-ak / -ka

Noun, adjective, and actor-focus verbal predicates can host these forms. Modern KWF spelling joins dependent pronouns to their hosts. Older teaching materials sometimes separate them when presenting sentence structure; that spacing should not be imported into the chosen modern examples.

The forms identify the speaker and one addressee without distinguishing gender. Plural address can provide respectful singular reference. A standalone identity answer uses siak or sika, rather than detached ak or ka.

With actor-focus verbs, this series identifies the actor subject. Many non-actor-focus verbs instead take the genitive actor series, including -ko and -mo, which also has possessor uses.

Under saan negation, the dependent pronoun follows the negative before the linker and lexical predicate. Compare Nabaknangka. with Saanka a nabaknang.. Here saan becomes the host; KWF selects a before consonant-initial nabaknang. Older grammars also attest nga in comparable negative frames. Further particles have ordering constraints beyond this basic contrast.