Your Grandmother's Cherokee

Preserving the Cherokee language, one word at a time.

Snow in the Smoky Mountains.  Photo by Kristy Maney Herron

It is snowing-- Gutiha!

It’s Snowing –Gutiha

Here in the mountains it has been snowing for several days, as it has throughout the east.  So here are some words for you to use to talk about snow.

In Cherokee language, Gutiha = it is snowing, right now. Another word means snow lying on the ground = ontsi or untsi.  If you are from Oklahoma or Snowbird, your relatives probably pronounce this onji or unji. 

Nogwo gutiha =          It is snowing now

Gutiha-sg =                Is it snowing?

Idohiyu gutiha =         It is really snowing!

Gutiha anadisgo’i =    They say it is snowing.

Gesdi yi gutiha =        It is not snowing.

Gayotli untsi =           There’s a little snow on the ground.

Sgwisda untsi =           There’s a lot of snow on the ground.

If you want to pronounce these words, put the accent on the next-to-last syllable.  Enjoy using these words for snow, and you all be careful/watch out! Di-tsa-ga-se-sde-sdi!

 

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