-vo ... iko

Keeping on: -vo Iko

Level 5

A verb plus iko with -vo (oikóvo) means keeping on.

How It Works

The book calls this a serial verb. Two verbs stand side by side and tell one event. The first verb says what happens. Iko “to be, to live” comes second with -vo “while”, and it changes the picture: the action goes on and on.

Ijapu oikóvo can mean “he keeps on lying”, or “he goes around lying”.

The two verbs share one subject, and iko takes the person marker for it.

PersonForm of iko with -vo
Iaikóvo
youreikóvo
he or sheoikóvo

The ending -vo is unstressed, so the stress stays on kó and the accent mark is needed.

Examples (3)

  1. Ijapu oikóvo.

    He keeps on lying.

    Ijapu “he lies” comes first. Oikóvo is iko with -vo and means that it goes on.

  2. Ombaʼapo oikóvo.

    He keeps on working.

    The same frame with ombaʼapo “he works”.

  3. Ambaʼapo aikóvo.

    I keep on working.

    With “I”, both verbs take a-: ambaʼapo and aikóvo.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving off the accent on iko with -vo.

    Ijapu oikovo.
    Ijapu oikóvo.

    -vo is unstressed, so the acute marks the stress on kó.

How It Connects

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

-vo ... ikoLevel 5Keeping on: -vo Iko

Learn This First

This pattern puts -vo before iko, so learners need both.

Words in This Pattern

-voiko