Nahuatl is an Uto-Aztecan language that is spoken in Mexico, El Salvador, and some parts of the United States. Nahuatl was the language spoken in the ancient Aztec and Toltec Empires, and it was generally used as a lingua franca (a language that is used as a communication bridge for speakers of different languages), in Central America from the 7th century until the Spanish conquest in the 1500s. After the Spanish conquest of the Aztec empire, the language began to be written using the Latin alphabet, and this was referred to as Classical Nahuatl, and it is still one of the most-studied languages of the early Americas. There are still many manuscripts in Classical Nahuatl. Classical Nahuatl is known for its use of the “tl” sound in many words. This is evident in the language’s name and some Nahuatl words that have been adopted by the English language, such as “axolotl” and “atlatl.” English has other words that originated from Nahuatl as well, including “chocolate,” “chili,” “avocado,” “tomato,” and “coyote.” Now, there are around 30 different dialects of the language spoken throughout Mexico. However, many dialects of the language have already gone extinct, and most Nahuatl speakers are bilingual in Spanish. Only 15% of Nahuatl speakers are monolingual in the language, and it is rarely used as a main language for communication. It is taught at some universities in Mexico and the United States, and it is still studied by scholars around the world as one of the most important languages from the early Americas.

More/Stats

Also known as: Mexicano, Nawatl, Aztec

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Language Family: Uto-Aztecan

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Written Alphabet: Latin 

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Category: Vulnerable 

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Speakers: Around 1.5 million

Music and Dance

• Ihcuac tlahtolli ye miqui - Mexican/Nahuatl folk song (When a language dies)

• canto nahuatl

• National Anthem of Mexico (Nahuatl Language) - "Mexihcaletepetlacuicalt"

• Music lovers enjoy arias sung in ancient Aztec language

• WIKITONGUES: Javier speaking Nahuatl & Spanish

• Rap in Nahuatl? #shorts song - ‘Asuntillo’

• What does ancient Aztec / Nahuatl music sound like?

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