Primary Lessons in Swatow Grammar/Lesson XIV

by William Ashmore

Prepositions and equivalents.

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At—tõ-chhù,

at home.

i tõ-choh khang-khùe,

he is at (doing) work.

i tõ-hièⁿ-pôiⁿ,

he is at the other side.

i tõ-chṳ-che,

he is at the school.

tõ-chia̍h ji̍t-tàu-pn̄g kâi sî-hāu,

at the time of eating the noon rice (dinner time).

On—tõ-hṳ́-téng,

on there.

tõ tû-téng--kò,

on the top of the cupboard.

tõ hái-mīn,

on the sea. tõ tī-chiēⁿ, on the globe.

tõ mîn-chhn̂g-téng,

on the bed.

tõ thâu-téng phûan-thâu-pòu,

on his head was wound a turban.

tõ chûn-téng ũ chōi-chōi-nâng,

on the boat there were many people.

tõ lōu-chiēⁿ chiũ ngõ--tie̍h i,

on the road I met him.

In—lãi,

in. i ji̍p-lãi, he entered in. tõ i-lãi, in.

lãi ũ sin-seⁿ hó-mn̄g,

within is a teacher (of whom you) may inquire.

lãi ũ sĩ-mih-mue̍h bô?

within is there anything or not?

àng-tói ũ-chúi,

in the jar is water.

To—i khṳ́ Ē-mn̂g,

he has gone (to) Amoy.

i ji̍p-lãi-tī,

he has gone (to) the country.

àiⁿ-khṳ̀ tî-kò?

wants to go (to) where?

kàu-chí-lâi,

up to this (time or place).

chò-mih-sṳ̄ khṳt-i?

he did what to him?

tùi-i tàⁿ,

said to him.

saⁿ, khie̍h-hôiⁿ--i,

the jacket, take and give it to him.

Of—kâi,

of (see Possessive Case).

Beyond—Thêng-hái kùe-khṳ̀,

beyond Theng-hai.

kùe-kài-hãn,

beyond the boundary.

kùe-kok,

beyond the kingdom. kùe-sî, beyond the time.

kùe-hūn,

beyond what pertains to him.

kùe-úa só-siẽⁿ,

beyond what I supposed.

Jit-pńg-kok kùe-khṳ́ chiũ-sĩ hái,

beyond Japan it is ocean.

chōi-kùe i só-hun-hù,

beyond what he enjoined.

Adjoining—sie-kiam-kài,

adjoining each other.

nõ-koiⁿ chhù-ãu sie-tú,

the backs of the two houses touch each other.

Up and down—chiēⁿ-ẽ,

above and below.

tõ-chiēⁿ--kò lo̍h--lâi,

he came down from up there.

peh-chiẽⁿ-suaⁿ,

he climbed up the hill.

àiⁿ-chiẽⁿ chiũ-chiẽⁿ, àiⁿ-lo̍h chiũ-lo̍h,

if he wants to go up he’ll go up, if he wants to come down he'll come down.

khí--khṳ̀ lo̍h--lâi,

ascend and descend.

Over and under—tõ-mn̂g-bâi-chiēⁿ,

over the door.

suaⁿ-chiēⁿ ũ-hûn,

over the mountain there was a cloud.

tõ-chhn̂g-ẽ ũ-kha-ta̍h,

under the table is a footstool.

tõ-chhn̂g-téng ũ-mue̍h-kiãⁿ,

on the table were some things.

jī-cha̍p-gūa,

over twenty.

jī-cha̍p ũ-ṳ̂,

twenty and more.

Around—sì-chiu-ûi ũ-láu-chiàng,

all around were soldiers.

sì-phìⁿ chiũ-chúi,

all around was water.

chiu-ûi chẽng-chẽng sĩ-tek,

all around were bamboos.

Through—sie-thàng,

through from one to the other.

thàng-hṳ́-tiáu-hāng,

through that passage way.

àiⁿ-sú kài-khang õi-thàng a-bõi?

I want to bore a hole, can it go through or not? õi-thàng, can go through.

thàng-chí-kò kùe,

went through this way.

õi-thong-huang,

the wind can pass through.

With—khie̍h-bí-niêⁿ chò-pû-khṳ̀,

take rice along.

kāng-i phue̍h-ūe,

chat with him.

Until—kàu, chí-kàu, tán-kàu, thẽng-kàu, thãi-kàu.

Outside and inside—gūa-kháu,

outside.

gūa-mīn; lāi-mīn,

outside; inside.

About—hieⁿ-lí chôiⁿ-ãu,

all about the village.

iak-lia̍k-tàⁿ chiũ-hó,

say about how it is, will do.

iak-pān,

an estimate of about how much.

Before and behind—kṳ̃n-chôiⁿ, tō-mīn-chôiⁿ, thâu-chôiⁿ;

before (in place), thâu-soiⁿ, before (in time).

ka-chiah-ãu,

pùe-ãu, behind.

Since—íⁿ-ãu, chiá-sṳ̄-ãu,

since the affair.

tâng-tiâng-sî ũ-chièⁿ-seⁿ?

since when has it been so?

sṳ̄ íⁿ-ãu kàu-taⁿ,

since the affair down till now.

Backwards and forwards—chìn-chôiⁿ nõ-saⁿ-pōu,

go forwards two or three steps.

thò-ãu kúi-hua̍h,

go backward a few steps.