Nouns With je- and jo-

Level 5

Je- (or ñe-) names an act or state: jevyʼa “happiness”. Jo- (or ño-) names something done to each other: ñopytyvõ “mutual help”.

How It Works

Je- and jo- are old friends from the verb lessons. Before a verb root they can also make a noun.

PrefixThe noun meansExamples
je-, ñe-the act or state itselfjevyʼa “happiness”, jekaʼu “drunkenness”, ñemano “death”, ñembyasy “sorrow”
jo-, ño-something done to each otherjopoi “separation”, ñopytyvõ “mutual help”, ñorairõ “fight”

On a nasal root, je- and jo- become ñe- and ño-: ñemano, ñopytyvõ. Before a root that starts with a vowel, jo- is often ju-: juasaha “detour”.

Many of these nouns are in everyday use. Che ñembyasy “My condolences” is something people really say. Others are formal, such as ñemombaʼeguasu “respect”, which appears in Academy texts.

Examples (4)

  1. Che ñembyasy.

    My condolences.

    Ñembyasy is a noun built with ñe-. Che is “my”.

  2. Oĩ joavy ha ñorairõ.

    There are disagreements and fights.

    Joavy “disagreement” and ñorairõ “fight” start with jo- and ño-: acts against each other.

  3. Peiporúkena ñemombaʼeguasu pópe ñane ñeʼẽ.

    Please use our language with respect.

    Ñemombaʼeguasu is “respect”, built with ñe-. Peiporúkena asks a group to use it.

  4. Ñopytyvõ iporã.

    Helping each other is good.

    Ñopytyvõ is pytyvõ “help” with ño-: help between people.

How It Connects

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Nouns With je- and jo-Level 5

Learn This First

Je- and jo- before a verb name the act or the state, so learners need both prefixes first.

Words in This Pattern

je-