-sinnaa- (can) — Greenlandic Grammar

The suffix -sinnaa- means "can": being able to, being allowed to, or being possible. It goes inside the verb, between the stem and the ending.

Where It Goes

A verb is listed in the dictionary with the ending -voq or -poq, "he, she, it". Without that ending, what is left is the stem: "works" has the stem suli-. -sinnaa- comes straight after the stem, and the ending follows it in the shape used after a vowel: "can work", -sinnaavunga "I can", -sinnaapput "they can".

Maaneeqqaarsinnaavunga.
I can stay longer. (-sinnaa- + -vunga "I")
Ataasiaqqillutit pinnguarsinnaavutit.
You may play the game one more time. (pinnguar- "play" + -sinnaa- + -vutit "you")

How It Joins the Stem

After a vowel or an r, -sinnaa- is simply added: "eats", "can eat"; "goes in", "can go in". A double consonant before the ending, as in "shows it", means the stem ends in some other consonant, and that consonant becomes s: "can show it".

Takusinnaavinga?
Can you see me? (taku- + -sinnaa-)
Una ammarsinnaaviuk?
Can you open this bottle? (ammar- keeps its r)
Asseq takutissinnaaviuk?
Can you show me the photo? (the consonant before -sinnaa- becomes s)
Allagaq nassiuteqqissinnaaviuk?
Can you send the message again? (so does the consonant of -qqi- "again")

Its Endings

After -sinnaa- the verb can take any ending: a question, or an ending that also names the object.

Assersuummik takutitsisinnaavit?
Can you give me an example? (-vit? "you?")
Paarisinnaavara.
I can carry it. (-vara "I … it")
Nuannarinngilara, allamik tunisinnaavinga?
I don't like it. Can you bring me another one? (-vinga? "you … me?")

Cannot

"Not", -nngi-, comes after -sinnaa-, and the verb then takes the endings used with "not": -sinnaanngilanga "I cannot", -sinnaanngilatit "you cannot", -sinnaanngilakkit "I cannot … you".

Sinitsillunga ilinniarsinnaanngilanga.
I can't study while I'm asleep.
Pisiniarfik matoqqavoq. Isersinnaanngilatit.
The shop is closed. You may not enter.
Takusinnaanngilakkit.
I can't see you.

Asking Someone

A question with -sinnaa- is the usual way to ask someone to do something, or to ask for permission. -laar- "a little" in front of it makes the request softer.

Kigaallalaarsinnaavit?
Could you slow down a bit?
Menu takulaarsinnaavara?
Could I see a menu, please?
Saqisoq aggeqqulaarsinnaaviuk?
Could you ask the waiter to come here?

Can Be Done

With -neqar- "be done" in front of it, the verb says what can be done to something.

Allamut nuutsinneqarsinnaava?
Is it possible to reschedule it? (lit. can it be moved to another one?)

Will Be Able To

"Will be able to" is -sinnaa-, then -ler- "begin to", then -ssa- "will". The r of -ler- drops before -ssa-, and its e becomes i: -sinnaalissa-.

Kørekortitaaruma aatsaat biilersinnaalissaanga.
I can't drive until I get a driver's license. (lit. only when I get a license will I be able to drive)

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Greenlandic course

33 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 52. A few of them, with the words “-sinnaa- (can)” is about in bold:

Allagaq nassiuteqqissinnaaviuk?
Can you send the message again?
Lesson 426

Comments

Loading comments…