2.7: Grammar - Plural Subject Pronouns

Study the following pairs of sentences.


hiking-vb (4K)
busy-vb (3K)
armchair-vb (2K)
  • A- Nem' 'u tseep 'umshasum'?
Are you (pl.) going to go for a walk?
  • B- Hee'. Nem' tst ('umshasum').
Yes. We are going (for a walk).
  • A- M'i 'u tseep yaays?
Are you (pl.) coming to work?
  • B- Hee'. M'i tst (yaays).
Yes. We are coming (to work).
  • A- Hwts'e'nutsum 'u tseep tse'?
Will you (pl.) sit down?
  • B- Hee'. Hwts'e'nutsum tst tse'.
Yes. We will sit down.


Use the second person plural subject pronoun tseep when addressing more than one person. Place tseep after the first auxiliary or verb of the sentence.


Nem' tseep 'umshasum'. "You (pl.) go for a walk."
M'i tseep yaays. "You (pl.) come to work."
Hwts'e'nutsum tseep tse'. "You (pl.) will sit down."


Place the first person plural subject pronoun tst after the first auxiliary or verb.


Nem' tst 'umshasum'. "We are going for a walk."
M'i tst yaays. "We are coming to work."
Hwts'e'nutsum tst tse'. "We will sit down."


When forming a question, the interrogative particle 'u precedes tseep.


Nem' 'u tseep 'umshasum'? "Are you (pl.) going for a walk?"
M'i 'u tseep yaays? "Are you (pl.) coming to work?"
Hwts'e'nutsum 'u tseep tse'? "Will you (pl.) sit down?"