This very common affix is attached to a verb to indicate someone or some people who do something with someone else:
| pi + qati = piqati | ilinniaqati | iqqaniajaqati |
| friend; companion | classmate | co-worker |
-qati is often followed by the verb -gi- meaning to have, which is in turn followed by a double person ending:
| Susi ilinniaqatigijara | miqsuqatigijanga |
| Susi is my classmate (literally, I have Susi as a classmate). | She sews with her. |
-qati- + -gi- can also be put in the dual or plural to form a word that can stand on its own:
| mumiqatigiik | niriqatigiit |
| two people dancing together | several people eating together |
Remember that double person endings are the most common way to relate oen person or object to another. Notice how differently Inuktut and English build the following sentences:
| katimaqatigijunnaqqinnga? | Taiviti iqqanaijaqatigiviuk? |
| Can you meet with me? | Do you work with Taiviti? (literally, do you have Taiviti as a co-worker)? |