Taŋyáŋ yahí
The Lakota word for welcome is Taŋyáŋ yahí.
This phrase is used as a greeting to welcome someone upon their arrival.
Meaning: greeting given upon someone's arrival (intj)
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase Taŋyáŋ yahí functions as a complete sentence meaning "You are welcome." In this structure, yahí serves as the verb, meaning "to arrive" or "to be well" in a state of being.
Did you know?
- Lakota kinship terms are often integrated into welcomes to specify the relationship between the host and the guest, such as calling a stranger 'uncle' or 'grandmother'.
- The word yahí is used not only for arriving but also to express that something is 'good' or 'correct' in a moral or physical sense.
- The grammatical structure of Taŋyáŋ yahí lacks a separate word for 'you', as the verb conjugation itself identifies the subject.
Examples in context
- Taŋyáŋ yahí, nagašté.Welcome, friend.
Example conversation
Glenda greets Ronald as he arrives at her house.
- GlendaTaŋyáŋ yahí, Ronald.Welcome, Ronald.
- RonaldTókša, Glenda.Thank you, Glenda.
- GlendaÍčatȟáŋ wačháŋtognaka.It is good to see you.
- RonaldHáu, lila uŋ wóčapiya.Yes, I am very happy to be here.
