Primary Lessons in Swatow Grammar/Lesson VII

by William Ashmore

Substantive Verb.

sĩ,

is; am; are; yes; denotes entity, existence.

úa sĩ,

I am.

lṳ́ sĩ,

you are.

i sĩ,

he is.

ún sĩ; nán sĩ,

we are.

nín sĩ,

you are.

i téng sĩ; in sĩ,

they are.

úa m̄-sĩ,

I am not.

lṳ́ m̄-sĩ,

you are not.

i m̄-sĩ,

he is not.

i sĩ-nâng,

he is a man.

i sĩ-tõ-chhân,

he is in the field.

i sĩ-tōa,

he is large.

i sĩ Tn̂g-nâng,

he is a Chinaman.

úa sĩ Sai-kok-nâng,

I am a Western man.

i sĩ hó-nâng,

he is a good man.

sĩ úa-kâi,

(it) is mine.

sĩ-hó,

(it)„ is„ well.

sĩ chièⁿ-seⁿ,

(it)„ is„ so.

sĩ hièⁿ-seⁿ,

(it)„ is„ like that.

sĩ kak-nâng kâi sṳ̄,

(it) is each one’s business.

sĩ, mé?

is (it) so?

sĩ a-m̄-sĩ?

is (it) so or not?

i sĩ chûn-chú,

he is a ship captain.

i sĩ ba̍k-kang-nâng,

he„ is„ a„ carpenter.

i sĩ sai-pẽ,

he„ is„ a„ master mechanic.

i sĩ ui-seng,

he„ is„ a„ physician.

úa sĩ i-kâi a-hiaⁿ,

I am his elder brother.

úa sĩ i-kâi tī-chṳ́,

I am his pupil.

i sĩ tõiⁿ-it-hó kâi-nâng,

he is a first-rate man.

sĩ kong-sṳ̄,

(it) is a public affair.

sĩ sai-sṳ̄,

(it)„ is„ a„ private affair.

sĩ-kṳ̃n,

(it)„ is„ near.

sĩ-hñg,

(it)„ is„ far off.

sĩ-kûiⁿ,

(it)„ is„ high.

sĩ-kẽ,

(it)„ is„ low.

sĩ-chhim,

(it)„ is„ deep.

sĩ-chhién,

(it)„ is„ shallow.

sĩ-khuah,

(it)„ is„ broad.

sĩ-o̍ih,

(it)„ is„ narrow. Chò is also a substantive verb of so common a use as to call for early consideration in connection with sĩ with which it is often found in combination. Chò originally means to make or to do, then, the thing that is made or done, and hence, to become, to be, is, are, as being, and is sometimes expressd by according to.

In connection with chò as a substantive verb several other words are in constant association. Among those are sêng, to accomplish, and hence it means to become; also pièn or pìⁿ, and

uāⁿ,

to change.

thóiⁿ-chò-hó,

I regard it as being good.

thóiⁿ i chò-pù-nâng,

I look upon him as being a rich man.

chò-chèng-nâng tàⁿ,

as everybody says.

i àiⁿ-chò-tōa,

he wants to be great.

i àiⁿ-chò-gâu,

he wants to be wise.

lia̍h-i chò-chha̍t,

treat him as being a thief.

pí-jũ-i chò-hṳ̂,

compared him to being a fish.

sêng-chò-nâng,

to be a man.

sêng-chò-gâu,

to become wise.

chò-pēⁿ-nâng bõi-tit chhut-mn̂g,

those who are sick cannot go out of doors.

chò Sai-kok-nâng kâi-phah-sǹg,

according to the opinions of Western people.

chò Tn̂g-nâng kâi-huap,

according to Chinese rule.

chang chí-kâi chò-miâ,

he took this to be a name, i.e. took it for a name.

i chò-uá kâi-a-hiaⁿ,

he became my brother.

i sĩ chò-uá kâi-phêng-iú,

he is my friend.

chò-hó-nâng,

be a good person (said to a child).

i chò-tōa, uá chò-sòi,

he is of consequence, and I am insignificant.

kiè-i chò-sin-seⁿ,

addressed him as being a teacher, i.e. called him teacher.

pàng chò-che̍k-ē,

put them together so that they will be one lot.

ha̍h-chò che̍k-kâi,

joined to be one.

seⁿ chò-nâng, tie̍h-khat-khóu,

being born a man, one must bear up bravely.

chò-lṳ́-tàⁿ,

it is for you to speak; as you say.