ṣì

Still

Level 2

Use ṣì ń before an ongoing action, or ṣì lè for ‘still can.’

How It Works

Use ṣì to express ‘still.’ In the ongoing-action pattern taught here, it precedes ń. It also precedes modal lè in ‘still can.’ These combinations retain their order with different subjects; the marker takes no agreement ending.

Compare Adé ń mu omi. ‘Adé is drinking water’ with Adé ṣì ń mu omi. ‘Adé is still drinking water.’ The latter connects the drinking to an earlier situation without specifying its duration. In A ṣì lè ra ìwé., the possibility of buying books continues to hold.

Preserve the dotted consonant and low tone. Undotted sì, which connects or relates clauses, is a separate form. Continuation differs from tún ‘again/also’ and negative mọ́, which closes off continuation or further occurrences. These attested combinations do not establish a complete ordering paradigm for every predicate type.

Examples (3)

  1. Adé ṣì ń mu omi.

    Adé is still drinking water.

    Ṣì precedes progressive ń.

  2. Wọ́n ṣì ń jó.

    They are still dancing.

    The earlier dancing continues.

  3. A ṣì lè ra ìwé.

    We can still buy books.

    Ṣì precedes lè and presents a continuing possibility.

How It Connects

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

ṣìLevel 2Still

Learn This First

Ṣì says an earlier situation still holds.