Pronouns
I. Personal Pronouns. Simple
Singular.
| lst Person | na, nave, nani, | I, me |
| 2nd Person | nu, nove, nuni, | thou, thee |
| 3rd Person | u(ne), ove, uni, | he, she, it, him, her |
Dual.
| lst Person | da, dani, | we, or us two |
| 2nd Person | ya, yani, | you two |
| 3rd Person | tu, tuni, | they, or them two |
Plural.
| 1st Person | di, dini, | we, us |
| 2nd Person | yi yini, | you |
| 3rd Person | mu, muni, | they, them |
1. The first form na, nu, u(ne) etc., is used either as subject or object of the verb, the meaning being only indicated by the position of the word.
Ex. na kuku nu inditsi, I will give thee tobacco; na un’ adatsi, I will strike him; ya di ong’ ando, you two are beside us.
When used before the imperative of the verb indi, to give, na becomes ne.
Ex. ne i, ne inde, give me.
2. The forms nave and ove are rarely used. The commonest use is with the words ete, to say, ende, also.
Ex. nav’ elete, I said; ov’ elete, he said; nav’ ende, nov’ ende, ov’ ende, I also, thou also, he also.
3. The forms nani, nuni, etc., are employed when the verb is understood, or to indicate opposition or emphasis.
Ex. da gatsi? dini; who will go? we (will); nuni kakape ta, nani kakava, you are weak, but I am strong; nani a baibe, I am a great man.
4. The dual is generally observed by the natives. Adjectives used with the dual pronoun take the singular form.
Ex. dani sosonga, we (are) idle,
5. The dual is often employed with two subjects one of which is plural.
Ex. Kakao tu, tsimani u g’anga, Kakao they two, with the policemen, have started.
When dani is used alone it is generally inclusive of the person addressed, and means “I and thou.” If the third person is intended the name is used: dani Okomi’ u da gatsi, we two Okomi with we will go. Yani is used in a similar way, when one of the persons referred to is not present: ya, Dun’u yani natsi, you two Dune with you will go. The use of the conjunction u(ne) with the second member of the subject does not appear to be constant.
6. The pronoun of the third person singular u(ne) when it is the direct object of the verb usually follows, and often takes the form -unde.
Ex. kodigitsi mau, put it in the dish; nag’ al’ unde, I have seen him.
II. Personal Pronouns. Compound
From the pronouns na, nu, etc., are derived by means of the suffix -muku, alone, the forms namuku, numuku, etc., with the meanings, “I alone, without company,” etc.
The suffix -mule, is equivalent to self, namule, numule, etc., myself, thyself, etc.
From nani, nuni, etc., come the forms: naniende, or nanienge, etc., meaning myself in person, etc.; nanieke, nunieke, etc., from -eke, alone; naniova, etc., it is my business, nanibila, I by myself, without help. Nani endebila is more emphatic than nanibila.
Ex. numuku andola? art thou quite alone? da gatsi? uniende; who will go? he himself; nu da? nanienge; who art thou? it is myself; amed’ unieke ando, the chief is alone; ake muniova, it is the men’s business; dinieke al’ andetsi, we will stay here alone; isong’ unibila, his own rainbow appears.
III. Possessive Pronouns
1. These are formed from the simple forms of the personal pronouns by suffixing -ula(ne) literally “his thing.”
| Singular. | Dual. | Plural. |
| 1. naula(ne) | 1. daula(ne) | 1. diula(ne) |
| 2. nula(ne) | 2. yaula(ne) | 2. yula(ne) |
| 3. ula(ne) | 3. tula(le) | 3. mula(ne) |
They translate the English mine, thine, etc. Sometimes in compounds the final n becomes nd. Ex. nauland’ aua, here is mine.
2. The adjectival forms appear without the syllable la.
| Singular. | Dual. | Plural. |
| 1. nau(le) | 1. dau(le) | 1. diu(le) |
| 2. nu(le) | 2. yau(le) | 2. yu(le) |
| 3. u(le) | 3. tu(le) | 3. mu(le) |
These adjectives precede the noun which they govern. With personal nouns the forms naula, etc., are sometimes used.
Ex. nau me and naula me, my son; diu vase and diula vase, our guest.
Note.—The form nulu is heard in the phrase nulu babe, thy father.
The suffix mule is also used in the sense of “own.”
Ex. numul’ ul’ i to, n’ alo, your own name, which I know; namul’ ul i, my own name. These suggest that the true possessive is simply ul(e) or ula(ne).
IV. Interrogative Pronouns
1. These are: Da(le)? dau(ne)? who, which? anda(le)? what? unau? which? They are used also as adjectives.
Ex. Nu da? who art thou? dau ga ne? who has eaten it? anda l’ elete? what did he say? Ivi: unau? Ivi: which one?
2. When the verb is preceded by the particle ga, dau(ne) must be used instead of da(le).
V. Indefinite Pronouns
These are the same as the Indefinite Adjectives.
VI. Relative Pronouns
The suffix niu(ne) or u(ne) takes the place of a relative pronoun.
Ex. A yaigegemune, the man who descends; audati itedemu bulitsi jalo tolom elota, in the garden which they are cutting now when the food is ripe; ovo jamun’ imbade, the meat taken from the pig; fal’ itamun’ akeda, the men who have dug the ground.