Wanting Someone Else to Act: pota

Level 3

Pota links two verbs: aipota oho “I want him or her to go”.

How It Works

Guarani has two ways to say “want”, and the choice depends on who will act.

MeaningGuarani
I want to go (the same person)ahase
I want him or her to go (a different person)aipota oho

Pota belongs to the group of verbs that take ai-, rei- and oi-: aipota, reipota, oipota. Each verb gets its own person prefix, and there is no linking word.

Do not mix the verb up with the ending -pota “about to”: jahapota is “we are about to go”.

Examples (4)

  1. Aipota oho.

    I want him or her to go.

    Aipota is “I want”. Oho is “he or she goes”, with its own prefix o-.

  2. Aipota repromete chéve cherayhutaha.

    I want you to promise me that you will love me.

    The second verb repromete has re- “you”. The clause cherayhutaha is “that you will love me”.

  3. Che ru oipota ajapo kóva.

    My father wants me to do this.

    Oipota has the prefix of the father, and ajapo has a- for me, the one who will act.

  4. Marta oipota reju.

    Marta wants you to come.

    Oipota is for Marta. Reju is “you come”, with re-.

How It Connects

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

Wanting Someone Else to Act: potaLevel 3

Learn This First

Pota is the word for want that the ending -pota comes from, so learners need -se and -pota first.

Words in This Pattern

ipota