ᎩᏟ
gitli
The English word "dog" is ᎩᏟ in Cherokee. If unsure, use ᎩᏟ (gitli). Wiktionary also lists ᎩᎵ (gili).
Meaning: animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cherokee | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| ᎩᏟ | gitli |
| ᎩᎵ | gili |
Both forms refer to the animal known as a dog.
Which one should you use?
The forms ᎩᏟ and ᎩᎵ are both used to mean dog.
How do you pronounce it?
gitli
Did you know?
- The Cherokee syllabary used to write ᎩᏟ was invented by Sequoyah, allowing the people to achieve literacy in their own language in a very short time.
- Cherokee is a polysynthetic language, meaning a single word for 'dog' can be expanded into a complex sentence by adding prefixes and suffixes.
- In Cherokee culture, dogs were historically prized not just as pets but as essential hunters and guardians of the village perimeter.
Examples in context
- ᎩᎵ ᏛᎶᏕᎵ.He will kick the dog.This sentence shows how to use ᎩᎵ in a sentence about kicking a dog.
Example conversation
Two people are looking at a pet in the yard.
- AᎩᏟ ᎢᎦ?Gili iga?Is that a dog?
- BᎥᎥ, ᎩᏟ ᎢᎦ.Vv, gili iga.Yes, that is a dog.
- AᎩᏟ ᎤᏓᏓᏓ.Gili udada.The dog is fast.
- BᎥᎥ, ᎤᏓᏓᏓ.Vv, udada.Yes, it is fast.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dog” translations and entries ᎩᏟ, ᎩᎵ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
