17 Kaut tamâtsiutet

Dialogue: What do you usually do?

Emilia:
SugalaKattaven unnusami? SugalaKattaven unnusami?What do you usually do in the evening.
Katie:
NâlausijaKattavunga. Ipvilittauk, suKattaven?NâlausijaKattavunga. Ipvilittauk, suKattaven?I listen to the radio. What about you, what do you do?
Emilia:
HâkinguaKattaKunga.HâkinguaKattaKunga.  I play hockey.
Katie:
Aso. Ippasak hâkingualaukKen?Aso. Ippasak hâkingualaukKen?I see. Did you play hockey yesterday?
Emilia:
Â, ahammagik.Â, ahammagik.Yes, indeed.

Vocabulary

tupajuk
wakes up (he/she...)
upvatuk
showers (he/she...)
suliaKagiattuKattajuk
work (he/she is going to...)
pisujuk
walks (she/he...)
katimajunejuit
meeting (they are...)
kâfittujuk
drinks coffee (he/she...)
niuvinniagiajuk
shopping (he/she goes...)
niuvinniatuk
buys something (he...)
angiggajuk
home (she goes...)
igajuk
cooks (he/she...)
salummasaijuk
cleans (he/she...)
nâlausijattuk
radio (he/she listens to the...)
mitsujuk
sews (he/she...)
atuatsijuk
reads (he/she...)
hâkinguajuk
hockey (he/she plays...)
pinasuattuk
hunts (he/she...)
Kautamât
every day
takKik tamât
every month
auja tamât
every summer
vogik tamât
every week
ukiuk tamât
every winter
jâri tamât
every year
sulikKen?
What are you doing?

Grammar

34 » Daily Activities

It is important to note that, in English, when we talk about doing something regularly or habitually, we just use the simplest form of the verb.

If we say I eat fish, we are not talking about something that is happening at that moment, but rather what we do by habit or custom.

In Inuktut, one normally adds an affix such as -Katta- to indicate this:

iKalummik nigiKattavunga.  I eat fish (often or regularly).
mitsuKattajuk unnusami She sews in the evening.
Nani suliaKattaven? Where do you work?
hâkinguaKattaKunga ukiuk tamât I play hockey every winter.
immutuKattaven ? Do you take milk (in your tea)?