Language/Fijian/Grammar/Negation
Hi Fijian learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will be discussing the basics of negation in Fijian. Negation is an important part of any language, and it is essential to understand how to use it correctly in order to communicate effectively. We will look at the different ways to express negation in Fijian, as well as some examples of how to use them.
Negation is a way of expressing the opposite of something. In Fijian, there are several ways to express negation. The most common way is to use the particle se before the verb. For example:
- Au se lako - I don't go
- E se vakayagataka - He/she doesn't understand
Another way to express negation is to use the particle sega. This particle is used to express a stronger form of negation. For example:
- Au sega lako - I definitely don't go
- E sega vakayagataka - He/she definitely doesn't understand
The particle sega ni is also used to express a stronger form of negation. For example:
- Au sega ni lako - I absolutely don't go
- E sega ni vakayagataka - He/she absolutely doesn't understand
Finally, the particle sega sara is used to express the strongest form of negation. For example:
- Au sega sara lako - I definitely, absolutely don't go
- E sega sara vakayagataka - He/she definitely, absolutely doesn't understand
It is important to note that the particles se, sega, sega ni and sega sara can all be used with nouns as well as verbs. For example:
- E se dua - He/she doesn't have two
- E sega dua - He/she definitely doesn't have two
- E sega ni dua - He/she absolutely doesn't have two
- E sega sara dua - He/she definitely, absolutely doesn't have two
It is also important to note that the particles se, sega, sega ni and sega sara can all be used with adjectives as well as verbs and nouns. For example:
- E se vinaka - He/she isn't good
- E sega vinaka - He/she definitely isn't good
- E sega ni vinaka - He/she absolutely isn't good
- E sega sara vinaka - He/she definitely, absolutely isn't good
Now that you know the basics of negation in Fijian, let's look at some examples of how to use them in sentences.
Examples
| Fijian | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Au se lako | Ah-oo seh lah-koh | I don't go |
| E sega lako | Eh seh-gah lah-koh | He/she definitely doesn't go |
| Au sega ni lako | Ah-oo seh-gah nee lah-koh | I absolutely don't go |
| E sega sara lako | Eh seh-gah sah-rah lah-koh | He/she definitely, absolutely doesn't go |
| E se dua | Eh seh doo-ah | He/she doesn't have two |
| E sega ni dua | Eh seh-gah nee doo-ah | He/she absolutely doesn't have two |
| E se vinaka | Eh seh vee-nah-kah | He/she isn't good |
| E sega sara vinaka | Eh seh-gah sah-rah vee-nah-kah | He/she definitely, absolutely isn't good |
As you can see, negation in Fijian is quite straightforward. With practice, you will be able to use these particles correctly and confidently in your conversations.
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