Language/Nigerian-pidgin/Grammar/Serialized-Verb-Constructions

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verbs that tend to precede other verbs in serialized verb constructions
tek ‘take’	À tek nayf ko̱t yù. ‘I cut you with a knife.’ (instrumental)
kari ‘carry’	À kari nayf ko̱t yù. ‘I cut you with a knife.’ (instrumental)
folo ‘follow’	À folo yù go tawn. ‘I went with you to town.’ (comitative)
fe̱st ‘be first’	À fe̱st tek nayf ko̱t yù. ‘I was first to cut you.’ (precedence)
manij ‘manage’	À manij tek nayf ko̱t yu. ‘I managed to cut you with a knife.’ (success)
verbs that tend to follow other verbs in serialized verb constructions
go ‘go’	À manij tek nayf go tawn. ‘I managed to take a knife to town.’ (motion away)
ko̱m ‘come’	À fe̱st kari nayf ko̱m haws. ‘I was first to bring a knife home.’ (motion to)
kò̱mót ‘exit’	À manij tek nayf kò̱mót kari-àm ko̱m. ‘I managed to extract the knife and bring it.’ (motion out of)
tròwé ‘waste’	Dì wò̱ta fùló̱p tròwé. ‘The water overflowed.’ (excessive)
giv ‘give’	À bay nayf giv yù. ‘I bought you a knife.’ (dative/benefactive)
rich ‘arrive’	Mà haws big rich yò̱ on. ‘My house is as big as yours.’ (equative)
pas ‘surpass’	Mà haws big pas yò̱ on, big pas o̱l. ‘My house is as big as yours, it’s the biggest.’ (comparative/superlative)
se ‘say’	À te̱l yù se à layk go. ‘I told you that I am about to go.’ (subordinator)

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