Nature & Outdoors

1. Sermersuaq pingaartuuvoq

   Ser-mer-su-aq pi-ngaar-tuu-voq

   The ice sheet is very important

   Usage

   Discuss the importance of Greenland's ice sheet

   Grammar Note

   sermersuaq means "ice sheet" (the Greenland inland ice). Sermersooq is the name of a municipality, not the ice sheet. pingaartuuvoq means "is important"

2. Puilasoq kissartoq peqarpoq

   Pu-i-la-soq kis-sar-toq pe-qar-poq

   There is a hot spring (hot welling water)

   Usage

   Discuss geothermal hot springs in Greenland

   Grammar Note

   imeq kissartoq (varmt vand) = warm water. Puilasoq is a spring. kissarpoq means "is hot", not "is cold" — the word for cold is nillerpoq. Southern Greenland has geothermal springs at Uunartoq.

3. Arferit sumiippat?

   Ar-fe-rit su-miip-pat?

   Where are the whales?

   Usage

   Ask about whale watching locations in Greenland

   Grammar Note

   arfeq means "whale" and the plural is arferit. The subject is plural, so the verb also agrees with -ppat (qalipaatit sumiippat?). Traditional whaling is part of Kalaallit (Greenlandic) culture

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