iko

Being and Living: Iko

Level 1

Iko says how someone is or where someone lives.

How It Works

Use iko to say how a person is, or where a person lives. It takes the active person markers.

PersonForm
Iaiko
you (one person)reiko
he, sheoiko
we (you and I)jaiko
we (not you)roiko
you allpeiko

For a state, a describing word follows: Aiko porã. “I am well.” For a home, a place word follows: Peiko kokuépe. “You all live in the countryside.”

The question Mbaʼéichapa reiko? is the usual way to ask “How are you?” Its answer is often Aiko porã.

Keep iko and ime apart. Ime says where someone is. Iko says how someone is, or where someone lives.

Examples (5)

  1. Aiko porã.

    I am well.

    Aiko plus porã “good” says how I am.

  2. Mbaʼéichapa reiko?

    How are you?

    Reiko is the “you” form, and mbaʼéichapa asks how.

  3. Peiko kokuépe.

    You all live in the countryside.

    Peiko is the “you all” form, with the place kokuépe.

  4. Aiko távape.

    I live in town.

    Iko with a place word means to live there.

  5. Marta oiko Paraguáipe.

    Marta lives in Paraguay.

    Oiko is the “he or she” form.

Common Mistakes

  • Using an inactive marker with iko.

    Cheiko porã.
    Aiko porã.

    Iko takes the active markers a-, re- and o-, so “I am well” is aiko porã.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

ikoLevel 1Being and Living: Iko

Learn This First

Iko is the partner of ime, so ime comes first.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

iko