Grammar » 22 » Commands

In Inuktut, you can tell someone to do something, or indicate something that you would like to happen by using an imperative verb ending.

-git is the verb ending used when you are speaking to one person:

niri-	to eat
nirigit !	Eat!
qai-	to come
qaigit !	Come here!

 

-git can be added directly to roots ending in vowels.  When it is added to roots ending in -k or -t, it deletes the final consonant:

tupak-	to wake up
tupagit !	Wake up!
ingit-	to sit down
ingigit	Please, sit down.

 

With roots that end in -q, use -rit instead:

isiq-	to enter; to come in
isirit !	Come in!

 

-gittik / -rittik is the verb ending used when talking to two people:

qaigittik !	Come here, you two!
tupagittik !	Wake up, you two!
isirittik !	Come in, you two!

-gitsi / -ritsi is the verb ending used when talking to three or more people:

qaigitsi / qaigitti	Come here! (talking to 3+ people)
tupagitsi / tupagitti	Wake up! (talking to 3+ people)
isiritsi / isiritti	Come in! (talking to 3+ people)