A living language
Mexico's INAH calls Yucatec Maya maaya t'aan and cites more than 774,000 speakers in Mexico (2021 census). It varies in pronunciation, vocabulary and intonation from place to place, so the same word may sound different from town to town.
Words from the landscape and kitchen
- Cenote: from Maya ts'ono'ot or dz'onot, a natural well.
- Pib: the underground oven used for cochinita and mucbipollo.
- Kol: the thick pumpkin-seed sauce on papadzules.
- Ki: the Maya name for henequen, according to INAH.
- Kots'oob: an Espita tamal; the name comes from k'ots', "to roll."
Words from the fiestas
- Hanal (Janal) Pixán: "food of the souls," the Maya Day of the Dead.
- Xpujuc: the yellow flower on Hanal Pixán altars.
- Xokbil-chuy: the cross-stitch embroidery on hipiles.
How they're written and pronounced
Modern spelling uses an apostrophe for glottalized consonants, as in maaya t'aan or k'ots'. A phonology study from Mexico's National Museum of Anthropology describes its consonants and vowels. The "x" usually sounds like "sh": xpujuc is roughly "shpoo-JOOK."
Tips
- Ask people how to say something in Maya: it's usually well received.
- Don't use Maya words as a joke.
- Remember that translations can vary by region.
Hearing them in the towns
In the towns on Mary Tours trips, from Homún to Valladolid, Maya is part of daily life. Trips leave from Calle 61 in downtown Mérida.
| Word | Context |
|---|---|
| Cenote | Natural well (from ts'ono'ot) |
| Pib | Underground oven |
| Kol | Thick pumpkin-seed sauce |
| Ki | Henequen |
| Hanal Pixán | Food of the souls |
| Xpujuc | Yellow altar flower |
Fun facts
- Henequen is called ki in Maya.
- The Maya x sounds like sh.
- Cenote is a word of Maya origin.
Related tours
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Four stops in one day, and none of them rushed
from $1,200 MXN per person
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8:00 AM – 8:00 PM · daily
- 8:00 AM Departure from the office — An hour on the road to Izamal. The guide uses the drive to set up what comes next.
- 9:00 AM San Antonio de Padua Convent — The story of the 16th-century Franciscan convent told in its atrium, then free time to walk the yellow town.
- 11:15 AM Chichén Itzá — Guided walk through the Temple of Kukulkán, the Sacred Cenote, the Ball Court, the Tzompantli and the Jaguars and Eagles platform.
- 1:45 PM Regional lunch in Kaua — Buffet of Yucatecan dishes: cochinita, relleno negro, lime soup and meat-free options.
- 3:00 PM Selva Maya cenote — The swim lands exactly when the sun is at its worst. Changing rooms and showers on site.
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Not included: Chichén Itzá entrance, Cenote entrance, Drinks
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- 8:00 AM Departure from the office — An hour on the road. The guide uses it to explain where Izamal comes from before you arrive.
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- 11:00 AM Yaxbacaltún cenote — The first swim, landing right after the morning’s walking.
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- 11:30 AM Chaksikín cenote — Semi-open. You go down between limestone walls painted with Maya-themed murals.
- 12:00 PM Xooch cenote — Semi-open, with a shaft of light that falls straight onto the water mid-morning.
- 12:30 PM Pool Cocom cenote — Open and surrounded by vegetation. You swim along a channel out to the wide part.
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Frequently asked questions
How many people speak Yucatec Maya?
More than 774,000 in Mexico, according to the 2021 census.
How is x pronounced in Maya?
Usually like "sh."
What does Hanal Pixán mean?
Food of the souls.
What is the apostrophe for in Maya?
It marks glottalized consonants.
