Contacts & SNS

1. ᑭᓇᐅᕕᑦ?

   Ki-na-u-vit?

   What's your name?

   Usage

   The standard way to ask a name. Answer with the name plus -ujunga, for example Taivitiujunga

   Grammar Note

   The literal meaning is "who are you?". No separate word for "name" is used

2. ᑭᓇᐅᒐᕕᑦ?

   Ki-na-u-ga-vit?

   May I have your name?

   Usage

   A slightly more careful way to ask a name, for example on the phone

   Grammar Note

   It is closer to a request for a name than Kinauvit? ("who are you?")

3. ᓇᒥᒥᐅᑕᐅᕕᑦ?

   Na-mi-mi-u-ta-u-vit?

   Where are you from?

   Usage

   Asks where someone is from. Answer with the place name plus -miutaujunga

   Grammar Note

   The element -miut means "person of a place". To ask about the place of origin use namimiutsajauvit?

4. ᐃᖃᓗᒻᒥᐅᑕᐅᔪᖓ.

   I-qa-lum-mi-u-ta-u-ju-nga.

   I'm from Iqaluit.

   Usage

   Swap the place name to say another origin (Aatuvaamiutaujunga means "I'm from Ottawa")

   Grammar Note

   The t of Iqaluit assimilates before the ending (Iqalummiut). The ending -junga means "I"

5. ᐋᑐᕚᒥᐅᑕᐅᔪᖓ.

   Aa-tu-vaa-mi-u-ta-u-ju-nga.

   I'm from Ottawa.

   Usage

   Aatuvaa is the Inuktitut spelling of Ottawa. Other place names fit the same pattern

   Grammar Note

   Borrowed place names are respelled in Inuktitut letters. The ending -miutaujunga means "I am from ..."

6. ᒫᓂᒥᐅᑕᐅᕗᖓ.

   Maa-ni-mi-u-ta-u-vu-nga.

   I'm from here.

   Usage

   Says you are a local. Maani means "in this area"

   Grammar Note

   The ending -miutauvunga means "I am from ...". -junga and -vunga are chosen by the last sound of the stem

7. ᓇᒥ ᐃᓅᓂᑰᕕᑦ?

   Na-mi i-nuu-ni-kuu-vit?

   Where were you born?

   Usage

   Asks the birthplace. The answer follows the pattern place name plus the locative ending

   Grammar Note

   Nami ("where") comes first. The verb part contains -niku-, which marks a past event

8. ᐅᖄᓚᐅᑏᑦ ᖃᑦᓯᐅᒻᒪᑦ?

   U-qaa-la-u-tiit qat-si-um-mat?

   What's your phone number?

   Usage

   Asks for a phone number. Answer with Uqaalautiga followed by the digits

   Grammar Note

   Uqaalaut ("telephone") takes -it for "your". "My telephone" is uqaalautiga

9. ᐅᖄᓚᕕᒋᙵ!

   U-qaa-la-vi-gi-nnga!

   Call me!

   Usage

   A command to say when parting after exchanging numbers

   Grammar Note

   The imperative is not rude. "I am calling him/her" is uqaalavigijara

10. ᐃᕐᖐᓈᖅᑕᐅᑎᒃᑯᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᕕᒋᖔᓛᓕᖅᑲᕋ.

    Ir-ngii-naaq-ta-u-tik-kut ti-ti-rar-vi-gi-ngaa-laa-liq-ka-ra.

    I will send him/her an e-mail.

    Usage

    Says that you will e-mail someone. The person is "him/her", not "you"

    Grammar Note

    The ending -kkut means "by means of". Saying "to you" changes the verb ending

11. ᑲᑎᒪᖃᑎᒋᔪᓐᓇᕿᙵ?

    Ka-ti-ma-qa-ti-gi-jun-na-qi-nnga?

    Can you meet with me?

    Usage

    Asks to arrange a meeting. A reply is ii, atii ("yes, let's do that")

    Grammar Note

    The infix -junnaq- means "can" and works as a polite request. Settle the time with qatsimuuqqat? ("at what time?")

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