In English, when we want to give a reason for something, we add a clause to a sentence that usually begins with the word “because”:
We are leaving because we are tired.
In Inuktut the clause that is underlined above is usually represented in one word. This word has a special ending that lets us know who we are talking about:
| anijjaanngittunga niaqunngugama | I am not going out because I have a headache. |
Here is a list of these endings:
| niaqunngugama | because I have a headache |
| niaqunngugavit | because you (1) have a headache |
| niaqunngummat | because he/she has a headache |
| niaqunngugannuk | because we (2) have headaches |
| niaqunngugatta | because we (3+) have headaches |
| niaqunngugatsik | because you (2) have headaches |
| niaqunngugatsi | because you (3+) have headaches |
| niaqunngummatik | because they (2) have headaches |
| niaqunngummata | because they (3+) have headaches |
Adding these affixes to stems ending in k :
- Working with the endings above, the first letter of the endings that begin in g changes to k
- The endings above that begin with m do not change. They delete the final -k of the stem:
| nuvak- /nuvat- | to have a cold |
| nuvakkama | because I have a cold |
| nuvakkannuk | because we (2) have colds |
| nuvakkatta | because we (3+) have colds |
| nuvakkavit | because you (1) have a cold |
| nuvakkatsik | because you (2) have colds |
| nuvakkatsi | because you (3+) have colds |
| nuvammat | because he/she has a cold |
| nuvammatik | because they (2) have colds |
| nuvammata | because they (3+) have colds |
Adding these affixes to stems ending in t:
- The last letter of the root and the first letter of the affix both change to n.
- The endings that begin in m are unchanged. They delete the final -t of the root:
| tikit- | to arrive |
| tikinnama | because I arrived |
| tikinnannuk | because we (2) arrived |
| tikinnatta | because we (3+) arrived |
| tikinnavik | because you (1) arrived |
| tikinnatsik | because you (2) arrived |
| tikinnatsi | because you (3+) arrived |
| tikimmat | because he/she arrived |
| tikimmatik | because they (2) arrived |
| tikimmata | because they (3+) arrived |
Adding these affixes to roots ending in q:
The last consonant of the stem is deleted and the affix begins with r:| nuvak + lauq- | to have had a cold |
| nuvalaurama | because I had a cold |
| nuvalaurannuk | because we (2) had colds |
| nuvalauratta | because we (3+) had colds |
| nuvalauravit | because you (1) had a cold |
| nuvalauratsik | because you (2) had colds |
| nuvalauratsi | because you (3+) had colds |
| nuvalaurmat | because he/she had a cold |
| nuvalaurmatik | because they (2) had colds |
| nuvalaurmata | because they (3+) had colds |