Spanish word

totonaco

Pronunciation

IPA/totoˈnako/

Meaning

  • masculine nounTotonac

Example

¿Hablas totonaco?

Do you speak Totonac?

Illustration for totonaco (Totonac)

More examples

Quiero aprender totonaco para hablar con la gente local.

I want to learn Totonac to speak with the local people.

Core concept

Traditional community language of the Totonac people with several regional dialects used mainly in family and local settings.

Common phrases

  • aprender totonaco

    learn Totonac

  • estudiar totonaco

    study Totonac

Similar words

idioma: Widely recognized language used for administration, education, or national media.
lengua: Language spoken by inhabitants of a particular region or social group.
dialecto: Subdivision of a language characterized by regional speech patterns.
lengua materna: Language first acquired from family during early childhood and used domestically.

Definition in Spanish

Lengua originaria hablada por comunidades totonacas, con varias variantes dialectales y usada sobre todo en ámbitos familiares y comunitarios en regiones de Veracruz y Puebla.

Word origin

Borrowed from the Nahuatl name Totonac, Spanish uses the ethnonym to refer both to the people and to their language varieties.

Usage tips

  • Speakers who know totonaco often describe their ability as 'un poco' or say they use it 'en casa', so replies about competence frequently emphasize limited or home-based use.

Other meanings

  • Totonac peoplenoun
  • Totonac personnoun

Word lists with this word