Grammer Rules

Overview of Grammar Rules

Structure/Order of Egyptian Sentences

Word Order

verb, adverbial predicate, subject, adverbs

*Action, subject, adjective

*VsoSO:
(Verb-subject, object with ending) Subject, Object
so: word endings love-lovely love-loveable action word that
has a suffix ending to express the object and subject

*PVsioSOA
P=Particles (iw, mk)
V=Verbals (Person, place thing or idea)
s=pronominal subjects
i=pronominal indirect objects
o=pronominal objects
S=Nominal Subjects
O=Nominal Objects
A=Adverbial

verb+i
.i .k .t. .T .f

Dative
Differs from other adverbial phrases (ie preposition accompanied by a noun) in its tendency to fallow as closely as possible the word that governs it. Normal word order
smi sS sStA pn n nb.f m niwt tn/ The scribe reports this secret to his lord in this city. 'report scribe secret this to lord his in city this'

The word order is, however modified when the subject or object is a pronoun as well as when the preposition /n/ governs a suffix-pronoun so as to form a dative case. The rule a noun must no precede a pronoun and that the dependent pronoun must no precede a suffix.
ie.   hAb.f Tw/ He sends thee,   hAb Tw sS/ The scribe sends thee
DA Tn sA.f/ His son ferries you across (or) You ferry his son (/Tn/ my be the suffix just as well as the dependent pronoun)

sDm.n.f form *Past tense
verb+n+ subject
wSb.n.i n.f st/ I answered (sDm.n.f concept) it to him

~noun+adjective = nTr nb 'God every/ every god'
~noun+noun = nb nTrw   'lord of the gods'
~noun+adjective = nTr(w) nfrw   'gods perfect/ perfect gods'
~? + subject   'ptr rn.k /What is your name?'
~independent pronouns is subject + ? wr pw / How much is it
~when used as pred, the adj. proceeds it's subject no change in number or gender bin sy 'she is bad'

~nfr Hr AB construct
describe characteristics of someone or something
nfr, A part is refers to the person or thing begin described
Hr, B part is refers to something the person or thing owns or has
adjective quality to the owner rather then the thing owned
nfr Hr /good of face 'good one of face' *kindly*
A noun and adjective or noun phrase connection in a direct or indirect genitive
nfrwt nt Haw.sn/ those who have beautiful bodies 'Beautiful ones of their bodies'
aSA zrw / many of sheep, in English 'one who has many sheep'
nft n.f m hrw pn r sf /Better for him today then yesterday

Honorific transposition
*/nTr/ and /nsw/ Name of the god or King is placed first to honor them but spoken last*
direct genitive possessing noun is always second
Hm nTr / servant of god, priest ; glyphs read 'nTr Hm' 𓊹𓍛
Hwt nTr / mansion of god, temple ; glphs read 'nTr Hwt' 𓊹𓉗
   Hwt-nTr mAwt/ new temple; glyphs read 'nTr Hwt' mAwt
pr-nsw/ house of the king (palace); glyphs 'nsw-pr' 𓇓𓏏𓈖𓉐𓏺𓏺
    sA nsw / Son of the king, prince ; glyphs 'nsw sA' 𓇓𓅭
    mi ra/ Like Ra ; glyphs read 'ra mi' 𓇳𓀭𓏇𓇋
sA-ptH/ son of Ptaḥ ; glyphs read 'ptH sA' 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓅭𓀀 (Name)
   s-n-wsrt/ Man of the goddess Wosret ; glyphs read 'wsrt-s-n' 𓄊𓂋𓏏𓊃𓈖 (royal name)
mry-ra/ Beloved of Ra ; glyphs read 'ra-mery' 𓇳𓌻𓇌 (royal name)
   mry-imn/ beloved of Amun; glyphs read 'imn-mry' 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭𓌸𓇌
   nsw-sA/ Son of the king; glyphs 'nsw-sA' 𓇓𓏏𓈖𓅭𓏺
stX nTr/ Set the god ; god's name goes before but in glyphs 'nTr stX' 𓊹𓋴𓏏𓄡𓁣
sA-mrw rnsi/ Meru, son of Rensi (father's name written first in glyphs out of respect)
            'mrw sA rnsi'𓌻𓂋𓅱𓆇𓂋𓈖𓋴𓇋𓀀

(MK) A sA B "A, son of B"
   ink swnw nsw/ I am a royal doctor; ink nsw swnw/ I am doctor of the King
n(i)-sw-mnTw (spoken)/ He belongs to Montu; mnTw-ni-sw (glyphs written )
* (ref. Middle Egyptian:... by James P. Allen)

Verbal sentence Verb, subject, object
wbn ra m pt (The sun rises in the sky 'rises sun in sky')
| \ \
action subject object

Nonverbal sentences without a subject
    (nfr n.tn/ It is good for you 'good it you')
    (iw mi sxr nTr/ It was like the plan of god)
    * Nominal sentences in ME must have an expressed subject except in negative, pw/he in 'A pw ' can be removed
    (ni zA.i is/ He is not my son)

Nonverbal sentences
Predicate either has no proper verb or has (is, are, was etc.) links between subject and predicate expressed in English by part of the verb 'to be' often left unexpressed in Egyptian
ra m pt (The sun is in the sky 'sun in sky')

Adjective
i, t: makes noun into adjective 'nisbes' (nwti [m] nwtt [f]/ local; nwt/ town root word) can also makes preposition into adjective

Personal pronouns plurals and more

Plurals
Male
w: plural [m] [(S)] sn(w), xfty(w), HfAw(w), nTr(w)
wy, wi : dual [m] [(S)] sn(wi), xfty(wi), HfAw(wi), nTr(wi)

i : root+i
w : root+w

i.e.
pAyw sDmw n nTrw/ The matters heard among the gods (plural endings w added to match the plural nTr)
pAyw bAkw n tpyw aw/ That were put into effect by the first chiefs.
ddw.f nin msy sArw/ If you speak to him, the young one will not come up short. (nin sArw= not a needy man)
HAty-a m Tzw n mdwt nfrwt/ Beginning of the collection of fine words (collection= Tz speech)

Female
wt : plural [f] [(S)] root+wt sn(wt), xft(wt), HfA(wt), nTr(wt)
ty, ti : dual [f] [(S)] root+i sn(ti), xft(ti), HfA(ti), nTr(ti)

t : root+t snt, xftt , HfAt, nTrt

i.e.
dpt nbt Smt/ Taste is altogether gone. (female endings nb all+t)

who
wy: in action root+wy wnn(wy) who exist
wt: in action root+wt qd(wt) disposition character

Possessive plural
Singular    n(y) N35 [m]                                nt   N35:X1 [f]
Plural      n(y)w W24 or W24:Z1 [m]        n(y)t N35:X1 [f]
Dual          n(y)wy N35-G43-Z4 [m]            n(y)ty   N35:X1*Z4 [f]

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Personal Pronouns

Suffix Dependent Independent

1s    nwk ink I am, I

1s .i     wi ink    I, me, thee

1dual .ny we two, us two

1pl .n(w) n(w), inn (LK) we, us, our

2ms .k, *ky tw, (older Tw)   ntk (older Twt)    you, your, thou, thy

2fs .T, .t tn, (older Tn) ntT, ntt (older Twt) you, your, thou, thy

f&ms                                 Twt, twt (later)      you, thou (originally m)

2dual   .Tny you two

2pl   .Tn, .tn Tn(w), tn(w) ntTn, nttn (later) you, your

2dbl Tny you two, your, you both

3ms .f, *fy sw sw, ntf (older swt) he, him, his, it, its

f&ms                              swt, Swt (originally) he, she, it

3fs   .s, *sy sy, st    nts, ntst she, her, it, it

None    st it

One .tw one

3pl .sn sn(w), st ntsn, ntw they, them, their, (it)

3dual   .sny they two, them two,

* goes with dual nouns

effeminate and masculine agree with the nibis themselves and not with noun or pronoun (iri-at nb/ every room keeper, not iri-at nbt/ one pertaining to every room)

Hr-ntt nwk wab/ because I am pure
ink Hmt.f /I am his wife
hAb wi nsw/ The king sends me
Hmt.f nfr.t / His beautiful wife
iw.f Hna.i /He is with me
Dd.f n.i /He says to me
iw.f m pt/ He is in the sky
redi.n.f wi Hr tA/ He placed me on the ground (verb+n+subject)

Used only as subject, includes adverbial predicate.
Adverbial Sentences
*Stands first*   (after 17th Dynasty not standard middle Egyptian)

1s   tw.i        I

1pl   tw.n we

2ms   tw.k you, you are

2fs   tw.(t) you, you are

2pl   tw.tn     your

3ms   sw he, it

3fs   si she, it

3n   st(w), zt it, they

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1s     tw.i       I am

ms   tw.k you are, thou art

fs    tw.T you are, thou art

ms tw.f he is, it is

fs   tw.s she is, it is

pl   tw.n we are

pl tw.Tn you are

pl    tw. sn they are

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stative Verbs
Sunject + Stative
-ed

1s        .kw , .kwi , .ki (OE)       ( I )

1pl .nw (OE-ME) ,   .w(i)n                                           (we are )

2s .ti (NK m&f)        ( you )

2pl .tywni (rare) (m&f)

3ms .w , .i (OE)   (not always written)                              ( it )

3fs .ti , tw (NK)

3fpl              .ti (OE)

3pl       .wi , .y (MK m&f), .w (not always written)    ( they )

3plf    .ti (NK)

3m2          .wii (OE dual)

3f2          .tii (OE dual)

pr.ti/ You have come. (when the verb ends in t is can be omitted)
nxt.ti / Forceful
hA.w/ descended
Htp.win/ We are contented
iwa.kw/ I have been rewarded
itrw Sw.(w) nw kmt/ The river of Egypt is dried up
m.k wi Atp.kw m ianw/ Look, I am laden with woe
mH.ti/ It is filled
mH.w/ it was filled
qrs.wi/ They are burred
ann.ti/ It was returned
ii.kw/ I have come
aHa.n.tw Ha.w/ Then it was rejoiced (.n. past tense, hai- rejoice) Hai.f / Then he rejoiced)
inbw.sn fx.wi/ Their walls have been destroyed
mn.w/ It stuck
Hr.i Hs.w/ I was brave 'My sight is blessed' (Rutgers) or 'My face looked forward' "Confronting" (Baines) (Hsi- favor, praise)
ib.kw/ I thought
sDr.kw/ I laid (down.)
ref. James P. Allen, Rutgers

Possession
Hmt nsw : King's women
Hmt nTr : God's wife (Wife of god)

-ing suffix
(present participle)
sn mr/ Loving brother
snw mr(w)/ Loving brothers
snt mrt/ Loving sister
snwt mr(t)/ Loving sisters

Past Tense

pAw : (auxiliary v. with past meaning) 'past tense' marker (who use to do)
n : past tense (Dd.n.f / he has spoken)

s sDm.i   (I hear) passive sDm.tw.i (I am heard)

ms sDm.k     (you hear) passive sDm.tw.k (you are heard)

fs sDm.T   (you hear) passive sDm.tw.i (I am heard)

ms sDm.f   (I hear) passive sDm.tw.i (I am heard)

fs sDm.s   (I hear) passive sDm.tw.i (I am heard)

pl sDm.n   (we hear) passive sDm.tw.n (we are heard)

pl sDm.Tn   (you hear) passive sDm.tw.Tn (you are heard)

pl sDm.sn   (they hear) passive sDm.tw.sn (they are heard)

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Demonstratives

M F Neutral, plr

pw pw pw   He is, she is; it is, is, they are

pw tw   nw    This, these, that, 'those'

pn   tn nn    This, these, that one

nn n(y) That, those, thus

ntt, nt(y)t, ny(yw)t    That (f)

pf, pfA tf, tfA nf, nfA     That, those, that yonder, one

nfA(y), nfy    That, those

pfy   tfy That, This

pA tA nA   This, that, the (article)

pAy   tAy   nAy He of, she of, they of, the

nA-ny, nA n Those, that, these, this

pwy    tw, twy   ipw   This, that, these

ipn       iptn, iptw                 These, this (ipn)

ipw           iptw                This, (the, here ?)

   ntt That

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

m-s   n, ny   of, belongs to (suffix)

f-s   nt, nyt     of, belongs to (Dep)

m-dual   n.wy, ny.wy   belongs to, who, which (rare)

f-dual   nty, ny.ty belongs to, who, whom, which

m-pl   nw, nyw, ny of, belongs to

f-pl   nwt, nywt       of, belongs to

wr n pwnt/ The great one of Punt
Hmt n.t wr n pwnt / The wife of the great one of Punt
Hrd(w) n(y)w imy-ra pr/ The Children of the steward
a(w)t n(yw)t pr / The rooms of the house.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Adverbial uses a noun
indicated time or expressed by a noun used absolutely.
Sms ib.k tr n wnn.k/ Fallow they desire so long as you live.

Adverbial predicate
sS m im (Scribe is there)
sS m niswt (Scribe in the city)
sS nfr (scribe is good)

Direct Genitive
Direct genitive is made by use of two nouns that are placed side by side
ex.
imy-r pr (overseer of the house, 'steward')
nb imAx (possessor of veneration, venerable)
rx xrt-ib nb.f (knowing the desire of his lord)
imy-r sxtyw mnx (efficient overseer of fowlers)

Indirect Genitive
Expresses possession. It uses genitival adjective (ny 'belongs to', n 'to' or 'for') and is place in between two nouns, the first noun is the possessed noun. It match in both gender and number.
ex.
nsw n kmt/ The king of Egypt
niwt nt nHH/ The city of Eternity.
wrw nw AbDw/ The great ones of Abydos
aAw n sxty pn/ The asses of this peasant.
Hmwt nt wrw/ The wives of the chiefs
inw nb nfr n sxt/ All good produce of the country.
imyw-r.k nw rwyt / Thy overseers of the portal.
sDAwt im.f nt pr-HD/ Valuable were in it belonging to the treasury.

Vocative
When pw(y) or tw(y) is used in place of a god or a human name.
ex.
hA nxt pw / Oh Nakhet! 'Oh, this Nakhet''
Hsw Hs tw Hry-S.f/ O praised one, may Arsaphes praise thee.
irt tw nt Hrw/ O eye of Horu.
sDm rk n.i HAty-a/ Hearken thou to me, O prince.
mk wi r nHm aA.k sxty Hr wnm.f Sma.i/ I will take away they ass, peasant, because it is eating my corn.

Questions
/in/ or /n/ goes at the front of the sentence
/tr/ or /ty/ normally fallows after the first word
(i)n ** tr
negative maker and question maker
stands as a question mark goes at the beginning of a sentence (not normally translated)
in ink tr smA.f/ Am I his confederate?