Umaaw, is not
The word "umaaw" means "no". It is also a verb that means "is not". When the verb umaaw is used, the verb it negates, which comes right before it, takes the -h suffix. -h indicates that the action of the verb has not happened.
Weyiwh umaaw. He didn't come.
Paap wemirrh umaaw. He doesn't like potatoes.
'Esuw peyaach 'ehanh umaaw. This food isn't good.
Umaaw can be inflected for person, becoming 'emaaw for "I am not/do not" and memaaw for "you are not/did not."
'Esaawh 'emaaw. I didn't eat.
Menyiiwarh memaawa? You're not hungry?
However, in casual speech, you can leave umaaw uninflected:
'Uuyaawh umaaw. I don't know.
Marh umaawa? You don't want it?
If you need to say something won't happen in the future, simply add -h to the end of umaaw:
'Aah 'emaawh. I won't go.
Peyaa memirrh memaawh. You're not going to like this.
Puu wesaawh umaawh. He's not going to eat that.
To tell someone not to do something, put umaaw and the verb in front of it in the imperative.
If the first verb has a shortened vowel in the imperative, the glottal stop ' will be replaced with -h.
Nyip kesaawh kemaaw! Don't eat that!
Kepshuwh kemaaw, ka'! Don't wait, go!
'Etalyvu kih kemaaw. Don't tell my mom.
Kakekwih kemaaw. Don't ask.
Weyiwh umaaw. He didn't come.
Paap wemirrh umaaw. He doesn't like potatoes.
'Esuw peyaach 'ehanh umaaw. This food isn't good.
Umaaw can be inflected for person, becoming 'emaaw for "I am not/do not" and memaaw for "you are not/did not."
'Esaawh 'emaaw. I didn't eat.
Menyiiwarh memaawa? You're not hungry?
However, in casual speech, you can leave umaaw uninflected:
'Uuyaawh umaaw. I don't know.
Marh umaawa? You don't want it?
If you need to say something won't happen in the future, simply add -h to the end of umaaw:
'Aah 'emaawh. I won't go.
Peyaa memirrh memaawh. You're not going to like this.
Puu wesaawh umaawh. He's not going to eat that.
To tell someone not to do something, put umaaw and the verb in front of it in the imperative.
If the first verb has a shortened vowel in the imperative, the glottal stop ' will be replaced with -h.
Nyip kesaawh kemaaw! Don't eat that!
Kepshuwh kemaaw, ka'! Don't wait, go!
'Etalyvu kih kemaaw. Don't tell my mom.
Kakekwih kemaaw. Don't ask.