Primary Lessons in Swatow Grammar/Lesson VIII

by William Ashmore

Possessive Verb.

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As the verb sĩ denotes chiefly that something exists or is, so ũ denotes possession. It is often used interchangeably with sĩ, and is often combined with it. Thus, i sĩ ũ, he is in possession of, or, emphatically, he has.

Ũ, to have; to possess; to have existence, and, hence, sometimes to be; is; e.g. tie̍h ũ-nâng chãu--i, chiàⁿ õi-tit-ũ, there must be some one to make it, and then it will have, or possess existence..

ũ a-bô,

have you or not?

úa ũ,

I have.

úa m̄-chêng-ũ,

I have not.

lṳ́ ũ,

you have.

i ũ,

he has.

ũ-lí,

has a reason; is reasonable.

ũ-ēng,

has a use; is useful.

ũ-sṳ̄,

has business.

ũ-lói-mãu,

has good breeding.

būe-ũ,

not yet has, or has had.

būe-chêng-ũ,

have not yet had.

bũ-pit-ũ,

certainly has.

m̄-chêng-ũ,

I have not had.

bô-mih-ũ,

have not much.

tie̍h-ũ,

certainly have, has, or must have.

ũ-sî-ũ, ũ-sî-bô,

sometimes have, and sometimes have not.

só-ũ kâi mue̍h-kiãⁿ,

the things which he has.

ũ-kâi-hó, ũ-kâi m̄-hó,

some are good, some are bad.

ũ-kâi put-piẽn,

some things are not expedient.

hûan-iáu-ũ,

there are still more.

hũam-só-ũ,

all which he has.

i-ũ-ngṳ̂n,

he has money.

lṳ́ ũ phêng-an a-bô,

are you at rest or not?

lãi--tang ũ,

inside have got.

lãi-tói ũ,

inside„ have„ got.„

hán-ũ,

seldom have.

ũ chōi-chié,

there are more or less.

ũ ke-kâi a-bô,

are there any more?

i ũ, úa bô,

he has I have not.

i ũ sĩ-mih-pēⁿ,

what disease has he?

chiè-i só-ũ,

according to what he has.

Although sĩ, and ũ are thus necessary in certain short sentences, yet in ordinary conversation they are commonly left out, as the following examples will show.

mī-pau sng,

the bread is sour.

chúi tiâm,

the water is sweet, i.e. fresh.

chúi kiâm,

the water is brackish.

chúi nah-sap,

the water is dirty.

chúi lô,

the water is roily.

chúi sie,

the water is hot.

chúi chhim,

the water is deep.

chúi chhién,

the water is shallow.

chúi kún,

the water is boiling.

chúi lâ-lûn,

the„ water„ is„ tepid.

chúi chié,

the„ water„ is„ limited.

chúi m̄-kàu-chok,

the„ water„ is„ not enough.

chûn o̍ih,

the boat is narrow.

chûn tōa,

the„ boat„ is„ large.

chûn sòi,

the„ boat„ is„ small.

chûn phùa,

the„ boat„ is„ broken.

chûn khiàng,

the„ boat„ is„ strong.

chûn àu,

the„ boat„ is„ rotted.

chûn mé,

the„ boat„ is„ swift.

chûn mān,

the„ boat„ is„ slow.

lōu pêⁿ,

the road is even.

lōu khi-khu,

the„ road„ is„ uneven.

lōu lok-lok,

the„ road„ is„ sloppy.

thiⁿ ou-àm,

the heavens are dark.

suaⁿ kûiⁿ-kûiⁿ,

the mountain is very high.

huang tōa,

the wind is high.

éng chhou,

the waves are rough.

ne̍k jūn,

the meat is tough.

ne̍k chhò,

the„ meat„ is„ tender.

thôu sán,

the soil is sterile.

thôu pûi,

the„ soil„ is„ rich.

ì-sṳ̀ hũn-hũn,

the ideas are confused.

mue̍h-kiãⁿ jṳ̂-jṳ̂,

things are disorderly.

mue̍h-kiãⁿ iap-thiap,

things are orderly.

chhâ phàⁿ,

the wood is brash.

ke-húe lāi,

the tools are sharp.