maskosiya
The English word 'grass' is translated into Cree as maskosiya.
maskosiya is a noun used to refer to ground cover plants.
Meaning: ground cover plant (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Northern and Western dialects, the word Nistik is used to refer to grass.
Did you know?
- Because Cree is an Algonquian language, the word for 'grass' can change its grammatical form depending on whether the speaker views it as a single mass or a collection of individual blades.
- In Cree culture, the term for 'grass' often extends beyond simple lawn plants to include sacred medicines like sweetgrass, which is braided and burned in smudge ceremonies to attract positive spirits.
- Because Cree is polysynthetic, you can attach elements to maskosiya to say 'the grass is growing' or 'under the grass' within a single complex word.
Example conversation
Two people are looking at a yard.
- AKî-mâskosiya kî-wâskoma.Kî-mâskosiya kî-wâskoma.The grass is too long.
- BÊy, maskosiya wâskoma.Êy, maskosiya wâskoma.Yes, the grass is long.
- AKî-pîhtâkêya kî-mâskosiya.Kî-pîhtâkêya kî-mâskosiya.Cut the grass.
- BKî-pîhtâkêya nâ kî-mâskosiya.Kî-pîhtâkêya nâ kî-mâskosiya.I will cut the grass.
