Everyday verbs in Aja — eat, drink, go, come, buy…: 33 verbs checked against reference sources (Ajagbe of Benin).
1
Verbs
yìalso: yito go
váto come
ɖùalso: ɖuto eat
nùto drink
ɖáto cook
kpɔ́to see
dɔ́n àlɔ̀nalso: dɔ́n alɔnto sleep
sèalso: seto hear
nyáto know (a fact)
núto say
náto give
jìalso: jito want
xwlèto buy
wà èdòto work
jì èhàto sing
ɖú èwèto dance
nɔ̀ ànyìnɔ̀nɔ̀to sit
nɔ̀ ètèto stand
zɔ̀nzɔ̀nlìnto walk
kòto laugh
fànvìto cry
kúto die
nɔ̀to live
lɔnto love
hlɛnto read
hɛnto carry
hunto open
xɔto receive
xo nuxuto speak, to talk
sato sell
soto cut
lɔto tell (a story)
fɔ́nto wake up
Test yourself
1. What does “vá” mean?
2. What does “nú” mean?
3. What does “nɔ̀ ètè” mean?
4. What does “hɛn” mean?
Where do these words come from?
The words in this article come from: A Grammar of Ajagbe (M. Morley, 2011), Lire et écrire l’ajagbe guide (SIL Benin, 2007). They are copied with their exact spelling; when two sources disagree, the variant is shown. Do you speak this language and spot a mistake? Write to us.
The words in this article come from: A Grammar of Ajagbe (M. Morley, 2011), Lire et écrire l’ajagbe guide (SIL Benin, 2007). They are copied with their exact spelling; when two sources disagree, the variant is shown. Do you speak this language and spot a mistake? Write to us.