The noun ending -mik (dual: -nnik; plural: -nik) is used very frequently in Inuktut and requires a detailed explanation. Consider the following two sentences in English:
| Una qarasaujaralaaq. | This is a laptop. |
| Qarasaujaralaarmik niuviqtuq. | She is buying a laptop. |
In the first sentence, we are talking about a specific laptop that is right in front of the person who is speaking. In the second sentence, the speaker refers to the laptop very generally. The exact laptop that was purchased is irrelevant to the conversation.
In Inuktut, when we are speaking very generally about a person or a thing, we attach the affix -mik to the person or thing.
| illumik takujuq. | She sees a house. |
The ending -mik often (but not always) changes the consonant sound that comes before it:
| qarasaujaq | computer |
| qarasaujarmik | a computer |
| inuk | person |
| inummik | a person; an individual |
The dual form of -mik is -nnik. It is added to the dual form of the noun.
| pualu | mitten |
| pualuuk | two mittens |
| pualuunnik | a pair of mittens |
| Pauluunnik niuvilauqtuq. | He/she bought a pair of mittens. |
Note that the dual ending -nnik is always preceded by a long vowel sound:
| tuttu | caribou |
| tuttuunnik | a couple of caribou |
| kamik | sealskin boot |
| kamiinnik | a pair of sealskin boots. |
The plural form of -mik is -nik :
| inunik | some people |
| illunik | some houses |
| qarasaujarnik | some computers |
The endings -mik, -nnik and -nik are frequently used with numbers:
| atausiq | one |
| atausirmik | one of something |
| Atausirmik nasaqaqtunga. | I have one hat. |
| marruuk | two |
| marruunnik | two of something; a pair of something |
| Marruunnik nasaqaqtunga. | I have two hats |
| pingasut | three |
| pingasunik | three of something |
| Pingasunik nasaqaqtunga. | I have three hats. |
The endings -mik, -nnik and -nik are also frequently used with colours. Note that when the root word is a colour, these endings always delete the consonant sound that comes before:
| aupaqtuq | red |
| aupaqtumik | a red one |
| Aupaqtumik titirautiqaqtunga. | I have a red pen. |
| Aupatuunnik titirautiqaqtunga. | I have a couple of red pens. |
| Aupaqtunik titirautiqaqtunga. | I have some red pens. |