Top 33 Riddles in Nahuatl (with solutions)
There is a great variety of languages throughout the world . All of them are products of the cultural heritage of one or several peoples, possessing different structures and ways of functioning that vary greatly from one another.
Unfortunately, this linguistic wealth has deteriorated over time and many ancient languages have been lost. However others manage to survive, such as Nahuatl , which comes from pre-Columbian times (although the dialect has probably changed a great deal from the Mayan era.
- We recommend: “12 great Nahuatl Poems (translation and meaning)”
What is Nahuatl?
Nahuatl is a living language, although not as well known, used and expanded as others . And as with many other languages, one method that can help acquire vocabulary and fluency is the use of songs, popular sayings and riddles.
It is about the latter that this document is about, along which we are going to visualize 33 riddles in Nahuatl in order to train our imaginative and reasoning capacity while expressing some elements of a cultural nature.
A short collection of riddles in Nahuatl
Below we leave you with a total of 33 riddles in Nahuatl along with their approximate translation , through which we can see elements that are part of the heritage, idiosyncrasy and popular knowledge of the descendants of pre-Columbian peoples (although many of them are from modern times).
We can observe that many have verbal forms that remind us that we are before a riddle
1. Za zan tleino Tepetozcatl quitoca momamatlaxcalotiuh Papalotl
“Through the valley, colorful, patting like a tortilla maker”
This brief composition refers to butterflies, colorful and beautiful animals.
2. Uñijximeajts ajtsaj ximbas salñuwindxey makiejp op saltsankan makiejp ñity
“Palm-leaf wrapped and tied is my disguise. In my body of mass my heart of flesh you will find”
A typical Mesoamerican food with great taste, the tamale is the answer to this riddle.
3. Se: mosa:sa:ni:ltsi:n Ãh kÃpia i:tlah xkÃpia i:kamak, niman tzoneh
“This is one of your little fortune tellers. She has teeth, no mouth, suddenly she’s hairy”
The corn cob is the answer to this riddle, which identifies the kernels with the teeth and the fact that they become hairy with the state the cob is in when eaten.
4. Natyek umbas ñikands umeajts nanbyur ulük nangan mi kej
“A feast you shall have… Green on the outside you shall see me and black teeth on the inside you shall find. From my red heart you will eat sweet blood, will you guess?”
The answer to this riddle is a very refreshing fruit: watermelon.
5. Wa na’atun na’ateche’ na’at le ba’ala’: Jump’éel ts’ool wukp’éel u jool
“Guess, guess: Seven holes, one pumpkin”
A riddle that refers to the part of our anatomy where our brain is housed: the head. The holes in question correspond to the two ears, the two nostrils, the mouth and the eye sockets.
6. Sa:sa:ni:l! -Te:ntetl! Se:totla:tla:katsi:n nonemi:tia ista:ktsi:n, nowe:ilia xoxo:hke, wan miki chi:chi:ltik
“Riddle!” Gobber! A little man who is born white, grows green and dies red”
This riddle refers to chili, a vegetable that is very popular in South America and highly spicy.
7. Zazan tleino, icuitlaxcol quihuilana, tepetozcatl quitoca. Aca quittaz tozazaniltzin, tla ca nenca huitzmalot
“What goes through a valley and drags its guts”
Although it may be difficult to imagine at first glance, the answer is the needle when sewing, as it pulls the thread with it (its "guts").
8. Maaske plus titlaakatl yes but mitschooktis
As much of a man as you are, it’s going to make you cry.
This simple riddle, which also lets us see the vision of concepts such as manhood, refers to onion.
9. Se: tosa:sa:ne:l, se: tosa:sa:ne:l ipan se: kuhtli, tlekowa se: totla:tla:katsi:n ika itambori:tah
A riddle, a riddle. A little man climbs a tree with his little drum
On this occasion, we are talking about an insect that carries with it an element reminiscent of a drum, or its house: we are talking about a snail.
10. Se: tosa:sa:ne:l, se: tosa:sa:ne:l ipan se: lo:mah we:yak, ika ontlami ompakah o:me yeyekako:ntli
A riddle, a riddle. On a long hill there, where it ends, there are two caves from which air comes out
Although quite visual, this riddle is based on the description of a nose.
11. Mimixtlamotsi, mimixtlamotsi, itik se tekorral nitotitok se kichkonetl
Behind a stone fence there is a child dancing
If we think that the stone fence is our teeth, it will be easy to see that this riddle refers to the language.
12. Se: tosa:sa:ne:l, se: tosa:sa:ne:l mokwitlapan weyákia, moyekapan tso:liwi
A riddle, a riddle. At your back it gets longer, at your front it gets shorter.
The answer to this riddle is the path: as we follow it we leave more and more behind and shorten the distance to our destination. In a symbolic way it could also represent life.
13. See tosaasaanil, see tosaasaanil. Maaske mas tikasisneki xkeeman tikasis
As much as you want and try, you can never touch it, even though you will always see it walking behind you
This riddle refers to something that always follows us wherever we go, our shadow.
14. Se: tosa:sa:ne:l, se: tosa:sa:ne:l se: totla:tla:katsi:n ma:sta xtiknekis ipan ticholo:s, ipan ticholotinemis
A riddle, a riddle. A little man, that for everything you don’t want to step on, you’ll step on."
In this case the correct answer is the earth, since we are always (or rather almost always) in contact with the ground.
15. Se: tosa:sa:ne:l, se: tosa:sa:ne:l ipan se: lo:mah tikontas ye wa:hlaw se: chichi tli:ltik, oksepa tikontas yo:pano:k okse: lo:mah, wan xkimati siawi itlase:ka:wihlo moxtli
A riddle, a riddle. On the hill you see a black dog coming, you see it again and it has already passed to another hill; it never gets tired.
The answer to this somewhat complex riddle is the shadow of a cloud.
16. Awijchiw xik tyiel ndyuk sajrrok tyiel yow atajtüw xik tyiel ndxup sawüñ ütyiw ñipilan
In order for people to get their food in a chiquihuite I have to dance, after throwing myself into the sea.
Since the food in question is obviously fish, one must think of an instrument that is thrown overboard and can be kept in a basket. The answer is the stingray, lightning bolt or other types of net.
17. Zazan tleino, xoxouhqui xicaltzintli, momochitl ontemi. Aca qittaz tozazaniltzin, tla ca nenca ilhuicatl
What is a blue jicara, planted with roasted corn, called momochtli (something like popcorn)?
A curious riddle that refers to the night sky, full of stars.
18. Ni cayúnini ma’cutiip i ni cazi’ni ma’ cayuuna ‘ ni guiqu iiñenila ma’qué zuuyani
Guess, guess. He who makes it, makes it by singing. He who buys it, buys it crying. The one who uses it, is no longer seeing it."
This riddle, on the other hand not very pleasant, reflects how important the concept of death is for many people in Mesoamerica. Because the riddle refers to a coffin or casket.
19. Mo apachtsontsajka mitskixtiliya uan axke tikita?
“He takes your hat off and you don’t see it. What is it?”
A short riddle whose solution is the wind.
20. Zazan tleino quetzalcomoctzin quetzalli conmantica
“Guess what: grey hair is up to its tip and some green quetzal feathers”
The onion is the answer to this riddle, with its whitish colour except for the outer, greenish layers.
21. Zazan tleino aco cuitlaiaoalli mouiuixoa
“Round on top and pot belly too, I shake and go screaming so you can dance.”
The solution to this riddle is a simple musical instrument that is widely used at large parties such as Carnival. We are talking about maracas.
22. Se: tosa:sa:ne:l, se: tosa:sa:ne:l Se: lamatsi:n san ika se: itlantsi:n, kintsatilia je:ntes
“A riddle, a riddle: A little old lady, who with one little tooth shouts at people.”
The old lady in question is a metal instrument that rings to give us the time of day or to announce some important event. It is the bell.
23. Ñity ayaküw ximal xiel ayaküw xi lyej sanguoch atyily tyety nüty tyiel ximeajts axojtüw ñipilan
“My mind is covered with palm leaves. My feet are made of wood. In me rest the people, because I stop the rays of the sun.”
It is a bower, a kind of natural shed that is made by intertwining the branches of the trees.
24. Chak u paach, sak u ts’u’
“Red skin, bleached inside.”
The riddle refers to radishes, with a reddish bark and white interior.
25. Lipan se tlakomoli, westok waan nokweptok, para oksee lado.
“To the invited meal, even if it’s a plate and spoon”
In both Central and South America, one of the most common foods that accompanies all or almost all meals is corn tortillas, which are as essential to the daily diet as bread is in most of Europe.
26. Zazan tleino, tezahuilama tlallan tlacuacua.
“What’s a monstrous old thing, under the earth, that eats and gnaws at it?”
The answer to this riddle is a creature capable of living underground and that seems to gnaw while digging. It’s the mole.
27. Wi’ij tu jalk’esa’al, na’aj tu jáala’al
“Hungry, they’re taking her. They fill it up with cargo.”
The riddle in question tells us about a jar or a bucket, which we look for to be full and when they are taken away it is to be filled.
28. Zazan tleino, cuatzocoltzin mictlan ommati. Aca quittaz tozazaniltzin, tla ca nenca apilolli, ic atlacuihua
“Stick Song who knows the region of the dead.”
The answer is a water pitcher, probably in reference to the pre-Columbian tradition of throwing the bodies into the cenotes.
29. Tiá:s ipan kujioh wehka tikne:xti:s se: kujtli pia:stik tlakwa:tipan ye:watok se: wi:lo:tl, tli:non? beli:tah
“You’ll go into a forest, and far away you’ll find a straight tree, on its head sits a little hole, what is it?”
It’s nothing less than a candle. The tree would be the wax while the hulilota (a type of bird) represents the flame.
30. Tu laame, tu laame dé chemená pa m e dooxqui’me
“Guess who on his back is carrying guts that you can even see?”
This is not an obvious guess, but it refers to shrimp, the inside of which can be seen when they are raw.
31. Za zan tleino, Excampa ticalaqui zan cecni tiquiza
“Guess if you know: naked you go in three places, dressed you come out.”
A simple riddle that refers to a shirt: the three places are the holes for the head and arms.
32. See tosaasaanil, see tosaasaanil. Tias üpan see tepeetl iitlakotian tepeetl tikoneextis san see pozo
“You’ll guess? In the middle of the hill a single well you will find.”
This riddle is based on a part of our body. Specifically, it refers to the navel, a “well” in the middle of our belly.
33. See tosaasaanil, see tosaasaanil. Maaske mas tikitasneki xwel tikitas
“As much as you want and try, you can never look at it, although you can always touch it without any effort”
This last riddle points us to a part of our body that we cannot visualize normally because it is on our face: the forehead.
Bibliographic references:
Amith, J. D. (2013) ‘As Wide as Your Grandmother’: Riddles in Central Warrior Nahuatl. Tlalocan, XII. Mexico: Instituto de Investigaciones Filológicas, UNAM.
Flores Farfán, J. A. (1995). Nahua riddles of today and forever: see tosaasaanil, see tosaasaanil. Ciesas.