Iñupiaq has a series of verb endings that are used just for asking questions. To ask a question we add one of these endings to the end of the word. The ending that is used changes depending on who the subject of the verb is.
Niġiviñ? | Are you eating? |
Niġiva? | Is he / she / it eating? |
The following endings are used with stems that end in vowels:
kaŋiqsi- | to understand |
kaŋiqsivik? | Do I understand? |
kaŋiqisiviñ? | Do you understand? |
kaŋiqsiva? | Does he/she understand? |
kaŋiqsiviñuk? | Do we (2) understand? |
kaŋiqisivisa? | Do we (3+) understand? |
kaŋiqsivisik? | Do you (2) understand? |
kaŋiqsivisi? | Do you (3+) understand? |
kaŋiqsivak? | Do they (2) understand? |
kaŋiqsivat? | Do they (3+) understand? |
If you want to add these endings to stems ending in a consonant, you use the same endings as above, but you replace the v with a p.
taiguaq- | to read |
Taiguaqpik? | Am I reading? |
Taiguaqpiñ? | Are you reading? |
Taiguaqpa? | Is he / she reading? |
Taiguaqpiñuk? | Are we (2) reading? |
Taiguaqpisa? | Are we (3+) reading? |
Taiguaqpisik? | Are you two reading? |
Taiguaqpisi? | Are you (3+) reading? |
Taiguaqpak? | Are the two of them reading? |
Taiguaqpat? | Are they (3+) reading? |