ahe, ahele
in anger, angrily, fighting
ahe‑akngerre
aggressive, ‘cheeky’, angry
ahele‑irreme
be angry, get aggressive
ahelhe
ground, land, earth
ahentye2
wanting, liking (usually with aneme ‘be’)
aherte
bilby, rabbit-eared bandicoot
akalke‑ileme, akalkelhe‑ileme
divide up, pick out
akaltye
knowing how to, knowing about
akaltye‑antheme, akaltyele‑antheme
teach
akangkeme
be happy, be pleased
akangkwe‑irreme
pay attention, listen properly
akarlkweme
bite into, chew
akeme1
cut something, slice, cut up
akemelhe‑ileme
get someone up
akethe
outside, in the open, exposed, clearing, plain
akethe‑akethe
fairly open, just light (before sunrise)
akiltye‑ileme
split up animal carcase
akiwarre
really upset, in a temper
akngakeme
separate out, pick out, choose
akngarte‑iweme
turn something over, change, translate
akngelheme
move (part of ) yourself, shake, twitch
akngeye
father, father’s brother
Akngwertnarre
Morris Soak town camp
akunye
poor thing, dear thing
akurne
bad, wrong, not useable
akutne
not knowing something, unfamiliar with
akweke
small, little, not much
akwele
supposedly, reportedly
akwerneme
put inside something, insert
akwerrke
small, young of animals
akwete
still, yet, continuing
akwetethenhe
always, regularly, permanent
akwintye
traditional windbreak
alakenhe
like this, like that
alaye
area of open water, lake, sea
alengke‑iwelheme
hide yourself
alengke‑iweme
hide something
alethange
traveller, stranger
alewatyerre
sand goanna
arlewatyerre
alhampwe
child who has lost one or both parents
Alhekulye, Alhekulyele
Mt. Gillen
alheme
go, go along, travel
alherreme
scratch something
alhwarrpe
sad, feeling sorrow
alhwenge
burrow, animal hole
alkereke‑irreme
take off and fly
alknge atherrke, alknge atherrke‑atherrke
cat (‘green eyes’)
alknge‑arlpelhe, alknge‑irlpelhe
eyelash
alknginere, alkngirnere
cicada
tyerraye
alkngultye, alknguntye
tears
alkngwe
without noticing, not paying attention
alpmanthe
hot earth and ashes under fire for cooking in
althelheme
pluck stuff off yourself, shave
altheme
pluck stuff off something
altyele
female cross-cousin
altyerre
1. a dream. 2. Dreaming
altyerre areme
to dream about
altywere‑ileme
to open, turn on
alyekwe
stone knife
alyweke
alyelheme
sing (a song)
ilyelheme
alyeme
sing (a person or thing)
ilyeme
alyerneme
wind something around, twist
ilyerneme
alyweke
stone knife
alyekwe
amirre
woomera, spear-thrower
ampatye
woman’s child, sister’s child
ampeke‑aneme
be upright against something, lean on, stick to
Ampetyane
one of the eight skin names
ampwe
middle-aged or mature person
aname‑irreme
shift to another place
anatye
bush potato, type of yam
anepe‑aneme
live (at a place)
anewe
husband or wife, spouse
anewe‑akeme
marry (‘call someone spouse’)
Angale
one of the eight skin names
angayakwe, angayweke
hungry
angerneme
dig into, dig out
angkentye
language, message
angwerre
mid-afternoon
anngwerre
angwerre‑angwerre
late afternoon
anngwerre‑anngwerre
Ankerre‑Ankerre
Coolibah Swamp (in Alice Springs)
ankerte
bearded dragon (lizard)
ankwe‑inteme
sleeping (‘lying down asleep’)
anngwerre
mid-afternoon
angwerre
anngwerre‑anngwerre
late afternoon
angwerre‑angwerre
anpeme
touch something, fiddle with it
anpere
passing, on the way through or past
anpere alheme
pass by, go past
anperneme
call someone a (particular) family relation
anpernirreme
call each other (particular) relations, be related to each other in that way
anpernirrentye
the ways Arrernte people are related to each other
antangkeme
call someone over
anteweke‑antewe‑irreme, anteweke‑anteweke‑irreme
feel nauseated, feel like vomiting
Anthelke Ulpaye
1. Charles Creek. 2. Charles Creek town camp
anthepe
women’s dancing for ceremony
Anthepe
Drive-In town camp
anthwerrke
guts, stomach (of grubs, animals)
Anthwerrke
Emily Gap
Imerle
antyeme
climb, ride, go up
intyeme
antyerrke
dried out, dead (plant)
intyerrke
antyeye
sweat, perspiration
antyipere
bat (smaller types)
anwerne
we (more than two people; subject)
anwernenhe
us (more than two people; object form)
apaneme
feel, touch, fiddle with
aparlpe‑ileme
lose something, lose someone (passes away)
aparlpe‑irreme
to get lost
aparre
butt of spear
aperre
apele
‘I know this myself’, definitely
apenteme
follow someone, follow a path
aperaltye
sweetish food on gum tree leaves
Apere Alwerrknge
Palmers town camp
aperle
father’s mother, woman's son's child
aperre
butt of spear
aparre
aperreme, aperteme
stalk, sneak along
apmere
camp, place, country
apure
'shame': shy, ashamed, embarrassed, reserved
apure‑irreme
feel shame, be shy, be embarrassed
apurte
heap, clump, ball of, together
apwape, apwapwe
whirlwind, willy-willy
apwelantye
black kite (bird)
apwerte
rock, stone, hill, money
arelhe
woman; Aboriginal person
aremaye
short-tailed goanna
areme
see, look at, have a look, watch
‑arenye
belonging to, from, associated with
arerte
mad, crazy, silly; deaf
arerte‑arerte
not thinking right, silly, irresponsible
arethape
baby before crawling stage
aretharre
west or north wind
‑areye
more than two, many
arlantye
bicycle lizard
irlantye
arletye
raw, green, uncooked
arlewarrere
whirlwind, willy-willy
arlewatyerre
sand goanna
alewatyerre
arlkeme
shout out, call out, scream out
arlketyerre
dead finish tree
arlpatye
ring necked parrot
arlpelhe
leaf, petal, feather, wing.
arlperenye
green beetle, stink beetle
irlperenye
arlperrantyeye
bush tomato
arlte mpepe
middle of the day
arlware
inflated, swollen up
arlwe
roundish rock, roundish
arne
tree, bush, stick, wood, thing
arnerre
rockhole (where water collects)
arnkarre
steep bank of creek/river
arnke
cliff, very steep sides of hill
arnkentye
single men’s camp
arnkwerte‑arnkwerte
bent, crooked, winding
arnpenheme
set off (walking), set foot down
arnterre
intensely, energetically, focussed on what you're doing
arnterte
rotten, bad, very bad
arntirrkweme
take hold of, catch
arntirte
rotten, bad, very bad
irntirte
arntwerreme
growl, grunt (animal)
arntwirrkeme
take hold of, catch
arnwere
humming or buzzing noise
arralkeme
open mouth wide, yawn
arralte
facial hair, beard
arrangkwe
no, nothing, none
arrantherre
you (more than two people; subject)
arratye
true, right, real, straight
arre‑yenpe
lips
arrirnpirnpe
arrelyennge
cheek, side of face
arrenge
father’s father, man's son's child
arrentye
creepy-crawly, devil
arrerneme
put something down
arrernirtneme
put back down
Arrernte
Arrernte language and people
arrirnpirnpe
lips
arre‑yenpe
arrkerneme
try to do, have a taste of, imitate
arrpanenhe / arrpe-anenhe
each, every, various
arrpenhe
other, another, different
arrpenheme
some, some others
arrpwerneme
call out to someone
arrule, arrurle
long time ago, long before, for a long time
arrutnenge
bush passionfruit
arrwekele
in front, ahead, first, earlier
arrwekelenye
1. first one(s), one(s) before. 2. ancestors
artangentye, artangentyele
(doing something) together, co-operatively
artarre
tail feathers of emu
artengkwelknge, artengkulknge
a cold, snot, phlegm
artepe‑aneme
crouch over, be hunched over
arterte‑ileme
crush, squash, mash
artirte-ileme
artirte‑ileme
crush, squash, mash
arterte-ileme
artityerrityerre
willy-wagtail
arturle
hard flat ground, a plain, a rise
aturle
arturte
grinding stone (small)
artweye
owner, custodian, relation
arwengalkere
native bee hive (sugarbag), hive cover, honey
atantheme
spear, poke, sew, write
ateme
burst, burst out, (dust) fly up
atere
scared, afraid, frightened
atere‑irreme
be scared, get frightened
aterneme
straighten something out
atertneme
squat down with feet flat on ground
atheme
grind (seeds), mash up, knead
Athereyurre
Telegraph Station waterhole
atherre, atherrame
two, both, pair
atherreme
laugh, giggle, smile
atherrke
1. grass, small plants. 2. green and some shades on yellow and blue
atherrke‑atherrke
green and some shades of yellow and blue
athetheke
red and some shades of pink and orange
athirnte
largish smooth flat rock
athnurte-athnurte, athnwerte‑athnwerte
curled up, crescent-shaped
atnarnpeme
jump down, get down from, get out of (a vehicle)
atnerre
brave, confident, not scared
atnewe‑atnewe
relaxed, unworried, unhurried
atnineme / atne‑ineme
to gut (an animal)
atnurrknge
1. mushy grub guts. 2. an old-fashioned kind of gruel or porridge
atnwaltye
guts: stomach and intestines
atnware
heel, back of foot
atnyelhe‑ileme
drop something
itnyelhe‑ileme
atnyematye
grub from the witchetty bush
atnyeneme
hold, have, keep, look after
aturle
hard flat ground, a plain, a rise
arturle
atwatye
gap, saddle in range
atwerreme
fight (‘hit each other’)
atyelpe
western quoll, native cat
atyemeye
mother’s father, man's daughter's child
atyepe‑atyepe
lively, chirpy, enthusiastic
atyerreme
1. shoot. 2. cook in hot ashes/earth
atyete
soft: spongy, mushy, fluffy
atyeye
younger brother or sister
atywenpe, atyunpe
perentie monitor lizard
awakeme
save for someone, keep
aweme
hear, listen to, understand
awempeme
to sweat, perspire
awenke
teenage girl, young woman
Ayekaye!
‘Oh!’, ‘Oh no!’, ‘Wow.’
ayepe‑arenye
caterpillar found on the ayepe plant
ayepweme
hunt away, let go
aywepeme
aywe
older or middle-aged man
aywepeme
hunt away, let go
ayepweme
ikwere
for him, for her, for it
ikwerenge
from him, from her, from it; from there, then
ikwerenhe
his, her, hers, its
ilernpenye
expert, clever, skilled
ilyernpenye
Ilperle Tyathe
Warlpiri camp (one of the town camps)
Ilpeye‑Ilpeye
one of the town camps
iltyarnme
type of crustacean
iltye atnerte
palm of hand
iltye kantye
finger, tip of finger
iltywiltye, iltywiltywe
mantis
ilweme
die (Not respectful about a person.)
ilyelheme
sing (a song)
alyelheme
ilyeme
sing (a person or thing)
alyeme
ilyerneme
wind something around, twist
alyerneme
ilyernpenye
expert, clever, skilled
ilernpenye
ilyweme
take down off, take off clothes
Imerle
Emily Gap
Anthwerrke
impeme
leave behind, leave alone
inape, inarlenge
echidna, spiny anteater, ‘porcupine’
Inarlenge
Little Sisters’ town camp
ingkirreke
all, every
ingkerreke
ingkwepeye
ants’ nest, termite mound
ingkwerlpe
pityuri, bush tobacco
ingkwelpe
ingkweye
old, aged, not recent
ingwenthe
tomorrow, the next few days
ingwethnele
early morning before sunrise
intame‑intame
type of fish
intelhe‑ileme / intelhileme
write, draw, make a design on something
intelyapelyape
butterfly, moth
interrke
termite, white ant
intwarre
on the other side of, over there
irntwarre
intyeme
climb, ride, go up
antyeme
intyerrke
dried out; dead (plant)
antyerrke
inwerre
limping, lame, crippled
irnwerre
iparrpe‑iparrpe
fast, quickly, over and over quickly
‑ipenhe
from, because of, after
‑iperre
-iperre
from, because of, after
‑ipenhe
iperte
1. deep. 2. hole, pit, hollow, grave
ipmenhe
mother’s mother; woman’s daughter’s child
irlantye
bicycle lizard
arlantye
irlpelhe
leaf, petal, feather, wing.
irlperenye
green beetle, stink beetle
arlperenye
irlweme
take something down off, take off clothes
irnwerre
limping, lame, crippled
inwerre
irnterre
intensely, energetically, focussed on what you're doing
irntirte
rotten, bad, very bad
irntwarre
on the other side of, over there
intwarre
irrakere
carved grooves or designs on wooden artefacts
irrare‑irreme
long for, be homesick
irrerlknge
corpse, skeleton
irrernte
cold, cold weather
irretye
wedge-tailed eagle
irrkereme
sort through to find, uncover
irrkerlantye
brown falcon (bird)
irrtnye
husk, peel, skin of some animals
irrtnye‑iweme
to skin (animal), to peel
itelareme / itele‑areme
remember, know, decide, think
iteme
cook, light (a fire)
itne
they (more than two; subject)
itnenhe
them (more than two; object form)
itnyelhe‑ileme
drop something
atnyelhe‑ileme
iwenhe‑akweye
watchamacallit, thingummy
iwenhenge?
why?, because of what?, what from?
Karnte
one of the town camps
karnte‑karnte
round, circular
kele
‘Done!’, ‘OK’, finished, already
kelyawe
type of dragon lizard
Kemarre
one of the eight skin names
‑kenhe
belonging to (like English ‘s)
Kngwarraye
one of the eight skin names
kurrkurrke
mopoke owl
kwerrkwerrke
Kwementyaye
name used instead of a person’s individual name if someone else with that name has passed away
kwene‑irreme
bend down, duck down, go down
kwepalepale
crested bellbird
kwerrkwerrke
mopoke owl
kurrkurrke
kwerte
(fire) smoke, cigarette
kwetere
wooden fighting club, nulla nulla
Kweye?
‘I'm surprised; can that be right?’, ‘Eh?’ (getting someone to confirm what they just said), ‘Oops! How did I do that?’ (after a mistake)
Lhenpe Artnwe
Hoppy’s town camp
ltare‑atweme
hit and make a sharp noise, to knock
lterrke
hard, strong, solid, tight
lthane
ghost, spirit (of dead)
lthere‑iweme
pinch someone
Ltyentye Apurte
Santa Teresa
lyeke
prickle, thorn, burr, quill
lyepe‑lyepe
part of intestines
mantere, manterre
clothes, cloth
marle
girl, female (animal)
marteme
shut, close, block off, turn off
merne
food from plants: vegetable, fruit
metye
blunt, blocked off, corner
meye
mother, mother’s sister
matye
mpwerne, mpwerneye
brother-in-law
Mpwetyerre
Abbotts town camp
mwantye
slowly, carefully, cautiously
mwarre
good, well, useable, proper, safe
mwerre
mwere
mother-in-law; son-in-law
mwernte‑irreme
refuse, be uncooperative
mwerre
good, well, useable, proper, safe
mwarre
‑nge‑ntyele
from, out of, away from
ngenhe
you (one person; object form)
ngentye
soakage, hole dug for water
ngkerneme
1. stand something up, to plant. 2. (driver) stops (vehicle)
ngkerralye
rib, ribs
utyipme
ngkwarle
1.‘honey’ foods, juice. 2. alcohol
ngkweltye
small pieces, coins
ngkwerne
1. leg, lower leg. 2. bone
ngkwerne‑ngkwerne
bony, skinny
ngkwinhe
your, yours (one person)
nhakwe
that, there (distant)
nhenge
‘you know the one’, that (one)
nhenhe
here, this (close by)
nteweme
bash against something, throw someone down
nthakentye?, nthakintye?
how many?, how much?
ntherrarte
blue-tongue lizard
ulhelke
ntulye
shadow, solid shade
ntyange
permanent waterhole
ntyarlke
elephant grub caterpillar
Ntyarlke‑arle‑tyaneme
elephant grub dreaming site on the Todd River
‑ntyele
from, out of, away from
ntyeme
give off a smell, smell, stink
ntyerrknge‑atnyeme, ntyerrknge‑itnyeme
sneeze
Nyewente
Trucking Yards town camp
parlkene, parlkennge
red-backed kingfisher
Peltharre
one of the eight skin names
Penangke
one of the eight skin names
Pengarte
one of the eight skin names
Perrurle
one of the eight skin names
pewileme
to blow on (with your mouth)
pmulpere
windpipe, throat
pmwelpere
pmware‑pmware
a type of small beetle
pmwelpere
windpipe, throat
pmulpere
pulpule, purlpurle
thumb, big toe
pwerlpwerle
pwarrtyeme
give off light: shine, glow; shine on something
pwerlpwerle
thumb, big toe
purlpurle
rakeme
grab, snatch, take away
rante‑rante
same, identical, equal
re‑atherre / ratherre
the two of them, they (subject)
renhe
him, her, it (object form)
renhe‑atherre
the two of them, them
rlputneme
squeeze stuff out, blow nose
rulye‑rulye, rulyulye
horn, feeler, insect antenna
takwe
traditional windbreak
Thare‑arle‑tneme
Annie Meyer Hill
the
I (subject of transitive verb)
theke‑theke‑ileme
tickle someone
tirre‑tirre
rainbow bee-eater
tnakeme
compliment, praise
tnyelheme
scratch yourself
tnyeme
dig for something, dig something out
tunpere
type of grass, hook made from it
tyarre‑ineme
pull, pull out, drag
tyelpme
chips of wood, splinter
tyepmware
fingernail, toenail
tywepmare
tyerrtye
(person’s) body, Aboriginal person
tywepmare
fingernail, toenail
tyepmware
ulampe‑ulampe
heron
urlampe‑urlampe
ulare
deliberately, for a reason
urlare
ulhelke
blue-tongue lizard
ntherrarte
ulpere
hollow/hole in tree
ultakeme
break off, break into pieces, chop
ultheme
press down on, tread on
ulye, ulyentye
shade, patchy or dappled shade
unte
you (one person; subject)
untheme
look for, walk around
untyeye
corkwood trees with nectar you can eat
unyerre
thorny devil (lizard)
urewe
water running in creek, flood
urinpe
hot (thing), hot weather
urlampe‑urlampe
heron
ulampe‑ulampe
urlare
deliberately, for a reason
ulare
urlpmernte
dust, dust haze
urltampe
honey from native bees
urnteme
1. to dance (men). 2. to rain
urreke
later, in a while, after
urrempere
shovel-headed spear
urtepe‑irreme, utepe‑irreme
turn around to go back
uterneme
to tell someone to do, pressure to do
uthene
and (joins two things)
utnanthe
the bush; gidgea tree
utnerrengatye
caterpillar found on emu bush
utyene
sore (on body), wound
utyipme
rib, ribs
ngkerralye
uyarne, uye
trying but unable to, unsuccessfully
Uyenpere Atwatye
Hidden Valley town camp (lit. ‘spearwood gap’)
wanteme
feed someone, serve
ware
just, only; for no reason; nothing much (answer to ‘Werte?’)
warle
house, building, wall
weme
hit (by throwing something at)
Werte?
‘What’s up?’ ‘What’s going on?’
yanhe
over there, that (mid distance)
Yarrentye Arltere
Larapinta Valley town camp
Yekwe
‘Dunno.’, ‘I don’t know’
Yweke
Yweke
‘Dunno.’, ‘I don’t know’
Yekwe
Click once on an Arrernte word in the list above to hear it pronounced.