tʃ/, like English ch
suorsá
Duck
Usage
The word for a duck
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender.
garjá
Crow
Usage
The word for a crow
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender. Another word for the same bird is vuorččis
skire
Magpie
Usage
The word for a magpie
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender.
skuolfi
Owl
Usage
The word for an owl
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender.
bosttagearpmaš
Adder (viper)
Usage
The word for the adder, the venomous viper. If you see one outdoors, keep away
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender. It names the adder specifically, not snakes in general
cuoppu
Frog
Usage
The word for a frog; it may also cover toads
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender.
čuoika
Mosquito
Usage
The word for a mosquito; can be shown by pointing when asking for repellent
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender. The č is pronounced /tʃ/, like English ch
muogir
Midge
Usage
The word for the small biting midges and black flies
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender.
niranas
Tick
Usage
The word for a tick; can be shown by pointing when checking after a walk in grass or forest
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender.
vievssis
Wasp
Usage
The word for a wasp
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender. The honey bee has a different word (mieđašeatni)
mieđašeatni
Bee
Usage
The word for a honey bee
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender.
gotka
Ant
Usage
The word for an ant
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender.
heavdni
Spider
Usage
The word for a spider
Grammar Note
Nominative singular. There are no articles or grammatical gender.
More Northern Sami phrases
- Basic Words
- Basic Nouns
- Basic Verbs
- Adjectives
- Question Words
- Greetings
- Food & Drinks
- Transportation
- Shopping
- Numbers
- Hotel
- Emergency
- Sightseeing
- Flirting
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- Compliments
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- Places & Areas
- Useful Phrases
- Airport & Customs
- Weather & Climate
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- Directions
- Money & Exchange
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- Nature & Outdoors
- Religion & Temples
- Café & Drinks
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- Time & Dates
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- Hot Springs & Baths
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- Signs
- Body Parts
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- Feelings
- Slang
- Local Dishes
- Local Drinks
- Indulgences