Commands or requests may be formulated using VAIs, and verbs conjugated for this purpose are said to be in the imperative mode.
Commands have an implied animate 2nd person subject.
Different endings indicate which 2nd person subject is being used for the command.
Possible subjects are:
singular ''you''
plural ''ye''
inclusive plural ''you and us''
No personal prefixes are needed in this mode.
Commands may exist as the only verb in the sentence or may be in a subordinate clause in which case a conjunct verb is used.
VAI Imperative
| Subject | Vowel stem paradigm | Consonant stem paradigm |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd sg (You) | (vowel stem)-l | (consonant stem)-ih |
| 2nd pl (Ye) | (vowel stem)-kw | (consonant stem)-ookw |
| 1 + 2 (We) | (vowel stem)-tookw | (consonant stem)-ootookw |
Nah áatookw
Let’s go there
(aa)-(tookw)
(stem)-(1+2 imperative)
Láapii iil
Say it again
(ii)-(l)
(stem)-(2p sg imperative)
Simon uw, ‘kulúmapiil’
Simon says, ‘be quiet’
Ngihlaal
Stop
ngíhleew unstable vai-aa he stops
Kwúlupiil
Turn around
kwúlupiiw vai-s turn around
Loohumáasiil knaxk
Show me your hand
Yo aal
Come here
Skuhúnzuwak níipawiikw
Boys stand up
Lumátapiikw
Stand up (ye)
Kaakŭlúksiil
Smile
kaakŭluksuw vai smile
Tihtpihtáasiil
Wave
Alumíhlaal
Go away
alumíhleew vai-aa go away
Kwaxkíhlaal
Go back
kwaxkíhleew vai-aa go back
Máachiil
Go home
máachiiw vai-s go home
Saapiilanuwéexiil
Stick out your tongue
saapiilanuwéexiin vai stick out tongue
Naalanalíhkeel
Take five steps
naalanalíhkeew vai-s he takes 5 steps
Neewalíhkeel
Take four steps
Ngwutalíhkeel
Take one step
Niishalíhkeel
Take two steps
Nxahlíhkeel
Take three steps
Ngwútaash txalíhkeel
Take six steps
Ehkwtóonheel
Stop talking
ehkwtóonheew he stops talking vai-s
Noottóonheel
Start talking
noottóonheew start talking vai-s
Nxáasiil!
Watch out!
nxáasuw he watches out, he is wary
Preverbs with Imperative
Preverbs with imperative forms use the neutral uninflected form of the preverb:
Maw-kawíil
Go to sleep
Peech-maw-míitsiil
Come and eat
Pumu-aakw
Go along
(pumu- pc by, along)
Special cases
Stems ending in (-xiin) drop the final (n) before some imperative endings:
Shungíixiil
Lie down
(shungiixiin) + (l) = (shungiixii)-(l)
Shungíixiikw
(ye) Lie down
Spwutooneexíil
Close your mouth
spwutoonéexiin vai he closes his mouth
VOTIs differ only in the 2nd person singular forms from normal VAIs:
(stem-am) + (l) = ah
(stem-um) + (l) = (ih)
VAI Imperative Special Cases
| Subject | VAI (stem-xiin) | VOTI1a (stem-am) paradigm | VOTI1b (stem-um) paradigm |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd sg (You) | (stem-xii)-l | (stem)-ah | (stem)-ih |
| 2nd pl (Ye) | (stem-xii)-kw | (stem-am)-ookw | (stem-um)-ookw |
| 1 + 2 (We) | (stem-xiin)-ootookw | (stem-am)-ootookw | (stem-um)-ootookw |
| 2nd sg (Don’t you) | chii (stem-xiin)-oowi | chii (stem-am)-oowi | chii (stem-um)-oowi |
| 2nd pl (Don’t ye) | chii (stem-xiin)-ooweekw | chii (stem-am)-ooweekw | chii (stem-um)-ooweekw |
Alumham voti1a row away
Awulsútam voti1a obey
Anzunum voti1b scoop
Akaawihlatoow voti2 hurry, hurry up.
Alúmhah.
Row away.
Alúmhamookw.
(ye) Row away.
Alumhamóotookw.
Let's row away.
Awulsutah.
Obey!
Awulstamookw.
(ye) Obey!
Anzunih.
Scoop!
Anzunumookw
(ye) Scoop!
Akaawihlatool.
Hurry!
Akaawihlatookw.
(ye) Hurry!VAI Prohibitive Mode
Negative commands or prohibitive statements use modified endings which include the negative suffix (oo)(w)(ii)
Chii or chiile precede negative commands. Chii and chíile are like saying “don’t.”
| Subject | Vowel stem paradigm | Consonant stem paradigm |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd sg (You) | chii (vowel stem)-wi | chii (consonant stem)-oowi |
| 2nd pl (Ye) | chii (vowel stem)-weekw | chii (consonant stem)-ooweekw |
Unstable VAI stems ending in (aa) retain the (aa) before prohibitive endings, and those ending in (ii) retain the (ii) before prohibitive endings
Chii nah áaweekw.
Don’t go there (pl)
Chii kweekw líitéeheewu.
Don’t get excited
Chii nah aawu.
Don’t go there.
(eew vai he goes)
Chii nah ach aawu.
Dont even go there.
Chii alumhamoowi.
Don’t row away. (voti1a)
Chii anzunumooweekw.
(ye) Don’t scoop. (voti1b)
Chii akaawihlaatoowi.
Don’t hurry (voti2)
Chii shungiixiinoowi.
Don’t lie down. (vai ending in (-xiin))
Other types of imperatives:
(1) Non verb related commands
Akáawee.
Hurry up.
Haaw ha.
Let’s go.
(2) 3rd person polite imperatives
Subjunctive conjunct mode with (uch)
Miitsíite-uch.
Let him eat.
(3) Subordinative mode mild suggestions
Nŭmíitsiin.
Let me eat.
Numiitsiineen.
Let us eat.
(4) Aayee pc emphatic particle
Aayee ma ktaaptóoneen.
Please speak.
Aayee ma ktaam.
Please go.
(subordinative mode is not mandatory with aayee)
(5) Preverb (kiish-) able to with (aa) could, should
Kiish-aa-míitsi?
Can you please eat?