Qualities Are Verbs: 'is big', 'is red'

01

The Ending Says Who

• Una imeq nillerpoq, aappaa kissarpoq.

  This water is cold. That water is hot. (-poq "it")

• Ajorpunga, kaappunga, qilappunga, qasullungalu.

  I feel bad. I'm hungry, I'm thirsty and I'm tired. (-punga "I")

• Angallatit taakkua assut akisupput.

  Those boats are very expensive. (-pput "they")

02

Not

With -nngit- "not", the verb takes the negative endings, such as -laq "he, she, it" and -langa "I": kiappoq "is hot" gives kianngilaq "is not hot".

• Sila issippoq. Sila kianngilaq.

  The weather is cold. The weather is not hot.

03

Very, Too, How

Suffixes change the degree. -qaa- "very" has short endings of its own, such as -qaaq "it is very"; -vallaar- is "too", and -tigi- "so" asks "how long?", "how big?" with qanoq.

• Kiaqaaq. Toogtredivenik kiappoq.

  It's very hot. It's thirty-two degrees. (kia- + -qaaq)

• Uku qarliit qanoq takitigippat?

  How long are these pants? (taki- "long" + -tigi- "so")

• Takivallaarput.

  They are too long. (taki- + -vallaar- "too")

04

Describing a Noun

To describe a noun, the verb takes -toq or -soq, "one that is …", and follows the noun: issippoq "is cold" gives sila issittoq "cold weather".

• Sila issittoq nuannaraara. Aput sermerlu nuannareqaakka.

  I love cold weather. I love snow and ice.

05

How …!

A verb in -aappoq or -iippoq drops -ppoq and takes -k, which makes it an exclamation: oqimaappoq "is heavy" gives oqimaak "how heavy!".

• Kakkaak! Taskitit oqimaak.

  Wow! Your bags are heavy. (oqimaappoq "is heavy": lit. how heavy!)