waa weyn yahay

Simple Descriptive Predicates

Level 1

Masculine singular: waa weyn yahay. Feminine singular: waa weyn tahay. Plural: yihiin, commonly with waaweyn.

How It Works

Third-person short subjects are often omitted here, but wuu weyn yahay and way weyn tahay are also possible. Tahay additionally serves singular you. Distributive waaweyn commonly presents a property spread across several referents; it is not obligatory plural agreement.

Compare the phrase guri weyn oo cusub “a large new house” with a complete statement about size. A predicate noun containing an adjective remains a noun predicate, as in Kani waa guri weyn, and can omit the present copula.

Some combinations merge: nool plus tahay gives nooshahay through l+t becoming sh. Affirmative subject focus omits reduced ah after an adjective; negative adjectives have special forms. The ordinary waa frame is therefore a starting construction, while focus and negation require their own formation rules.

Examples (4)

  1. Dugsigu waa weyn yahay.

    The school is big.

    Masculine singular predicate.

  2. Magaaladu waa yar tahay.

    The city is small.

    Feminine singular predicate.

  3. Guryuhu waa waaweyn yihiin.

    The houses are big.

    Plural copula and distributive adjective.

  4. Kani waa guri weyn.

    This is a big house.

    Contrasting noun predicate.

How It Connects

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waa weyn yahayLevel 1Simple Descriptive Predicates

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Combine noun modification with the copular forms needed to make a complete descriptive statement.

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