The Guna language is an indigenous language spoken by the Gunas of Panama and Colombia. Like any other language has its variants in different communities.

My native language is the Guna language as known DuleGaya, I didn’t know another language in my childhood, before my parents took me out of my Guna World and enrolled me a primary school. In my 8 years old I learned Spanish and to my 25 years I had the opportunity to know English.

I mentioned the above, because the intention of this article is not to teach you to speak in the Guna language or DuleGaya but to know the first words you can say to a Guna in your visit to Guna Yala or San Blas Islands so that you feel part of the Guna culture, to create confidence and synergy, therefore the best experience of your life.

Next, I will show you the list of key words so that you are familiarizing yourself and you can prove that you are a connoisseur of Guna Language or Dulegaya. Important, the pronutiation is as spanish language rules

1. Na !: The classic greeting to see a person, Hello!
2. Nued Gambi ?: It is usually the complement of the previous word that means How are you? If we put it together, Na! Nuede gambi? Hello how are you?
3. Ani: Denote the word I
4. Be: Means the word You
5. Eye: Word to affirm something, in other words Yes.
6. Suli: Word to deny something, in other words No.
7. Sadde: Affirmation of non-existence or lack of something, in other words There isn’t.
8. Nigga: To connote that I have something. We can say this sentence, EYE ANI NIGGA that mean Yes, I have
9. Abegue: It is used to want something, for Example Ani be Abegue-I love you.
10. Cabi: Means Coffe. We can create a sentence with the previous one. Ani cabi abegue – I want coffee.
11. Dub: You’ll hear this word a lot and it means Island, hence the names of the islands in Guna Yala or San Blas, ends in dub.
12. Banemalo: It means See you tomorrow.
13. Anai: It means friend. We have an anecdote with this word, in the times of Spanish People, the wife of Vasco Nuñez de Balboa was called Anayansi, since Vasco Nuñez thought That the Guna whom he fell in love with was called that way, because the others called her in that way, but actually in the Guna Language means Come here buddy
14. Sugar: It literally comes from the English word Sugar.
15. Mied: Action to throw something. For example, Mer Mied – Don’t throw.
16. Igi be nuga ?: It’s a question and it means What is your name?
17. Winabie: It means I want to go to the toilet.
18. Wini: It is the bracelet of hand or legs that the woman carries Guna.
19. Mola: Gunas women’s autochthonous clothing with designs on colorful fabrics of animals or abstract figures.
20. Sipu: Commonly refers to white or Albinos. In the times of Spanish Peiple, the great Cacique called Sipu, lived in the region that today we know as CHEPO and from there the name of the village in honor of this great leader.

I can continue the list, but I consider that with these words are the main that you should know. Most of the words are drawn from the surrounding nature as well as the spiritual beliefs of the Guna people.
Over time, words from Spanish and English have been added because of their influence on our history.

I hope you liked this article, which will be your first tool to communicate directly with a Guna. Remember to follow us in our social networks so that more people can know more about us Gunas and
Better understand our culture and our defense of Mother Earth Abya Yala.