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Reference document

Particles

Rule #40

Particles are usually small words. They express neither a case nor a mood.

Below is a non-exhaustive list of common particles in Nunavik Inuktitut. Translations are tentative.

  • aa yes
  • aala listen! [reanalyzed verb base]
  • aalummi (expression of affection)
  • aarqaaluk (expression of being overwhelmed)
  • aasit again as usual
  • ai hello, hey
  • aiguuq hey (to a loved one)
  • akuni long time
  • alianaq how pleasant! [reanalyzed verb base]
  • allaat even
  • ammaammalu furthermore
  • asuilaa that being the case
  • asuguuq I totally agree with you, I told so
  • asuu oh yeah? I see
  • atiiatai let’s go, go ahead
  • atiilu do it once again
  • auka no
  • aataa, aatataa ouch!
  • aatsuukatsuuli I don’t know!
  • atautsikut together
  • atsunai bye bye
  • atunit each individually
  • ii (expression of fear or disgust)
  • ikkii it’s cold! [reanalyzed verb base]
  • ilaa I mean
  • ilaali you’re welcome
  • ilai isn’t it?
  • imaak like this
  • immaqaa maybe, it is quite possible
  • ippasaq yesterday
  • irsii / kappii (expression of fear) [reanalyzed verb base]
  • isumainnaq absolutely
  • kiita a little, just, because it is so
  • kiitaapik a little bit
  • kisianikisianili only, but
  • maanna now
  • nakurmiik thanks
  • namminiq …-self
  • niangaaqniangaarli how lucky you are!
  • painasi (expression of annoyance)
  • qauppat tomorrow [reanalyzed verb]
  • qujana never mind! don’t bother!
  • siaru later, wait!
  • siarugiaq a bit later
  • sirlak hardly
  • sujuqsujuruuq what (did you, he, she say)?
  • suli still, again
  • sunauvva I didn’t know but
  • suurlu as if
  • tagga, taga there, then, thus
  • tagataga now
  • taima then, it’s finished, it’s enough, stop!
  • taimaak like that
  • taimangngat always
  • taitsumani a long time ago [reanalyzed pronoun]
  • takkuuli but there! how unfortunate!
  • tuavii / uima quick! [reanalyzed verb base]
  • tusunnaq how desirable it is! [reanalyzed verb base]
  • ullumi today [reanalyzed noun]
  • ulurii watch out! [reanalyzed verb base]
  • urquu it’s hot! [reanalyzed verb base]
  • uvvauvvaluuvvaluunniit or

Some postbases have also been reanalyzed as particles, for example galak! (a little!),kasak! (almost!), llurik! (great!), mmarik! (really!).

A few particles are compatible with a noun extender. Examples: aala-apikkisiani- ugaluaqnakurmii-mariknakurmii-raaluktaimaa-tsiaqtaitsumani-aluk.

A few particles are compatible with the verb maker /u-1. Examples: maanna-u-ngit- tuqsiarugia-ngu-lir-matkisiani-u-va-laur-mata.

Auka

ᐊᐅᑲ

No

Atsunai

ᐊᑦᓱᓀᑦ

Greeting: see you

Ippasaq

ᐃᑉᐸᓴᖅ

Yesterday

Nakurmiik

ᓇᑯᕐᒦᒃ

Thank you

Qauppat

ᖃᐅᑉᐸᑦ

Tomorrow

Ullumi

ᐅᓪᓗᒥ

Today

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