The affix -taqaq- is used to express the English there is / there are. This affix is tacked on to the end of nouns and must be followed by a subject ending:
| kaapitaqaqpa? | Is there coffee? |
When we want to say "there is...", Inuktitut speakers avoid the construction ...taqaq + tuq, and use the affix -talik instead:
| tiitaqaqpa? | Is there tea? |
| ii, tiitalik. | Yes, there is tea. |
Note that -talik is never used to make a negative sentence. Instead -taqaq- + -nngit + tuq is used:
| aakka, tiitaqanngittuq | No, there is no tea.. |
-taqaq- can be added directly to a root ending in a consonant:
| paippaaq + taqaq + pa = | |
| paippaaqtaqaqpa? | Is there any paper? |
| ii, paippaaqtalik | Yes, there is paper. |
| aakka, paippaaqtaqanngittuq. | No, there is no paper. |