ita / idi / inton

Time Reference Words

Level 1

ita: now; idi kalman: yesterday; inton bigat: tomorrow. Intono is an attested variant.

How It Works

Ita refers to the current time. Idi supplies past reference, alone in an appropriate context or in idi kalman, “yesterday.” Future inton occurs in inton bigat, “tomorrow.” The variant intono is also witnessed before a month name.

These words remain separate from the predicate and have no person, number or gender endings. Compare Addakami ditoy ita., “We, excluding you, are here now,” with Addakami ditoy idi., “We, excluding you, were here then.” Presence statements need no action prefix to receive temporal reference.

Idi also introduces past “when” clauses; inton/intono introduces future “when” clauses. The following clause supplies the time-setting event, and each predicate keeps its own participant marking.

The manual distinguishes non-recent-past idi from recent-past itay, but gives no numerical elapsed-time boundary. These excerpts do not establish an hourly cutoff.

Examples (3)

  1. Addakami idiay balay ita.

    We, excluding you, are at the house now.

    Ita gives current reference to a presence statement; kami attaches to adda.

  2. Nagsurat ni Belen idi immay ni Leon.

    Belen wrote when Leon came.

    Idi introduces the past event supplying the time setting; each verb has its own named actor.

  3. Agawidak inton umay ni Belen.

    I will go home when Belen comes.

    Inton introduces a future when-clause; ak marks the main-clause actor.

How It Connects

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ita / idi / intonLevel 1Time Reference Words

Words in This Pattern