Genitive case

Genitive case is primarily used to show the owner of a noun, but besides that it is often used in partitive context, general relations and other ones. It frequently modifies nouns and in these constructions the genitive noun most of the time follows the noun it modifies.

Usages

1. Ownership

The main usage of the genitive case. Works similarly to genitives in other languages including Β«'sΒ» in English.

Examples

πŒ°πŒΏπ‚π„πƒ
"garden"
πŒ°πŒΏπ‚π„πƒ - garden
m. i-stem inan.
nom. sg.
πƒπŒΉπŒ½πŒ΄πŒΉπŒ²πŒΉπŒ½πƒ
"old man's"
πƒπŒΉπŒ½πŒ΄πŒΉπŒ²πŒ° - old person
GP-AN: m. an-stem anim.
gen. sg.
–
πŒΌπŒΉπŒΊπŒΉπŒ»πŒ°π‚πŒΏπƒ
"very big"
πŒΌπŒΉπŒΊπŒΉπŒ»πƒ - big
a-stem
str. m. nom. sg.
+ intens.
Β·
The old man's garden is very big.
π…πŒ°πŒ²πŒ½πƒ
"car"
π…πŒ°πŒ²πŒ½πƒ - car
m. a-stem anim.
nom. sg.
πŒ³πŒ°Μ„πŒΏπŒΌπŒ°Μ„πŒΏπƒ
"boss's"
πŒ³πŒ°Μ„πŒΏπŒΌπŒΏπƒ - boss
GP-US: m. u-stem anim.
gen. sg.
πŒ·πŒ°Μ„πŒΏπ„πŒΉπŒ»πŒ°π‚
"in hotel"
πŒ·πŒ°Μ„πŒΏπ„πŒΉπŒ»πƒ - hotel
m. a-stem inan.
loc. sg.
𐌱𐌹
"by"
𐌱𐌹 - by
πƒπ„π‰πŒΈπŒ°π†π„πŒ°
"was standing for a while"
πƒπ„πŒ°πŒ½πŒ³πŒ°πŒ½ - to stand
S-VI-𐌲𐌰 NP
Imp DUTE
past ag. ind. 3pSG
Β·
The boss's car was standing by the hotel.
πŒΌπŒΉπŒΌπŒ°πŒΏπ‚πŒΎπŒΏ
"note"
πŒΌπŒΉπŒΌπŒ°πŒΏπ‚πŒΉ - note
f. jō-stem
acc. sg.
πŒ»πŒ΄πŒΊπŒΎπŒΉπƒ
"male doctor's"
πŒ»πŒ΄πŒΊπŒ΄πŒΉπƒ - doctor
GP-JAS: m. ja-stem anim.
gen. sg.
–
πŒΏπŒ½π†π‚π‰πŒΈπŒΎπŒΏ
"incomprehensible"
πŒΏπŒ½π†π‚π‰πŒΈπƒ - incomprehensible
i-stem
str. f. acc. sg.
π…πŒ°πƒπŒ°πŒΉ
"was being it"
π…πŒΉπƒπŒ°πŒ½ - to be
irreg. S-V suppl.
Imp BASE
past obj. ind. 3pSG
Β·
The doctor's note was incomprehensible.

2. General relation genitive

Genitive can signify general relation between nouns without explicitly stating ownership.

Examples

πŒ²πŒΉπƒπ„π‚πŒ°πŒ³πŒ°πŒ²πƒ
"tomorrow"
πŒ²πŒΉπƒπ„π‚πŒ°πŒ³πŒ°πŒ²πƒ - tomorrow
m. a-stem inan.
nom. sg.
–
πŒ³πŒ°πŒ²πƒ
"day"
πŒ³πŒ°πŒ²πƒ - day
m. a-stem inan.
nom. sg.
πƒπŒΉπŒ½πŒ°πŒ±πŒ°πŒΉπƒ
"exam's"
πƒπŒΉπŒ½πŒ°πŒ±πƒ - exam
f. i-stem inan.
gen. sg.
πŒΏπŒ½πƒπŒ°π‚πŒ°Μ„πŒΉπŒΆπ‰πƒ
"of our"
πŒΏπŒ½πƒπŒ°π‚ - our
a-stem, no weak
f. gen. sg.
πŒΉπƒπ„
"is being"
π…πŒΉπƒπŒ°πŒ½ - to be
irreg. S-V suppl.
Imp BASE
pres. act. ind. 3pSG
Β·
Tomorrow is our exam day!
π…πŒΉπ„π‰πŒ³
"law"
π…πŒΉπ„π‰πŒ³ - law
nt. a-stem
nom. sg.
πŒ»πŒ°πŒ½πŒ³πŒΉπƒ
"country's"
𐌻𐌰𐌽𐌳 - country
nt. a-stem
gen. sg.
πŒ»πŒ°πŒ²π‚πŒ°πŒ½
"camping"
πŒ»πŒ°πŒ²π‚πŒ°πŒ½ - to camp
S-VIIc1-𐌲𐌰
Gerund: Imp DUST
πŒ»πŒ°πŒ²π‚πŒ°πŒ½πƒ - camping
f. i-stem
acc. sg.
π…πŒ°π‚πŒΎπŒ°Μ„πŒΉπŒΈ
"generally prohibits"
π…πŒ°π‚πŒΎπŒ°πŒ½ - to prohibit
W-𐌲𐌰
Imp DUST
pres. act. ind. 3pSG
;
The country's law prohibits camping.

3. Partitive genitive

Used to state that the modified noun is a part of the genitive case noun.

Differs from partitive construction "caus. + π†πŒ°πŒ½πŒ°" in that the partitive π†πŒ°πŒ½πŒ° usually implies some initial group / monolithic set, while partitive genitive is most frequently used for complex objects or in generalized partitives.

Examples

πƒπ„πŒΏπŒΊπŒΊπŒΉ
"piece"
πƒπ„πŒΏπŒΊπŒΊπŒΉ - piece
nt. ja-stem
acc. sg.
π‡πŒ»πŒ°Μ„πŒΉπŒ±πŒΉπƒ
"bread's"
π‡πŒ»πŒ°Μ„πŒΉπŒ±πƒ - bread
m. a-stem inan.
gen. sg.
π…πŒΉπŒ»πŒ³πŒ΄πŒ³πŒΎπŒ°π…πŒ°
"I would like"
π…πŒΉπŒ»πŒΎπŒ°πŒ½ - to want
irreg. H-II
Imp BASE
II ag. opt. 1pSG
Β·
I would like a piece of bread.
πŒ²πŒ°πŒ±π‚πŒΏπŒΊπŒ°
"fragment"
πŒ²πŒ°πŒ±π‚πŒΏπŒΊπŒ° - piece
f. ō-stem
acc. sg.
πƒπŒΊπŒΏπŒ²πŒ΅Μ±π‰πƒ
"mirror's"
πƒπŒΊπŒΏπŒ²πŒ΅Μ±πŒ° - mirror
f. ō-stem
gen. sg.
π†πŒ»π‰π‚πŒ°πŒΈπŒ°π„
"onto floor"
π†πŒ»π‰π‚πƒ - floor
m. a-stem inan.
all. (subl.) sg.
πŒ²πŒ°πŒ³π‚πŒ°ΜƒπŒΏπƒπŒ°πŒΉ
"fell"
πŒ³π‚πŒΉπŒΏπƒπŒ°πŒ½ - to fall
S-IIa-𐌲𐌰
GenP BASE
past ag. ind. 3pSG
Β·
A fragment of the mirror fell on the floor.
πŒΊπ‚πŒΏπ€π€πƒ
"group"
πŒΊπ‚πŒΏπ€π€πƒ - group
m. a-stem
nom. sg.
πŒΌπŒ°πŒ½πŒ½π‰
"few people's"
𐌼𐌰𐌽𐌽𐌰 - human
GL mixed
gen. pauc.
π‚πŒ°πŒΆπŒ½πŒ°π‚
"in house"
π‚πŒ°πŒΆπŒ½ - house
nt. a-stem
loc. sg.
π†πŒ°πŒΏπ‚πŒ°
"in front of"
π†πŒ°πŒΏπ‚πŒ° - in front of
πˆπŒ°π‚πŒ±πŒ°π†π„πŒ°
"was walking for a while"
πˆπŒ°πŒΉπ‚πŒ±πŒ°πŒ½ - to walk
S-III-𐌲𐌰
Imp DUTE
past ag. ind. 3pSG
Β·
A group of people was walking in front of the house.

4. Contents genitive

Used to mark items of a physical (or metaphorical) container.

Examples

πŒΊπŒΏπ€π€
"cup"
πŒΊπŒΏπ€π€πƒ - cup
m. a-stem inan.
acc. sg.
π…πŒ°π„πŒΉπŒ½πƒ
"water's"
π…πŒ°π„πŒ°πŒΏπ‚ - water
nt. r/n-stem inan.
gen. sg.
πŒΌπŒ΄πƒπŒ°π‚πŒ°π„
"on table"
πŒΌπŒ΄πƒ - table
nt. a-stem
loc. (sub.) sing.
πƒπ„π‰πŒΈπŒ°πŒΉ
"was standing it"
πƒπ„πŒ°πŒ½πŒ³πŒ°πŒ½ - to stand
S-VI-𐌲𐌰 NP
Imp BASE
past obj. ind. 3pSG
Β·
The cup of water was standing on the table.
π„π…πŒΉπŒ½πƒ
"two"
π„π…πŒ° - two
a-stem, no weak
f. acc. du.
πŒΊπŒ°π‡πŒΉπŒ½πƒ
"two boxes"
πŒΊπŒ°π‡πŒ° - crate
f. ō-stem
acc. du.
πŒ°π€πŒ»πŒ΄
"apples'"
πŒ°π€πŒ»πƒ - apple
m. a-stem inan.
gen. pl.
πŒ²πŒ°πŒ±π‚πŒ°Μ„π‡π„πŒ΄πŒ³πŒΏπŒ½
"they brought"
πŒ±π‚πŒΉπŒ²πŒ²πŒ°πŒ½ - to bring
H-I-𐌲𐌰 irreg.
GenP BASE
past ag. ind. 3pPL
Β·
They brought two boxes of apples.
πŒΆπŒ°π‚π†πŒΏπŒ·πŒΏπŒ½
"any plastic bag"
πŒΆπŒ°π‚π†πŒ° - plastic bag
f. ō-stem
acc. sg.
+ negative indef.
𐌸𐌴𐌹𐌽𐌿
"thine"
πŒΈπŒ΄πŒΉπŒ½πƒ - thine
a-stem, no weak
f. acc. sg.
πŒ²πŒ°πŒΊπŒ»πŒΏπŒ½π„πŒΉπƒπŒ΄
"curses'"
πŒ²πŒ°πŒΊπŒ»πŒΏπŒ½π„πŒ°πŒΆ - curse
nt. z-stem inan.
gen. pl.
𐌽𐌹
"not"
𐌽𐌹 - not
πŒΈπŒ°π‚πŒ±
"I need"
πŒΈπŒ°πŒΏπ‚πŒ±πŒ°πŒ½ - to need
PP-III-𐌲𐌰
Imp BASE
pres. ag. ind. 3pSG
!
I don't need any of your bags of crap!

5. Object genitive

With gerunds and deverbal action nouns, genitive marks the object of gerund's or noun's action.

Examples

πƒπŒ°πŒΉπˆπŒΉπŒΈπ‰πƒ
"seeings"
πƒπŒ°πŒΉπˆπŒΉπŒΈπŒ° - seeing
f. ō-stem
nom. pl.
πŒ·πŒΉπƒ
"of this"
πŒ·πŒΉπƒ - this
irreg.
nt. gen. sg.
πŒ³πŒΉπŒΏπŒΆπŒΉπƒ
"animal's"
πŒ³πŒΉπŒΏπƒ - animal
nt. a-stem
gen. sg.
𐌹𐌽𐌽𐌿
"now"
𐌹𐌽𐌽𐌿 - now
πƒπŒΉπŒ»πŒ³π‰πƒ
"rare"
πƒπŒΉπŒ»πŒ³πƒ - rare
a-stem
f. nom. pl.
Β·
Sightings of this animal are now rare.
πŒ±πŒ°πŒΉπ‚πŒ°πŒ½πƒ
"carrying"
πŒ±πŒ°πŒΉπ‚πŒ°πŒ½ - bear, carry
S-IV-𐌲𐌰
Gerund: Imp BASE
πŒ±πŒ°πŒΉπ‚πŒ°πŒ½πƒ - carrying
f. i-stem
nom. sg.
πŒ±πŒ°πŒ»πŒ²πŒΉπƒ
"bag's"
πŒ±πŒ°πŒ»πŒ²πƒ - bag
m. i-stem
gen. sg.
πŒ°πŒ²πŒ»πŒΏπƒ
"difficult"
πŒ°πŒ²πŒ»πŒΏπƒ - difficult
u-stem
f. nom. sg.
πŒΉπƒπ„
"is being"
π…πŒΉπƒπŒ°πŒ½ - to be
irreg. S-V suppl.
Imp BASE
pres. ag. ind. 3pSG
Β·
Carrying this bag is hard.
πŒ°π†πƒπ€πŒΏΜ„π‚πŒΉπŒΈπŒ°
"firing"
πŒ°π†πƒπ€πŒΏΜ„π‚πŒΉπŒΈπŒ° - firing
f. ō-stem
nom. sg.
πŒΉπƒ
"his"
πŒΉπƒ - he
gen.
𐌿𐌲𐌺
"us two"
π…πŒΉπ„ - we two
nom.
πŒΏπππŒ°Μ„πŒΏπŒΊπŒΉπŒ³πŒ°
"shocked"
ππŒ°Μ„πŒΏπŒΊπŒΎπŒ°πŒ½ - to shock
W-πŒΏπƒ
GenP BASE
past act. ind. 3pSG
Β·
His firing shocked us.

6. Specification genitive

Genitive noun can display a (usually permanent) property of the noun modified. Often used with an adjective.

Examples

π†πŒΉπŒ³π…π‰π‚
"four"
π†πŒΉπŒ³π…π‰π‚ - fou
πŒΌπŒ°πŒ½πŒΉπŒ½πƒ
"persons"
𐌼𐌰𐌽𐌽𐌰 - human
GL. mixed (masc.)
acc. pauc.
πƒπ…πŒΉπŒ½πŒΈπŒ°Μ„πŒΉπŒΆπ‰πƒ
"of a strong"
πƒπ…πŒΉπŒ½πƒ - strong
str. f. gen. sg.
πŒ·πŒ°Μ„πŒΉπŒ»πŒ΄πŒΉπŒ½πƒ
"health's"
πŒ·πŒ°Μ„πŒΉπŒ»πŒ΄πŒΉ - health (characteristic)
f. Δ«n-stem
gen. sg.
πŒΈπŒ°πŒΏπ‚πŒ±πŒΏπŒΌ
"we need"
πŒΈπŒ°πŒΏπ‚πŒ±πŒ°πŒ½ - to need
PP-III-𐌲𐌰
Imp BASE
pres. act. ind. 1pPL
Β·
We need four people with strong health.
πƒπŒΉ
"she"
πƒπŒΉ - she
nom.
–
πŒΌπŒ°π…πŒΉ
"girl"
πŒΌπŒ°π…πŒΉ - girl
f. jō-stem
nom. sg.
πŒ²π‰πŒ³πŒ°Μ„πŒΉπŒΆπŒ΄
"of good"
πŒ²π‰πŒ³πƒ - good
str. m. gen. pl.
πƒπŒΉπŒ³πŒΉπ…πŒ΄
"manners'"
πƒπŒΉπŒ³πŒΏπƒ - manner
m. u-stem
gen. sg.
Β·
She is a girl with good manners.

Formation

Strong nouns

Singular Dual in. Dual an. Paucal Plural
nt. a-stem -πŒΉπƒ -𐍉 -πŒΉπŒ½π‰ -𐍉 -𐌴
m. a-stem -πŒΉπƒ -𐍉 -𐌴
f. ō-stem -𐍉𐍃 -𐌴 -𐍉
nt. ja-stem -πŒΎπŒΉπƒ -πŒΎπ‰ -πŒΎπŒΉπŒ½π‰ -πŒΎπ‰ -𐌾𐌴
m. ja-stem -πŒΎπŒΉπƒ -πŒΎπ‰ -𐌾𐌴
f. jō-stem -πŒΎπ‰πƒ -𐌾𐌴 -πŒΎπ‰
nt. wa-stem -π…πŒΉπƒ -𐍅𐍉 -π…πŒΉπŒ½π‰ -𐍅𐍉 -π…πŒ΄
m. wa-stem -π…πŒΉπƒ -𐍅𐍉 -π…πŒ΄
f. wō-stem -𐍅𐍉𐍃 -π…πŒ΄ -𐍅𐍉
nt. i-stem -πŒΉπƒ -𐍉 -πŒΉπŒ½π‰ -𐍉 -𐌴
m. i-stem -πŒΉπƒ -𐍉 -𐌴
f. i-stem -πŒ°πŒΉπƒ -𐌴 -𐍉
nt. ji-stem -πŒΎπŒΉπƒ -πŒΎπ‰ -πŒΎπŒΉπŒ½π‰ -πŒΎπ‰ -𐌾𐌴
nt. u-stem -πŒ°Μ„πŒΏπƒ -πŒΉπ…π‰ -πŒΉπ…πŒ΄
m. u-stem -πŒ°Μ„πŒΏπƒ -πŒΉπ…π‰ -πŒΉπ…πŒ΄
f. u-stem -πŒ°Μ„πŒΏπƒ -πŒΉπ…πŒ΄ -πŒΉπ…π‰

Strong noun genitives always end in -𐍃 in singulars. Masculines and neuters end in -𐍉 in duals and paucals and in -𐌴 in plurals. Feminines end in -𐌴 in duals and paucals and in -𐍉 in plurals.

Weak nouns

Singular Dual in. Dual an. Paucal Plural
nt. an-stem -πŒΉπŒ½πƒ -πŒΉπŒ½π‰ -πŒ°πŒ½π‰ -𐌰𐌽𐌴
m. an-stem -πŒΉπŒ½πƒ -πŒΉπŒ½π‰ -𐍉 -πŒ°πŒ½π‰ -𐌰𐌽𐌴
f. ōn-stem -π‰πŒ½πƒ -π‰πŒ½πŒ΄ -π‰πŒ½π‰
nt. in-stem -πŒΏπŒ½πƒ -πŒΏπŒ½π‰ -πŒΉπŒ½π‰ -𐌹𐌽𐌴
m. in-stem -πŒΏπŒ½πƒ -πŒΏπŒ½π‰ -𐍉 -πŒΉπŒ½π‰ -𐌹𐌽𐌴
f. Δ«n-stem -πŒ΄πŒΉπŒ½πƒ -𐌴𐌹𐌽𐌴 -πŒ΄πŒΉπŒ½π‰
nt. un-stem -πŒ°πŒ½πƒ -πŒ°πŒ½π‰ -πŒΏπŒ½π‰ -𐌿𐌽𐌴
m. un-stem -πŒ°πŒ½πƒ -πŒ°πŒ½π‰ -𐍉 -πŒΏπŒ½π‰ -𐌿𐌽𐌴
f. Ε«n-stem -πŒΏΜ„πŒ½πƒ -πŒΏΜ„πŒ½πŒ΄ -πŒΏΜ„πŒ½π‰

Singular weak nouns are ablauted and take -𐍃 ending after the 𐌽 in all genders and declensions.

Standard duals are ablauted and have an ending -𐍉 attached after the -𐌽- in masculines and neuters and -𐌴 in feminines.

Paucals are unablauted and have an ending -𐍉 attached after the -𐌽- in masculines and neuters and -𐌴 in feminines.

Plurals are unablauted and have an ending -𐌴 attached after the -𐌽- in masculines and neuters and -𐍉 in feminines.

Consonant stems

Singular Dual in. Dual an. Paucal Plural
nt. ct-stem -by(𐌹)𐍃 -ax𐍉 -by𐍉 -cy𐌴
m. ct-stem -by(𐌹)𐍃 -ax𐍉 -by𐍉 -cy𐌴
f. ct-stem -by(𐌹)𐍃 -ax𐌴 -by𐌴 -cy𐍉
nt. d-ct-stem -byπŒΉπƒ -ax𐍉 -by𐍉 -cy𐌴

This table uses the generalized consonant stem notation.

Genitive case as a core oblique is ablauted and uses an ablauted vowel before the consonant. All consonant stems have an ending -𐍃. Depending on if the consonant stem class is void or not, a linking -𐌹- can be inserted before the ending.

Duals are unablauted and have an ending -𐍉 in masculines and neuters and -𐌴 in feminines.

Paucals are ablauted and have an ending -𐍉 in masculines and neuters and -𐌴 in feminines.

Plurals use a plural grade ablauted vowel and have an ending -𐌴 in masculines and neuters and -𐍉 in feminines.

Static consonant stems

Singular Dual in. Dual an. Paucal Plural
nt. sc-stem -πŒΏπŒΈπŒΉπƒ -πŒΏπŒΈπ‰ -𐌿𐌸𐌴
m. sc-stem -𐍃 -𐍉 -𐌴
f. sc-stem -𐍃 -𐌴 -𐍉
m. nd-stem -πŒΉπƒ -𐍉 -𐌴

All static consonant stems end in -𐍃 in singular. Masculine nd-stem has an infix -𐌹- before it.

Masculine and neuter static consonant stems (and masculine nd-stems) as always end in -𐍉 in duals and paucals and -𐌴 in plurals. The feminine endings go the opposite way.

Neuter consonant stems have an -𐌿𐌸- infix in all forms.