-se
Wanting with -se
-se turns a verb into “want to” do it.
How It Works
-se is a short way to say “want to”. English needs two verbs, but Guarani needs one verb and an ending.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| I | aguapyse “I want to sit” |
| you | reguapyse |
| he or she | oguapyse |
| we, with you | jaguapyse |
| we, without you | roguapyse |
| you all | peguapyse |
The ending is stressed, so the stress moves onto it: aguata “I walk”, aguatase “I want to walk”.
Use -se only when the one who wants is also the one who acts. When you want someone else to act, use the verb pota: Aipota oho “I want him to go”.
To say you do not want to, put the verb with -se inside the negative: Che memby ndokaruséi “My child does not want to eat”.
Examples (5)
- Ahase.
I want to go.
Ahase is aha plus -se.
- Oikuaase nde réra.
He wants to know your name.
Oikuaase is oikuaa plus -se.
- Moõpa rehose?
Where do you want to go?
Rehose is reho plus -se, with the stress on the ending.
- Haʼe oguapyse.
He wants to sit down.
Oguapyse is oguapy plus -se.
- Che memby ndokaruséi.
My child does not want to eat.
-se works inside the negative frame nd- ... -i.
Common Mistakes
Writing -se as a separate word.
Aha se.Ahase.-se is an ending, so it is joined to the verb.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The ending -se is added to the plain verb and takes the stress.
Related Patterns
- Wanting Someone Else to Act: pota
Use pota when the person who wants is not the person who acts.
Level 3 - -taFuture with -ta
-ta says what will happen, while -se says what you want.
Level 1 - tekotevẽMust: Tekotevẽ
Tekotevẽ says that something has to happen.
Level 2 - nd(a)- ... -iSaying No with Nd- and -i
The negative frame goes around a verb with -se.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice -se in Bubblegum
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