Days, Months and Dates

01

The Days of the Week

Most weekday names are numbers with -nngorneq "the becoming": Monday is day one, and Friday day five. Sunday is sapaat.

• Monday ataasinngorneq, Tuesday marlunngorneq, Wednesday pingasunngorneq
• Thursday sisamanngorneq, Friday tallimanngorneq, Saturday arfininngorneq

• Arfininngorneruvoq.

  It's Saturday. (arfininngorneq + -uvoq "is")

• Ataasinngornermi inunngorpunga. Aggustip tolviat.

  I was born on Monday, the twelfth of August. (-mi "on")

02

On a Coming Day

For a day that is still to come, the number takes -nngor- "become" and the ending -pat "when it": tallimanngorpat "when it becomes Friday", that is, "on Friday".

• Tallimanngorpat periarfissaqarpunga.

  I am available on Friday.

• Sisamanngorpat katersugaasivimmut isissaanga.

  I will visit the museum on Thursday.

• Eqqissigit, sapaatiuppat akilerumaarpakkit.

  Don't worry, I will pay you on Sunday. (sapaat + -u- "be" + -ppat)

03

Months

The month names are loanwords ending in -i, such as juuni "June". "In" a month takes -mi, and "from" takes -mit.

• Juunimi Swahilit oqaasiinik ilinniarpunga.

  I took a Swahili language course in June.

• Decembarimi syttenilissaanga.

  In December, I will be seventeen years old.

• Januaarimit Marsip tungaanut kavaajaqartariaqarpunga.

  From January to March I have to wear a coat. (Marsip tungaanut "up to March": March + -p + tungaanut "towards it")

04

Dates

A date is "the month's …th": the month takes -p, like an owner, and the day is an ordinal number with "its": Aggustip tolviat "the twelfth of August", literally "August's twelfth".

• Ullumikkut tallimanngorneruvoq Maajip tretteniat.

  Today is Friday the thirteenth of May.

• Oktobariuvoq. Oktobarip tallimaat ilumoorlunga oqassaguma.

  It's October. The fifth of October to be exact.

05

A Week

"Week" is sapaatip akunnera, literally "Sunday's interval".

• Sapaatip akunnera kingulleq New Yorkimut tikippunga.

  Last week, I arrived in New York.