Timi

BECAUSE

 

In English, when we want to give a reason for something, we add a clause to a sentence that usually begins with the word “because”:

We are leaving because we are tired.

 

In Inuktitut the clause that is underlined above is usually represented in one word. This word has a special ending that lets us know the subject of the clause:

Anijugut taqagatta. We are leaving because we are tired

Here is a list of these endings:

taqagama because I am tired
taqagavit because you are tired
taqammat because he is tired
taqagannuk because the two of us are tired
taqagatta because all of us are tired
taqagattik because the two of you are tired
taqagatsi because all of you are tired
taqammatik because the two of them are tired
taqammata because all of them are tired

Adding these affixes to roots ending in k:

 

The first letter of the endings that begin in g change to k:
 malikkama  because I followed
 tupakkavit  because you woke up

 

The endings that begin in m are unchanged.  They delete the last consonant of the root:
 malimmat
 because he followed
 tupammata 
 because they woke up
Adding these affixes to roots ending in t:

 

The last letter of the root and the first letter of the affix both change to n:
 tikit- 
 to arrive
 tikinnama  because I arrived
 tikinnatsi     because you all arrived



The endings that begin in m are unchanged. They delete the last consonant of the root:
 tikimmat  because he arrived
 tikimmata     because they arrived
Adding these affixes to roots ending in q:

 

The last consonant of the root is deleted and the affix begins with r:
 aullarama  because I left (departed)
 uqalimaaravit  because you are reading
 isiratta  because we are coming in

This applies to the affixes that begin with m as well:
 aullarmat  because he is departing
 uqalimaarmatik  because the two of them are reading
 isirmata  because they are all coming in