Café & Drinks

8 phrases · Kalaallisut with romanization, English and audio

  1. Imeq una piumavara.

    I-meq u-na pi-u-ma-va-ra.

    This water, please

    Usage

    The simplest way to request water

    Grammar Note

    Drinking water is imeq. imaq means "sea; contents", so it is not used for drinking water. A demonstrative follows the noun (illu una)

  2. Imeq nillertoq

    I-meq nil-ler-toq

    Cold water

    Usage

    Request cold water specifically

    Grammar Note

    imeq nillertoq (koldt vand) = cold water. Drinking water is imeq, while imaq is the sea — different words. Modifiers follow their noun.

  3. Kaffillerneq

    Kaf-fil-ler-neq

    Kaffemik (coffee gathering)

    Usage

    Reference Greenland's strong coffee culture

  4. Immuk Kalaallit Nunaanneersoq

    Im-muk Ka-laal-lit Nu-naan-neer-soq

    Local milk/dairy

    Usage

    Request local dairy products

    Grammar Note

    immiaq is "beer", and milk is immuk (immuk kimikinneq = low-fat milk). Origin is expressed as Kalaallit Nunaanneersoq "from Greenland"

  5. Kaffi una qujanaq

    Kaf-fi u-na qu-ja-naq

    Thank you for this coffee

    Usage

    Thank someone for offering coffee

    Grammar Note

    "kaffi" borrowed from Danish "kaffe"; offering coffee is a key gesture of Greenlandic welcome

  6. Tii nillarsertariaqarpoq

    Tii nil-lar-ser-ta-ri-a-qar-poq

    The tea needs to be cooled

    Usage

    Let tea cool down before drinking

    Grammar Note

    The root for cooling is nillar- (nillarpoq "cools down", nillarserpoq "sets it to cool", nillarsarpaa "cools it"). kissar- means "hot", so it would mean the opposite

  7. Nerisassamut imigassaq

    Ne-ri-sas-sa-mut i-mi-gas-saq

    A drink with the meal

    Usage

    Order a drink to accompany a meal

    Grammar Note

    iggiserpaa means "drinks something with a meal". imigassaq originally means "strong drink" but is also used for drinks in general (imigassaq aalakoornartortaqanngitsoq = non-alcoholic drink)

  8. Imeq nunarsuarmi eqqiluinnerpaaq.

    I-meq nu-nar-su-ar-mi eq-qi-lu-in-ner-paaq.

    There is the cleanest water in the world

    Usage

    Express pride in Greenland's exceptionally clean water

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