ayaa / baa

Focusing a Noun Phrase

Level 2

Subject focus changes case, pronoun use and verb agreement; other constituent focus usually retains full agreement.

How It Works

Ayaa and baa focus the immediately preceding noun phrase. They are synonymous in this function; ayaa is often perceived as more formal and baa as more colloquial. The phrase can identify who, what, when or where, so focus does not automatically mean subject focus.

With a focused object or adverbial, ordinary subject agreement generally remains. Pronouns can contract with the particle: ayaa aan → ayaan, baa aan → baan and ayaa ay → ayay. A subject noun between particle and verb can also allow omission of its short pronoun.

With an affirmative focused subject, use the non-subject-marked phrase, omit the ordinary short subject pronoun and select reduced agreement. Compare Nimco ayaa karinaysa cashada, identifying the cook, with Cashada ayay Nimco karinaysaa, identifying the meal. Negated focused clauses have different requirements; regional alternatives to reduced present forms are documented.

Examples (3)

  1. Nimco ayaa karinaysa cashada.

    Nimco is the one cooking dinner.

    Focused feminine subject takes reduced karinaysa without a short subject pronoun.

  2. Cashada ayay Nimco karinaysaa.

    Dinner is what Nimco is cooking.

    Object focus retains ay, contracted into ayay, and full karinaysaa.

  3. Berri baan booqan doonaa maktabadda.

    Tomorrow is when I will visit the library.

    Time focus uses baan with full first-person singular agreement.

How It Connects

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

ayaa / baaLevel 2Focusing a Noun Phrase

Learn This First

Locate the focused phrase within a clause before reading the focus particles ayaa and baa.

Words in This Pattern

baan