saan + Instruction
Telling Someone Not to
Compare saanka nga agtaray with saanmo a basaen.
How It Works
Negative instructions combine negation with a suitable verb and addressee marking. The references directly attest prohibitions with actor-subject ka and noncentral-actor mo. Predicate negation places these short pronouns immediately after saan; modern writing attaches them: saanka, saanmo and saankayo.
Compare Saanka nga agtaray, ‘Do not run,’ with Saanmo a basaen dayta a surat, ‘Do not read that letter.’ In the second clause, the letter remains selected and mo identifies the actor on the negative host.
The selected KWF convention uses nga before a following vowel sound and a before a following consonant sound. Older references attest broader nga use; those source-attested constructions are not rejected as ungrammatical. Context and intonation distinguish prohibition from a negative statement about contemplated action.
Examples (3)
- Saanka nga agtaray ditoy.
Do not run here.
Actor-subject ka attaches to saan; nga precedes vowel-initial agtaray.
- Saanmo a basaen dayta a surat.
Do not read that letter.
Mo marks the noncentral actor; a precedes consonant-initial basaen and surat.
- Saankayo nga agtaray idiay kalsada.
Do not run in the street, all of you.
Plural actor-subject kayo attaches to saan; the verb retains its contemplated actor-focus form.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Attach the addressee pronoun to saan and link the following action.
Related Patterns
- Pronouns in Negative Clauses
Explains pronoun hosting on saan.
Level 2 - saan a / saan ngaLinking a Negative Predicate
Develops negative linking.
Level 1 - haanThe Negative Variant Haan
Introduces a regional negative variant.
Level 1 - Actor Forms -ko / -mo / -naNaming the Actor of a Patient-Focus Verb
Explains mo as a noncentral actor.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice saan + Instruction in Bubblegum
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