Unit 2: Pronouns
- Unit 2 Vocabulary
- Lesson 1: Near Demonstrative Pronouns
- Lesson 2: Personal Pronouns
- Lesson 4: Indefinite Pronoun ⲛⲓⲃⲉⲛ
- Lesson 5: Genitive
Unit 2 Vocabulary
General Vocabulary
| Coptic | English | Gender | Irregular Plural |
| ϩⲱⲃ | thing | M | ϩ̀ⲃⲏⲟⲩⲓ |
| ⲛⲓⲃⲉⲛ | every | M/F |
Adjectives
| Coptic | English | Gender | Irregular Plural |
| ⲃⲉⲣⲓ | new | ||
| ⲁⲡⲁⲥ | old | ||
| ⲛⲓϣϯ | great | ||
| ⲕⲟⲩϫⲓ | small | ||
| ⲥⲁⲃⲉ | wise | ⲥⲁⲃⲉⲩ | |
| ⲥⲁⲃⲏ | wise | ⲥⲁⲃⲉⲩ | |
| ⲥⲟϫ | fool (adj. foolish) | ||
| ⲛⲟⲩⲃ | gold | ||
| ϩⲁⲧ | silver |
Body Parts
| Coptic | English | Gender | Irregular Plural |
| ̀ⲁⲫⲉ | head | F | ⲁⲫⲏⲟ̀ⲩⲓ |
| ϫⲓϫ | hand | F | |
| ⲃⲁⲗ | eye | M | |
| ⲣⲱ | mouth | M | ⲣⲱⲟⲩ |
| ⲙⲁϣϫ | ear | M | |
| ϣⲁⲓ | nose | M | |
| ⲗⲁⲥ | tongue | M | |
| ⲛⲁϫϩⲓ | tooth | F | |
| ⲛⲁϩⲃⲓ | neck | F | |
| ⲁⲙⲏⲣ | arm | M | |
| ⲯⲩⲭⲏ | soul | F (Greek) | |
| ⲡⲛⲉⲩⲙⲁ | spirit | M (Greek) |
Inflected Adjectives
| Coptic |
English |
| ̀ⲙⲙⲁⲩⲁⲧ= | only |
| ⲧⲏⲣ= | all |
| ϩⲱ= | also |
| ̀ⲙⲙⲓⲛ ̀ⲙⲙⲟ= | own |
Lesson 1: Near Demonstrative Pronouns
Near Demonstrative Pronoun
| Masculine (this) | Feminine (this) | Plural (these) |
| ⲫⲁⲓ | ⲑⲁⲓ | ⲛⲁⲓ |
A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun. For example, instead of saying "the man" we may say "him." Or instead of saying "the big brown chair," we may say "it." Demonstrative Pronouns work in the same way. When using the near demonstrative as a pronoun, it takes the place of a noun. For example instead of saying "this man" (and having the demonstrative "this" describe the subject "man"), you may want to say "this is the man" where the demonstrative "this" acts as a pronoun and the subject of the sentence, and "man" acts as the object.
Examples
| <Definite Subject> | ⲡⲉ/ⲧⲉ/ⲛⲉ | <Definite Object> | Translation |
| ⲫⲁⲓ | ⲡⲉ | ⲡⲓⲣⲱⲙⲓ | This is the man |
| ⲛⲁⲓ | ⲛⲉ | ⲛⲓϩⲓⲟⲙⲓ | These are the women |
| ⲫⲁⲓ | ⲡⲉ | ̀ⲡϣⲏⲣⲓ ̀ⲙⲫⲛⲟⲩϯ | This is the Son of God |
| ⲛⲁⲓ | ⲛⲉ | ⲛⲁ̀ⲥⲛⲏⲟⲩ | These are my brothers |
Emphatic Construction
There is a special set construction in Coptic that uses both the Near Demonstrative Article and the Near Demonstrative Pronoun as a way of emphasis.
ⲡⲁⲓⲁⲫⲟⲧ ⲫⲁⲓ: Translating this literally would render "this chalice this" which is nonsense. A better way to translate the emphasis on the demonstrative is: "this very chalice."
We will see this construction in Application 1 below.
Application
Application 1:
This is an excerpt from the Thanksgiving Prayer as prayed by the priest during the Divine Liturgy, the Crowning Ceremony and the Consecration of the Waters of Baptism.
| ̀ⲁⲗⲓⲧⲟⲩ ̀ⲉⲃⲟⲗϩⲁⲣⲟⲛ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲉ̀ⲃⲟⲗϩⲁ ⲡⲉⲕⲗⲁⲟⲥ ⲧⲏⲣϥ ⲛⲉⲙ ̀ⲉⲃⲟⲗϩⲁ ⲧⲁⲓ̀ⲧⲣⲁⲡⲉⲍⲁ ⲑⲁⲓ ⲛⲉⲙ ̀ⲉⲃⲟⲗϩⲁ ⲡⲁⲓⲙⲁ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ ̀ⲛⲧⲁⲕ ⲫⲁⲓ. | …take them away from us and from all Your people, and from this table, and from this Your holy place. |
| ⲛⲉⲙ ̀ⲉⲃⲟⲗϩⲁ ⲛⲁⲓⲡⲁⲧϣⲉⲗⲉⲧ ⲛⲁⲓ | and from this bridegroom and bride |
| ⲛⲉⲙ ̀ⲉⲃⲟⲗϩⲁ ⲧⲁⲓⲕⲟⲗⲩⲙⲃⲏⲑⲣⲁ ⲑⲁⲓ | and from this basin |
- ⲡⲉⲕⲗⲁⲟⲥ ⲧⲏⲣϥ - "All Your people"
- The use of ⲧⲏⲣϥ (and ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ, ⲧⲏⲣⲉⲛ, etc.) will be covered in a future lesson, but it is commonplace and you should have a rough understanding of it by now
- The use of ⲧⲏⲣϥ (and ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ, ⲧⲏⲣⲉⲛ, etc.) will be covered in a future lesson, but it is commonplace and you should have a rough understanding of it by now
- ⲧⲁⲓ̀ⲧⲣⲁⲡⲉⲍⲁ ⲑⲁⲓ - "this very table"
- ⲡⲁⲓⲙⲁ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ ̀ⲛⲧⲁⲕ ⲫⲁⲓ - "this very place that is holy that is Yours"
- ⲛⲁⲓⲡⲁⲧϣⲉⲗⲉⲧ ⲛⲁⲓ - "this very bridegroom and bride"
- The noun here ϣⲉⲗⲉⲧ can mean bride or groom and in the plural typically means both.
- In Arabic this is translated as العروسين, but there is no single word to represent that in English ("newlywed" might be the closest) so we translate it as "the bridegroom and bride."
- Although it is plural, you see that in both Arabic and English we translated it as dual (Arabic through conjugation, English through listing two subjects). This is due to the context (i.e. a Crowning Ceremony with one bridegroom and one bride).
- ⲧⲁⲓⲕⲟⲗⲩⲙⲃⲏⲑⲣⲁ ⲑⲁⲓ - "this very basin"
Application 2:
These are responses from the Institution Narrative in the Divine Liturgy.
| ⲫⲁⲓ ̀ⲁⲣⲧⲓϥ ̀ⲉⲡⲁⲉⲣ̀ⲫⲙⲉⲩ̀ⲓ | This do in remembrance of Me |
| ⲫⲁⲓ ⲡⲉ ϧⲉⲛ ⲟⲩⲙⲉⲑⲙⲏⲓ. ⲁⲙⲏⲛ | This is in truth. Amen. |
| ⲫⲁⲓ ⲟⲛ ⲡⲉ ϧⲉⲛ ⲟⲩⲙⲉⲑⲙⲏⲓ. ⲁⲙⲏⲛ | This also is in truth. Amen. |
Application 3:
These are excerpts from the Confession Prayer at the end of the Liturgy (the priest's confession as well as the deacon's confession).
| ϫⲉ ⲑⲁⲓ ⲧⲉ ϯⲥⲁⲣⲝ ̀ⲛⲣⲉϥⲧⲁⲛϧⲟ... | This is the life-giving flesh |
| ϯⲛⲁϩϯ ϯⲛⲁϩϯ ϯⲛⲁϩϯ ϫⲉ ⲑⲁⲓ ⲧⲉ ϧⲉⲛ ⲟⲩⲙⲉⲑⲙⲏⲓ ⲁⲙⲏⲛ | I believe, I believe, I believe, that this is in truth. Amen. |
Biblical Examples
| ⲫⲁⲓ ⲡⲉ ̀ⲡⲟⲩⲣⲟ ̀ⲛⲧⲉ ⲛⲓⲓⲟⲩⲇⲁⲓ | "this is the king of the Jews" (Matthew 27:37) |
| ⲫⲁⲓ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲁⲥⲱⲙⲁ | "this is My Body" (Luke 22:19) |
| ϧⲉⲛ ϯ̀ⲕⲣⲓⲥⲓⲥ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲡⲁⲓϫⲱⲟⲩ | "in the Judgment with this generation" (Matthew 12:41) |
Exercises
Exercise 1: Translate to Coptic
Translate the following phrases into Coptic:
Exercise 2: Translate to English
Translate the following phrases into English:
Resources
- Page 46 of Sameh Younan PDF
- Page 143 of Nabil Mattar
- Lesson 3 of Moawad Daoud
- ACTS 2990 Introduction to the Coptic Language (Bohairic) with Hany Takla Lesson 2b
Lesson 2: Personal Pronouns
Personal Pronouns
Pronouns take the place of a noun. We briefly introduced pronouns with the Demonstrative Pronouns in a previous lesson. In this lesson, we will examine the Personal Pronouns (i.e. pronouns that describe or take the place of a person).
| Coptic | English | Person | Number |
| ⲁⲛⲟⲕ | I | 1st | Singular |
| ⲁⲛⲟⲛ | We/Us | 1st | Plural |
| ̀ⲛⲑⲟⲕ | You (m.) | 2nd | Singular |
| ̀ⲛⲑⲟ | You (f.) | 2nd | Singular |
| ̀ⲛⲑⲱⲧⲉⲛ | You (pl.) or Y'all | 2nd | Plural |
| ̀ⲛⲑⲟϥ | He | 3rd | Singular |
| ̀ⲛⲑⲟⲥ | She | 3rd | Singular |
| ̀ⲛⲑⲱⲟⲩ | Them | 3rd | Plural |
Examples
| <Definite Subject> | ⲡⲉ/ⲧⲉ/ⲛⲉ | <Definite Object> | Translation |
| ⲁⲛⲟⲕ | ⲡⲉ | ⲡⲓⲣⲱⲙⲓ | I am the man |
| ⲁⲛⲟⲕ | ⲧⲉ | ϯ̀ⲥϩⲓⲙⲓ | I am the woman |
| ⲁⲛⲟⲛ | ⲛⲉ | ⲛⲓⲣⲱⲙⲓ | We are the men |
| ̀ⲛⲑⲟ | ⲧⲉ | ϯϣⲟⲩⲣⲏ | You are the censer |
| ̀ⲛⲑⲟⲥ | ⲧⲉ | ϯ̀ⲥϩⲓⲙⲓ | She is the woman |
| ⲁⲛⲟⲕ | ⲡⲉ | ⲡⲓⲕⲟⲩϫⲓ | I am the "small person" or "young person" |
| ̀ⲛⲑⲟⲥ | ⲧⲉ | ϯⲟⲩⲣⲱ | She is the queen |
| ̀ⲛⲑⲟⲕ | ⲡⲉ | ̀ⲫⲛⲟⲩϯ | You are God |
| ̀ⲛⲑⲟⲕ | ⲡⲉ | ⲡⲁⲛⲟⲩϯ | You are my God |
Application
Application 1:
This is an excerpt from .
Application 2:
This is an excerpt from
Biblical Examples
Exercises
Exercise 1: Translate to Coptic
Translate the following into Coptic:
Exercise 2: Translate to English
Translate the following phrases into English:
Resources
- "A Study in Bohairic Coptic" by Nabil Matar; p162
- See Moawad Daoud Lesson 2
- See Sameh Younan page 59 in the PDF
- ACTS 2990 Introduction to the Coptic Language (Bohairic) with Hany Takla Lesson 3A
Lesson 4: Indefinite Pronoun ⲛⲓⲃⲉⲛ
Indefinite Pronoun ⲛⲓⲃⲉⲛ
Exercises
Exercise 1: Translate to Coptic
Translate the following into Coptic:
Exercise 2: Translate to English
Translate the following phrases into English:
Resources
"A Study in Bohairic Coptic" by Nabil Matar; p337, 341, 342
See Moawad Daoud Lesson
See Sameh Younan page in the PDF
ACTS 2990 Introduction to the Coptic Language (Bohairic) with Hany Takla Lesson
Lesson 5: Genitive
Genitive
The Genitive is a preposition that is used to denote possession (i.e. when some noun or pronoun belongs to some other noun or pronoun). In Coptic, the Genitive can be denoted by one of the articles ̀ⲙ or ̀ⲛ, or the preposition ̀ⲛⲧⲉ.
Articles ̀ⲙ and ̀ⲛ
<possessed noun> ̀ⲙ<possessor> when the possessor noun starts with ⲙ ⲡ ⲃ ⲫ ⲯ.
<possessed noun> ̀ⲛ<possessor> in all other cases.
Examples:
| ̀ⲡⲏⲓ ̀ⲙⲡⲓⲣⲱⲙⲓ | the house of the man |
| ̀ⲡⲟⲩⲣⲟ ̀ⲛϯⲃⲁⲕⲓ | the king of the city |
| ̀ⲡⲟⲩⲧⲁϩ ̀ⲙⲡⲓ̀ϣϣⲏⲛ | the fruit of the tree |
| ̀ⲙ̀ⲫⲣⲟ ̀ⲙⲡⲓⲡⲁⲣⲁⲇⲓⲥⲟⲥ | the door of the Paradise |
| ̀ⲡϫⲓⲛ̀ⲓ ̀ⲙⲡⲓⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ | the coming of Christ |
| ̀ⲡϣⲱⲕ ̀ⲛϯⲙⲉⲧⲣⲁⲙⲁ̀ⲟ | the depth of the riches |
| ̀ⲑⲛⲉϫⲓ ̀ⲛϯⲡⲁⲣⲑⲉⲛⲟⲥ | the womb of the Virgin |
| ̀ⲡϣⲟⲩϣⲟⲩ ̀ⲛⲛⲓⲡⲁⲣⲑⲉⲛⲟⲥ | the pride of the virgins |
| ϯⲑⲉⲟⲧⲟⲕⲓⲁ ̀ⲙ̀ⲡ̀ⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ̀ⲙ̀ⲡ̀ⲧⲓⲟⲟⲩ | the Theotokia of Thursday |
Preposition ̀ⲛⲧⲉ
<possessed noun> ̀ⲛⲧⲉ <possessor>
The use of ̀ⲛⲧⲉ for the possessive can be used in any situation, but is especially used in the following situations:
- After an indefinite noun (e.g. ⲟⲩⲃⲱⲕⲓ ̀ⲛⲧⲉ ⲫⲛⲟⲩϯ)
- Nouns with demonstrative prefixes (ⲡⲁⲓϫⲱⲙ ̀ⲛⲧⲉ ⲡⲁⲥⲟⲛ)
- Nouns with a following modifier (̀ⲡϣⲏⲣⲓ ̀ⲛϭⲁⲗⲉ ̀ⲛⲧⲉ ̀ⲫⲣⲱⲙⲓ)
Examples:
| ⲟⲩⲃⲱⲕⲓ ̀ⲛⲧⲉ ⲫⲛⲟⲩϯ | a servant (f.) of God |
| ⲡⲁⲓϫⲱⲙ ̀ⲛⲧⲉ ⲡⲁⲥⲟⲛ | this book of my brother |
| ̀ⲡϣⲏⲣⲓ ̀ⲛϭⲁⲗⲉ ̀ⲛⲧⲉ ̀ⲫⲣⲱⲙⲓ | the lame son of the man |
| ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲡⲉ ⲫⲛⲟⲩϯ ̀ⲛⲧⲉ ⲛⲉⲕⲓⲟϯ | I am the God of your fathers |
| ⲡⲓⲗⲟⲅⲟⲥ ̀ⲛⲧⲉ ⲫⲓⲱⲧ | the Logos of the Father |
| ̀ⲡϣⲟⲩϣⲟⲩ ̀ⲛⲧⲉ ⲡⲉⲛⲅⲉⲛⲟⲥ | the pride of our race |
Pronominal Possessor
<possessed noun> ̀ⲛⲧ=
The pronominal form of the preposition ̀ⲛⲧⲉ is ̀ⲛⲧ=
| 1st Person S | My | ̀ⲛⲧⲏⲓ |
| 2nd Person M | Your (m.) | ̀ⲛⲧⲁⲕ |
| 2nd Person F | Your (f.) | ̀ⲛⲧⲉ |
| 3rd Person M | His | ̀ⲛⲧⲁϥ |
| 3rd Person F | Her |
̀ⲛⲧⲁⲥ |
| 1st Person P | Our | ̀ⲛⲧⲁⲛ |
| 2nd Person P | Your (p.) | ̀ⲛⲧⲱⲧⲉⲛ |
| 3rd Person P | Their | ̀ⲛⲧⲱⲟⲩ |
Examples:
| ⲟⲩⲃⲱⲕ ̀ⲛⲧⲁⲕ | a servant of yours |
| ⲡⲁⲓϫⲱⲙ ̀ⲛⲧⲁϥ | this book of his |
| ϣⲟⲙⲧ ̀ⲛϣⲏⲣⲓ ̀ⲛⲧⲁⲥ | three sons of hers |
Possessive Pronouns
These pronouns are used in place of a possessive noun ("My <noun>")
| English | m. Object | f. Object | p. Object | |
| 1st Person S | Mine | ⲫⲱⲓ | ⲑⲱⲓ | ⲛⲟⲩⲓ |
| 2nd Person M | Yours (m.) | ⲫⲱⲕ | ⲑⲱⲕ | ⲛⲟⲩⲕ |
| 2nd Person F | Yours (f.) | ⲫⲱ | ⲑⲱ | ⲛⲟⲩ |
| 3rd Person M | His | ⲫⲱϥ | ⲑⲱϥ | ⲛⲟⲩϥ |
| 3rd Person F | Hers | ⲫⲱⲥ | ⲑⲱⲥ | ⲛⲟⲩⲥ |
| 1st Person P | Ours | ⲫⲱⲛ | ⲑⲱⲛ | ⲛⲟⲩⲛ |
| 2nd Person P | Yours (p.) | ⲫⲱⲧⲉⲛ | ⲑⲱⲧⲉⲛ | ⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉⲛ |
| 3rd Person P | Theirs | ⲫⲱⲟⲩ | ⲑⲱⲟⲩ | ⲛⲟⲩⲟⲩ |
Examples:
| ⲑⲱⲕ ⲧⲉ ϯϫⲟⲙ | Yours is the power |
| ⲫⲱⲕ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲓⲕⲁϩⲓ ⲧⲏⲣϥ | Yours is all the earth |
| ⲫⲱⲕ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲓⲱⲟⲩ ϣⲁ ⲛⲓⲉⲛⲉϩ | Yours is the glory forever |
| ⲡⲁⲓϫⲟⲓ ⲫⲱϥ ⲡⲉ | this ship is his |
Exercises
Exercise 1: Translate to Coptic
Translate the following into Coptic:
Exercise 2: Translate to English
Translate the following phrases into English:
Resources
"A Study in Bohairic Coptic" by Nabil Matar; p424
See Moawad Daoud Lesson
See Sameh Younan page in the PDF
ACTS 2990 Introduction to the Coptic Language (Bohairic) with Hany Takla Lesson