Cree verb classes
ᒥᓯᓂᐦᐧᐋᐤ | ![]() |
misinihwaau | She writes him (his name) down |
ᒥᓯᓂᐦᐊᒻ | ![]() |
misiniham | She is writing it |
ᒥᓯᓈᓲ | ![]() |
misinaasuu | She (her name) is written down |
ᒥᓯᓈᑖᐤ | ![]() |
misinaataau | It is written |
Where English uses the same verb to write, Cree makes a difference depending on two factors: transitivity and gender.
Based on the number of roles that a verb has and the gender (animate, inanimate) of these roles, four main classes of verbs stems can be established.
Animate | Inanimate | |||||
One Role (Intransitive) | Animate Intransitive (VAI) | Inanimate Intransitive (VII) | ||||
ᒥᓯᓈᓲ᙮ | ![]() |
misinaasuu | ᒥᓯᓈᑖᐤ᙮ | ![]() |
misinaataau | |
Two Roles (Transitive) | Transitive Animate (VTA) | Transitive Inanimate (VTI) | ||||
ᒥᓯᓂᐦᐧᐋᐤ᙮ | ![]() |
misinihwaau | ᒥᓯᓂᐦᐊᒻ᙮ | ![]() |
misiniham |
Most verbs will have specific forms for each of these classes: VII, VTI, VTA or VAI, identified by different endings and different stems [see verb stems, verb inflection].
The following Cree definitions are suggested for these four classes:
Verb | ᐃᐦᑐᐧᐃᓐ | ihtuwin | |
---|---|---|---|
VII (Inanimate Intransitive) | ᐋ ᐃᔅᐱᔨᒡ/ᐋ ᐃᔑᓈᑯᐦᒡ ᒑᐧᑳᓐ | ![]() |
aa ispiyich/aa ishinaakuhch chaakwaan |
VAI (Animate Intransitive) | ᐋ ᐃᐦᑎᒃ ᐊᐧᐋᓐ | ![]() |
aa ihtik awaan |
VTI (Transitive Inanimate) | ᐋ ᐃᐦᑑᑎᐦᒃ ᒑᐧᑳᔨᐤ | ![]() |
aa ihtuutihk chaakwaayiu |
VTA (Transitive Animate) | ᐋ ᐃᐦᑑᑎᐧᐋᑦ ᐊᐧᐋᔨᐤᐦ | ![]() |
aa ihtuutiwaat awaayiuh |