Two Sets of Person Markers

Foundations

Active markers go with actions, and inactive markers go with states: aguata “I walk”, chekaneʼõ “I am tired”.

How It Works

PersonActiveInactive
Ia-che-
youre-nde-
he, she, it, theyo-i-
we, with youja-ñande-
we, without youro-ore-
you allpe-pende-

Aguata “I walk” and reho “you go” use the active set. Chekaneʼõ “I am tired” and ndekatupyry “you are capable” use the inactive set.

There is a loose pattern. The active set goes with actions a person controls, and the inactive set goes with states and with things that happen to a person. The pattern has exceptions: ke “sleep” is active (ake “I sleep”), so learn each word with its set.

A few roots take either set, and the meaning changes: akaru “I eat” and chekaru “I am a big eater”.

Both sets are prefixes, so they join the word. The inactive markers also say who owns a noun, and then they stand apart: che róga “my house”.

Examples (5)

  1. Aguata.

    I walk.

    The active marker a- goes with the action verb guata.

  2. Reho.

    You go.

    The active marker re- goes with the verb ho.

  3. Chekaneʼõ.

    I am tired.

    The inactive marker che- goes with the state kaneʼõ.

  4. Ndekatupyry.

    You are capable.

    The inactive marker nde- goes with katupyry.

  5. Chevareʼa.

    I am hungry.

    The inactive marker che- goes with the feeling vareʼa.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the active marker with a word that takes the inactive set.

    Akaneʼõ
    Chekaneʼõ

    Kaneʼõ is a state, and it takes che-.

  • Using the inactive marker with a word that takes the active set.

    Cheguata
    Aguata

    Guata is an action verb, and it takes a-.

How It Connects

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

Two Sets of Person MarkersFoundations

Learn This First

The person markers attach to verbs and describing words, which the one-root idea introduces.