So far, we have been using simple endings with verbs:
takujunga |
I see. |
In English, if we want to talk about what we see, we would add a pronoun to the sentence to indicate an object:
I see her. |
In Inuktitut, we use verb endings that indicate both the subject and the object of the sentence. These are known as transitive verb endings.
takujunga (basic verb ending) | I see. |
takujara (transitive verb ending) | I see him / her / it. |
maliktunga | I follow. |
maliktakka | I follow them. |
tusaajuq | She hears. |
tusaajaatit | She hears you. |
Here are the simplest forms of the transitive verb endings:
Where I am doing the action: | |
takujagit | I see you. |
takugikkit (alternate S.Qikiqtaaluk ending) | I see you. |
takujara | I see him / her / it. |
Where you are doing the action: | |
takujarma | You see me. |
takuginnga (alternate S.Qikiqtaaluk ending) | You see me. |
takujait | You see him / her / it. |
Where he/she/it is doing the action: | |
takujaanga | He/she sees me. |
takugaanga (alternate S.Qikiqtaaluk ending) | He/she sees me. |
takujaatit | He/she sees you. |
takugaatit (alternate S.Qikiqtaaluk ending) | He/she sees you. |
takujanga | He/she sees him / her / it. |
The basic form of these affixes begins with a j- when added to a root that ends in a vowel. If these affixes are added to roots that end in a consonant, the -j changes to t-:
maliktara | I am following him / her / it. |
ikajuqtaanga | He/she helps me. |
ALTERNATES
Be aware that in the South Qikiqtaaluk region, you may hear or see the following alternate endings:
takugikkit | I see you. |
takuginnga | You see me. |
takugaanga | He/she sees me. |
takugaatit | He/she sees you. |
These endings vary depending on the last consonant of the root they are added to. After a root ending in q-, the endings start with r-
ikajuq- | to help |
ikajuraanga | He/she is helping me. |
ikajurikkit | I am helping you. |
After a root ending in k- or t-, the endings start with kk-
tukisinngit- | to not understand |
tukisinngikkaanga | He/she isn’t understanding me. |
tukisinngikkinnga | You aren’t understanding me. |