# Amondawa tribe’s language has no words for weeks, months or years

2026-08-13T13:39:13+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

A study by the University of Portsmouth has found that the Amondawa tribe in the Brazilian Amazon has no concept of numerical time. Their language does not use words for weeks, months or years. Instead, the Amondawa organise their lives around natural events, environmental changes and the stages of a person's life. The Times of India reports that linguists say the distinction is significant because in clock-based cultures, people often talk about time as a tangible thing that can be lost, saved or spent. The Amondawa language appears to lack that framework entirely.

## Coverage

- timesofindia.indiatimes.com <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/amazon-tribe-amondawa-does-not-use-weeks-months-or-years-to-describe-time-their-language-links-it-to-events-and-life-stages/articleshow/133209104.cms>

Tags: Amazon tribe, Amondawa, Brazil, linguistics, time perception, University of Portsmouth
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