Primary Lessons in Swatow Grammar/Lesson XVI

by William Ashmore

adverbs.

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Adjectives are constantly used as adverbs, e.g. chûn-mān, the boat is slow. chûn kiâⁿ-mān, the boat moves slow(ly).

A few common adverbs are subjoined.

Perhaps—pa-lak, ho̍k, bô-tiāⁿ-tie̍h.

pa-lak ũ-chûn hó-tah,

perhaps there is a boat on which (you) may embark.

m̄-chai pa-lak ũ-bé hó-khiâ,

perhaps there is a horse on which you may ride.

ho̍k-ũ-kiē hó-chõ,

perhaps there is a sedan which you may take (lit. sit).

ho̍k-chiá huang thàu bô-jie̍h-kú chiũ-kàu,

perhaps the wind will blow, then in no time at all you will be there.

Exceedingly, very—chì; ke̍k; sīm; chãi; nẽⁿ.

ke̍k-tōa,

extremely large; hó-chãi, very good.

thiⁿ-sî sĩm-jua̍h,

the weather is exceedingly hot.

suaⁿ nẽⁿ sĩ-kûiⁿ-kûiⁿ,

the mountain is, O, very high.

hái-tói chhim-chãi,

the sea is very deep.

kan-khóu-chãi,

very hard (to bear).

oh-chãi,

very difficult. chì-chhám-chãi, very severe.

Nearly, almost—chha-m̄-to.

hiám-chhái àiⁿ-ka-lau̍h,

very nearly it was about to fall.

hiám-hiám m̄-kìⁿ,

almost lost sight of it.

lím-lím àiⁿ-pua̍h,

nearly about to fall, or, nearly ready to fall.

chiang-kṳ̃n gō-sí,

nearly starved to death.

chua̍h-se-su õi-ji̍p-káng,

just a little more and then could have entered the channel.

Verily, truly,—sit-chãi; kúaⁿ-chin.

úa si̍t-chãi kāng-lṳ́-tàⁿ,

verily I say unto you.

chí-kâi-sṳ̄ kúaⁿ-chin sĩ a-m̄-sĩ,

this matter is it truly so or not?

chin-chin si̍t-si̍t,

veritably true.

tùi-tùi,

exactly.

Seldom,—hán--tit,

rarely had; hán-ũ, rarely have.

chié-ũ,

seldom have.

hṳ́-kâi-kok chié-ũ,

in that kingdom they rarely have (it so).

sng-soh hán-ũ,

ice and snow (they) seldom have.

oh-chhūe,

hard to find.

khṳ̀ tî-kò chhūe,

where will you go to find it?

Often, constantly—sî-siêⁿ; siêⁿ-siêⁿ; lú-chhṳ̀.

chōi-chōi-hûe pat-ji̍p,

many times he has been in.

kú-ũa-hûe pat-kàu,

a number of times has been there.

sie-sùa tàⁿ bô-hiah,

talked on continuously without stopping.

Again—chài; lêng-gūa.

mài-chài-lài chí-kò,

don’t again come here.

tàⁿ-liáu chài-tàⁿ,

he said it, and said it over again.

thiah-tiāu lêng-gūa-khí,

tear it down and build over again.

Together—chò-pû; che̍k-chôi; tàng.

tâng-chò che̍k-ē,

together in one company.

chò-pû tõ-hṳ́-kò,

together at that place.

tàng-lâi tàng-khṳ̀,

come and go together.

sie-kāng-ēng,

use it together i.e. in common.

Thus—àn-chièⁿ-seⁿ.

like this; àn-hièⁿ-seⁿ, like that.

àiⁿ-chièⁿ-seⁿ chiũ-hó,

have it thus and it will do.

o̍h i-kâi-ūe tàⁿ móng,

móng, móng, he repeated his words saying thus and so and so (quotation).

Only—toaⁿ-toaⁿ chí-che̍k-kâi, tiāⁿ-tiāⁿ, '

only this one exclusively.

put-to̍k chí-kâi, iā-ũ pa̍t-kâi,

not only this one but also another.

m̄-khéng huân-iã-ũ,

not only thus but more. to̍k-it, the only one.

Hitherto—sù-lâi m̄-pat-thiaⁿ,

hitherto I never heard it.

phêng-sù i lâi-chí-bói,

hitherto he has come here to buy.

hiàng-lâi m̄-chêng-ũ,

hitherto have not had (any).

Suddenly—hut-jiên--kan,

in an instant of time.

huh-chē--kiè ia̍p-ia̍p-sih,

all of a sudden it flashed.

ma̍k nih chiũ-m̄-kìⁿ,

in a twinkling and then it was not to be seen.

Presently—sīm--chẽ-kiáⁿ, sīm ẽ-kiáⁿ, ùaⁿ--chē.

chhiáⁿ-būe,

not just yet. ùaⁿ--chē chiũ-chia̍h-pá, presently he will have eaten.

tán--chē lãu-tia chiũ-chõ-tn̂g,

presently the magistrate will take his seat.

Exactly, certainly—tie̍h a-m̄-tie̍h,

is it exactly so or not?

chièⁿ-seⁿ chiũ-tie̍h,

that’s it exactly. pit-tiāⁿ, certainly.

chièⁿ-se- ìn-tap chiũ-tùi,

that answer is exactly it.

Moreover—hûan-iáu; hûan-liáu; lêng-gūa; siãng-chhiáⁿ; liáu.

liáu i thiap ke-che̍k-kù,

moreover he added another sentence.

First &c— tõiⁿ-it; tõiⁿ-jī; tõiⁿ-saⁿ,

1st; 2nd; 3rd.

chò-thâu-ẽ,

at first. thâu-che̍k-kiãⁿ, in the first place; first.

thâu-chhái,

first of all. thâu-chhṳ̀ jī-chhṳ̀, first place and second place.