-en
Patient-Focus Actions with -en
Use a licensed base + -en and distinguish the selected patient from the actor.
How It Works
A suitable base takes -en: basa → basaen, “read,” and gatang → gatangen, “buy.” The simple form expresses contemplated action and can serve as an instruction. Ongoing action has its own formation. This suffix differs from the change particle also spelled -en.
The selected patient takes central marking or appears as a demonstrative. Agent pronouns identify the actor: ko refers to the speaker and mi to a group excluding the addressee. Learn the singular addressee form inumem, “drink it.” Combining inumen with singular actor mo changes the ending; it does not produce inumenmo.
Some stems take -an. Directional i- and potential ma- constructions omit goal-focus -en, within their particular families.
Examples (3)
- Basaenko ti surat.
I will read the letter.
Ko identifies the actor; the letter is selected.
- Gatangenmi ti asin.
We will buy the salt.
Mi excludes the addressee.
- Inumem daytoy.
Drink this.
Inumen combines with singular mo as inumem.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Many -en verbs select what the action directly affects.
Related Patterns
- Patient-Focus Verbs With -in-Completed Patient-Focus Actions
Introduces completed counterparts.
Level 2 - Actor Forms -ko / -mo / -naNaming the Actor of a Patient-Focus Verb
Explains agent pronouns.
Level 2 - Following Who Does What
Distinguishes actor and selected patient.
Level 2 - -anLocation-Focus Actions
Introduces another affected-target suffix.
Level 2 - Change Particle -en / -nAlready and a New State
Distinguishes the similarly spelled enclitic.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice -en in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Ilocano lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
