soo / sii

Direction from a Viewpoint

Level 3

Compare soo orod “run this way” with sii orod “run on/away,” according to context.

How It Works

Place soo or sii after object/preposition contractions in the verb phrase. Their basic spatial meanings concern motion toward or away from a relevant reference point. That point need not be the speaker’s present location.

Soo can also describe approach in time: toddobaadka soo socda is “the coming week.” With some actions, it presents completion or a result relevant to the current situation. This does not always assert a literal return journey. In waxaan soo iibsaday rooti, buying bread is presented as accomplished; surrounding context can establish whether it was brought back.

Sii commonly expresses continuing an activity without physical movement, as in sii akhri “keep reading.” It can strengthen a comparison, meaning “even further,” for example. Neither particle replaces tense or agreement. Distinguish viewpoint sii from the identically spelled imperative “give”: in sii akhri, akhri is the lexical imperative.

Examples (4)

  1. Soo orod, Cali!

    Run over here, Cali!

    Soo marks motion toward the reference point.

  2. Sii akhri warqadda.

    Keep reading the letter.

    Sii expresses continuation.

  3. Waxaan soo iibsaday rooti.

    I bought bread.

    Soo presents the purchase as accomplished; a return journey requires context.

  4. toddobaadka soo socda

    the coming week

    This noun-phrase fragment expresses temporal approach.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

soo / siiLevel 3Direction from a Viewpoint

Learn This First

Locate a predicate before interpreting direction relative to the conversational viewpoint.

Words in This Pattern

soo