Location Words: Under, Inside, Outside — Greenlandic Grammar

Words like "under", "inside" or "outside" are nouns in Greenlandic: "its underside", "its inside", "its outside", "its top", "its middle". The thing they belong to comes first and takes -p, like an owner: "the table's underside".

Where Something Is

For where something is, the location word takes -ni "in, at", often followed by -ip- "be": "it is under it".

Nerriviup ataaniippoq.
It's under the table. (lit. it is at the table's underside)
Neriniartarfik qimuttuitsoqarfiup qaavaniippoq.
The restaurant is above the train station.
Illup silataani timmissat qarlorpalupput.
The birds are singing in the garden. (lit. at the house's outside)

Where Something Goes

For movement towards a place, the location word takes -nut "to" instead.

Seqineq atuarfiup iluanut seqinnerpoq.
The sun shines into the classroom. (lit. into the school's inside)
Illoqarfiup qeqqanukarniaruma aqqutissara nassuiarsinnaaviuk?
Can you tell me how to get to the city center? (qeqqa + -nukar- "go to")

Behind You

With "my" or "your" instead of a named owner, the ending changes like any owned noun: "back" gives "at my back, at your back".

Sunaana tununniittoq?
What is that thing behind you?

Until: tungaanut

"towards it, until it" works the same way: the place or time before it takes -p.

Januaarimit Marsip tungaanut kavaajaqartariaqarpunga.
From January to March I have to wear a coat. (Marsip tungaanut "until March")

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Greenlandic course

13 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 231. A few of them, with the words “Location Words: Under, Inside, Outside” is about in bold:

Nutaamik biilitaarnissama tungaanut sikkilikka atortariaqarpakka.
I have to ride my bike until I get a new car.
Lesson 301
Matuersaat nerrivimma ataaniippoq.
The key is below my desk.
Lesson 483
Illup silataani timmissat qarlorpalupput.
The birds are singing in the garden.
Lesson 489

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