Music & Entertainment

1. Unnuk manna sumi nipilersortut tusarsinnaavakka?

   Un-nuk man-na su-mi ni-pi-ler-sor-tut tu-sar-sin-naa-vak-ka?

   Where can I hear live music tonight?

   Usage

   Asking where to find live music performances

   Grammar Note

   "Live music" is nipilersortut (immiussaanngitsut) — players who are not recorded. unnuk is "evening".

2. Nipilersuut manna qanoq taaneqarpa?

   Ni-pi-ler-suut man-na qa-noq taa-ne-qar-pa?

   What is this instrument called?

   Usage

   Used to ask the name of an unfamiliar musical instrument

   Grammar Note

   nipilersuut is "musical instrument" and nipilersorneq "music". "What is it called?" is qanoq taaneqarpa?

3. Qilaat isiginnaarsinnaavara?

   Qi-laat i-si-gin-naar-sin-naa-va-ra?

   May I look at the drum?

   Usage

   Asking permission to look at the traditional Inuit drum

   Grammar Note

   "Qilaat" is the Inuit drum, a representative traditional Greenlandic instrument. isiginnaarpoq is "is watching / is a spectator"; -sinnaa- ("can") plus -vara asks permission.

4. Erinarsuummik erinarsorusuppit?

   E-ri-nar-suum-mik e-ri-nar-so-ru-sup-pit?

   Would you like to sing a song?

   Usage

   Inviting someone to sing a song

   Grammar Note

   erinarsuut is "song" and erinarsorpoq "sings". -rusuk- means "wants to"; with the 2nd-person interrogative -pit it becomes an invitation.

5. Erinarsuut manna qanoq taaneqarpa?

   E-ri-nar-suut man-na qa-noq taa-ne-qar-pa?

   What is the title of this song?

   Usage

   Asking the name of a song currently playing or being performed

   Grammar Note

   erinarsuut is "song". There is a separate word, inngerut, for traditional poetic song.

6. Nipilersornissannik ilinniartitsisoqarsinnaava?

   Ni-pi-ler-sor-nis-san-nik i-lin-ni-ar-tit-si-so-qar-sin-naa-va?

   Can someone teach me to play an instrument?

   Usage

   Asking for music lessons or instruction on an instrument

   Grammar Note

   ilinniartitsivoq is "teaches". -soqar- means "there is someone who ..."; combined with the potential -sinnaa- it asks whether anyone can teach.

7. Erinarsuut manna CD-imi pisiarisinnaavara?

   E-ri-nar-suut man-na CD-i-mi pi-si-a-ri-sin-naa-va-ra?

   Can I buy a CD of this music?

   Usage

   Asking where to purchase a recording or music souvenir

   Grammar Note

   pisiaraa is "buys it". The loan noun CD takes the locative form CD-imi.

8. Nipilersorneq manna pillugu annertunerusumik oqaluttuarsinnaavit?

   Ni-pi-ler-sor-neq man-na pil-lu-gu an-ner-tu-ne-ru-su-mik o-qa-lut-tu-ar-sin-naa-vit?

   Please tell me more about this music!

   Usage

   Expressing enthusiasm to learn more about a musical tradition or genre

   Grammar Note

   oqaluttuarpoq is "tells, recounts". Use pillugu for a singular referent and pillugit for a plural one.

9. Nipilersorneq manna nuannareqaara!

   Ni-pi-ler-sor-neq man-na nu-an-na-re-qaa-ra!

   I love this music!

   Usage

   Expressing genuine enthusiasm and love for a piece of music

   Grammar Note

   nuannaraa is "likes it". With the intensifier -qi- it becomes nuannareqaara, the form found in the example tusagara nuannareqaara ("I was very glad to hear it").

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