Shipibo Foundations · Module 4: Verbs and Real Conversation · Lesson 3 of 6

Everyday doing

By the end you can talk about the things you do every day.

5 new words · about 8 minutes

Jaweki min akai? What are you doing? — Nonón is with you for Module 4.

Verbs whose action stays with you (intransitive) pair with the -ra pronouns: Éara óxai — I sleep. Your starter set: oxati to sleep, tantiti to rest, teeti to work, bewati to sing, axeti to learn. Note the pattern: the dictionary form ends in -ti, the present swaps it for -ai.
Verbs that stay with you
-tithe dictionary formoxati — to sleep
-aithe presentÉara óxai — I sleep
Culture note. Axeti, to learn, literally means 'to acquire a custom' — related to axé, tradition. Learning is embodied: you've learned something when it lives in you like brushing your teeth. One more gift in this set: óxe is the moon, and oxati is to sleep — sleep is what you do when the moon is out.
✓ sourced Module 1-2 deck slides 9, 12–15 · nothing invented

The words

Read each one. The next screen hides the meaning so you can test yourself.

oxatito sleep
tantitito rest
teetito work
bewatito sing
axetito learn

Cover the meaning

Say it before you flip. Be honest — "again" brings it back.

tap to reveal
tap to flip back

Match the pairs

Tap a Shipibo word, then its meaning.

In a sentence

Try translating each line yourself before you tap.

Éara óxai.
tap to translate
I sleep.
Jára tantiai.
tap to translate
She rests.
Jatora bewai.
tap to translate
They sing.
Eara Shipibo Joi axeai!
tap to translate
I am learning the Shipibo language!
Try it. That last example is yours now. Say it like you mean it.

Build the sentence

Tap the words into order.

Say:

Now you write it

Accents optional while you learn — jakon = jakón.

Check yourself

'to sing' is…
'I am learning Shipibo' is…
axeti literally means…
Nonón
✓

Lesson complete

Nonón approves — Jakonshaman!

You can now talk about the things you do every day.

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