ha + prohibitive

Telling Someone Not to Do It

Level 3

Ha qorin addresses one listener; ha qorina addresses several.

How It Works

For one listener, prohibitive ha precedes a simple-aspect reduced subjunctive. A consonant stem normally takes -in: qor “write!” contrasts with ha qorin “do not write!” Stem alternations still apply; the supplied command ha tegin means “do not go.”

Vowel stems have shorter -n and longer -nin alternatives: ha fiirin and ha fiirinin both address one listener. For several listeners, add -a: ha qorina. With vowel stems, this ending follows the longer form, giving ha fiirinina. Class-three ha qaadan likewise has the longer alternative ha qaadanin.

Prohibitive ha is toneless. High tone in the full verb forms falls on the second-to-last vowel position; shortened alternatives retain the same tone position. These pronunciation distinctions are not written in ordinary text. Affirmative optative ha requires a different construction.

Examples (3)

  1. Ha qorin magacaaga.

    Do not write your name.

    Qorin addresses one listener.

  2. Ha fiirinina sawirka.

    Do not look at the picture.

    The longer negative form plus -a addresses several listeners.

  3. Ha qaadan lacagta.

    Do not take the money.

    Qaadan is the shorter singular prohibitive of qaataa.

How It Connects

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

ha + prohibitiveLevel 3Telling Someone Not to Do It

Learn This First

Recognize subjunctive forms before distinguishing prohibitive ha and its negative interpretation.

Words in This Pattern