-nit

See also: nit, nît, niť, нит, and нить

Northern Sami

Etymology

From Proto-Samic *-mëtēk.

Suffix

-nit

1. Forms inchoative verbs from adjectives, indicating change or increase.

   ‎buorrẹ (“good”) + ‎-nit → ‎buorránit (“to become better”)

   ‎headju (“frail, weak, pitiful”) + ‎-nit → ‎hēdjonit (“to become weaker, to decline”)

   ‎bastil (“sharp”) + ‎-nit → ‎basttálmit (“to become sharper”)

   ‎ođas (“new”) + ‎-nit → ‎ođasmit (“to be renewed”)

Usage notes

• This suffix triggers the strong grade on a preceding stressed syllable.

The suffix can also be attached to some adjectives ending in -s or -l, in which case it takes the form -mit. It then triggers the weak grade on the preceding syllable.

Inflection

Odd, no gradation
infinitive	-nit
1st sing. present	-nan
1st sing. past	-nin -nedjen
infinitive	-nit	action noun	-neapmi
present participle	-neaddji	action inessive	-neamen -neame
past participle	-nan	action elative	-neamis
agent participle	—	action comitative	-nēmiin
		abessive	-nkeahttá
	present indicative	past indicative	imperative
1st singular	-nan	-nin -nedjen	-nēhkon
2nd singular	-nat	-nit -nedjet	-n
3rd singular	-na	-nii	-nēhkos -nus
1st dual	-netne	-neimme	-neadnu
2nd dual	-neahppi	-neidde	-neahkki
3rd dual	-neaba	-neigga	-nēhkoska
1st plural	-nit -nat	-neimmet	-nēhkot -neatnot
2nd plural	-nēhpet	-neiddet	-nēhket
3rd plural	-nit	-ne -nedje	-nēhkoset
connegative	-n	-nan	-n
	conditional 1	conditional 2	potential
1st singular	-nivččen	—	-neaččan
2nd singular	-nivččet	—	-neaččat
3rd singular	-nivččii	—	-neš -neaš -neažžá
1st dual	-nivččiime	—	-nežže
2nd dual	-nivččiide	—	-neažžabeahtti
3rd dual	-nivččiiga	—	-neažžaba
1st plural	-nivččiimet	—	-neažžat
2nd plural	-nivččiidet	—	-neažžabehtet
3rd plural	-nivčče	—	-nežžet
connegative	-nivčče	—	-neš -neaš -neačča

Derived terms

Northern Sami terms suffixed with -nit