Casino & Gambling

1. Aningaasanoortarfik sumiippa?

   Where is the casino?

   Usage

   Asking for the casino location

   Grammar Note

   aningaasat "money" + -noor- "play for money" + -tarfik "the place where one habitually does it". Cf. aningaasanoorpoq "gambles". The loanword kasino is understood too, but a native word exists. "X sumiippa?" is the basic pattern for asking where something is.

2. Blackjack / roulette / baccarat / poker / spilleautomati pinnguarusuppunga.

   I'd like to play blackjack / roulette / baccarat / poker / slots

   Usage

   Choosing a casino game to play

   Grammar Note

   pinnguarpoq is "plays a game". Inserting the desiderative -rusup- before the 1sg ending -punga gives pinnguarusuppunga "I want to play" (same shape as attartorusuppunga). There are no native equivalents for the game names, so the international terms are used as they are — except the slot machine, spilleautomati (descriptive form: pinnguaat aningaasamik nakkartitsisarfik), which follows the same Danish-plus-i rule as rødviinni and hvidviinni.

3. Atisanut malittarisassaqarpa?

   Is there a dress code?

   Usage

   Checking the dress code

   Grammar Note

   malittarisassaq means "rules for behavior in a particular venue", which covers a dress code. Adding -qar- ("there is") and the interrogative -pa to a noun asks "is there any …?".

4. Imigassat akeqanngillat?

   Can I get a complimentary drink?

   Usage

   Asking for a complimentary drink

   Grammar Note

   aki "price" + -qanngit- "does not have" gives akeqanngilaq "is free of charge". With a plural subject the ending becomes 3pl -llat: akeqanngillat.

5. Immikkut iniqarpa?

   Is there a separate room?

   Usage

   Asking whether there is a separate room

   Grammar Note

   There is no word for "VIP room", so the question is built as immikkut "separately" + ini "room" + -qar- "there is": "is there a separate room?". The acronym VIP cannot take Greenlandic case endings, so it is left out of the text.

6. Pileqqaavunga. Malittarisassat nassuiaassinnaavigit?

   I'm a beginner — can you explain the rules?

   Usage

   Asking for a rule explanation

   Grammar Note

   pileqqaaq is "beginner" (pilerlaaq is a synonym); malittarisassaq is "rule"; nassuiaappaa is "explains it to him".

7. Aningaasanoortarfik qaqugu matussava?

   What time does the casino close?

   Usage

   Asking when the casino closes

   Grammar Note

   matuvoq "closes" + future -ssa- + interrogative -va. Future "when" is qaqugu; the past counterpart is qanga. Same shape as Imerniartarfik qaqugu matussava? "What time does the bar close?".

8. Spilleautomatinik peqarpisi?

   Do you have slot machines?

   Usage

   Asking if slot machines are available

   Grammar Note

   For spilleautomat the form is spilleautomati, the loan adapted as an -i noun; the plural is spilleautomatit and the instrumental plural spilleautomatinik. peqarpoq "has" governs the instrumental, and staff are addressed with the 2pl ending -pisi, as in Niaqorissaatinik peqarpisi?

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