cikin / waje

Inside and Outside

Level 2

Cikin jaka means ‘inside a bag’; a waje means ‘outside’. Linked wajen also has place and direction meanings.

How It Works

A named container follows cikin. Possessive-series complements supply a pronominal reference point: cikinsa can mean inside a masculine singular item. Spatial cikin differs phonologically from bodily ciki ‘belly’; ordinary Boko leaves tone and vowel length unmarked.

A specific location follows the continuative directly: yana cikin jaka. An accompanying location phrase instead permits a cikin. An activity outside can be located with a waje.

Wajen Musa can identify Musa’s place, while wajensa can mean at his place or toward him. Other contexts permit approximation. Consequently, translating every linked wajen phrase as ‘outside of’ would lose important distinctions.

Examples (4)

  1. Fensir yana cikin jaka.

    The pencil is inside a bag.

    The container follows cikin.

  2. Akwai ruwa a cikinsa.

    There is water inside it.

    The understood container is masculine singular.

  3. Mun yi hira a waje.

    We chatted outside.

    A waje locates the activity.

  4. Na ga doki wajen Musa.

    I saw a horse at Musa’s place.

    Wajen identifies someone’s place.

How It Connects

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

cikin / wajeLevel 2Inside and Outside

Learn This First

Recognize an interior relational phrase and attached possessors before comparing full inside/outside expressions and their reference points.

Words in This Pattern

cikinwàjéecikia