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 Inuktitut 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:
| Anijugut taqagatta. | We are leaving because we are tired |
Here is a list of these endings:
| taqagama | because I am tired |
| taqagavit | because you are tired |
| taqammat | because he is tired |
| taqagannuk | because the two of us are tired |
| taqagatta | because all of us are tired |
| taqagattik | because the two of you are tired |
| taqagatsi | because all of you are tired |
| taqammatik | because the two of them are tired |
| taqammata | because all of them are tired |
Adding these affixes to roots ending in k:
The first letter of the endings that begin in g changes to k :
| malik- | to follow |
| malikkama | because I followed |
| tupak- | to wake up |
| tupakkavit | because you woke up |
The endings that begin in m are unchanged. They delete the last consonant of the root:
| malimmat |
because he followed |
| tupammata |
because they woke up |
Adding these affixes to roots ending in t:
The last letter of the root and the first letter of the affix both change to n:
| tikit- |
to arrive |
| tikinnama | because I arrived |
| tikinnatsi | because you all arrived |
The endings that begin in m are unchanged. They delete the last consonant of the root:
| tikimmat | because he arrived |
| tikimmata | because they arrived |
Adding these affixes to roots ending in q:
The last consonant of the root is deleted and the affix begins with r:
| aullaq- | to leave town; depart |
| aullarama | because I left town. |
| aullarmat | because he left town. |
| uqalimaaq- | to read |
| uqalimaaravit | because you are reading |
| uqalimaarmata | because they are reading |