Review 1

Choose the answer which best describes the picture!

• nîso minôsak

• nisto minôsak

• nisto minôsisak

• nîso minôsisak

Answer explanation

Here the number three "nisto" combines with the diminutive form of cat = "minôs-is" with the animate plural marker "-ak"

Choose the answer which best describes the picture!

• ana iskwêw pimpipahtâw

• awa nâpêw pimipahtâw

• ana nâpêsis pimohtêw

• ana nâpêw pimohtêw

Answer explanation

Here the sentence means "awa (this.AN) nâpêw (man) pimipahtâw (run-3rd.sing)"

Note that "nâpêsis" means boy, as this is the diminutive form

Choose the answer which best describes the picture! - NB: here we are talking about John's son

• okosisa John nêwo itahtopiponêyiwa

• okosisa John nêwo itahtopiponêw

• okosisa John niyânan itahtopiponêw

• okosisa John niyânan itahtopiponêyiwa

Answer explanation

The correct sentence is as follows: "okosisa (son-obv) John niyânan (=5) itahtopiponêyiwa (to.be.a.certain.age-4th person)"

If we were to translate the following sentences into Cree, which would require the fourth person conjugation?

• My mother works here

• Does your friend work here?

• Where do his friends work?

• John works here!

Answer explanation

In the case of the sentence "Where do his friends work?" - irrespective of the plurality of the subject, obviation (=fourth person) is required in contexts where the subject is twice removed - i.e., the friend of a friend context

Take this verb and put it into the past tense and remove the preverb: "nika-ati-minihkwânân" -- then think about how to translate into English...

Answer explanation

"nikî-minihkwânân"

= We (excl) drank

In Cree, intransitive verbs follow a basic template - choose the appropriate template structure form the answers below:

• 1) Person indicator,

  2) Preverb,

  3) Tense indicator,

  4) Verb stem,

  5) Ending (person/number)

• 1) Person indicator,

  2) Preverb 1,

  3) Tense indicator,

  4) Preverb 2,

  5) Verb stem,

  6) Ending (person/number)

• 1) Person indicator,

  2) Tense indicator,

  3) Preverb,

  4) Verb stem,

  5) Ending (person/number)

• 1) Tense indicator,

  2) Person indicator,

  3) Preverb,

  4) Verb stem,

  5) Ending (person/number)

Answer explanation

1) Person indicator,

2) Tense indicator,

3) Preverb,

4) Verb stem,

5) Ending (person/number)

This is the appropriate layout for the verbal sandwich: e.g., "nikî-pêyako-nipân" (=I slept alone)

Imagine we have one beaver (pêyak amisk) and we add two more, how would you write the number and noun together:

Answer explanation

"nisto amiskwak"

nisto(=3), and don't forget the irregular plural ending after noun stems ending with a "k"

If the word for restaurant is "mîcisowikamik", and the preposition near is "cîki" -- how do I write near the restaurant in Cree?

Answer explanation

"cîki mîcisowikamikohk"

- Recall that the preposition forces the noun to appear in the locative form

Choose the best translation for the English sentence:

"I will eat when you (singular) go home"

• nita-mîcison kîwêyani

• nika-mîcison kîwêyani

• nika-mîcison ispîhk kâ-kî-kîwêyan

• nika-mîcison ê-wî-kîwêyan

Answer explanation

"nika-mîcison kîwêyani"

The first word means "I will eat", using the future definite and the second word is the future conditional form of the AIV "kîwê" (=to go home), 2nd person singular form

Choose the yes/no (=polar) question which is grammatically correct -- then try to think of the English translation:

• John otôtêma namôya kî-miyo-nipâyiwa cî?

• nitôtêm namôya kî-miyo-nipâyiwa cî?

• John otôtêma namôya kî-nipâw cî?

• John otôtêma namôya kî-miyo-nipâyiwa?

Answer explanation

"John otôtêma namôya kî-miyo-nipâyiwa cî?"

= Did John's friend sleep well?

- the "cî" particle is required to form a yes/no question - and the fourth person conjugation is required following the friend-of-a-friend pattern