Nouns: Equative Case (-tut) — Greenlandic Grammar

The equative ending -tut, for some words -sut, means "as" or "like". It has no separate plural: the same ending serves for one and for several. The equative is also how you say "in English", "in French" and so on.

As, Like

Saqisutut sulisuuvoq.
She works as a waitress. (saqisoq "waiter" + -tut)
Ilinniartitsisutut sulisarpunga.
I work as a teacher.
Napparsimasutut misigivunga, angerlarsimaannartariaqarpunga.
I'm feeling sick and need to stay home today. (lit. I feel like a sick person)

In a Language

A language is named with the word for one of its people, in the equative: "English person" gives "in English", and "Greenlander" gives "in Greenlandic".

Tuluttut ilinniartitsisuuvunga.
I'm an English teacher.
Russisut, Araberisut Hindisullu oqallorippunga.
I am fluent in Russian, Arabic, and Hindi.

is "in Hindi" + -lu "and": the t becomes l

From the Country's Name

For many languages the person is built from the country's name with -miu- "person from", and -sut follows.

Qanutut oqartarpat "Qujanaq" Portugeermiusut?
How do you say "Thank you" in Portuguese?

How?

The question word "how" has an equative form, "in what way".

Qanutut taama pisoqarami?
How did this happen?
Ullaannguaq Anna, qanutut ikiorsinnaavakkit?
Good morning Anna. What can I do for you?

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Greenlandic course

11 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 60. A few of them, with the words “Nouns: Equative Case (-tut)” is about in bold:

Unnugu ingiaqateqassaanga. Saqisutut sulisuuvoq.
I have a date tonight. She works as a waitress.
Lesson 439

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