Official Languages of the Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories (NWT) is the only political region in Canada which recognizes 11 official languages.
Of these, nine are Indigenous and belong to three different language families: Dene, Inuit, and Cree. Indigenous languages are most frequently spoken in smaller communities throughout the Northwest Territories.
The Inuit languages recognized in the NWT are Inuvialuktun, Inuinnaqtun and Inuktitut. In the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, 20% of the Inuvialuit population speak either Inuvialuktun or Inuinnaqtun. The majority of people that speak Inuktitut in the NWT live in Yellowknife.
A small number of people, living mostly in the Fort Smith and Hay River area, speak Cree. Their language belongs to a different linguistic group, the Algonquian family.
Approximately 3% of the population states that French is their first language. The use of French and English is more common in Yellowknife and the regional centres.
| Official Language | Traditional Name | Communities Where Spoken | One land, many voices | Welcome | Thank You | Active Offer Message |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chipewyan | Dëne Sųłıné Yatıé | Fort Resolution, Fort Smith, Ndilo, Detah, Łutselk’e | Ɂį̀aghe ní dëne yatı łą. | Márcı ją nuwe ghą núhdël | Mársı | Ɂerıhtł’ís Dëne Sųłıné yatı t’a huts’elkër xa beyáyatı theɂą ɂat’e, nuwe ts’ën yółtı. |
| Cree | Nēhiyawēwin | Fort Smith, Fort Resolution, Hay River | Mamawi kitaskenaw, mihcet pīhtākosowkina. | Tawaw | Kinanāskomitin | Kīspin ki nitawihtīn ē nīhīyawihk ōma ācimōwin, tipwāsinān. |
| English | English | All Communities | One land, many voices. | Welcome | Thank you | If you would like this information in another official language, call us. |
| French | Français | Yellowknife, Hay River, Fort Smith, Inuvik | Un territoire aux voix multiples. | Bienvenue | Merci | Si vous voulez ces informations en français, contactez-nous. |
| Gwich’in | Dinjii Zhu’ Ginjik | Fort McPherson, Tsiigehtchic, Inuvik, Aklavik | Nan ıhłak, dııdeezhuu leıı. | Shòh hàh aanàii | Hąį’ | Jii gwandak izhii ginjìk vat’atr’ijąhch’uu zhit yinohthan jì’, diits’àt ginohkhìi. |
| Inuinnaqtun | Inuinnaqtun | Ulukhaktok | Atauhiq nuna, uqauhiriaktuq. | Quana qaigaffi | Quana | Hapkua titiqqat pijumagupkit Inuinnaqtun, uvaptinnut hivajarlutit. |
| Inuktitut | ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ | Yellowknife | ᐊᑕᐅᓯᖅ ᓄᓇ, ᐅᓄᖅᑐᑦ ᓂᐲᑦ. | ᑐᖓᓱᒋᑦ | ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᒃ (Qujannamiik) | ᑕᒃᑯᐊ ᑎᑎᖅᑲᐃᑦ ᐱᔪᒪᒍᕕᒋᑦ ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᓕᖅᓯᒪᓗᑎᒃ, ᐅᕙᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐃᕐᑳᓚᔪᓐᓇᖅᑐᑎᑦ. |
| Inuvialuktun | Inuvialuktun | Sachs Harbour, Tuktoyaktuk, Inuvik, Paulatuk | Atausiq nuna, inugiaktut uqallausiit. | Quvianaqtusi qaigapsi | Quyanainni | Uvanittuaq ilitchurisukupku Inuvialuktun, ququaqluta. |
| North Slavey | Sahtúot’ı̨nę Yatı̨́ | Colville Lake, Délı̨ne, Tulita, Fort Good Hope | Ne łée, kede łǫ. | Máhsı hejǫ raxets’é ráwǝdǝ | Máhsi | K’áhshó got’ı̨ne xǝdǝ k’é hederı ɂedı̨htl’é yerınıwę nı́dé dúle. |
| South Slavey | Dene Zhatıé | Wrigley, Fort Simpson, Jean Marie River, Trout Lake, Nahanni Butte, Fort Liard, Fort Providence, Kakisa, Hay River | Ndeh łíé, zhahtıé łǫ. | Máhsı ejǫh nahxe tah anet’ı̨ | Máhsı | Edı gondı dehgáh got’ı̨e zhatı˛e k’ę́ę́ edatł’éh enahddhę nıde naxets’ę́ edahłí. |
| Tłı̨chǫ | Tłı̨chǫ Yatıì | Behchokǫ̀, Whatı̀, Gametı̀, Wekweètı̀, Detah, Ndilo. | Gonè ı̨hłè, go yatı nełǫ. | Sı̨nà, jǫ naxıghaèhda | Mahsı̀ | Tłı̨chǫ yatı k’ę̀ę̀. Dı wegodı newǫ dè, gots’o gonede. |
