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Greenlandic grammar · A1

Indirect Questions (what, where, whether)

Alexander StebnerCreator of Lingora · Updated 14 October 20262 min readComments

An indirect question is a question inside another sentence: "I don't know where I put them", "let's agree on what we'll do". Its verb often contains -ner-, which marks it as the question. For "whether" the -ner- is needed; next to a question word such as "where to" it may be left out.

01

Same Subject: Contemporative Endings

When the question verb has the same subject as the main verb ("I don't know where I put them"), it takes contemporative endings, as a second verb with the same subject always does.

  • Isarussakka tammaavakka, naluara sumut ilinerlugit.

    I can't find my glasses. I don't know where I put them. (ili- "put" + -ner- + -lugit "I … them")

  • Weekendimi sussanerluta isumaqatigisigu.

    Let's make a plan for the weekend. (su- "what" + -ssa- "will" + -ner- + -luta "we": what we will do)

02

Another Subject: Participial Endings

When the subject is someone else, the question verb takes the participial endings, the endings of "that …". For "whether" this gives -nersoq "whether he …".

  • Naluara ilumoornersoq.

    I don't know whether it is true. (ilumoor- "be true" + -nersoq "whether it")

  • Alersikka sumiittut nalunngiliuk?

    Do you know where my socks are? (sumiittut "where they are", here without -ner-)

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