Lesson 1: Laundry - Th'éx̲welwetem
Lesson 2: Travel - Leq'álqel
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Lesson 3: Work - Syó:ys
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Lesson 4: Health - Shxw'íyem
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Lesson 5: Food and Drink - S'álhtel qas te Sqó:qe
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Lesson 6: Classroom Activities and Instructions - Tháytem te Skwúkwel Syó:ys
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Lesson 7: At the Meal Table - Í te S'álhtel Letám
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Lesson 8: Weather - Xwe'ít te Swáyel
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Lesson 9: Travel - Leq'áleqel
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Lesson 10: Health - Shxw'íyem
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Lesson 11: Are you Married? - Líchxw Smámalyí?
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Lesson 12: Food and Drink - S'álhtel qas te Sqó
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Lesson 13: Weather - Xwe'ít te Swáyel
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Lesson 14: Travel - Leq'álqel
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Lesson 15: Health - Shxwe'íyem
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Lesson 16: People - Ye Mestíyexw
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Lesson 17: Food and Drink - S'álhtel qas te Sqóqe
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Lesson 18: School - Skwúl
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Lesson 19: Shopping - Ileqá:ls
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Lesson 20: Health - Shxw'íyem
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Lesson 21: People - Mestíyexw
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Lesson 22: Eating - Í:lhtel
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Lesson 23: Shopping - Íleqels
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Lesson 24: Work - Syó:ys
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Lesson 25: Health - Shxw'íyem
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Lesson 26: Identification - Sx'áts Pípe
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Lesson 27: Meals - S'álhtel
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Lesson 28: Shopping - Íleqáls
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Lesson 29: School - Skwúl
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Lesson 30: Co-workers - Sq'eq'óxel
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Lesson 31: People - Mestíyexw
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Lesson 32: Food and Drink - S'álhtel qas te Sqóqe
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Lesson 33: Laundry - Th'éx̲welwétem
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Lesson 34: Weather - Xwe'í:t te swáyel
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Lesson 35: Classroom Activities and Instructions - Tháytem te Skúkwel Syó:ys
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Lesson 36: Leaving - Le Á:yel
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Lesson 37: Food and Drink - S'álhtel qas te Qó
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Lesson 38: Shopping - Ileqá:ls
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Lesson 39: Commuting - Q'élqéylthet
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Lesson 40: School - Skwúl
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Lesson 41: Introductions - Pípetels
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Lesson 42: Travel - Leq'á:lq'el
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Lesson 43: School - Skwúl
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Lesson 44: Entertainment - Éyósthet
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Lesson 45: Shopping - Íleqals
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Lesson 46: People - Mestíyexw
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Lesson 47: School - Skwúl
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Lesson 48: Theatre - Pekche'áwtxw
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Lesson 49: Visiting - Lálats'éwtxwem
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Lesson 50: School - Skwúl
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Lesson 1: Laundry - Th'éx̲welwetem

Th'éx̲welwetem 1A

A
Lí ew slíw tel xwétkw'emáyiws te th'x̲wélwetem masíl?
Are my jeans in the washing machine?
B
Tsel léwex lám te ts'áywxwelwétem masíl.
I put them in the dryer.
A
Ō, ts'íthóme.
Oh, thank you. / Okay, thank you. / Oh, thank you.
B
Ō, éy.
[lit. oh, good].
Sure thing.

Th'éx̲welwetem 1B

A
Tsel séwq't tel xwétkw'emáyiws. Skw'áy kw'els kwélexw.
I am looking for my jeans. I can't find them.
B
Lí te ts'áywxwelwétem masíl.
They are in the washer.
A
Tsel málqelexw kw'els th'ex̲wót kw'e xweláltelh.
I forgot to wash them last night.
B
Ō, ste'á tethá.
[ lit. it’s like that.]
Oh, cest la vie.

Audio Halq'eméylem English
stl'pí:wel shirt
swéte sweater
seqíws pants
kwélexw to get, to have, to catch, to find
léwex put in (tr. v.), put into
slíw in [used for inside box, object, etc.], inside (a hollow object)
kapú coat
xweláltelh yesterday evening, last night
míset to choose (it), choose (tr.)
lémet to fold it, fold (tr.v.)
sōqw't search for it
th'x̲welwétem to wash clothes, wash clothes, do laundry
á:wkw' clothes, clothing, belongings
mesíl machine
thex̲láxw find it
xwétkw'em denim
xwétkw'eméyws jeans
th'ex̲wót wash it, wash (tr. v.)
shxwth'éx̲welwetem washing machine
tél:exw find something out, to know something
ts'áyxwt drying something
shxwts'á:yxwélwetem drier
sth'éx̲welwétem laundry
th'exwótem (it is) washed
ts'áyxwelwétem to dry clothes
ts'íyxwthet to dry oneself (v.)
ts'áywx be drying

Audio Halq'eméylem English
Tsel séwq't tel xwétkw'emáyiws. I'm looking for my jeans.
Ew éy tel stl'epí:wel. My shirt is clean.
Th'ex̲wótem tel s'íth'em. My dress is being washed.
Éy mékw' tel á:wkw'. My clothes are all clean.
Lúlh hóy te th'x̲wélwetem. The laundry is done.
Lúlh hó:y mékw' te th'x̲wélwetem. The laundry is all finished.
Líchexw kw'étslexw tel kopú? Did you see my coat?
We lís iyólem kw'as lémet te á:wkw'? Can you fold the clothes?
Líchexw th'ex̲wót tel swéta? Did you wash my sweater?
Mékw' swáyel kw'els th'éx̲welwetem. Every day I do laundry.
Líchexw th'ex̲wót tel seqíws? Did you wash my pants?
Lí ew lí kw'as th'x̲wélwetem? Do you have any laundry?
Ew iyólem kw'els th'ex̲wót tel á:wkw'. I should wash my clothes.
Lí welh ch'áyxwt te th'x̲wélwetem? Is the laundry dried?
Lí ew slíw tel xwétkw'emáyiws te th'x̲wélwetem masíl? Are my jeans in the washing machine?
Tsel séwq't tel xwétkw'emáyiws. Skw'áy kw'els kwélexw. I am looking for my jeans. I can't find them.
Tsel léwex lám te ts'áywxwelwétem masíl. I put them in the dryer.
Lí te ts'áywxwelwétem masíl. They are in the washer.
Ō, ts'íthóme. Oh, thank you. / Okay, thank you. / Oh, thank you.
Tsel málqelexw kw'els th'ex̲wót kw'e xweláltelh. I forgot to wash them last night.
Ō, éy. Sure thing.
Ō, ste'á tethá. Oh, cest la vie.

The Halq'eméylem language is very closely related to the language spoken downriver (in Musquam and Tsawassan) and on parts of Vancouver Island (Namaimo, Chemainus, and Cowichan). 

There are some major differences between the language spoken in those areas, however. Some words are completely different, and some sounds are also different, so that for example downriver and island speakers have the sound 'n', while the 'n' sound does not exist upriver (all 'n's have been replaced by 'l's). However, upriver, downriver, and island speakers can all understand each other, in spite of these differences, so most linguists would class them all as speaking the same language.

 

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