Nasal Forms of Person Markers
Some person markers change to a nasal form before a nasal word.
How It Works
Some person markers have two shapes. The oral shape goes with oral words. The nasal shape goes with words that have a nasal sound. The spelling shows the change, so write what you say.
| Oral shape | Nasal shape | With an oral word | With a nasal word |
|---|---|---|---|
| ja- | ña- | jaguata “we walk” | ñag̃uahẽ “we arrive” |
| nde | ne | nde sy “your mother” | ne ñeʼẽ “your language” |
| ñande | ñane | ñande sy “our mother” | ñane retã “our country” |
| pende | pene | pende kotý “your room” (you all) | pene akã “your head” (you all) |
The other markers keep their shape. A-, re-, o-, ro-, pe-, che- and ore- are the same before every word. The marker i- “his, her, its” has a nasal twin too, iñ-, in its own entry.
A marker joins a verb or a describing word (ñag̃uahẽ, neporã “you are beautiful”). An inactive marker stands apart before a noun (ne ñeʼẽ). Some speakers do not always say the nasal shape, but in writing the rule holds.
The negative nd(a)- ... -i has the same kind of twin, n(a)- ... -i, which you meet in its own entry.
Examples (5)
- Jaguata.
We walk. (you and I)
Guata has no nasal sound, so the marker stays ja-.
- Ñag̃uahẽ.
We arrive. (you and I)
G̃uahẽ is nasal, so ja- turns into ña-.
- Nde sy iporã.
Your mother is beautiful.
Sy has no nasal sound, so the marker stays nde.
- Ne ñeʼẽ iporã.
Your language is beautiful.
Ñeʼẽ is nasal, so nde turns into ne.
- Ñane retã iporã.
Our country is beautiful.
Retã is nasal, so ñande turns into ñane.
Common Mistakes
Keeping ja- before a nasal word.
Jag̃uahẽ.Ñag̃uahẽ.G̃uahẽ has a nasal vowel, so the marker takes its nasal shape, ña-.
Keeping nde before a nasal word.
Nde ñeʼẽ iporã.Ne ñeʼẽ iporã.Ñeʼẽ is a nasal word, so “your” is written ne.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The markers turn nasal for the same reason that endings do, so learners need nasal harmony and both sets.
- Nasal Harmony
Know nasal harmony, because a nasal word makes the marker in front of it nasal: jaguata “we walk”, but ñag̃uahẽ “we arrive”.
Foundations - a- / re- / o- / ja- / ro- / pe-Active Person Prefixes
Know the active prefixes, because ja- is one of them and becomes ña- before a nasal verb: ñag̃uahẽ “we arrive”.
Level 1 - che / nde / i- / ñande / ore / pendeInactive Person Markers
Know the inactive markers, since nde, ñande and pende are the ones that turn into ne, ñane and pene: nde sy “your mother”, ne ñeʼẽ “your language”.
Level 1
Related Patterns
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
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