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Nahuatl Lesson #21

Maitl Makpa Okachi Miztli Mizton Kua Kualiztli Ninan Niach Tekipoliztli Tokaitl Tetoka Patlani Patlantinemi

hand in the hand much more lion cat to eat food until then but be careful, concern, care name name to fly in flight

Sayings: Okachi kualli ze tototl to makpa iuan amo makuilpoalli patlantinemi! It is much better to have one bird in our hand and not one hundred flying! Grammar Rule # 38 In Nahuatl, the gerund (which is a verbal form that functions like a noun) does not exist.  In order to achieve an idea of the gerund, there are three possible forms: a) The composition of the verb being used with certain irregular verbs,whose meaning speaks of stillness or movement(to be and to come, for example), can be combined with the irregular verb TI: Examples: Nitlakuatikah = I am eating Nitlakuatiez =  I'll be eating Nikochitikah = I am sleeping b)  The principal verb always precedes the adverb INIK: Examples: Niauh Inik Choka = I go crying Nemi Inik Choka = He/she lives crying c)  The last adverb is NEMI and it always follows the principal verb: Examples: Nikuatlatinemi = I live eating Nitlachiatlatinemi = I live watching Exercises: a) Translate the following to English: In tlahtolli in xochitlahtoani patlani kenin papakini tototl. ________________________________________________________ Axkan nitlakuatikah mokal. ________________________________________________________ In tomini patlani uan axkan nikah motolinia. ________________________________________________________ Kenin motokai? ________________________________________________________ In ozelotl tlakuatikah mazatl. ________________________________________________________ b) Translate the following to Nahuatl: Youre cat wants to eat birds. ________________________________________________________ The snake is eating one black rabbit. _______________________________________________________ You eat candies but you do not eat beans. _______________________________________________________ The food is very hot. ________________________________________________________ The birds fly but the lions do not fly. ________________________________________________________ Conjunctions: Verbo KUA = to eat Present Tense            Nitlakua  =  I eat              Titlakua   = You eat            Tlakua     = He/she eats            Titlakuah  = We eat            Antlakuah = You (plural) eat            Tlakuah    = They eat] Verbo PATLANI = to fly Presente Tense              Nipatlani  = I fly              Tipatlani  = You fly              Patlani     = He/she flies              Tipatlanih = We fly              Anpatlanih = You (plural) fly              Patlanih     = They fly