sápA
The Lakota word for black is sápA.
sápA is an adjective used to describe something that is black, specifically in the sense of absorbing all light.
Meaning: absorbing all light (adj)
Which one should you use?
While sápA is the general adjective for the color black, the related form hásapa is used to refer to a dark-skinned person.
Related words
Did you know?
- The phrase Paha Sapa literally translates to 'Black Hills', but the 'black' here refers to the deep, dark green of the dense pine forests rather than a literal black hue.
- While sápA describes the color, the concept of 'blackness' in a spiritual or metaphorical sense is deeply tied to the direction 'North' in Lakota cosmology.
- Because Lakota is a verb-heavy language, many descriptions of color are actually expressed as 'to be black' or 'it is blackening' depending on the context.
Examples in context
- sápA mášni.The horse is black.
- sápA wašté.The black color is good.
Example conversation
Darrell and Joyce are looking at a piece of clothing.
- DarrellSápA tȟátonka waúŋya.The black shirt is large.
- JoyceHán, sápA waúŋya tȟáŋka.Yes, the black shirt is big.
- DarrellTȟúŋbla sápA waúŋya kȟáŋčha?Do you like the black shirt?
- JoyceHán, sápA waúŋya waúŋkȟe.Yes, I like the black shirt.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “black” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
