LingoraGrammar guidesLearn Greenlandic

Greenlandic grammar · A1

Having and 'There Is': -qar-

Alexander StebnerCreator of Lingora · Updated 14 October 20262 min readComments

Greenlandic has no separate verb for "have". The suffix -qar- "have" is attached to the thing that is had, so "he has a dog" is a single word: . The same suffix, with no one named as having it, means "there is".

01

Have

The thing that is had stays in the singular and takes no ending of its own.

  • Aqagu misilitsinnissamut apeqquteqarpunga.

    I have a question regarding tomorrow's exam.

  • Piffissaqarpit?

    Do you have some time?

  • Angajoqqaakka bankimi suliffeqarput.

    My parents work in a bank. (lit. they have a workplace in a bank)

02

There Is

Without anyone who has it, -qar- means "there is" or "there are". The verb stays in the "he, she, it" form, even when there are many.

  • Aqquserngup naanerani orsertarfeqarpoq.

    There is a gas station at the end of the road.

  • Illoqarfitsinni ivigaqartorujussuuvoq.

    There is a lot of grass in our town.

  • Qulitsinni arlalinnik qaqortumik nuiaqarpoq.

    There are many white clouds in the sky. (-poq "it", though there are many)

03

How It Joins

-qar- removes a final k or q of the noun, and before its q an i turns into e and a u into o: "car" gives biile-, "person" gives "there are people". A final t stays and takes an e: "question" gives apeqquteqar-.

  • Iipileqarpoq, banaaneqarpoq.

    There is an apple, there is a banana. (iipili, banaani: i becomes e)

04

Describing, Counting, Naming

Anything said about the thing that is had stands before the verb in the -mik form: a describing word, a number, a name or an age.

  • Pinnersumik kiinaqarpoq.

    She has a beautiful face.

  • Sisamanik qitsoqarpunga.

    I have four cats.

  • Aleximik ateqarpunga.

    My name is Alex.

  • Femoghalvfemsinik ukioqarpoq.

    She is ninety-five years old.

05

Not Having, There Isn't

With "not", -qar- becomes -qanngi-: "doesn't have" or "there isn't".

  • Piffissaqanngilanga.

    I have no time.

  • Ajornartorsiuteqanngilaq.

    There is no problem.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Greenlandic course

94 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 4. A few of them, with the words “Having and 'There Is': -qar-” is about in bold:

  • Marlunnik biileqarpunga, sikkilit marluk, motorsikkilillu pingasut.

    I have two cars, two bicycles, and three motorbikes.

    Lesson 33

  • Aluu nakorsaq, ajornartorsiuteqarpunga.

    Hello, Doctor. I have a problem.

    Lesson 91

  • Marlunnik nukaqarpunga marlunnillu angajoqarlunga.

    I have two younger sisters and two older sisters.

    Lesson 138

All 121 Greenlandic grammar topics

Comments

Loading comments…