-an
Location-Focus Actions
Learn an attested -an verb together with its selected participant.
How It Works
Use -an with bases belonging to this verb family. A location-selecting verb centers where an action occurs or is directed. Other verbs select a direction participant or a directly affected person. Agent forms identify the actor; the suffix itself has no person endings.
Compare daitan, “put stitches in a place,” with daiten, “sew something.” The suffix changes participant selection. In pukisan, the selected participant receives a haircut. Adding singular actor na gives pukisanna, retaining both n letters.
The lexical verb limits these meanings, so the suffixes are not freely interchangeable. Beneficiary-selecting i-...-an and place-related pag-...-an require their own analysis.
Examples (3)
- Daitanyo dita.
Put the stitches there, near you.
The selected participant is the location; yo addresses several people or respectfully one person.
- Pukisanko ni Tomas.
I will give Tomas a haircut.
A named affected person is selected.
- Pukisanna ti ubing.
He or she will give the child a haircut.
Na identifies the actor; the child is selected.
How It Connects
Learn This First
An -an verb can select a location, direction participant, or affected target.
Related Patterns
- Following Who Does What
Explains selected locations and targets.
Level 2 - Actor Forms -ko / -mo / -naNaming the Actor of a Patient-Focus Verb
Explains agent pronouns.
Level 2 - Benefactive i-...-anAn Action for a Beneficiary
Selects a beneficiary.
Level 3 - pag-...-anPlaces or Circumstances of an Action
Introduces place and circumstance constructions.
Level 3
Practice -an in Bubblegum
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