’ilhe hwulmuhwqun – Language lessons
Unit 1 – Commands
1.1 Welcome speech.
’i ’u tseep ’uw’ ’eli’ ’ul’? “How are you (pl)?” nem’ tseep ’umut! “You (pl) go sit down!” tth’ihwum ’i’ ts’ets’uhw! “Please be quiet!” hwiyuneem’ tseep! “You (pl) listen!” ’ilhe’ hwulmuhwqun! “Let’s speak a ...
Unit 2 – Subject Pronouns
2.1 Dialogue.
A. ni’ ’u ch ’imush? “Did you walk?” B. ’uwu, ni’ tsun xwchenum. “No, I ran.” A. ’i ’u ch lhtsiws? “Are you tired?” ’ilhe ’umut. “Let’s sit down.” B. hay ch q’a’. “Thank you.” ni’ ’u ch nem’ yaays? “Did you go ...
Unit 3 – Naming Things
✨ Updated Nov 2025
3.1 Dialogue.
A. stem ’a’lu tu’i? “What is this?” B. poukw p’e’ tthey’.* “That is a book.” A. stem ’a’lu tey’, ’u Mary? “What is that, Mary?” B. xul’tun p’e’ tu’i. “This is a pen.” A. stem ’a’lu kw’un’s**...
Unit 4 – Locating Things
4.1 Dialogue (Theresa Thorne)
A. ni’ ’untsu kwthunu poukw?* “Where is my book?” B. ’e’ut ’i ’u tu’i. “Here it is.” A. ni’ ’untsu kwthunu xul’tun? “Where is my pencil?” B. sun’iw’ ’u tun’ xthum. “It’s in your box.” A. ’e’ut ’i...
Unit 5 – Talking about People
✨Updated Nov 2025
5.1 Dialogue (Margaret James & Theresa Thorne)
A. ni’ ’u ch nem’ ’u kwthu theewt-hw kw’un’a’ snet? “Did you go to the big house last night?” B. hee’. qux tthu mustimuhw. “Yes. There were lots of people. ...
Unit 6 – The Family
✨ Updated Nov 2025
6.1 Dialogue
A. ’i ’u ’uw’ ’a’mut’ul’ lhun’ ten? “Is your mother home?” B. ’uwu ’i’us ’a’mut lhunu ten. “My mother's not at home.” A. ni’ kwu’elh ’untsu? “Where is she then?” B. ni’ nem’ tl’shhwimelu’. “S...
Unit 7 – Describing Things
✨Updated Nov 2025
7.1 Dialogue.
A. ’i ’u ch ’uw’ ’uy’ ’ul’, ’u Theresa? “How are you, Theresa?” B. ’i tsun ’uw’ ’uy’ ’ul’. “I’m fine.” tl’lim’ ’uy’ skweyul. “It’s a really nice day.” A. xew’s ’u tun’ snuhwulh? “Is your car new...
Unit 8 – Verbs of Motion
✨ Updated Nov 2025
8.1 Dialogue.
A. nem’ ch ’a’lu hwtsel? “Where are you going?” B. nem’ tsun yu t’at’uhw. “I’m going down to the beach.” A. ni’ ’untsu kwthun’ sqe’eq? “Where’s your little brother?” B. ni’ tsam ’u kwthu sm...
Unit 9 – Verbs with Objects
✨ Updated November 2025 - added audio for vocab
9.1 Dialogue (Theresa Thorne and Hazel Good)
A. ni’ ’u ch wulh ’ulhtun? “Did you already eat?” ni’ tsun qw’ulut kwthu suplil. I baked some bread.” B. hay ch q’a’. “Thank you.” ’i tsu...
Unit 10 – Verbs with Human Objects
10.1 Dialogue (Theresa Thorne and Margaret James)
A. ni’ yuhw ’a’lu tstamut lhunu ten. “I wonder what happened to my mother.” B. ni’ ’u ch temut? “Did you call her?” A. he’e. ni’ tsun wulh temut. “Yes. I already called her.” m’i tl’a...
Unit 11 – Actions Affecting the Subject
✨ Updated Dec 2025
11.1 Dialogue (Theresa Thorne and Hazel Good)
A. ni’ ’u temutham’shus lhunu sta’lus. “Did my wife call me?” B. he’e. ni’ temuthaam. m’i tl’a’asthaam. “Yes. She called you. She is coming to pick you up.” ...
Unit 12 – Causatives
✨ Updated Nov 2025
12.1 Dialogue (Delores)
A. ’e’eth wulh tecul thun’ shla’lum’e’lh. “Here comes your babysitter.” B. ’oo. qulstuhw tst. “Ooh. We hate her.” A. nutsim’ ’a’lu? “Why?” B. ni’ ’unuhw stal’hwus ’u kwu tst hiw’a’l...
Unit 13 – Out of Control
13.1 Dialogue
A. ni’ ’u ch ’uw’ lumnuhw lhu Mary? “Did you see Mary?” B. ni’ tsun ’uw’ p’ulq’nuhw ’ul’. “I just caught a glimpse of her.” nutsim’? “Why” A. tl’lim’ ni’ ’uw’ sne’nuts’ ’ul’. “She’s really upset.” ni’ ’ukw’nuhwus lh...
Unit 14 – Numerals
✨ Updated Dec 2025
14.1 Dialogue
A. kw’inus thun’ telu? ‘How much money do you have?’ B. ’uw’ xuthinus ’ul’ thunu telu. ‘I have just four dollars. nutsim’ ’a’lu? Why?’ A. ’iluqut tsun tse’ kw’ lhihwuqun sqewth. ‘I will buy thr...
Unit 15 – More Numerals
✨Updated Dec 2025
15.1 Dialogue
A. ni’ ch ’a’lu wulh kw’in sil’anum, ’u te’? ‘How old are you, Mom? B. ni’ tsun wulh luxwulhshe’ ’i’ kw’ lhq’etsus sil’anum kwunus ’i ’u tun’a tumuhw. ‘I have been thirty-five years on this ear...
Unit 16 – Expressing Desires
✨ Updated Nov 2025
16.1 Dialogue
A. ni’ ’u ch spiputstuhw thu q’e’mi’? “Do you know that girl?” B. nilh sye’yes lhunu sqe’uq.’uy’stuhw ’u ch kwu’elh? “She’s a friend of my sister.Do you like her?” A. nu stl’I’ kw’unus qwulstuhw....
Unit 17 – The Body
✨ Updated Dec 2025
17.1 Dialogue
A. ’i ch ’a’lu tstamut? ‘What happened to you?’ B. ni’ tsun lhuts’tsus. ‘I cut my finger.’ A. yu stsekwul’ kwun’s ni’ lhuts’tsus? ‘How did you cut your finger?’ B. ni’ tsun lhuts’tsus ’u kwth...
Unit 18 - The Work of the People
✨ Updated Dec 2025
18.1 Dialogue.
A. ’i ch ’a’lu tsukwsta’mut? ‘What are you doing?’ B. ’i tsun p’e’ yaay’us. ‘I’m working, of course.’ A. stem ’a’lu kw’un’s yaay’us? ‘What are you working on?’ B. ’i tsun p’e’ t...
Unit 19 – Emotions
✨ Updated Nov 2025
19.1 Dialogue
A. ’i’ ’u ch ’a’lu tstamut? “What’s the matter with you?” B. ’uwu p’e’ ’iyus tuw’ ’uy’ tthunu sqwaluwun. “I’m not very happy.” A. tl’lim’ qul. “Too bad.” ’i’ ’u ch tuw’ sul’sul’qwme’t lhun...
Unit 20 – Give
✨ Updated Nov 2025 - added audio sections
20.1 Dialogue.
A. ’i ch ’a’lu tsukwsta’mut? “What are you doing?” B. ’uweech nu syaays. “I don’t have any work.” A. kwu’elh m’i’uhw thuyulhtstham’sh. “Won’t you come and for me then?" B. ’u...
Unit 21 - Negatives
✨ Updated Dec 2025
21.1 Dialogue.
A. skw’ey kw’unus ’itut. ‘I can’t sleep.’ B. nutsim’ ’a’lu? ‘How come?’ A. ’uwu kw’s ts’ehwuls kwthu sqwumey’. ‘The dog won’t keep quiet.’ B. nilh ’a’lu t-hwet sqwumey’? ‘Whose dog is it?’ A. n...
Unit 22 – Subordinate Clauses
✨ Updated Dec 2025
22.1 Dialogue
A. lhwet kw’u ni’ kwunut kwthunu kaa. ‘Who took my car?’ B. nilh lhu Mary ni’ kwunut kwthun’ kaa. ‘It’s Mary that took my car.’ A. nutsim’ ’a’lu? ‘Why?’ B. ni’ nem’ tl’tawun, nem’ tl’shhwimel...
Download the pdf for each unit here
- Unit 12 – Causatives
- Unit 13 – Out-of-control
- Unit 14 – Numerals ✨ pdf Dec 2025
- Unit 15 – More Numerals ✨pdf Dec 2025
- Unit 16 – Expressing Desires
- Unit 17 – The Body ✨pdf Dec 2025
- Unit 18 – The Work of the People ✨ pdf Dec 2025
- Unit 19 – Emotions
- Unit 20 – Give
- Unit 21 – Negatives ✨ pdf Dec 2025
- Unit 22 – Subordinate Clauses ✨ pdf Dec 2025
- ‘i’lhe’ xwulmuxwqun: tu nucam’at pookw. (Let’s Speak Our First Nations Language: Book One). A secondary school textbook prepared for the Chemainus, Nanaimo, and Nanoose First Nations and Nanaimo School District No. 68, September 1995. Student’s Edition (220 pp.) and Teacher’s Edition (230 pp.)
- ‘i’lhe’ xwulmuxwqun: tu yusal’um’at pookw. (Let’s Speak Our First Nations Language: Book Two). A secondary school textbook prepared for the Chemainus, Nanaimo, and Nanoose First Nations and Nanaimo School District No. 68, November 1997. Self-study Edition (147 pp.). Students’ Edition (147 pp.)