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Introduction to Nahuatl:
Lesson 3

By motanz

So now that we know how to use instransitive verbs, we can learn some transitive verbs. Transitive verbs need an object, and it goes between the subject and the verb.

The object prefix for me is nēch.
The verb to see is itta.

You see me

Answer: Tinēchitta
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What if it is the other way around?

The object prefix for you is mitz.

I see you

Answer: Nimitzitta
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The verb to love is tlazohtla.

I love you

Answer: Nimitztlazohtla
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Remember that he, she, it and they don’t have a prefix for verbs or nouns. Can you guess the following sentence?

Nēchtlazohtlah

Answer: They love me
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But he, she and it have an object prefix version for verbs:

qu before e and i.

I see it

Answer: Niquitta
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c before consonants, a and o.

I love her

Answer: Nictlazohtla
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qui before consonants if it doesn’t have a subject prefix.

She loves him

Answer: Quitlazohtla
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The verb to hear is caqui
The object prefix for us is tēch.

Can you guess the following sentences?

Titēchcaqui

Answer: You hear us
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Tēchcaquih

Answer: They hear us
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When a word starts with a vowel, the i in the prefixes ni and ti disappears.

The object prefix for you all is amēch.

I hear you all

Answer: Namēchcaqui
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We hear you all

Answer: Tamēchcaquih
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