Sound Changes Where Suffixes Join — Greenlandic Grammar

When a suffix is added, the end of the word and the start of the suffix often change each other. A handful of rules cover most cases.

A Final Consonant Takes On the Next One

Before many suffixes, a consonant at the end of a word becomes the same as the first consonant of the suffix: "man" with -mut "to" becomes "to the man". q and r are the exceptions.

Atuarfimmiippoq.
She is at school. (atuarfik + -miip- "be in": k becomes m)
Pisiniarfimmut iserusuppunga.
I want to go into the shop. (pisiniarfik + -mut)

A Final q Becomes r

Before many suffixes, a q at the end of a noun becomes r: "dog" with -suaq "big" becomes "big dog". Before a case ending, some nouns do the same, as "tent" does in "in the tent", while others drop the q: gives "to the dog".

Angut arnarlu nereqatigiipput.
The man and the woman are eating. (arnaq + -lu "and": q becomes r)

Suffixes That Remove the Last Consonant

Other suffixes remove the last consonant altogether. If that consonant is q or r, the vowel before it changes as well: e and o only stand before q and r, so e becomes i and o becomes u.

Qimmiuteqarpunga.
I have a dog. (qimmeq + -ut- "one's own": eq becomes i)
Ukiut qulit pigaara.
I had it for ten years. (ukioq + plural -t: oq becomes u)

j After i, v After u

j never follows i: a suffix that begins with j loses it after an i, so -juaannar- "always" gives "always cries" but "they always work". A v after u depends on the ending. The endings of a verb with an object lose it: -vaa "he … it" gives "loves it" but "sees it". So does -vallaar- "too": "they are too expensive". The endings of a verb without an object keep it: "is a student", "where are you from?".

Takuiuk?
Did you see that? (taku- + -viuk "you … it?": the v drops)
Aana kammaga Anna, ilinniartuuvoq.
This is my friend, Anna. She is a student. (ilinniartoq + -u- "be" + -voq: the v stays)
Neriartornissamut qaaqquaanga.
He invited me for dinner. (qaaqqu- + -vaanga "he … me")

Suffixes With Two Shapes

Some suffixes change their first sound to suit the stem. "Usually" is -tar- after a consonant or an r, and -sar- after a vowel.

Pianomik nipilersortarpoq.
She plays the piano. (nipilersor- + -tar-)
Tuluttut ilinniartitsisarpunga.
I teach English. (ilinniartitsi- + -sar-)
Ullut tamaasa ualikkut basketsertarpunga.
Every afternoon I play basketball. (basketser- + -tar-)

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Greenlandic course

414 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 2. A few of them, with the words “Sound Changes Where Suffixes Join” is about in bold:

Aana kammaga Anna, ilinniartuuvoq.
This is my friend, Anna. She is a student.
Lesson 2
Asavakka, uangalu aamma asavaannga.
I love them and they love me.
Lesson 32
Marlunnik biileqarpunga, sikkilit marluk, motorsikkilillu pingasut.
I have two cars, two bicycles, and three motorbikes.
Lesson 33

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