HOCH

Lesson 3

19#1 nouns singular, plural, or dual.

(Declension of Nouns)
Egyptian nouns are either masculine or feminine.
Egyptian nouns are either singular, plural, or dual.
This is shown by the endings in the table below.

singular

plural

dual

masculine

nothing

wy

feminine

(w)t

ty
2

19#2 nouns

singular

plural

son
sA

sAw

woman
Himt

Him(w)t

dual
sAwy
Himty

father
it

itw

it(w)y

mother
mwt

mw(w)t

mwty
3

19#3 nouns

singular

plural

sn
brother
snt
sister
nTr
god
nTrt
goddess

dual
snwy

snw

brothers
sn(w)t
sisters
nTrw
gods
nTr(w)t

two brothers
snty
two sisters
nTrwy
two gods

nTrty

goddesses two goddesses

4

20. Adjectives that describe the noun. (modifiers)

In Egyptian the order is always noun+adjective
The adjective agrees with the gender and number of the noun.

Good boat

dpt nfrt

Good boats

Dp(w)t nfr(w)t

Good house

pr nfr

Good houses

pr(w) nfrw
5

dual forms are not common, according to Hoch

21. Adjectives used as nouns

The adjective can stand on its own as a noun
nDs poor (man)
nfrt beautiful woman
nfrt pretty cow
nfrt a good thing
6

22. Relations Between Nouns #1

a)Two nouns placed next to each other.
The owner comes first, then the thing owned. Bound Construction
nb pr the owner (lord) of the house
m-r pr the overseer of the estate

nb Ddw lord of Djedu

nb AbDw lord of Abydos
7

b) The Genitival Adjective #1

Two nouns can be linked by forms of n /\/\/\/\/\ to.

eg. an offering for the Ka or the Ka of Ani.
Strictly, the /\/\/\/\/\ should agree with the preceding noun
and take the following form:

Letters not written but presumed present are in parentheses.

8
By the time Middle Egyptian was no longer a spoken language all these forms had been reduced to just one,n.

b) The Genitival Adjective #2

examples

n(y)sS
pr..

the house of the scribe

dpt..
n(y)t wab
the boat of the wab priest
n(yw)t
a(w)t .......pr
the rooms of the house

n(y)w
Xrd(w)...imy-r
pr

the children of the9 steward

23. The Suffix Pronouns #1

They are pronouns stuck to the end of a noun, verb or preposition
with a dot

it

Egyptian contains a number of suffixes, and these are separated by a raised dot

10

You only need to read this if you dont like the pronoun it

JAMES P. ALLEN

11

Suffix Pronouns #2

noun + suffix pronoun

sxrw.his
f
plans

s
stits
place

12

Suffix Pronouns #3

dual noun + suffix pronoun

suffix pronoun after a dual has an extra y ending

inwy.fy his eyebrows

inwy.sy her eyebrows

awy .fy his arms

..

sy
awy ...
her
13 arms

Suffix Pronouns #4
preposition + suffix pronoun:
ni to/for me
Hrs upon it fem
rsn towards them com
The preposition m in requires a
reed leaf when suffixes are attached.
imf in it mas

ims in it fem

14

Suffix Pronouns #5 verb + Suffix pronoun

The scribe listens. is verb + noun and is thus:
iw sDm sS

He listens. is verb + pronoun and is thus:

iw sDmf
15

Suffix Pronouns #6
(particle/introductory word)+suffix pronoun
One could write: fact, my daughter is in the house
iw sAti m pr
or she is in the house
iws m pr

16

Continued...

..Similarly

iwf..He.

Alert! Danger !
With iwf/s as subject, the clause could be either a
subordinate clause, or it could be a new main clause. One
must judge by context.
From Gardiner:

17

24. M of Predication

in the position/capacity of.

iw sAi m sS my son is a scribe

imn m Hmwi .., with Amun as my steering oar

18

25. An Introduction to the Suffix Conjugation.

The template for the verb+suffix pronoun
sDmf or sDmnf etc..
See 29. The Circumstantial sDmf Form
26. Tense in the Egyptian Verb
This comes later: 30. The Past Tense of the Circumstantial
Form (Active Voice): sDmnf
27. Derived Stems ~ not required

19

28. Verb Classes

Verbs have Class Verbs have Form

Standard Theory (Polotsky) Egyptian verbal system

Classes

Root
Strong Verbs 2-consonant AB
3-consonant ABC
Weak Verbs

Example

Third weak ABi, ABw or

ABy
Fourth weak ABCi or
ABCw

Doubling
verbs
Irregular

Second geminating ABB

20

29. The Circumstantial sDm.f Form #1

Verb Forms
29 circumstantial active

sDm.f

30 past circumst. Active

sDm.n.f

Verb Forms in
Lesson 3

34 present circumst. passive

35 past circumst. passive
57 infinitive
72 1st prospective active
72 1st prospective passive
84 Stative

21

29. The Circumstantial sDm.f Form #2

Simular to English present tense, active.
It is a verb form that can take a suffix pronoun
as a subject. Not all verb forms can.
It can also take a noun as a subject.

22

29. The Circumstantial sDm.f Form #3

Forget about the adverbial stuff. It won't

hurt you, it just won't help you.
23

30. The Past Tense of the Circumstantial Form sDm.n.f

(Active Voice)
Simular to English past tense, active.
In sDm.n.f the n. is a marker for the Active past tense.
Hoch page 47

24

Remember slide 28. Verb Classes?

Classes
Strong
Verbs
Weak
Verbs

Root
AB
ABC

Form sDm.f
AB

Form sDm.n.f
AB.n

ABC

ABC.n

ABi,
ABw

ABi, ABw

ABCi or
ABCw

ABCi.n or
ABCi or ABCw
ABCw.n
ABB
AB.n

Doubling
ABB
verbs

See Hoch Appendix 1

Abi.n, Abw.n

25

26

31. Statements of Fact: iw sDm.f, iw sDm.n.f,

mk sDm.f, mk sDm.n.f, noun + sDm.f, etc.
For now a typical main clause construction consists of :
Introductory particle or noun
+ circumstantial sDm.f (sdm.n.f)
+the rest

noun + sDm.f
See Hoch Appendix 2

27

28

32. Circumstantial Clauses

Circumstantial clauses usually describe the

circumstances under which a main clause is
true. because, since, for, when, as, while,
whenever
Circumstantial clauses never occure before the main clause.

29

Lesson 3 Vocabulary

imy-r
overseer; superintendent

Epithet

30

it
father

Noun (masculine)

31

aA

great; large; grand

Adjective (masculine) 32

aA

donkey
Noun (masculine)

33

wiA
divine bark

Noun (masculine)

34

bAkt
servant (female)
Noun (feminine)

bAk
servant (male)
Noun (masculine)
35

bin

bad

Adjective (masculine)36

nDs

small; little

Adjective (masculine)37

mAA

to see; to look at

Verb Doubling

38

Xrd
child

Noun (masculine)

39

rSwt
joy; a state of joy

noun (collective)

40

hAb
to send (a person ...)

Verb Strong (Tri Consonantal)

41
not a verb of motion

kAt
building project
Noun (feminine)
42

tAwy

The Two Lands

(Upper and Lower Egypt)

43
Noun, Dual (masculine)

TAty
the vizier
(highest offical in Egypt)
Epithet

44

DAi
to ferry (someone) across
not a verb of motion;to cross
(sky, river, etc.)
Verb (Third Weak)

45

Hna
with (a person)
together with
(things and people)
Preposition

46

HOCH
Lesson 3
Exercise 3b

47

Q1

mk

sAt n(y)t imy-r Hr

aA

n(y)

Behold daughter of steward upon donkey of

P
mk

s i

bAkt
female
servant

o S
O A
sAt n(y)t imy-r
Hr aA n(y) bAkt

Behold the daughter of the steward

upon the donkey of the female servant.
48

Q2

iw s

The man in

rSwt

mAA.f

joy

he sees

P Vs i o S O
iw
s

sAt.f

nfrt

pr.f

his daughter
beautiful
in
his house

A
m rSwt mAAf sAt.f nfrt m prf

The man is joyful when he sees

his beautiful daughter in his house.
49

Q3

iw

DA(i)
crosses

s i

iw

DA(i)

ra

pt m

Ra sky
o S

in
O

ra

pt

wiA.f

aA

his barge

great

m wiA.f aA

Ra crosses the sky in his great barge

50

Q4

hAbn
sent

iw

mAAf
he saw

it
father

s pn
man this

sAf r
his son to

ky
bw
anotherplace

bin r r n(y) prf

evil at door of
his
house
P
V
s i
o
S O
A
iw
hAbn
it sAf
r ky bw
s pn bin r r n(y) prf
mAA f
The father sent his son to another place
51
when he saw this evil man at the door of his house

Q5

iw
nb-tAwy m
Lord of Two Lands
in
P

V s
iw

rSwt
joy

i o S
nb-tAwy

Hr kAt tn
aAt
upon
great
this building
project
O A
m rSwt Hr kAt tn aAt

The Lord of the Two Lands is in joy

upon this great building project.

52

Q6

rSwt
joy

iw TAty m
vizier in

P
iw

mAA.f Hr nfr n(y) mwt.f

he sees face
of his mother
beautiful

i o S
O
TAty
Hr nfr
mAA .f

A
m rSwt
n(y) mwt.f

vizier is in joy when he sees the beautiful face53 his mother

Q7

bAk.k m pr.s nDs Xrdw.s Hna.s

m.k mwt n(y)t
of your servant in
small her children
Behold
with her
her house
the mother

P
Vs i o S
O A
m pr.s nDsXrdw.s Hna.s
mwt n(y)t bAk.k
m.k
Behold, the mother your servant
54
in her small house with her children

Q8

iw.T
You are
P

V
iw

m
as (in the capacity of)
s
i
o
.T

bAkt.i
my female servant
S

O
A
m bAkt.i

You are as my female servant

55

Q9

iw hAb.n
sent

nb.n bAk.f
Lord our servant his
:

niwt
r kt
Hr kAt tn
to
this
another
town
concerning
building
project

P V
s i o S
O
A
iw hAb.n
nb.n bAk.f r kt niwt Hr kAt tn
Our Lord sent his servant
to another town concerning this building56project

HOCH
Lesson 3
Exercise 3c

57

Q1c

mk

sAt n(y)t imy-r Hr

aA

n(y)

bAkt

female
Behold daughter of steward upon donkey of
servant
P
V s i o S
O A
mk
sAt n(y)t imy-r
Hr aA n(y) bAkt
prepositional phrase, adverbial comment
Hr = prepostion
aA = noun object of Hr
58

Q2c

iw s

The man in

rSwt

mAA.f

joy

he sees

P Vs i o S O
iw
s

sAt.f

nfrt

pr.f

his daughter
beautiful
in
his house

A
m rSwt mAAf sAt.f nfrt m prf

circumstantial present doubling sDmf form

mAA= verb in adverbial modifier clause
59

Q3c

iw
P
iw

DA(i)
ra pt m
crosses Ra sky in
V
s i o S
O
DA(i)
ra
pt

wiA.f
his barge
A

aA
great

m wiA.f aA

fem. sing. noun

direct object of Da(i)

60

Q4c

iw

P
iw

hAbn
sent

it
father

mAAf
s pn
he saw
man this
V
s i
o
hAbn
mAA f

sAf r
his son to

ky
bw
anotherplace

bin r r n(y) prf

evil at door of
his
S O
A
house
it sAf
r ky bw
s pn bin r r n(y) prf

masc. sing. noun + 3rd sing. masc. suffix pronoun

sA = the direct object of mAAf
.f = fem. 3 sing. suffix pronoun, identifies 61
the owner of sA

Q5c

iw
rSwt
Hr kAt tn
aAt
nb-tAwy m
joy
Lord of Two Lands
upon
this building
in
project
great
P
V s i o S
O A
m rSwt Hr kAt tn aAt
iw
nb-tAwy
masc. sing. noun + masc. dual noun
the two nouns are in direct genitive relationship
This is a noun phrase so nb tAwy is the complete subject,
not just nb.
62

Q6c

iw TAty m
vizier in
P
iw

rSwt
joy

mAA.f Hr nfr n(y) mwt.f

he sees face
of his mother
beautiful
V
s i o S
O
A
TAty
m rSwt
Hr nfr
mAA .f
n(y) mwt.f

noun phrase, object of mAAf

Hr = masc. sing. noun
nfr = masc. sing. adjective, describing Hr
n mwt.f is an adjectival phrase
n = indirect genitive linking Hr + mwt
mwt = fem. sing. noun, object of n
63
.f = masc. 3 sing. suffix pronoun identifying the "owner" of mwt

Q7c

bAk.k m pr.s nDs Xrdw.s Hna.s

m.k mwt n(y)t
of your servant in
small her children
Behold
with her
her house
the mother
P
Vs i o S
OA
m pr.s nDsXrdw.s Hna.s
mwt n(y)t bAk.k
m.k
prepositional phrase, adverbial comment in verbless sentence
m = preposition
pr = masc. sing. noun, object of m
.s = fem. 3 sing. suffix pronoun, identifying the "owner" of pr
64

Q8c

iw.T
m
You are as (in the capacity of)
P

V
iw

i
.T

bAkt.i
my female servant
S

O
A
m bAkt.i

prepositional phrase, m of acquired status, adverbial comment in

verbless sentence?
m = preposition
bAkt = fem. sing. noun, object of m
.i = masc. 1 sing. suffix pronoun identifying the "owner"
of bAkt
65

Q9c

iw hAb.n
sent

nb.n bAk.f
Lord our servant his

r kt
Hr kAt tn
to
this
niwt
another
town project
concerning
P V
s i o S
O
A
building
iw hAb.n
nb.n bAk.f r kt niwt Hr kAt
tn
strong verb, past, active sDm.f circumstantial form,
main verb in the sentence
nb = masc. sing. noun, subject of hAb.n
.n = common 1 plural suffix pronoun, identifies "owner" of nb
66

HOCH
Lesson 3
Exercise 3d

67

Q1d

His fine boat is in the river.

P
fact

V s i o

P
iw

S
O A
boat.his
fine in river

s i o S
dpt.f

A
nfrtw

68

itrw

Q2d

The steward sees the daughter of the vizier in it.

P
V
fact sees

S
O
steward daughter of the
vizier

mAA

imy-r pr

sAt n(y)t TAty

iw

A
in it
A
im.s

69

Q3d

The daughter spoke to her father (when)

she saw the female servant upon his donkey.

P
V
s
fact spoke
saw she
P

V
iw

Dd.n
mAA .s

S
O
daughter
female
servant
S
O

A
to her father
upon his donkey
A
n it.s

sAt
bAkt

Hr aA.f

70

Q4d

P
fact

P
iw

This scribes hands are in the water,

but his feet are on the ground.

Vs i oS

O A

hands of scribe this

in water

feet his

upon ground

Vs i oS

O A

awy n(y)wy sS pn

m mw

rdwy.f

Hr tA

71

Q5d

The Lady of the Heavens sees the horizon

as she is in her sacred bark.

fact

Lady of the Heavens

sees

she

sees she horizon.

horizon

every day
she is in bark sacred her

i S

nbt pt

iw
mAA .s

Axt

ra nb
iw.s m wiA.s

72

Q6d

We cross over when the scribe sends (word).

cross

we

DAi

io S

A
send word scribe to us

S
.n

A
hAb sS n.n

73

Q7d Your servant is in (a state of) joy on account of your words.

P
V
fact

S
OA
servant your
in joy upon words your

iw

bAk.k

OA
m rSwt Hr r.tn

74

Q8d

You are a father to this town

V s
you are

V s
iw.k

SOA
in the capacity of father to town this

SOA
m

it n(y) niwt tn

75

Q9d

He crosses over to this city, his daughter being with him.

P

cross

he

DAi

.f

S O A
to city this, daughter his with him

S O A
r niwt pt

sAt.f

76

Hna.f

Q10d

The Lady of the Land is a mother to everyone.

fact

P
iw

S
Lady Land

S
nbt tA

O A
is in the capacity of mother to/for
everyone

O A
m

mwt n(y)t

s nb

77