Markets & Souvenirs

14 phrases · Kalaallisut with romanization, English and audio

  1. Una qanoq akeqarpa?

    How much does this cost?

    Usage

    Basic phrase to ask the price

    Grammar Note

    The set way to ask a price is qanoq akeqarpa?, the rendering of "hvad koster det?" (example: 25 kr.-nik akeqarpoq).

  2. Akissoorsinnaavigissavinga?

    Can I bargain / negotiate the price?

    Usage

    Attempting to negotiate the price at a market

    Grammar Note

    Suffixes chain together to encode meaning in one word

  3. Akikinaarlugu tunniussinnaaviuk?

    Could you let me have it a bit cheaper?

    Usage

    Asking the seller for a lower price

    Grammar Note

    Danish billig is "akikitsoq / er ~ = akikippoq / til en ~ pris = akikinaarlugu"; akikippoq is "is a bargain; is cheap" and tunniuppaa "gives it to someone; hands it to someone".

  4. Assaannarnik sanaava?

    Is this handmade / locally made?

    Usage

    Checking whether an item is handmade

    Grammar Note

    Danish håndlavet is "assaannarnik sanaaq" and "er ~ = assaannarnik sanaavoq". It shares the sana- root with Sumit sananeqarpa? "what is it made of?"

  5. Sumit sananeqarpa?

    What material is this made of?

    Usage

    Asking about the material

    Grammar Note

    The set phrase "hvad er det lavet af?" is sumit sananeqarpa?. The material itself is atortussaq (Danish materiale), and "made of X" is -mit sanaavoq (sølvimit sanaavoq "made of silver", qisummit sanaavoq "made of wood").

  6. Poortuutissiamik poortorumaviuk?

    Can you gift-wrap this?

    Usage

    Requesting gift wrapping

    Grammar Note

    Danish indpakning is "vil du klare ~en? = poortorumaviuk?"; poortuutissiaq is "wrapping paper; gift wrap" and poorpaa "wraps it up".

  7. Unnukkut tuniniaaffik sumiippa?

    Where is the night market?

    Usage

    Asking for the location of the market

    Grammar Note

    Danish marked is "plads med salgsboder = tuniniaaffik / niuerfik / nuisitsivik" with the example tuniniaavimmi pisiaraa. This aligns with Nunatsinni tuniniaaffik.

  8. Pisinermut uppernarsaat piumavara.

    Can I have a receipt?

    Usage

    Requesting a receipt

    Grammar Note

    uppernarsaat is "a thing that proves"; a purchase receipt is specified as pisinermut uppernarsaat.

  9. Tuniniaaffik qaqugu ammartarpa?

    What are the market opening hours?

    Usage

    Asking about market hours

    Grammar Note

    The opening-time question matches Qaqugu ammartarpa?, and the word for market is the same as in Nunatsinni tuniniaaffik.

  10. Isiginnaannarpunga, qujanaq.

    I'm just looking, thank you

    Usage

    Politely declining a sales pitch

    Grammar Note

    Danish kigge is "~r på det / betragter = isigaa, halvtr. isiginnippoq". The restrictive -innar- is the same affix as -innaq ("ren og skær").

  11. Korti akiliissut atorsinnaavara?

    Do you accept card payment?

    Usage

    Asking if card payment is accepted

    Grammar Note

    Danish kreditkort is "[korti] akiliissut" (akiliuppaa "pays", with the instrumental affix -ssut).

  12. Tammajuitsutut pisiarissavara.

    I'm buying this as a souvenir

    Usage

    Saying you're buying a souvenir

    Grammar Note

    souvenir is tammajuitsoq, literally "the thing not forgotten". "As X" is the equative -tut. pisiaraa "buys it" with the future -ssa- is the same form as pisiarissavara.

  13. Angissuseq alla peqarpa?

    Do you have a different size?

    Usage

    Looking for a different size

    Grammar Note

    Danish størrelse is angissuseq (angivoq "is big" plus -ssuseq "degree of"). alla "another" is the same word as in allat aningaasaannik.

  14. Tamanna akisuvallaarpoq.

    This is too expensive

    Usage

    Expressing that the price is too high

    Grammar Note

    akisooq is "expensive; high-priced" and akisuvoq "is expensive", and Danish dyr is "er ~ = akisuvoq". The excessive -vallaar- is the same affix as in tungusunnippallaanngitsoq.

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