Grammar » 32 » If and when...

Inuktut has a series of endings to talk about events that have not yet happened:

Uqaalaguvit, qailangajunga.
if / when you call, I will come.

Depending on the context, these endings can be translated in English as "when something happens..." or "if something happens..."

You will notice that these endings are very similar to those used to express the idea of “because”:

uqaala - to call someone on the phone

uqaalaguma if  when I call
uqaalagunnuk if / when we (2) call
uqaalagutta if / when we (3+) call
   
uqaalaguvit if / when you call
uqaalagutsik if / when you (2) call
uqaalagutsi  if / when you (3+) call
   
uqaalaguni / uqaalappat * if / when he/she calls
uqaalagutik / uqaalappatik * if / when they (2) call
uqaalagutik / uqaalappata * if / when they (3+) call

* -guni, and -gutik can only be used when the two actions in the sentence will be done by the same person/people:

Qaiguni, mumiriarunnarniaqtuq.
If she comes, she will be able to go dancing.

If the two verbs in the sentence will be done by different people, then -ppat / -ppatik / -ppata must be used:

lisapi qaippat, Aani mumiriarunnarniaqtuq.
If Ilisapi comes, Aani will be able to go dancing.

 

Form of these endings following -q:

natsiq- to catch a seal
natsiruma if / when I catch a seal
natsirunnuk if / when we (2) catch a seal
natsirutta if / when we (3+) catch a seal
   
natsiruvit if / when you catch a seal
natsirutsik if / when you (2) catch a seal
natsirutsi  if / when you (3+) catch a seal
  i
natsiruni / natsiqqat  if / when he/she catches a seal
natsirutik / natsiqqatik  if / when they (2) catch a seal
natsirutik / natsiqqata if / when they (3+) catch a seal

Form of these endings following -k or -t

tikit- to arrive
tikikkuma if  when I arrive
tikikkunnuk if / when we (2) arrive
tikikkutta if / when we (3+) arrive
   
tikikkuvit if / when you arrive
tikikkutsik if / when you (2) arrive
tikikkutsi  if / when you (3+) arrive
   
tikikkuni / tikippat  if / when he/she arrives
tikikkutik / tikippatik  if / when they (2) arrive
tikikkutik / tikippata  if / when they (3+) arrive