Koasati (Coushatta) Language Project

21. Inchaaliliis. I was writing.

naason what (as an object)
sanchi? are you doing?
sanchiisa? were you doing?
Naason sanchiisa?

What were you doing?
     
     
Abooslíliis

I was barbecuing.

     
     
Inchaalíliis. I was writing.
     
     
Naathiikáliis. I was speaking.
     
     
Hopooníliis. I was cooking.
     
     
Hiicháliis. I was looking.
     
     
Waliikáliis. I was running.
     
     
Oki iiskóliis. I was drinking water.
     
     
Noochíliis. I was sleeping.
     
     
Ohompáliis. I was eating (several things).
     
     
Iipáliis. I was eating (one thing).
     
     
Chokkoolíliis. I was sitting down.

Breaking it down:

An ending -sa is used for the recent past.  It makes the vowel before it long:

inchaalili? am I writing?
inchaalíliisa? was I writing?

In a statement, the last vowel is dropped:

Inchaalíliis. I was writing.

We’ve put an accent on the word to help you say the word.  The accent goes on the last vowel of the STEM.

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