Joined and Separate Words
One-syllable endings join, longer endings stand apart, and a pronoun joins its ending.
How It Works
Real Guarani texts write some of these words in more than one way. This course uses the rules below in every example.
| Case | Written | Example |
|---|---|---|
| one-syllable endings (-pe, -me, -gui, -gua, -re) | joined | ógape, merkádogui |
| longer endings after a noun (rehe, ndive, rupi) | apart | isy ndive, óga rehe |
| a pronoun and its ending | one word | cherehe, orendive, chehegui |
| a person marker on a verb or describing word | joined | chekaneʼõ, nderecháva |
| an owner word before a noun | apart | che róga, nde sy |
| a free pronoun | apart | Che apuka |
A few more endings are written joined: -icha as in péicha, -ramo, -rõ, -piko, -kuri and pýpe as in ogapýpe. Small words such as hína, jepi, voi and avei stand apart.
Examples (5)
- Chekaneʼõ.
I am tired.
The person marker che joins the describing word.
- Oikéta ore rógape.
He will come into our house.
Ore stands apart before the noun róga, and -pe joins it.
- Ou isy ndive.
He came with his mother.
After a noun, ndive stands apart.
- Rejútapa orendive?
Are you coming with us?
After a pronoun, ndive joins it into one word.
- Chemanduʼáta nderehe.
I will remember you.
Nderehe is nde plus rehe in one word.
Common Mistakes
Writing the person marker apart from the verb.
Che kaneʼõ.Chekaneʼõ.On a verb or describing word the person marker joins. It stands apart before a noun, and a free pronoun such as the che in Che apuka stands apart too.
Writing a pronoun and its ending apart.
Chemanduʼáta nde rehe.Chemanduʼáta nderehe.A pronoun and its ending are one word.
How It Connects
Learn This First
This row collects the spelling rules that learners have seen in -gui, ndive and the person markers.
- From: -gui
Know -gui, because it is a short ending that joins, and after a pronoun it becomes hegui: merkádogui “from the market”, chehegui “from me”.
Level 1 - ndiveWith: Ndive
Know ndive, since it stands apart after a noun but joins a pronoun: isy ndive “with his mother”, orendive “with us”.
Level 1 - My, Your and Our
Know che, nde and the other markers before a noun, because they stand apart there but join a verb: che róga “my house”, chekaneʼõ “I am tired”.
Level 1
Related Patterns
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice Joined and Separate Words in Bubblegum
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