Nahuatl is a Uto-Aztecan language best known as the language of the Aztec Empire. Today, it remains one of the most widely spoken Indigenous languages in the Americas, with more than one million speakers across Mexico and communities in the United States. Nahuatl has a rich literary and cultural history and continues to be spoken in many Indigenous communities, making it an important part of contemporary life as well as the past.
Although Nahuatl is considered endangered in some regions due to declining intergenerational transmission, many communities and organizations are actively working to strengthen and revitalize the language. Nahuatl has also influenced languages around the world through words that entered English and Spanish, including “avocado,” “coyote,” “chili,” and “chipotle.” These free online courses were created in 2017 by Tlahtoltapazolli, a Nahuatl study group in Los Angeles whose name means “Language Nest,” to support both new learners and heritage speakers in their language journey.