k'eqchî grammar continued 1...
NEGATIVE SENTENCES
The negative form of sentences is created simply by the use of the word inc'a, literally not. This can be used in the present, past, future, and present and past continuous.
EXAMPLES
|
Lāin inc'a in wulak sâ Tzolebāl. PRESENT |
|
I don't attend school. |
|
Laat inc'a shat wulak chi chapok Car. PAST |
|
You didn't go fishing (to catch fish). |
|
Aanheb inc'a enke alinak sâ Be. PRESENT |
|
They don't run on the street. |
|
Aan inc'a tyo chi shik sâ Tzolebāl. PRES. CONT. |
|
He/she isn't going to school. |
|
Laesh inc'a tyokesh raj chi tenc'ank sâ Ochoch. |
|
You weren't helping in the house. PAST CONT. |
MODALS
In K'eqchi, a modal expressing physical ability is formed by the use of the verb rüuk, can, be able to. The negative form is created by the addition of inc'a.
|
S + Present / Past / Future |
English Present / Past |
|
Lāin in ru / shin ru / tin rüuq |
I can / could |
|
Laat inkat ru / shat ru / tat rüuq |
You can / could |
|
Aan na ru / ish ru / ta rüuq |
he/she can / could |
|
lāo inko ru / sho ru / to rüuq |
we can / could |
|
laesh enkesh ru / shesh ru / tesh rüuq |
you can /could |
|
aanheb enkheb ru / sheb ru / theb rüuq |
they can / could |
EXAMPLES
|
Laat inkat ru ilok ru Hu. |
|
You can read. |
|
Aan na ru tz'ibak sâ cashlan atin. |
|
He/she can write in English/Spanish. |
|
Lāo inc'a inko ru chapoc Car arran. |
|
We cannot fish there. |
|
Aanheb inc'a enke ru c'anjelak rubel Hab. |
|
They cannot work under the rain. |
Please click here or click Grammar - Grammar Part II on the menu to continue to Part 3 of this online K'qkchi grammar basics.
Created by George Max, April 19 2010. Last date modified: October 19, 2010.
SIMPLE PRESENT AND PAST CONTINUOUS
In K'eqchi the present and past continuous tenses are formed by adding a verb modifier that implies "to be performing" an action. This modifier is followed by the particle chi (literally to) which introduces the verb that takes such action.
| Singular | Plural |
| Lāin tyokin chi (I am) | lāo tyoko chi (we are) |
| laat tyokat chi (you are) | laesh tyokesh chi (you are) |
| Aan tyo chi (he/she is) | aanheb tyokheb chi (they are) |
| aan tyo chi (it is) |
PRESENT AND PAST CONTINUOUS SAMPLES (INDICATIVE FORM)
| Singular | Plural | ||
| Lāin tyokin chi cua'ak | I am eating | lāo tyoko chi numshik | we are swimming |
| laat tyokat chi alinak | you are running | laesh tyokesh chi c'oshlak | you are thinking |
| Aan tyo chi se'ek | he/she is laughing | aanheb tyokheb chi se'ek | they are laughing |
| aan tyo chi cuobak | it is barking | ||
In K'eqchi the simple past continuous follows the same order as the present continuous tense except that the particle raj (literally was in this case) is inserted to indicate that the action was happening in the past.
| Singular | Plural | ||
| Lāin tyokin raj chi bek | I was walking | lāo tyoko raj chi chalk | we were coming |
| laat tyokat raj chi ilok | you were looking | laesh tyokesh raj chi ... | you were ... |
| Aan tyo raj chi alinak | he/she was running | aanheb tyokheb raj chi ... | they were ... |
| aan tyo raj chi abink | it was hearing | ||
DYNAMIC VERB FORM FOR THE CONTINUOUS TENSE
A dynamic verb form is used in the continuous tenses and it is derived from the Infinitive for which certain rules apply. Transitive verbs ending with -ok and -uk are replaced by -bal. Ex: cutuk - cutbal; cuosok - cuosbal; chupuk - chupbal. Transitive verbs ending
with vowel + nk are added the suffix -il. Ex: hasbaank - hasbankil; mesuunk - mesunkil; pajiink - pajinkil.
Thus, a sentence has the following structure: S + MOD + ish-CV. Ex: Lain tyokin ishbanunkil in C'anjel. (I am doing my work) Laat tyokat ishc'ulbal a Tumin. (You are receiving money). 
List of K'eqchi Infinitive Verbs.
PSEUDO PERFECT
The pseudo perfect tense in K'eqchi is formed by adding the modifier ac (literally already or yet in this case) before the verb in past tense. This implies that an action or task has been completed. The negative form is created by the use of maji (literally not yet) before the verb in present tense this time.
| Singular | Plural | ||
| Lāin ac shin banu in C'anjel | I have done my work. | lāo ac sho cua'ak | we have eaten |
| laat ac shat wulak arran | you have gone there | laesh ac shesh uc'ak Ha | you have drank water |
| Aan ac ish tz'ibak | he/she has written | aanheb ac she il li acuabej | they have seen the president |
| Negative Form - uses verb in present tense | |||
| Lāin maji in banu in C'anjel | I haven't done my work | lāo maji inko cua'ak | we haven't eaten |
| laat maji inkat wulak arran | you haven't gone there | laesh maji enkesh uc'ak Ha | you haven't drank water |
| Aan maji na tz'ibak | he/she hasn't written | aanheb maji enke il li acuabej | they haven't seen the president |
© George Max, Translator and Linguist, 2009, 2010. All rights reserved. Guatemala, Middle America.