Sahidic Coptic, ReligionForBreakfast Course

Ⲁⲁ

Alpha, a as in father

Ⲃⲃ

beta, v as in vote

Ⲅⲅ

gamma, g as in gate

Ⲇⲇ

Delta, d as in dog

Ⲉⲉ

episilon, e as in egg

Ⲍⲍ

zeta, z as in zoo

Ⲏⲏ

eta, ay as in ate

Ⲑⲑ

theta, t+h at in pothole

Ⲓⲓ (ⲉⲓ)

Consonant: y as in yet. Vowel: ee as in see

Ⲕⲕ

Kappa, k as in keep

Ⲗⲗ

lambda, l as in late

Ⲙⲙ

mu, m as in mom

Ⲛⲛ

nu, n as in no

Ⲝⲝ

ksi, x as in box

Ⲟⲟ

Omicron, o as in got

Ⲡⲡ

pi, p as in pen

Ⲣⲣ

ro, rolled r

Ⲥⲥ

sigma, s as in sight

Ⲧⲧ

tau/tav, t as in time

Ⲩⲩ (ⲟⲩ)

upsilon. Consonant: w as in water. Vowel: oo as in moon

Ⲫⲫ

fi, p+h as in top hat

Ⲭⲭ

che, ckh in duckhouse

Ⲯⲯ

psi, p+s as in taps

Ⲱⲱ

omega, o as in ago

Ϣϣ

shai, sh as in ship

Ϥϥ

fai, f as in farm

Ϩϩ

hore, h as in hat

Ϫϫ

djanja, j as in jog or ch as in church

Ϭϭ

kyima, ky as in cute

Ϯϯ

ti, “tea”

ⲓ̈ⲟⲩⲇⲁⲥ

Judas (proper noun)

ⲑⲱⲙⲁⲥ

Thomas (proper noun)

ⲇⲓⲇⲩⲙⲟⲥ

Didymus (proper noun)

ⲓ̄ⲥ︦ or ⲓ̄ⲏ︦ⲥ︦ (ⲓⲏⲥⲟⲩⲥ)

Jesus (nomina sacra, proper noun)

ⲥⲓⲙⲱⲛ

simon (proper noun)

ⲡⲉⲧⲣⲟⲥ

Peter (proper noun)

ⲙⲁⲣⲓϩⲁⲙ

Mary, Mariam

ⲁⲇⲁⲙ

Adam (proper noun)

ⲓ̈ⲱϩⲁⲛⲏⲏⲥ

John (proper noun)

ⲙⲟⲩⲉⲓ, ⲙⲟⲩⲓ

Lion (noun, masc)

ϩⲁⲗⲏⲧ

bird (noun, masculine_

ϩⲁⲗⲁⲧⲉ

birds (noun, plural)

ⲃⲁϣⲟⲣ

fox (noun, masc)

ⲟⲩϩⲟⲣ

dog (noun, masc)

ⲟⲩϩⲟⲟⲣ

dogs (noun, plur)

ⲣⲱⲙⲉ

person (noun, masc)

ⲉⲓⲱⲧ

father (noun, masc)

ⲙⲁⲁⲩ

mother (noun, fem)

what does the line above letter (ⲛ̄, for example) represent?

short “e” vowel before consonat (ⲛ̄ → en, like saying the letter “n”), but not in nomina sacra

Repeated vowel represent __ (such as in ⲙⲁⲁⲩ)

glottal stop (ⲙⲁⲁⲩ → ma’ao)

ⲡ- ⲡⲉ-

the (masc sing def article)

ⲧ- ⲧⲉ-

the (fem, sing, def article)

ⲛ- ⲛ̄- ⲛⲉ-

the (plural definite)

ⲟⲩ-

indefinite singular article (like “a” in english)

ϩⲉⲛ- ϩⲛ-

indef. plu. (like “some” in english)

ⲕⲉ-

indef. sing. (like “another” in english)

ϩⲉⲛⲕⲉ-

indef. plu. (like “some other” in english)

ⲛⲓⲙ

any, every, all (noun and indefinite article)

ⲡⲉⲓ̈ -, ⲧⲉⲉⲓ-

def. sing. masc. demonstrative (like “this” in english)

ⲧⲉⲓ̈ -, ⲧⲉⲉⲓ-

fem sing. demonstrative (like “this” in english)

ⲛⲉⲓ̈ -, ⲛⲉⲉⲓ-

plu. def. demonstrative (this)

How to express nouns with articles in Coptic?

article-noun (like ⲡ-ⲙⲟⲩⲉⲓ)

ⲡⲁⲓ̈ ⲡⲁⲉⲓ

def. sing. masc. demo. pronoun (this one)

ⲧⲁⲓ̈ ⲧⲁⲉⲓ

fem. sing. demo. pronoun (this one)

ⲛⲁⲓ̈ ⲛⲁⲉⲓ

plu. def. demo. pronoun (this one)

Rare Affective Demonstrative Form

A rare form of demonstrative pronoun used to indicate specific entities with an emotional or sentimental nuance, often negative in tone. Or comparison points to a close object.

ⲡⲓ-

affective, masc. sing. near demo. article (this that)

ⲧⲓ-

affective, fem. sing. near demo. article (this/that)

ⲛⲓ-

plu. demo. affective article (this/that)

ⲡⲏ

masc. sing. near demo. pronoun (this one/that one)

ⲧⲏ

fem. sing. near demo. pronoun (this one/that one)

ⲛⲏ

plu. demo. pronoun (this one/that one)

Difference between definite and indefinite article

definitive → referring to a specific entity (the lion), indefinite → not specific (a lion)

Pattern of Sahidic Coptic Article

ⲡ- (masc.), ⲧ- (fem.), ⲛ- (plu.)

-ⲁ-

1st person singular suffix, my (possesive)

-ⲉⲕ-

2nd person masculine singular suffix, you (poss.)

-ⲟⲩ-

2nd person feminine singular suffix, you (poss.)

-ⲉϥ-

3rd masculine singular suffix, his (poss.)

-ⲉⲥ-

3rd feminine singular suffix, her (poss.)

-ⲉⲛ-

1st person plural suffix, our (poss.)

-ⲉⲧⲛ̄-

2nd person plural suffix, you all (poss.)

-ⲉⲩ-

3rd person plural suffix, their (poss.)

-ⲓ̈, -ⲉⲓ

1st person sing. subject suffix (verboids & singel-vowel prep.)

-ⲕ

2nd person masc. sing. subject suffix (verboids & singel-vowel prep)

2nd person fem. sing. subject suffix (verboids)

no ending

-ϥ

3rd masc. sing. subject suffix (verboids & singel-vowel prep)

-ⲥ

3rd fem. sing. subject suffix (verboids & singel-vowel prep)

-ⲛ

1st person plu. subject suffix (verboids & singel-vowel prep)

-ⲧⲛ̄, -ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ

2nd person plu. subject suffix (verboids & singel-vowel prep. (no ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ for prep.))

-(ⲟ)ⲩ

3rd person plu. subject suffix (verboids & singel vowel prep.)

Two form of verboids in Coptic

Prepersonal: subject is a personal subject suffix (ex: ⲡⲉϫⲁ-ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ). Prenominal, subject is a noun (example, ⲡⲉϫⲉ-IC).

ⲡⲉϫⲉ-, ⲡⲉϫⲁ⸗

said (verboid)

ⲟⲩⲛⲧⲉ-, ⲟⲩⲛⲧⲁ⸗

to have (verboids)

ⲙⲛ̄ⲧⲉ-, ⲙⲛ̄ⲧⲁ⸗

to not have (verboids)

ⲛⲁⲁ-, ⲛⲁⲁⲁ⸗

is great (verboid)

ⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩ-, ⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩ⸗

is good (verboid)

ⲛⲉⲥⲉ-, ⲛⲉⲥⲱ⸗

is beautiful (verboid)

(no prenominal)/ⲛⲉⲥⲃⲱⲱ⸗

is intelligent (verboid)

ⲛⲁϣⲉ-/ⲛⲁϣⲱ⸗

is many, much, plentiful (verboid)