How to Say “Mom” in Blackfoot

By Will Levi • Updated October 1, 2026

niksísta

The Blackfoot word for "mom" is niksísta.

niksísta is an informal term used to refer to a mother.

Did you know?

Because Blackfoot kinship is highly specific, different words might be used to distinguish between a maternal aunt and a paternal aunt.
In Blackfoot, many kinship terms like niksísta are built using prefixes that change based on whether the speaker is 'I', 'you', or 'he/she'.
Blackfoot is a member of the Algonquian language family, making it a distant relative of languages like Cree and Ojibwe.

Example conversation

Daniel is looking for his mother in the house.

Daniel

Niksísta, níkaatksii?
Mom, where are you?
Jessica

Ii, iiníí.
Yes, I am here.
Daniel

Niksísta, otaáksii iitáá?
Mom, where is the food?
Jessica

Iitáá otaáksii.
The food is over there.

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About The Author

Will Levi

Hello there! I'm Will, your friendly neighbourhood guide on all things Cree. As an avid adventurer, I harbour a deep passion for the Cree language, evident in my comprehensive guides on expressing ourselves in this beautifully rich tongue. Whether you're learning how to say "Amen", "I love you, Mom" or even "White Woman", you're in good hands with me. When I'm not etching words in the Cree language, I'm usually chasing the "Moon" (ᐯᐦᑯᔭᐤ pîhkoya) into interesting new forests or paddling my "Canoe" (ᒋᒋᓂᐢ seeseenis) across quiet, serene lakes. Blackfoot is spoken not far from Cree, and it has become another language close to my heart, so you will now find my guides to Blackfoot here too. Join me on my linguistic-adventures. Awâsis ᐊᐋ wasis!

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