Verbs: Transitive Endings (Subject and Object in One)

01

Endings With "It"

The endings for the object "him, her, it" are the ones used most:

• -vara I … it
• -vat you … it
• -vaa he, she … it
• -varput we … it
• -varsi you (several) … it
• -vaat they … it

• Ataataga asavara.

  I love my dad. (-vara "I … him")

• Arsaq miloriutissavara, illit akussavat.

  I throw the ball, and you catch it. (-vara "I … it", -vat "you … it")

• Takunngilaat, kisianni tusaavaat.

  They don't see it, but they hear it. (-vaat "they … it")

02

v, p or Neither

Like other endings, these begin with v after a stem ending in a vowel and with p after a consonant or r. After u the v of these endings drops: takuaa "sees it".

• Allagaq atsiorpara.

  I signed my name on the form. (atsior- + -para)

• Arnaq mittarfimmut biiliuppaa.

  He drives her to the airport. (-paa after a consonant)

• Neriartornissamut qaaqquaanga.

  He invited me for dinner. (qaaqqu- + -aanga: the v drops after u)

03

Other Objects

For "me", "you", "us" and "them" the ending changes again:

• -vakkit I … you
• -vakka I … them
• -vaanga he, she … me
• -vaatigut he, she … us
• -vai he, she … them
• -vaannga they … me

• Asavakka, uangalu aamma asavaannga.

  I love them and they love me. (-vakka "I … them", -vaannga "they … me")

• Nujaajarpaanga, nujaajartuaannarpaanga.

  He is cutting my hair. He always cuts my hair. (-paanga "he … me")

• Naalakkama tamatta viinnimik tunivaatigut.

  My boss gifted us each a bottle of wine. (-vaatigut "he … us")

• Sanaatta ajornartorsiutitit tamaasa aaqqissavai.

  Our product will solve all of your problems. (-vai "it … them")

04

Naming the One Who Does It

When the one doing it is named, that noun takes the ending -p, and the object keeps its plain form. The verb keeps its object ending even when the object is named.

• Arnap taassuma qimmini aneeruppaa.

  That woman is walking with her dog. (arnaq "woman" + -p: she does it)

• Bussertitsisup bussit aquppai.

  The bus driver is driving the bus. (-pai "he … them": bussit is plural in form)

05

With or Without an Object

Many verbs come in pairs. tunivaa "gives to him, her" has an object, and the object is the one who receives; the gift takes -mik. tunisivoq "gives something" has no object, so it takes the ordinary endings, and the one who receives takes -mut "to".

• Ataataga tunissummik tunivara.

  I gave a present to my father.

• Kammaga anaanaminut tunissummik tunisivoq.

  My friend gave a present to her mother.