Inuktut has three handy affixes for describing where you are, where you are going, or where you are coming from. They follow a similar pattern.
| -mi |
at / in |
| Kanatami |
in Canada |
| |
|
| -mit |
from |
| Kanatamit |
from Canada |
| |
|
| -mut |
to |
| Kanatamut |
to Canada |
When
-mi,
-mut, &
-mit are added to stems ending in
-q, they change final
-q to
-r :
| Ausuittuq |
Grise Fiord |
| Ausuitturmi |
in Grise Fiord |
| Ausuitturmit |
from Grise Fiord |
| Ausuitturmut |
to Grise Fiord |
When -mi, -mut, & -mit are added to stems ending in -k, they change final -k to -ng :
| Iglulik |
Iglulik |
| Iglulingmi |
in Iglulik |
| Iglulingmit |
from Iglulik |
| Iglulingmut |
to Iglulik |
When -mi, -mut, & -mit are added to stems ending in -t, they change final -t to -m :
| Nunavut |
Nunavut |
| Nunavummi |
in Nunavut |
| Nunavummit |
from Nunavut |
| Nunavummut |
to Nunavut |
The above affixes have a plural form: -ni, -nut, & -nit :
| igluralaaq |
cabin |
| igluralaarmut |
to the cabin |
| igluralaarnut |
to the cabins |
| |
| tasirmit |
from the lake |
| tasirnit |
from the lakes |
We can use these affixes when answering the following questions :
| naniippit? |
Where are you? |
| Qurluqturmi |
in Kugluktuk |
| |
| namunngauvit? |
Where are you going? |
| Ikpiarjungmut |
to Arctic Bay |
| |
| nakingaaqpit? |
Where are you coming from? |
| Iqalungnit |
from Iqaluit |
Or, in conversation, you may hear one of these short questions:
| nani? |
where? |
| namut? |
to where? |
| nakit? |
from where? |