Each Other: jo- / ño-

Each Other: Jo-

Level 3

Jo- means “each other”: jajohayhu “we love each other”.

How It Works

Jo- is the “each other” prefix. It needs a group of doers, so it goes with ja- (we, you included), ro- (we, you not included), pe- (you all) and o- (they).

VerbPrefixExample
oraljo-jajohayhu “we love each other”
nasalño-oñorairõ “they fight”

With a nasal verb, ja- becomes ña- too: ñañomoirũ “we accompany each other”.

Verbs like these often come with oñondive “with each other”: oñorairõ oñondive “they fight with one another”.

A few verbs that start with a vowel use ju- or ñu-: juasa “run into” is jo- plus asa “cross”. Other verbs keep ño- before a vowel: oñoañuavaʼerã “they should embrace one another”.

With three or more people, each one acts on all the others.

Examples (4)

  1. Jajohayhu.

    We love each other.

    Ja- is “we, you included” and jo- is “each other”. Hayhu is “love”.

  2. Oñorairõ oñondive.

    They fight with one another.

    Rairõ is nasal, so jo- becomes ño-. Oñondive is “with each other”, a word that often goes with these verbs.

  3. Mokõi kuña ikatu oñohetũ.

    Two women can kiss each other.

    Hetũ is nasal, so the prefix is ño-. Ikatu “can” comes first.

  4. Pejuasápa oñondive?

    Did you all run into each other?

    Juasa “run into” is jo- plus asa “cross”, with ju- before the vowel. The ending -pa makes the question.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the oral prefixes with a nasal verb.

    Jajomoirũ.
    Ñañomoirũ.

    Moirũ “accompany” is nasal, so both prefixes turn nasal: ja- becomes ña- and jo- becomes ño-.

How It Connects

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

Each Other: jo- / ño-Level 3Each Other: Jo-

Learn This First

Each other needs more than one person, and the prefix turns into ño- on a nasal verb.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

oñondive