tlen
The English phrase "what" is translated into Nahuatl as tlen.
Meaning: what? (interrogative pronoun) (pron)
Did you know?
- Because Nahuatl is an agglutinative language, the word tlen can be attached to other words to create complex meanings, essentially turning 'what' into a functional part of a larger single word.
- The concept of 'what' in Nahuatl is often deeply tied to the identity of objects, where asking 'what' is sometimes grammatically equivalent to asking 'which one is it' regarding a specific essence.
- In some modern urban varieties of Nahuatl, speakers may blend 'tlen' with Spanish loanwords, creating a hybrid linguistic style used in street commerce.
Example conversation
Cuauhtémoc and Xitlali are talking at home.
- CuauhtémocXitlali, tlen tlacuilo?Xitlali, what are you writing?
- XitlaliTlacuilo ce tlamachtli.I am writing a lesson.
- CuauhtémocTlen tlamachtli?What lesson?
- XitlaliTlamachtli ipan Nahuatlahtol.A lesson about the Nahuatl language.
