The new GNWT.ca website is now available. This new site organizes GNWT programs, services, and information around topics, themes and tasks. Try the new GNWT.ca site today.

Indigenous Languages Alphabets

An alphabet is a type of writing system in which a set of symbols (letters) represents the distinctive sounds (or phonemes) of a language. Below are the alphabets, vowels, and dipthongs for each of the NWT’s official Indigenous languages.

Contents

Back to top

Dene Kǝdǝ́

Consonants
ɂ a b ch ch’ d dl dz e ǝ f g gh
gw h ı j k kw k’ kw’ l ł m n o
p p’ r s sh t t’ tł tł’ ts ts’ u v
w wh w’ x y z zh            
Vowels and Dipthongs
a á ą ą́ e é ę ǝ ǝ́ ı ı́ ı̨ ı̨́
o ó ǫ ǫ́ u ú ų ų́          
Back to top

Dëne Sųłinë

Consonants
ɂ a b ch ch’ d dh ddh dl dz e ë g
gh h ı j k k’ l ł m n o r s
sh t t’ th tł tł’ ts ts’ tth tth’ u w x
y z                      
Vowels and Dipthongs
a á ą ą́ e é ę ę́ ë ë́ ı ı́ ı̨
ı̨́ o ó ǫ ǫ́ u ú ų ų́ aı au ay ıe
ue uı                      
Back to top

Dene Zhatıé

Consonants
ɂ a b ch ch’ d dh ddh dl dz e f g
gh h ı j k k’ l ł m mb n nd o
p p’ r s sh t t’ th tth tth’ tł tł’ ts
ts’ u v w x y z zh          
Vowels and Dipthongs
a á ą ą́ e é ę ı ı́ ı̨ ı̨́ o ó
ǫ ǫ́ u ú ų ų́ aı au          
Back to top

Dinjii Zhuh Ginjik

Consonants
‘ a b ch ch’ d ddh dh dl dr dz dzh e
g gh ghw gw h ı j k k’ kh khw kw l
ł m n n’ nd ng nh o r s sh sr t
t’ th tth tth’ tł tł’ tr tr’ ts ts’ tsh tsh’ u
v y z zh zr                
Vowels and Dipthongs
a à ą e è ę ı ı̀ ı̨ o ò u ù
ao aıı eıı eu                  
Back to top

nēhiyawēwin

Consonants
c h k m n p s t w y
Vowels and Dipthongs
a ā i ı̄ o ō ē aw āw
ay ēw ey wi ı̄y ow ōw oy āw
Back to top

Inuinnaqtun

Consonants
b dj ff g h k l m n
ñ ng p q r t v y  
Vowels
a i u aa ii uu
Back to top

Inuktitut

Qaniujaaqpait Syllabics

Consonant -i -u -a final
Vowel only ᐃ ᐅ ᐊ ·
p ᐱ ᐳ ᐸ ᑉ
t ᑎ ᑐ ᑕ ᑦ
k ᑭ ᑯ ᑲ ᒃ
g ᒋ ᒍ ᒐ ᒡ
m ᒥ ᒧ ᒪ ᒻ
n ᓂ ᓄ ᓇ ᓐ
s/h ᓯ ᓱ ᓴ ᔅ
l ᓕ ᓗ ᓚ ᓪ
j ᔨ ᔪ ᔭ ᔾ
v ᕕ ᕗ ᕙ ᕝ
r ᕆ ᕈ ᕋ ᕐ
q ᕿ ᖁ ᖃ ᖅ
ng ᖏ ᖑ ᖓ ᖕ
ł ᖠ ᖢ ᖤ ᖦ

Qaliujaaqpait Roman Orthography

Consonants
ch* ff* g h hl* j k L ł m n
ng p q r rh* s shr* t v ʼ*  
Vowels
a i u aa ii uu

* Introduced in the 2019 Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami revision to support all Inuktut dialects.

Back to top

Inuvialuktun

Sallirmiutun

Consonants
b ch dj g k l ł m n
ng p q r s t v y  

Uummarmiutun

Consonants
ch dj ff g h k l ł m n
ñ ng p q r r̂ t v y  
Vowels
a i u aa ii uu
Back to top

Tłı̨chǫ

Consonants
ɂ a b ch ch’ d dl dz e g gh gw h
ı j k k’ kw kw’ l ł m mb n nd o
r s sh t t’ tł tł’ ts ts’ w wh x y
z zh                      
Vowels and Dipthongs
a à ą ą̀ e è ę ę̀ ı ı̀ ı̨ ı̨̀ o
ò ǫ ǫ̀ aı                  
Back to top