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Greenlandic grammar · A1

Exclamations: How Heavy! How Exciting!

Alexander StebnerCreator of Lingora · Updated 14 October 20262 min readComments

A verb that describes something can become an exclamation by changing its ending: "is heavy" becomes "how heavy!". There are two patterns.

01

-ppoq Becomes -k

A verb ending in -aappoq or -iippoq replaces -ppoq with -k.

  • Kakkaak! Taskitit oqimaak.

    Wow! Your bags are heavy. (oqimaappoq "is heavy")

  • Eqqumiik. Nalunaaqutara ajorsimassaaq.

    That is weird. My watch must be broken. (eqqumiippoq "is strange")

  • Maaniilluni pikkunaak. Angerlarta.

    This place is boring. Let's go home. (pikkunaappoq "is boring")

02

-rpoq Becomes -q

A verb ending in -narpoq, "causes a feeling", replaces -rpoq with -q: "is beautiful" gives "how beautiful!".

  • Takuiuk? Soqutiginaq.

    Did you see that? That was interesting. (soqutiginarpoq "is interesting")

  • Pissanganaq.

    How exciting! (pissanganarpoq "is exciting")

  • "thank you" is built the same way, from

03

-katappoq Becomes -katannaq

-katappoq "is tired of" has its own exclamation form, -katannaq.

  • Pileritsappunga, utaqqikatannaq.

    I'm looking forward to it. I can't wait. (utaqqi- "wait" + -katannaq)

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