The following list of Proto-Kuliak reconstructions is from Heine (1976).
| English gloss | Proto-Kuliak | Plural form (Proto-Kuliak) |
|---|---|---|
| white ant | *cah | |
| anthill | *kut-ut | |
| ashes | *ukw | |
| to ask | *ec-et | |
| axe | *dzib-ɛr | *dzibɛrr-an |
| bad | *gaan | |
| bark (of tree) | *bɛodz | |
| bean | *mos-id | |
| beer | *mɛs | |
| to belch | *hler | |
| belly | *uu | *uuẹk |
| below | *agw | |
| bird | *gwaiky | |
| to give birth | *k’waat | |
| to bite | *k’ɛm | |
| bitter | *pad | |
| black | *im-an | |
| blood | *seh | |
| to blow | *kut | |
| blue | *boc’an | |
| to be blunt | *liid | *ɔkẹk |
| bone | *ɔk | |
| to build | *bɛr | *kyir-uk |
| bull | *kyiruk | |
| to buy | *guk’ | |
| calf | *kɔrɔb | |
| to carry (on back) | *ed | |
| cattle | *hlɔh | |
| chest | *to-sob | |
| to chew | *ac’ | |
| child | *im | |
| claw | *kɔs-ɔk | |
| clever | *nauc’an | |
| clothing | *kus | *kusin |
| to come | *ac | |
| to cover | *kɔk | |
| cow | *k’ɛhl | |
| cow-yard | *ɓor | |
| to cry | *k’uɔd | |
| to cut | *ŋuŋ | |
| to cut (into small pieces) | *ŋuŋet-i | |
| to dance | *duikw | |
| day | *giy-ekw | |
| to dig | *hug | |
| to do | *terr-eg | |
| to drink | *wɛt- | |
| to be dry | *cai- | |
| duiker | *nyem-ur | *nyemur-ot |
| ear | *beos | *beosẹk |
| earth | *gɪom | |
| elephant | *oŋ=or | |
| Euphorbia candelabra | *mos | |
| evening | *gɛn=ɛkw | |
| excrement | *ɪc’ | |
| eye | *ekw | *ekw=ẹk |
| far | *e-ak’ | |
| fart | *pen | |
| to fasten | *zik | |
| fat (n.) | *gimah | |
| fat (adj.) | *ziz | |
| feather | *tuk- | |
| few | *k’wad | |
| to fight | *kyɛm | |
| finger | *kɔs-ɔk | |
| fire | *dakw | *dakwẹk |
| firewood | *ri-at | *ri |
| stick for drilling fire | *cakud | |
| five | *tud | |
| fly (n.) | *cuc-at | *cuc |
| foot | *tak’w | |
| to forbid | *tow- | |
| four | *nowah | |
| in front of | *wahl | |
| giraffe | *gwaic’ | |
| girl | *ŋɛr-at | *ŋɛr |
| goat | *k’et | |
| mountain goat | *tʊs | |
| good | *day | |
| grass | *khọw-at | *khọh |
| to grind | *ŋɔ | |
| ground | *khej | |
| guts | *arr-ɪ | *arr-ɪẹk |
| guts | *jow-at | *jow-ah |
| hair | *siic’ | |
| hand | *an | *anẹk |
| hard | *ŋihl | |
| hare | *ŋor | |
| head | *ik | *ik-ẹk |
| to herd animals | *e=akw | |
| heart | *bubur | *buburrek |
| he-goat | *kɔl | |
| to hide | *bud | |
| hoe | *kub=al | *kub-al |
| hole | *or | |
| home | *au | *au=ẹk |
| horn | *ɛb | *ɛb=ẹk |
| hot | *haɓ | |
| house | *ir | |
| how many? | *tana- | |
| hunger | *nyɛk’ | |
| husband | *ŋɛot-at | *ŋɛot |
| in | *agw | |
| to increase | *e=at | |
| itch | *kuac | |
| to kill | *kɛn | |
| to knock | *iny | |
| to know | *iy-es | |
| to be lame | *ŋwahl | |
| land | *khẹj | |
| leaf | *rɔɔm-at | *rɔɔm |
| leech | *biny | |
| left side | *bẹc-in | |
| leg | *tak’w | |
| leopard | *nọs | |
| to lick | *kan | |
| lightning | *imɛd- | |
| to limp | *ŋwahl | |
| lion | *mau | |
| louse | *c’an | |
| to marry | *buk’ | |
| matter | *di | |
| meat | *ieat | *iey |
| meat | *ɛm | |
| medicine | *ad | *adis |
| to migrate | *og | |
| metal | *hlek-at | *hlek |
| milk | *id | |
| to milk | *jut | |
| to mix | *dɔc | |
| moon | *ar=agwan | |
| to mould | *bɛr | |
| mountain | *sog | *sogẹk |
| mouth | *ak | *akẹk |
| mucus | *dɔk’ | |
| name | *yed | *yedẹk |
| navel | *gud | |
| near | *ɛr | |
| nice | *day | |
| night | *miir | |
| nose | *nyab | *nyabẹk |
| to open | *ŋany | |
| other | *ɛd-ɛn | *es-in |
| to pass | *ŋʊŋ- | |
| person | *nɛb | *rʊɓ |
| to pick out thorn | *ku=ɛ-ac | |
| to pick up | *dum | |
| wild pig | *borok | |
| to plant | *ẹbit | |
| earthen pot | *dom | |
| to pour | *ɔrru | |
| to pull | *ɪm=in | |
| to rain | *war | |
| rat | *dɛr | |
| red | *diu | |
| to refuse | *dim | |
| to refuse | *tow- | |
| to remain | *jaj | |
| to rest | *eaŋ | |
| to return something | *eset | |
| rhinoceros | *dọb | |
| to ripen | *ayoan | |
| road | *od | *odẹk |
| to roast | *sih | |
| root | *tak’wad | *tak’wadis |
| rope | *uun | |
| round | *mukuhl | |
| to run | *ŋat | |
| to scratch | *sʊk’(-’ʊt) | |
| seed | *kinyomat | *kinyom |
| to sell | *guk’-u | |
| to sew | *nɔɓ | |
| shadow | *khur | |
| sharp | *ŋahl | |
| to shave | *guij | |
| sheep | *dodo | |
| shield | *kɛc’ɛn | |
| to shoot | *k’adz | |
| short | *khud | |
| to shut | *kɔk | |
| sick | *m-ay | *may |
| to sit | *k’emec | |
| skin (of big animals) | *kut | *kut-er |
| skin (of small animals) | *kus | *kusin |
| to skin | *ar | |
| sky | *rib | |
| slow | *hlɛɛɓ | |
| snake | *h-ɛu | |
| to sneeze | *sik’w | |
| soil | *gɪom | |
| sore | *ɔj | *-ɔjẹk |
| sorghum | *ŋam | |
| sour | *ɓar | |
| to speak | *diy-an | |
| spear | *ɓis | |
| to stand | *irri=ay(-u) | |
| to steal | *dzuec’es | |
| to step on | *takw | |
| stick | *ɓɛl | |
| stool | *karac | |
| to strangle | *ik=ɛt | |
| string | *sim | |
| strong | *ŋihl | |
| to suck | *nak’w | |
| to suck | *c’ʊt(c’=ʊt) | |
| sun | *gi | |
| to swell | *ɛm | |
| tear | *kywɛh-ekw=ɛ.k | |
| thigh | *ob-olen | |
| thorn | *as-at | *as |
| three | *iy-ɔn | |
| throat | *mor=ok | |
| to thunder | *k’ir | |
| to tie | *zik | |
| tongue | *ɛd-eɓ | |
| tree | *ad | *ad=is |
| udder | *kɔrtan | |
| to be unripe | *c’ɔrɔg | |
| urine | *kwac | |
| village | *au | *au=ẹk |
| voice | *mor=ok | |
| to vomit | *ɛn | |
| vulture | *yeon-at | |
| to wait | *kuaa | |
| war | *kyɛm-o | |
| water | *kywɛh | |
| wet | *dɔk’ | |
| to whistle | *poj | |
| white | *ɓec’ | |
| worm | *k’wic’ | |
| to wrestle | *kori | |
| year | *kaen | |
| yellow | *muny-aŋ | |
| youth | *sor-e |