47 Talk

Huttese

"Goopta mo bossa!"

―Huttese farewell meaning "May your mind not evaporate!"^[src]

Huttese was the native language of the Hutts, although it was spoken by many races, especially those in Hutt Space. Because of the Hutts' commercial and criminal influence throughout the galaxy, Huttese was the second most common language after Galactic Basic, and served as the lingua franca for most of the space surrounding the Hutts' territory.

HistoryEdit

Being one of the more common modes of intergalactic communication, the Baobab School of Speed-Learning offered an extremely popular course to promote Huttese fluency.^[1]

All the Nimbanels were fluent in Huttese, as well as in Basic and their own language, because their snout structure made it easy for them to articulate the Huttese language. Understanding the advantages of learning such an important language, the species made it a semi-official language of Nimban. Huttese was so influential that it also became a primary language for the Rodian race. Toydarians were also usually fluent in Huttese, because the two species had had a long commercial history with each other. They usually preferred to speak their Toydarian language rather than Basic, but if that was not a choice, they would try Huttese. Huttese was one of the primary languages of Tatooine and many Hutt-controlled worlds like it.

Although most Hutts were fluent in spoken and written Basic, they considered Huttese to be a much superior language to Basic, and exclusively addressed others in it, often relying on protocol droids to translate for them.

The Hutts were the owners of three species, Niktos, Klatooinians and Vodrans, since the time of the Third Battle of Vontor. Klatooinians and Vodrans had forfeited their respective languages (Klatooinian language and Vodran language) to replace them with Huttese, being usually illiterate. However, Niktos kept alive the Nikto language during their servitude, learning Huttese only as a second language, and sometimes Basic as a third language. Some Hutts talked with their Nikto servants in Nikto language.

Huttese had many words ending in -a, especially -a(C)a (ex. botaffa), palatalized l (rulya), and expressions formed by duplicated words (rocka rocka, puna puna, chu chu). Another common convention of Huttese was the pronunciation of x as a bilabial click.^[1]

It should be noted that the Hutts had no words for the otherwise polite phrases of 'Please' and 'Thank You'.^[1]

Speaking in HutteseEdit

GreetingsEdit

Achuta 'Hello'^[1]
Achute, my pee kasa ______ 'Hello, my name is ______'^[1]
Ah'chu apenkee? 'Who are you?'
Bo shuda Greeting Listen (help·info)
Chowbaso or Chobaso 'Welcome'^[1]^[2]
Choy 'What?'
Chuba! 'Hey you!'^[1]
Dolpee kikyuna! 'I am a friend!'
Gooddé da lodia! 'Good day to you!'
H'chu apenkee 'Greetings.'^[1]
Hi chuba da naga? 'What do you want?'
Kee chai chai cun kuta? 'What are you doing here?'
Waki mallya kuna chu chu? 'What do you do?'
Koona t'chuta? (Pronounced oota goota) 'Going somewhere?'^[1]
Mee jewz ku 'Goodbye'^[1]
Sie batha ne beechee? 'Are you talking about me?'

Common words and phrasesEdit

Alay 'Late'
An 'And'
Andoba 'Another'
Ateema 'Now', or 'This time'
Azalus 'Dangerous'
Baatu baatu 'Bother'
Bargon 'Bargain'*^[1]
Bata 'Back'
Bedwana 'To buy'^[1]
Binggona 'Strained'
Bolla 'To go'^[1]
bosco 'Looking' (first person, singular)
Boska 'Let's go', or 'Come on'^[1]
Bsha 'Move'
Bu 'The'
Buttmalia 'To bet'^[1]
Champio 'Champion'^[2]
Che 'For'
Che copah 'Price'^[1]
Cheeska 'To cheat'^[1]
Chizk 'Junk'^[3]
Chess ko 'Be careful'
Creespa 'Crispy'^[4]
Da 'that'
Da Soocha 'Waking Planet'
D'emperiolo teesaw 'Imperial cruiser'^[1]
Dwana 'To sell'^[1]
Eniki 'Okay'^[1]
Grancha 'Very good'^[2]
Haku 'What'^[1]
Hoohah 'Them'^[1]
Hunka be 'Naptime'^[1]
Inkabunga! 'Incredible!'^[1]
Jee 'I'^[1]
Jee-jee 'We'^[1]
Joppay 'When'^[1]
Jujuminmee 'To kidnap'^[1]
Kava 'How'^[1]
Killee 'To kill'^[1]
Mah bukee 'My boy'^[1]
Mesh'la 'Beautiful'^[3]^[4]
Mi 'I'
Mi bosco de… 'I'm looking for…'
Mi chuga 'I'm hungry'
Mi yarga 'I'm thirsty'
Moocha 'To steal'^[1]
Muni 'Lover'^[4]
Nal Hutta 'Glorious Jewel'
Na yoka 'Joke'^[1]
Nee choo 'To die'^[1]
Nibobo 'Contract'^[1]
Nobata 'No'^[1]
Nudd chaa. 'Forward march.'^[1]
Panwa 'To enjoy'^[1]
Rundee 'Activate'^[1]
Silly ' Silly'^[1]
Skocha 'burnout; exhaust'^[5]
Sleemo poy 'To drool'^[1]
Tagwa 'Yes'^[1]^[6]
Tee-tocky 'Time'^[1]
Uba 'You'^[1]
Uma ji muna 'I love you'^[6]
Wamma 'To pay'^[1]
Wata 'Here'^[1]
Winkee 'To sleep'^[1]
Yatuka 'To move'^[1]
Yuna puna 'First class'

Insults/expressionsEdit

Beesga 'Last fool'
Cha skrunee da pat, Sleemo 'Don't count on it, slimeball!'^[1]
Cheespa bo coopa 'better watch out'^[5]
Chuba doompa, dopa-maskey kung! 'You low-down, two-faced scum'^[3]
Chut chut 'Never mind'^[5]
Coo ya maya stupa. 'You weak-minded fool.'^[1]
Dopa meekie or dopa-meekie 'Double-crossing'^[2]^[6]
Dopa maskey 'Two-faced'
Dopo mee gusha, peedunkey? 'Do you feel lucky, punk?'^[1]
Echuta or E chu ta a very insulting expletive used as a curse word
Fierfek 'Poison'
Gaggalak mursto 'Worm-eating liar'^[2]
Kark derogatory expletive^[6]
Karking 'derogatory modifier'^[6]
Kava doompa D'emperiolo stoopa. 'You're an Imperial fool'^[1]
Kee baatu baatu. 'You bother me' (Also used in terms of 'Out of my way')^[1]
Keepuna 'shoot; darn'(exclamation) Used to denote displeasure^[6]
Koochoo 'Idiot'^[1]^[2]^[7]
Kung 'Scum'^[5]
Loca 'Crazy'^[5]
Nagoola 'Not bad'^[4]^[5]
Ohta su marvalic plesodoro 'Let them marvel at our splendor' (Jabba's favourite expression)^[8]
Pateesa 'Sweetie', 'darling'^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]
Peedunky 'Punk'
Peetch goola 'Too bad'^[5]
Poodoo 'Crap', usually bowdlerized where appropriate as 'fodder'
Pushee wumpah skocha-kloonkee!!! 'Watch out, exhaust-for-brains!!!'
Schutta 'shut it' (Pronounced "Sch-u-tta")
Sleemo 'Slimeball' (Pronounced "Slaymo")^[2]^[3]^[6]
Skocha kung 'Burnout scum'^[3]
Stoopa 'Stupid'^[3]^[4]^[5]
Sweets patogga 'Sweetie pie'^[2]^[3]
Tah-koh tee womp rat e’nachu 'You’ll end up womp rat food'
U kulle rah doe kankee kung 'You are my kind of scum.'^[1]
Wakamancha 'Cowardly'^[5]

PeopleEdit

Backa 'Backstage'
Bukee or Peedunkee 'Boy'^[1]^[6]
Cheeka 'Woman'^[2]^[3]^[6]
Chik youngee 'Dancing girl'^[1]
Duro 'Duros'
Jeedai 'Jedi'^[1]
Kwee-Kunee 'Queen'^[3]
Lorda 'Boss'^[1]
Ma lorda 'My lord'^[1]
Mikiyuna 'Everybody'^[1]
Murishani 'Bounty hunter'^[1]^[5]
Ootman/Ootmian 'Outlander/Outworlder'^[1]
Pateessa 'Friend'^[1]
Poolyee yama 'Systems consultant'
Shag 'Slave'^[1]
Ulwan 'Smuggler'^[1]
Ur-Damo 'Nephew'
Wermo 'Stupid person'^[6]
Wooky 'Wookiee'

PlacesEdit

Banda 'Music band'
Boboqueequee A location in Hutt mythology; a common Huttese imprecation was 'Rot in Boboqueequee!'
Bootana 'Garden(s)'^[1]
Bunko 'Palace'
Bunky dunko 'Home'^[1]
Doma toma 'Space'^[1]
Gardulla Oola 'Gardulla Oola'^[1]
Hutt Chuba'z 'Hutt Chuba's'^[1]
Jah Dowahga Kwee-Kunee Dowager Queen^[1]
Motai Nebuli 'Motel Nebulus'^[1]
Nal Hutta 'Glorious Jewel'
Planeeto 'Planet'^[1]

ThingsEdit

Blastoh 'Weapon', 'blaster'
Bota 'Engines'
Droi 'Droid'^[1]
Dyst 'Ship'
E'nachu 'Food'
Fierfek 'Poison', 'hex', or 'curse'
Gopptula 'Ransom'^[1]
Makacheesa 'Payoff'^[1]
Moulee-rah 'Money'^[1]
Pankpa 'Spaceship'^[1]
Pawa 'Power'^[1]
Rulya 'Weapon(s)'
See'ybark 'Sail barge'^[1]
Tusawa 'Bar' or 'counter'
Wanga 'Gun'^[1]
Wankee 'Message'^[1]

At the merchantEdit

Bargon 'Bargain', 'deal'
Bedwanna 'To buy'
Che copah 'Price'
Ees hoppada nopa! 'I'm not going to pay that!'^[1]
Geeb mi wa chimpa? 'May I have a receipt?'
Hi chunkee fa goota? 'What's your final offer?'^[1]
Kava che copah? 'How much for that item?'^[1]
Laboda na rowka? 'Is that authentic?'^[1]
Ting cooing koo soo ah. 'I've got the credits.'^[1]
U wamma wonka? 'Are you going to pay (for that)?' or 'You owe me!'^[1]
Va foppa gee wontahumpa? 'Does that come with a warranty?'^[1]

BusinessEdit

______ harl tish ding. '[Being's name]'s through with you.'^[1]
______ wah ning chee kosthpa murishani tytung ye wanya yoskah. '[Being's name]'s put a price on your head so large every bounty hunter in the galaxy will be looking for you. Ha, ha, ha.'^[1]
Bargon u noa-a-uyat. 'You will be rewarded.'^[1]
Bargon wan chee kospah. 'There will be no deal.'
Bargon yanah coto da eetha. 'You're the best.'^[1]
Beeska mu-moolee bu Halapu. 'The payment is in the HoloNet.'
Bona nai kachu. 'You're in trouble now.'^[1]
Cha skrunee da pat. 'Don't count on it.'^[1]^[6]
Chas kee nyowkee koo chooskoo. 'I'm lucky I found you first.'^[1]
Coona tee-tocky malia? 'What took you so long?'^[1]
Dobra do poolyee yama. 'I am a systems consultant.'
Dobra do nupee nupee um baw wah du poolyee yama. 'I am a vice president and systems consultant for personnel development and management systems.'
Goo paknee ata pankpa. 'He may only take your ship.'^[1]
Keel-ee calleya ku kah. 'You disappoint me'^[1]
Keh lee chalya chulkah in ting cooing koosooah. 'If you give it to me, I might forget I found you.'^[1]
Klop ______ poo pah. 'You can tell that to [being's name].'^[1]
La pim nallya so bata de wompa. 'I will get back to you on that one.'
Mala tram pee chock makacheesa. 'You should have paid him when you had the chance.'^[1]
Make-cheesay. 'I can't make exceptions.'^[1]
Mwa droida bunno bunna droida. 'My droids will talk to your droids.'
Noolee moolee bana kee cheel'ya cu kuna ku chu chu. 'Here is the prospectus on systems and management consulting.'
Smeeleeya whao toupee upee. 'Smile when you say that.'^[1]
See fah luto twentee, ee yaba. 'So for an extra twenty percent.'^[1]
Soong peetch alay. 'It's too late.'^[1]
Song kul rul yay pul-yaya ulwan spastika kushunkoo oponowa tweepi. 'He has no time for smugglers who drop their shipment at the first sign of an Imperial cruiser.^[1]
Uth laynuma. 'That's the idea.'^[1]
Wa wanna coe moulee rah? 'When can I expect payment?'^[1]
Wanta dah moolee-rah? or Wanta wonka-rah dah? 'Why haven't you paid me?'^[1]
Wonkee chee sa cripo con ______? 'And why did you fry poor [being's name]?'^[1]
Yanee dah poo noo. 'It's not good business.'^[1]

Applied businessEdit

Ap-xmasi keepuna! 'Don't shoot!'^[1]
Blastoh 'Weapon', 'blaster'
Bona nai kachu. 'You're in trouble now.'
Boonowa tweepi. 'Have you now.'^[1]
Cheska lopey x'hoo pumba? 'Are there good drinks on board?'
Chespo kutata kreesta krenko, nyakoska! 'I've been looking forward to this for a long time.'^[1]
Da beesga coo palyeeya pityee bo tenya go kaka juju hoopa. 'The last fool who called me that got his antennae stuffed down his throat.'^[1]
Do bata gee mwaa tusawa! 'Back up against the bar'^[1]
Hagwa boska blastoh! 'Don't go for that weapon.'^[1]
Hagwa doopee. 'Don't move!'^[1]
Hay lapa no ya! 'Come out of there!'^[1]
Je killya um pasa doe beeska wumpa. 'Kill me and ten more will rise in my place.'^[1]
Jeeska da sookee koopa moe nanya. 'Keep your suction cups where I can see them.'^[1]
Kako Kreespa! 'You're gonna fry!'
Kapa tonka. 'Hands up.'^[1]
Kava doompa D'emperiolo stoopa. 'You're a low-down Imperial fool.^[1]
Kee hasa do blastoh. 'Drop your weapon.'^[1]
Keepuna! 'Shoot!'^[1]
Kickeeyuna mo Wooky doo tee puna puna! 'Don't anybody move or the Wookiee here will tie your legs into a taut-line hitch!'^[1]
Mikiyuna! Pasta mo rulya! Do bata gee mwaa tusawa! 'Everybody, hands off your weapons and back up against the bar!'^[1]
Moova dee boonkee ree slagwa. 'Turn around real slowly.^[1]
Pasta mo rulya! 'Hands off your weapons!'^[1]
Tonta tonka. 'Tentacles up!'^[1]

DiningEdit

Boga noga 'Huttese Ale'^[1]^[7]
Cheska yo ho kimbabaloomba? 'Do you offer vegetarian cuisine?'^[1]
Dopa na rocka rocka? 'Does this cause brain damage?'^[1]
Gardulla (drink) 'Huttese alcoholic beverage'^[1]
Gocola 'Wine'^[1]
Hotsa Chuba 'Hot chubas'^[1]
Howdunga 'Burp'^[1]
Jimunee Ronto Pagona 'Braised fork tarts'^[1]
Keebadas Binggona 'Strained keebadas'^[1]
Lickmoomoo 'Dessert'^[1]
Mubasa Hok 'Mubasa hock'^[1]
Ne ompee doe gaga punta? 'Is this freshly dead?'^[1]
Patogga 'Pie'^[1]^[5]^[6]
Sando G'dizzards 'Sand gizzars'^[1]
Scuzzi Spits 'Scurrier tips'^[1]
Sleemo Poy 'Drool'^[1]
Smak Telia 'Snack'^[1]
Tatooni Junko Huttese alcoholic beverage^[1]
Tee ava un puffee lumpa? 'Is there a smoking section?'^[1]
Waffmula 'Cake'^[1]
Yafullkee 'Meal'^[1]
Yatooni Boska Huttese alcoholic beverage^[1]
Yocola 'Drink'^[1]

EntertainmentEdit

Andoba ne lappee, kolka. 'Another hot towel, please.'
Banya kee fofo Aduki, kolka. 'An Aduki double, please.'
La lova num botaffa 'They seemed nice to me.'
Cheska lopey x'hoo pumba? 'Are there good drinks on board?'
Kavaa kyotopa bu banda backa? 'Can I visit the band backstage?'^[1]
Kavaa kyotopa bu whirlee backa? 'Can I visit the dancers backstage?'^[1]
Koose cheekta nei. 'Bring her to me.'^[1]

TravelEdit

Cheesba hataw yuna puna? 'Can I upgrade to first class?'
Jee oto ta Huttuk koga. 'I want the Hutt-size bed.^[1]
Jee oto vo blastoh. 'I will keep my weapon.'^[1]
Jee vopa du mooljee guma. 'I would like room service.'^[1]
Kava nopees do bampa woola? 'How much is a room for the night?'^[1]
Kuna kee wabdah noleeya. 'I'd like to check in.'
Kuna kee wabdah nenoleeya. 'I'd like to check out.'
Jeskawa no rupee dee holo woopee? 'Will the bill list the title of the holo?'
To pla da banki danko, jospi! 'You'd better go home, fly zool!^[4]

At the racetrackEdit

Buttmalia 'A bet'
Chawa 'to race'
Choppa chawa 'Podrace'^[1]
Meecooda joggdu stafa do tah poda 'I could run faster than your pod'
Noobie oonatee raca, rookie poodoo? 'First time racing, rookie fodder?'
Nu 'To bet'
Roachee mah bom bom, cheespa kreespa 'Follow too close and you’ll get cooked.'
Tah pee-chah ah kulkee flunka 'You need to go back to racing school.'
Leeah fam doosta! 'Nice crop duster!'
Keelya afda skocha punchee? 'How's the after blast, pal?'

Counting in HutteseEdit

Counting in Huttese is a risky proposition. While Humans have ten fingers, Hutts have but eight, meaning that their method of counting uses base eight. Hutts have utilized the ensuing confusion to their monetary advantage; if, for example, a Hutt were to offer you twelve of something in Huttese, it is the equivalent of ten in Basic. Generally speaking, the problem grows exponentially the higher one rises, and many a race (including the Rodians) have been horribly swindled by the discrepancy. To avoid such predicaments, wise negotiators use the Basic number system, which explains why the monetary amounts spoken by Jabba are in Basic.

Nobo 0 (Basic Value: 0)
Bo 1 (Basic Value: 1)
Dopa 2 (Basic Value: 2)^[7]
Duba 3 (Basic Value: 3)
Fwanna 4 (Basic Value: 4)
K'wanna 5 (Basic Value: 5)
Keeta 6 (Basic Value: 6)
Goba 7 (Basic Value: 7)
Hunto 10 (Basic Value: 8)
Beeska 11 (Basic Value: 9)
Boboba 12 (Basic Value: 10)
Goboba 13 (Basic Value: 11)
Jojoba 14 (Basic Value: 12)
Soboba 15 (Basic Value: 13)
Koboba 16 (Basic Value: 14)
Foboba 17 (Basic Value: 15)
Donocha 20 (Basic Value: 16)
Honocha 21 (Basic Value: 17)
Bohonocha 22 (Basic Value: 18)
Dohonocha 23 (Basic Value: 19)
Duhonocha 24 (Basic Value: 20)
Jujumon 144 (Basic Value: 100)

Jabba the Hutt speaking Huttese

Notable non-native speakers of HutteseEdit

LiterateEdit

Non-literateEdit

Behind the scenesEdit

The Huttese language was introduced in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. In the Special Edition 1997 release of Episode IV, it was adapted for the newly recorded dialogue of Jabba the Hutt.

The dialogue with Greedo was loosely based on the Peruvian native language Quechua. This instance of spoken Huttese is unique in the Star Wars universe as it contains dental clicks and ejectives as phonemes. Later appearances resemble more the Aymara language.^[source?]

George Lucas contacted Allen Sonafrank to record the dialogue. Sonafrank discussed the matter with Jim Wilce, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Northern Arizona University, and felt it might be demeaning to have an alien represent Quechuans, especially in light of Erich von Daniken's popular publications about the "ancient astronauts". However, a grad student, who could pronounce but did not speak Quechua, recorded the dialogue.

Most of the alien language spoken in the movies is Huttese. It is also heard in the games Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. In the latter, the dialogues were pre-recorded, in different genders and moods. They of course didn't correspond to the sayings of the subtitles, but were repeated themselves according to the particular mood.

Apart from the vocabulary, no real grammatical structure and syntactic rules exist. The meanings of some phrases are known, but not enough to consistently make a word-by-word analysis of them.