Nouns: Instrumental Case (-mik)

01

With, By Means Of

• Una allagaq assannik allappara.

  I wrote this letter by hand. (lit. with my hands)

• Isikkanik isimmigit assannillu tillussigit.

  Kick with your leg and punch with your fist.

• Pianomik nipilersortarpoq.

  She plays the piano. (lit. she makes music with a piano)

02

A Thing, Some Thing

Greenlandic has no words for "a" and "the", and the instrumental often does their job. An object in the plain form is a particular one, "the …", and the verb takes an object ending. An object in the -mik form is "a …" or "some …", and the verb takes an ordinary ending, as if it had no object at all.

• Imermik imerpunga, eqeernarpoq.

  I am drinking water. It is refreshing.

• Kaagimik peqqinniarit.

  Please have some more cake.

• Assersuummik takutitsisinnaavit?

  Can you give me an example?

• Neriniartarfimmik pitsaasumik nalunngisaqaravit?

  Do you know a good restaurant?

• Zoo uumasunik amerlasuunik imaqarpoq.

  This zoo has many animals.

03

Giving

With tunivaa "gives to someone", the one who receives is the object, and the gift stands in the -mik form.

• Ataataga tunissummik tunivara.

  I gave a present to my father.

• Viinnimik tuneqqilaannga.

  Please bring another bottle of wine. (lit. give me another bottle of wine)

04

Describing a Built-In Noun

When a noun is built into a verb, as with -qar- "have" or -taar- "get a new", anything that describes it or counts it stands before the verb in the -mik form.

• Pinnersumik kiinaqarpoq.

  She has a beautiful face.

• Marlunnik qitornaqarpunga. Erneq taavalu panik.

  I have two children, a son and a daughter.

• Nutaamik tujuuluttaartariaqarpunga.

  I need a new sweater.

05

Names, Ages, Prices, Degrees

A name, an age, a price or a number of degrees takes the instrumental.

• Aleximik ateqarpunga.

  My name is Alex.

• Atteninik ukioqarpunga.

  I'm eighteen years old.

• Una qarasaasiaq et tusind tre hundrede euronik akeqarpoq.

  That laptop costs one thousand three hundred euros.

• Kiaqaaq. Toogtredivenik kiappoq.

  It's very hot. It's thirty-two degrees.

06

How Something Is Done

A describing word in the instrumental works like an English word in "-ly".

• Nalinginnaasumik unnukkut taartarpoq.

  At night it is usually dark. (nalinginnaasumik "usually")

• Sukkasuumik ingerlavoq.

  She went quickly.

• Nipitunerusumik oqalulaarit.

  Speak up, please. (lit. speak in a louder way)

07

What It Is Made Of, What It Is About

The instrumental names the material something is made of, and what a story or a book is about: arnamik oqaluttuaq "a story about a woman".

• Ordbogip quppersagai pappialamik saattumik sanaajupput.

  The pages of a dictionary are made of thin paper.

08

Going for Something, Asking for Something

With a verb of going, the instrumental names what someone goes to get. On its own, a noun in the instrumental is a polite request.

• Igaffimmut immummik aallerpoq.

  She goes to the kitchen for milk.

• Sukkulaamik.

  Some chocolate, please.

09

Two Nouns as One

Where English puts two nouns together, as in "doorman", the first often stands in the instrumental.

• matumik paarsisoq

  doorman (lit. one who watches with regard to a door)

10

The One Doing It Stays Plain

When the object is in the -mik form, the one doing it does not take -p: it stays in its plain form, because the verb counts as having no object.

• Naja nannumik takuvoq.

  Naja saw a polar bear.

• with "the polar bear" instead: Najap nanoq takuaa, where Naja takes -p