BASIC GRAMMAR : WHEN "UM" BECOMES "MAN"

We saw how the simple word kånta just means "song."  It can be used as a command, to one or two people, "Sing!" "Kånta!"

In order to use the word in action, one has to employ the infix "um."  K+um+ånta.

Kumånta yo'.  I sang.
Kumåkånta yo'. I sing/am singing.
Kumånta gue'.  S/he sang.
Kumåkånta siha.  They (one or two people) are singing.

But what if the singing is being done by three or more people?

That's where the prefix "man" comes in.  It is a prefix; it comes in front of the word.

Let's take the word hånao, "to go."

Humåhånao siha.  They (one or two people) are going.
Manhåhånao siha.  They (three or more people) are going.

Or the word lå'la', "to live."

Lumålå'la' gue'.  S/he is living.
Manlålå'la' siha.  They (three or more people) are living.

Or åsson, "to lie down."

Umåsson hao.  You lied down.
Manåsson hamyo.  You (three or more people) lied down.

Sounds easy....BUT.

In the next lesson, we'll see how things change depending on the first letter of the word.  There is often a change when a word begins with :

CH, F, K, P, S, T