Focused Gerund + ni

Highlighting the Action Itself

Level 5

Activity nominal + ni + subject + corresponding verb + arguments.

How It Works

Focus an action by placing its activity nominal before ni and retaining the corresponding verb in the following clause. Established forms include rírà, buying, and jíjẹ, eating. An initial consonant is copied with high-tone í. Preserve each nominal's remaining tone: rírà contains low-tone rà, whereas its repeated verb before an ordinary noun object is ra. This activity pattern differs from full-copy agent nouns.

In Rírà ni Délé ra ìwé, buying is selected and the book remains the object. Compare Ìwé ni Délé rà, which selects the purchased item. Context can contrast buying with borrowing, but the construction does not supply that alternative automatically. Neither nominal nor verb gains agreement endings. Retain required arguments and use established nominals; this focus frame does not establish a gerund paradigm for every base.

Examples (3)

  1. Rírà ni Délé ra ìwé.

    Délé bought a book, with buying highlighted.

    Rírà selects the activity; ra retains its object.

  2. Jíjẹ ni Títí jẹ àgbàdo.

    Títí ate corn, with eating highlighted.

    Jíjẹ precedes ni while jẹ remains the predicate.

  3. Rírà ni àwọn ọmọ ra aṣọ.

    The children bought cloth, with buying highlighted.

    The plural subject does not change the nominal or lexical verb.

How It Connects

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

Focused Gerund + niLevel 5Highlighting the Action Itself

Learn This First

Front the activity nominal with ni and retain its lexical verb.