Giving and Reading To: The Receiver Is the Object — Greenlandic Grammar

With "gives", Greenlandic sees the event from the other side than English. The person who receives is the object of the verb, and the gift takes -mik: literally "I gave my father with a present".

Ataataga tunissummik tunivara.
I gave a present to my father. (ataataga "my father" is the object)
Nuka, tiimik tuneqqilaannga.
Little brother, bring me another cup of tea. (-nnga "… me": lit. give me tea again)
Nuannarinngilara, allamik tunisinnaavinga?
I don't like it. Can you bring me another one? (-vinga? "can you … me?")

You Receive

When "you" receive, the verb ending names you as the object.

Oqarfigisimasuugumma aningaasanik tunisimassagaluarpakkit.
If you had told me, I would have given you money. (-pakkit "I … you")

Giving Something Away: tunisivoq

"gives something" has no object. The person who receives takes -mut "to", and the gift still takes -mik.

Kammaga anaanaminut tunissummik tunisivoq.
My friend gave a present to her mother. (anaanaminut "to her mother")

Reading To

"reads to him, her" works like "give": the listener is the object, and what is read takes -mik.

Ernini atuakkamik atuffappaa.
She reads the book to her son. (ernini "her son" is the object)

Showing Is Different

With "shows it", the thing shown is the object, as in English. For "shows something", the verb becomes , and the thing takes -mik.

Asseq takutissinnaaviuk?
Can you show me the photo? (asseq "the photo" is the object)
Assersuummik takutitsisinnaavit?
Can you give me an example? (lit. can you show an example?)

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