Language/Sango/Grammar/Adjectives
Hi Sango learners! 😊
In today's lesson, we will be discussing adjectives in the Sango language. Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns and pronouns. They can be used to give more information about a person, place, thing, or idea. In this lesson, we will look at how to use adjectives in Sango, as well as some common examples.
Types of Adjectives
Adjectives can be divided into two main categories: descriptive adjectives and possessive adjectives.
Descriptive Adjectives
Descriptive adjectives are used to describe the qualities of a noun or pronoun. Examples of descriptive adjectives include: big, small, tall, short, happy, sad, etc.
In Sango, descriptive adjectives come before the noun they are describing. For example:
- Ngɔni bɛ̀ ní mbɔ́ - The big house
- Ngɔni bɛ̀ ní kpɔ́ - The small house
Possessive Adjectives
Possessive adjectives are used to show ownership or possession. Examples of possessive adjectives include: my, your, his, her, its, our, their, etc.
In Sango, possessive adjectives come after the noun they are describing. For example:
- Mbɔ́ ní ngɔni bɛ̀ - My house
- Kpɔ́ ní ngɔni bɛ̀ - Your house
Adjective Agreement
In Sango, adjectives must agree with the noun they are describing in terms of gender and number. This means that the adjective must match the gender and number of the noun it is describing.
For example:
- Ngɔni bɛ̀ ní mbɔ́ - The big house (masculine singular)
- Ngɔni bɛ̀ ní mbɔ́-mbɔ́ - The big houses (masculine plural)
- Ngɔni bɛ̀ ní kpɔ́ - The small house (feminine singular)
- Ngɔni bɛ̀ ní kpɔ́-kpɔ́ - The small houses (feminine plural)
Adjective Order
In Sango, adjectives usually follow a specific order when used together. The order is as follows:
1. Quantity or number 2. Quality or opinion 3. Size 4. Age 5. Shape 6. Color 7. Origin 8. Material 9. Purpose
For example:
- Ngɔni bɛ̀ ní mbɔ́-mbɔ́ ní nyɔ́nnyɔ́n - The many big houses
- Ngɔni bɛ̀ ní kpɔ́-kpɔ́ ní nyɔ́nnyɔ́n - The many small houses
Conclusion
In this lesson, we have looked at how to use adjectives in Sango. We have discussed the different types of adjectives, as well as how to use them correctly in terms of agreement and order.
We hope that this lesson has helped you to gain a better understanding of adjectives in Sango.
If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎