-ma
Already with -ma
-ma means already.
How It Works
Add -ma after the verb. It says that the action has been done, so “already” is usually a good English match.
| Verb | With -ma |
|---|---|
| ahecha “I see it” | ahecháma “I already saw it” |
| aha “I go” | aháma “I already went” |
| oke “she sleeps” | okéma “she is already asleep” |
| og̃uahẽ “he arrives” | og̃uahẽma “he has already arrived” |
Like -ta, the suffix -ma has no stress of its own. The stress stays on the root, so you write an acute accent when that stress is no longer on the last syllable of the word. A nasal vowel needs no accent.
The suffix also fits questions. Jahámapiko? means “Are we going already?” You can still add a time word, as in Aháma kuehe “I already went yesterday”.
Examples (4)
- Og̃uahẽma.
He has already arrived.
-ma says that the arriving is done.
- Ahecháma.
I already saw it.
The root hecha keeps the stress, so it is written ahecháma.
- Aháma kuehe pe mboʼehaópe.
I already went to school yesterday.
-ma works together with a time word such as kuehe.
- Okéma.
She is already asleep.
-ma on ke “sleep” says that she has already fallen asleep.
Common Mistakes
Leaving out the accent when -ma is added.
Ahechama.Ahecháma.The suffix -ma is unstressed. Without the accent on cha, the stress seems to move to -ma.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The ending -ma is added to the plain verb, so the plain verb comes first.
Related Patterns
- -taFuture with -ta
Says that something will happen, while -ma says it has happened.
Level 1 - gueteriStill: Gueteri
Means still, which is the opposite idea of already.
Level 2 - All: -pa / -mbaAll: -pa
Says all or finished, which is close to already.
Level 2 - The Question Marker -piko
Can follow -ma in a question, as in Jahámapiko?
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice -ma in Bubblegum
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