Verbs: Future Tense (-ssa-)

01

Statements

In a statement, the future has short endings of its own:

• "I will": -ssaanga
• "you will": -ssaatit
• "he, she, it will": -ssaaq
• "we will": -ssaagut
• "you will" (several people): -ssaasi
• "they will": -ssapput

• Isiginnaartitsisarfimmi isiginnaariassaanga.

  I will go see a theater play.

• Aperiguit akissummik pinnassaatit.

  If you ask a question, you will get an answer. (-ssaatit "you will")

• Ississaaq: femteninik ississaaq.

  It will be cold: Minus fifteen degrees.

• Aap, kineserit nerisassaataannik nerissaagut.

  Yes. Let's eat Chinese food. (-ssaagut: lit. we will eat)

• Iserluaritsi, ingiinnassaasi.

  Welcome. Please have a seat. (-ssaasi: lit. you will just sit down)

02

How It Joins the Verb

-ssa- removes the last consonant of the stem, and an o or e left in front of the gap becomes u or i: suliartorpoq "goes to work" becomes suliartu- before it.

• Aqagu suliartussavit?

  Will you be back tomorrow? (lit. will you go to work tomorrow?)

03

With an Object and in Other Moods

Everywhere else, -ssa- behaves like any stem ending in a vowel, and the usual endings follow it: -ssavara "I will … it", -ssavakka "I will … them", -ssavit? "will you?".

• Taamatut isumaqarpit? Alakkassavara.

  Do you believe that? I will go and check. (-ssavara)

• Ilinniagassakka kingusinnerusukkut suliarissavakka.

  I will do my homework later. (-ssavakka)

• Aqagu sussavit?

  What will you do tomorrow?

04

Won't, and a Firm "Don't"

"Won't" is -ssa- + -nngi- "not" with the endings used with "not": -ssanngilanga "I won't", -ssanngilat "you won't … it". Said to someone, "you won't … it" is also a firm "don't!".

• Tuaviunngikkuit timmisartut angumerissanngilat.

  If you don't hurry, you will miss your flight. (lit. you won't catch the plane)

• Una nerissanngilat!

  Don't eat that!

05

Would, Should

With -galuar- after it, -ssa- gives "would" or "should".

• Qiiavunga. Kavaajalissagaluarpunga.

  I feel cold. I should put on a jacket.

• Illit suna pisiarissagaluarpiuk?

  What do you recommend? (lit. what would you buy?)

06

A Future Thing: -ssaq

On a noun, -ssaq means "a future …", "something to be …": nerisassaq "food" is "something to be eaten". Many such words are simply everyday nouns.

• Eqiasunnak, suliffissat amerlaqaat.

  Don't be lazy. There are plenty of jobs available. (suliffissat "jobs to be had")

07

Soon: -ler-

-ler- "begin to" also speaks of what is about to happen or planned for soon.

• Niuernialerpunga.

  I'm going shopping.

• Neqit qiluttuulerput.

  The meat is about to burn.