Food & Drinks

1. Sunamik innersuussinnaavit?

   Su-na-mik in-ner-suus-sin-naa-vit?

   Is there something you recommend?

   Usage

   Asking for a recommendation at a restaurant

   Grammar Note

   "Recommends him something" is innersuussivigaa / [taassuminnga] innersuuppaa, halvtr. innersuussivoq. The frame is an instrumental object plus a half-transitive verb.

2. Natsip neqaanik neriusuppunga.

   Nat-sip ne-qaa-nik ne-ri-u-sup-pu-nga.

   I would like to try ringed seal meat.

   Usage

   Expressing interest in trying ringed seal, a traditional Greenlandic food

   Grammar Note

   natseq is "ringed seal, Pusa hispida"; a seal in general is puisi (Danish sæl = puisi, with qasigiaq for the spotted one). The desiderative -rusup- matches Neriusuppunga.

3. Kaffi tunniussineqarsinnaavaa?

   Kaf-fi tun-ni-us-si-ne-qar-sin-naa-vaa?

   Can I have a coffee?

   Usage

   Ordering a coffee at a café or restaurant

   Grammar Note

   Kalaallisut questions are marked by suffixes like "-vaa" at the end of the verb

4. Ullumikkumut nerisassiaq suua?

   Ul-lu-mik-ku-mut ne-ri-sas-si-aq suu-a?

   What is today's special?

   Usage

   Asking what today's special dish is

   Grammar Note

   "Today’s special" is ullumikkumut nerisassiaq, corresponding to Danish dagens ret. suua? asks "what is it?"

5. Qujanaq! Nerisassaq mamarpoq.

   Qu-ja-naq! Ne-ri-sas-saq ma-mar-poq.

   Thank you! The food was very delicious.

   Usage

   Thanking someone after a meal and complimenting the food

   Grammar Note

   Danish velsmagende is mamartoq, and mamarpoq is "tastes good".

6. Nerisassat allassimaffiat tunniussineqarsinnaavaa?

   Ne-ri-sas-sat al-las-si-maf-fi-at tun-ni-us-si-ne-qar-sin-naa-vaa?

   Can I have the menu?

   Usage

   Asking for the menu at a restaurant

   Grammar Note

   A menu is nerisassat allassimaffiat, or nerisassat allattorsimaffiat — the same shape as viinnit allattorsimaffiat ("wine list").

7. Imeq tunniussineqarsinnaavaa?

   I-meq tun-ni-us-si-ne-qar-sin-naa-vaa?

   Can I have some water?

   Usage

   Asking for water during a meal

   Grammar Note

   Drinking water is imeq; imaq is "sea; contents"; likewise Danish vand 1 (a liquid) = imeq and vand 2 (the sea) = imaq.

8. Naasuinnarnik nerisassaqarpa?

   Naa-su-in-nar-nik ne-ri-sas-sa-qar-pa?

   Do you have vegetarian food?

   Usage

   Requesting vegetarian options; Greenland is traditionally a meat-heavy cuisine

   Grammar Note

   A vegetarian is "naasuinnarnik nerisalik" or "neqitornaveersaartoq" (one who avoids meat). It is naasoq "plant" plus -innaq "only" in the instrumental plural.

9. Marlunnik inissarissinnaasoqarsinnaavaa?

   Mar-lun-nik i-nis-sa-ris-sin-naa-soq-ar-sin-naa-vaa?

   Is there a table for two?

   Usage

   Requesting a table for two at a restaurant

   Grammar Note

   "marluk" (two) changes to "marlunnik" in this case form; numerals inflect for grammatical case

10. neqi

    Meat

    Usage

    Meat in general; in Greenland it also covers seal meat

11. iffiaq

    Bread

    Usage

    For ordering or shopping

12. qaqorteqqasut

    Rice

    Usage

    For ordering

13. taratsut

    Salt

    Usage

    To ask for salt; the word is always plural

14. sukkut

    Sugar

    Usage

    To ask for sugar; the word is always plural

15. qasilitsut

    Pepper

    Usage

    To ask for pepper at the table

16. uulia

    Oil

    Usage

    To ask whether oil was used

17. punneq

    Butter

    Usage

    For checking whether butter was used

18. immussuaq

    Cheese

    Usage

    For checking if a dish contains cheese

19. tungusunnitsuut

    Honey

    Usage

    For ordering or shopping

20. uanitsoq

    Onion

    Usage

    To say you cannot eat onion

21. qajoq

    Soup

    Usage

    For ordering

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