loo / lagu / laga / lala
Contractions with La
la + u → loo; la + ku → lagu; la + ka → laga; la + la → lala.
How It Works
Subject la obligatorily joins a following preposition. Loo contains u, often marking a recipient or beneficiary. Lagu contains ku for relations such as location or instrument. Laga contains ka, often expressing source. Lala combines subject la with company-marking la.
Write each contraction as one word. Subject la comes first in the component sequence; prepositional la comes last. These are preverbal words, rather than passive endings attached to a verb. Their vowel length and consonants belong to ordinary spelling.
Compare waxaa loo keenay shaah “tea was brought to/for someone” with waxaa laga keenay webiga “it was brought from the river.” Context supplies the recipient or source. Also, lagu can result from subject la plus object ku “you.” Its spelling alone therefore does not establish a locative or instrumental interpretation.
Examples (4)
- Cali waxaa loo keenay shaah.
Tea was brought for Cali.
Loo contains recipient-marking u linked to Cali.
- Magaca waxaa lagu qoray qalin.
The name was written with a pen.
Instrumental ku links the writing to the pen.
- Biyaha waxaa laga keenay webiga.
The water was brought from the river.
Ka marks the river as source.
- Carruurta waa lala ciyaaraa.
People play with the children.
The second la expresses company.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Recognize indefinite-subject la and the recipient, location/instrument, source and company relations before learning their fused forms; company la is already introduced through the la prerequisite.
- laAn Unspecified Person Doing It
Recognize indefinite-subject la and the recipient, location/instrument, source and company relations before learning their fused forms; company la is already introduced through the la prerequisite.
Level 3 - uThe Preposition U
Recognize indefinite-subject la and the recipient, location/instrument, source and company relations before learning their fused forms; company la is already introduced through the la prerequisite.
Level 2 - kuThe Preposition Ku
Recognize indefinite-subject la and the recipient, location/instrument, source and company relations before learning their fused forms; company la is already introduced through the la prerequisite.
Level 2 - kaThe Preposition Ka
Recognize indefinite-subject la and the recipient, location/instrument, source and company relations before learning their fused forms; company la is already introduced through the la prerequisite.
Level 2
Related Patterns
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Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice loo / lagu / laga / lala in Bubblegum
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