Sports & Activities

1. Maani timersorsinnaavunga?

   Maa-ni ti-mer-sor-sin-naa-vu-nga?

   Can I play sports here?

   Usage

   Asking permission to play sports at a facility or outdoors

   Grammar Note

   A characteristic Greenlandic polysynthetic word encoding many grammatical concepts in one

2. Arsaanneq nuannaraara.

   I like football/soccer.

   Usage

   Mentioning a favorite sport in conversation

   Grammar Note

   Greenlandic has its own word arsaanneq for football rather than the Danish loan Fodbold. Nuannaraara is the 1sg-subject / 3sg-object form of nuannaraa "likes it"

3. Qajaq

   Qa-jaq

   Kayak

   Usage

   Talking about Greenland's traditional water sport

   Grammar Note

   The word "kayak" itself originates from Greenlandic/Inuit and has spread worldwide

4. Norsiaatissiorneq

   Nor-si-aa-tis-si-or-neq

   Skiing

   Usage

   Talking about winter sports in Greenland

   Grammar Note

   Greenland has rich winter sporting traditions including dog sledding, hunting, and skiing

5. Qimussernermik sukkaniunnermi.

   Qi-mus-ser-ner-mik suk-ka-ni-un-ner-mi.

   At the dog sledding race venue.

   Usage

   Attending a traditional Greenlandic sporting event

   Grammar Note

   qimussit is a dog sledge with its team, qimusserpoq "drives a dog sledge" and qimuttoq "sledge dog". sukkaniunneq is "race".

6. Timersortarfik atorsinnaavara?

   Ti-mer-sor-tar-fik a-tor-sin-naa-va-ra?

   May I use the sports center?

   Usage

   Asking about using a local sports facility

   Grammar Note

   Ordbogen 2003 gives timersortarfik for idrætshal, sportshal and stadion alike, so no loanword is needed. The ability affix -sinnaa- doubles as a way of asking permission, exactly as in atorsinnaavara in the Laundry category.

7. Sungiusarluarit!

   Sun-gi-u-sar-lu-a-rit!

   Enjoy your workout.

   Usage

   Wishing someone well before their sports activity

   Grammar Note

   sungiusarpoq is "practises, trains". The pattern -lluar- (well) plus the imperative -it is the same as in inuulluarit! and tikilluarit!

8. Kisima sungiusarsinnaavunga?

   Ki-si-ma sun-gi-u-sar-sin-naa-vun-ga?

   Can I train by myself?

   Usage

   Checking with staff if solo training is allowed

   Grammar Note

   kisima is the 1sg counterpart of kisimi "he alone". kisermaavoq means "lives alone".

9. Timersortarfik sumiippa?

   Ti-mer-sor-tar-fik su-miip-pa?

   Where is the sports facility?

   Usage

   Asking for directions to a sports facility

   Grammar Note

   "X sumiippa?" means "Where is X?", following the akunnittarfik sumiippa pattern in Ordbogen 2003. sumi is "where".

Browse all TravelPhrases languages