Question Words

1. ᓱᓇ?

   Su-na?

   What?

   Usage

   Pair it with pointing to ask what something is

   Grammar Note

   Question words normally come first in the sentence, like nami "where", qanga "when" and kina "who"

2. ᓇᒥ?

   Na-mi?

   Where?

   Usage

   Asks for a place. Add a place name and you are understood

   Grammar Note

   Namiippa? means "where is it?" and namut? means "where to?"

3. ᖃᖓ?

   Qa-nga?

   When?

   Usage

   For departure times or opening times

   Grammar Note

   It works for both past and future. "At what time?" is qatsimuuqqat?

4. ᑭᓇ?

   Ki-na?

   Who?

   Usage

   Asks about a person, for example who is in charge

   Grammar Note

   For three or more people the question word is kikkut?

5. ᓱᒻᒪᑦ?

   Sum-mat?

   Why?

   Usage

   Asks for a reason, for example a delay or a refusal

   Grammar Note

   A one-word question. It is also written summaat

6. ᖃᓄᖅ?

   Qa-nuq?

   How?

   Usage

   Asks for a way of doing something

   Grammar Note

   The greeting qanuippit? ("how are you?") is built from qanuq "how"

7. ᖃᑦᓯᓂᒃ?

   Qat-si-nik?

   How many?

   Usage

   Asks for a count of items or people

   Grammar Note

   Qatsinik pijumavit? means "how many do you want?"

8. ᖃᑦᓯᕋᓛᖅᑲ?

   Qat-si-ra-laaq-ka?

   How much will it be?

   Usage

   Asks for the amount to pay

   Grammar Note

   -laaq- refers to the future. The past form is qatsiralauqqa? ("how much was it?")

9. ᓇᓕᐊᒃ?

   Na-li-ak?

   Which one?

   Usage

   Used to pick from, or point at, a set of options

   Grammar Note

   An interrogative pronoun referring to one item

10. ᐅᓇ ᓱᓇᐅᕙ?

    U-na su-na-u-va?

    What is this?

    Usage

    Point at a dish or product and ask what it is

    Grammar Note

    Una means "this". For two things use Ukuak sunauvaak? and for three or more Ukua sunauvat?

11. ᐊᓇᕐᕕᒃ ᓇᒦᑉᐸ?

    A-nar-vik na-miip-pa?

    Where is the washroom?

    Usage

    One of the most-used questions on any trip

    Grammar Note

    Anarvik is the everyday word for the washroom; -vik is the "place for" suffix. Put another noun before namiippa? to ask for it in the same way. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

12. ᑎᑎᕋᐅᑎᖃᖅᑭᑦ?

    Ti-ti-ra-u-ti-qaq-kit?

    Do you have a pen?

    Usage

    Asks whether someone has something. The noun can be swapped for another

    Grammar Note

    The same pattern gives itsivautaqaqqit? ("do you have a chair?"). Answer titirautiqaqtunga ("I have one") or titirautiqangittunga ("I don't")

13. ᓇᒦᑉᐸ?

    Na-miip-pa?

    Where is it?

    Usage

    Asks where an object or a person is

    Grammar Note

    To ask one person "where are you?" use namiippit?

14. ᓇᒥ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑭᑦ?

    Na-mi iq-ka-na-i-jaq-kit?

    Where do you work?

    Usage

    Asks where someone works. The answer is the place plus iqqanaijaqtunga

    Grammar Note

    Iqqanaijaqtunga means "I work". The place takes a locative ending (allavvimmi "at the office")

15. ᑭᓱᓕᕆᔨᐅᕕᑦ?

    Ki-su-li-ri-ji-u-vit?

    What do you do for a living?

    Usage

    Asks for someone's job. The answer is the job plus -ujunga ("I am a …")

    Grammar Note

    For example aanniasiuqtiujunga ("I am a nurse")

16. ᓇᒧᙵᖅᑭᑦ?

    Na-mu-nngaq-kit?

    Where are you going?

    Usage

    Asks for someone's destination. The answer is the place plus -muuqtunga ("I'm going to …")

    Grammar Note

    For example kiinaujakkuvimmuuqtunga ("I am going to the bank")

17. ᓇᑭᙶᖅᑭᑦ?

    Na-ki-nngaaq-kit?

    Where are you coming from?

    Usage

    Asks where someone is coming back from. The answer is the place plus -nngaaqtunga

    Grammar Note

    For example uvattinniinngaaqtunga ("I am coming from my place")

18. ᖃᓄᕉᖅ?

    Qa-nu-ruuq?

    What did you say?

    Usage

    Asks someone to repeat what they just said

    Grammar Note

    Qanuilivit? is another way to ask the same thing

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