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Derived Verbs (Secondary)

Causative Verbs: -heu/-htaau

Observation
ᓂᐹᐤ ᓂᐹᐦᐁᐤ
nipaau nipaaheu
s/he sleeps s/he puts him/her to sleep

The verb ᓂᐹᐦᐁᐤ nipaaheu s/he puts him/her to sleep is made from the stem of the VAI verb ᓂᐹᐤ nipaau s/he sleeps and what is called a causative verb final -heu. There are two causative verb finals, -heu for an animate object and -htaau for an inanimate object.

Examples:

Verb Causative Verb (-heu) Causative Verb (-htaau)
ᐱᒥᐸᔫ ᐱᒥᐸᔨᐦᐁᐤ ᐱᒥᐸᔨᐦᑖᐤ
pimipayuu pimipayiheu pimipayihtaau
s/he travels by vehicule s/he drives him/her s/he drives it
ᓂᐴ ᓂᐸᐦᐁᐤ ᓂᐸᐦᑖᐤ
nipuu nipiheu nipihtaau
s/he dies s/he kills him/her s/he kills it
ᒦᒋᓲ ᒦᒋᓲᐦᐁᐤ
miichisu miichisuuheu
s/he eats s/he makes him/her eat

Some causative formations are irregular:

Verb Causative Verb (-heu) Causative Verb (-taau)
ᒫᑑ ᒨᐦᐁᐤ
maatu muuheu
s/he cries s/he makes him/her cry
ᒥᓂᐦᐧᑫᐤ ᒥᓂᐦᐁᐤ
minihkweu miniheu
s/he drinks s/he gives him/her a drink
ᐋᐦᑯᓲ᙮ ᐋᐦᑯᐦᐁᐤ ᐋᐦᑯᐦᑖᐤ
aahkusuu aahkuheu aahkuhtaau
s/he is sick s/he hurts him/her s/he harms it (ex. his arm)