14 Timi

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 Inuktut the clause that is underlined above is usually represented in one word. This word has a special ending that lets us know who we are talking about: 

Aninngittugut taqagapta.

We are not going out because we are tired.

Here is a list of the endings that are used after roots that end in vowels:

singular verb endings
anigama	because I went out
anigavit	because you went out
anigami / ani'mat *	because he/she went out
dual verb endings
anigamnuk	because we (2) went out
anigaptik	because you (2) went out
anigamik / ani'manik *	because they (2) went out
plural verb endings
anigapta	because we (3+) went out
anigaphi	because you (3+) went out
anigamik / ani'mata *	because they (3+) went out

 

* Notice in the third person (he/she/it/they) that there are two options:

The endings -gami and -gamik can only be used if the two verbs in the sentence involve the same person:

Piita qainngittuq niaqunngugami.

Peter is not coming because he (Peter) has a headache.

If thre is a change in who you are speaking about in the sentence, the endings -'mat, -'mangnik and -'mata must be used:

Piita qainngittuq nulianga niaqunngu'mat.

Peter is not coming because his wife has a headache.

All of the above endings can also be used to express the idea in English of 'when something happened...’ (in the past):

Quviahuktut niri'mata.

When they ate, they were happy.

 

Adding these affixes to stems ending in -k :

• Working with the endings above, the first letter of the endings that begin in g- changes to k-
• The endings above that begin with m- do not change.  They delete the final -k of the stem:

nuvak-	to have a cold
nuvakkama	because / when I had a cold
nuvakkavit	because / when you (1) had a cold
nuvakkami / nuva'mat	because / when he / she had a cold
nuvakkamnuk	because / when we (2) had colds
nuvakkaptik	because / when you (2) had colds
nuvakkamik / nuva'manik	because / when they (2) had colds
nuvakkatta	because / when we (3+) had colds
nuvakkaphi	because / when you (3+) had colds
nuvakkamik / nuva'mata	because / when they (3+) had colds

 

Adding these affixes to stems ending in -t :

• The last letter of the root and the first letter of the affix both change to n-.
• The endings that begin in m- are unchanged. They delete the final -t of the root :

tikit-	to arrive
tikinnama	because / when I arrived
tikinnavit	because / when you (1) arrived
tikinnami / tiki'mat	because / when he / she arrived
tikinnamnuk	because / when we (2) arrived
tikinnaptik	because / when you (2) arrived
tikinnamik / tiki'manik	because / when they (2) arrived
tikinnapta	because / when we (3+) arrived
tikinnaphi	because / when you (3+) arrived
tikinnamik / tiki'mata	because / when they (3+) arrived

 

Adding these affixes to roots ending in -q :

The last consonant of the stem is deleted and the affix begins with r:

niaqurliuq-	to have a headache
niaqurliurama	because / when I had a headache
niaqurliuravit	because / when you (1) had a headache
niaqurliurami / niaqurliu'mat	because / when he/she had a headache
niaqurliuramnuk	because / when we (2) had headaches
niaqurliuraptik	because / when you (2) had headaches
niaqurliuramik / niaqurliu'manik	because / when you (2) had headaches
niaqurliurapta	because we (3+) had headaches
niaqurliuraphi	because / when they (3+) had headaches
niaqurliuramik / niaqurliu'mata	because / when they (3+) had headaches