Lesson 22
Sumerian Adverbs
In this lesson, you’ll learn about Sumerian adverbs, which includes a giant list, so you may want to bookmark this page for easy reference!
Additionally, you’ll encounter a lot of grammatical case markers in this lesson, so you may want to go back and review Lesson 7.
Need a Refresher on Case Markers?
Vocabulary to Memorize
I highly recommend memorizing these Sumerian words, as you’ll encounter them often in the upcoming lessons!
Vocabulary--Full List
Because this lesson is basically a giant list of adverbs, I decided to skip the vocabulary section. You can find all of these words and phrases in my Sumerian Lexicon.
Sumerian Adverbs
Some Sumerian adverbs are simple, such as maḫ, which can act as the adjective mighty, or the adverb mightily. However, most Sumerian adverbial concepts are created in other ways, such as with adjectives, verbal elements, or through noun phrases.
One of the most common ways of creating an adverb is by suffixing a case markers to a word, as in:
ul-šè 𒌌𒂠 adv., forever (lit. remote (time) + to (end point))
Many Sumerian adverbs are created with the impersonal pronominal element /b/, as in:
- téš-bi 𒌨𒁉 adv., together (lit. together + it)
- gibil-bé 𒉋𒁉 adv., newly, anew (lit. new + it)
Some combine these elements, as in:
gibil-bé-šè 𒉋𒁉𒂠 adv., newly, anew (lit. new + it + to (an end point)
Of course, there are many more words and elements that come together to create Sumerian adverbs and adverbial phrases, as you’ll see below. There are no precise rules as far as adverbial phrase construction is concerned. Thus, Sumerian adverbs must be memorized as they occur.
Additionally, Sumerian adverbs which utilize grammatical case markers can be difficult to distinguish from nouns. You’ll get more comfortable identifying these as you go, so don’t worry!
NOTE: I did my best to provide a comprehensive list of Sumerian adverbs, and included the attestations where I could verify them. As you’ll see, many of the following are simply spelling variations across periods and regions.
Conjunctive Adverbs
And, Also, But
Both, Together (With)
- min-na-bé 𒈫𒈾𒁉 adv., conj., both of them (impers).
- tab 𒋰 adv., conj., together.
- téš 𒌨 adv., conj., together.
- teš-ba 𒀸𒁀 adv., conj., together (OB x1).
- téš-bé 𒌨𒁉 adv., conj., all of them; together.
- téš-bi 𒌨𒁉 adv., conj., all together; in harmony (OB x6).
- téš-bi-šè 𒌨𒁉𒂠 adv., conj., together.
- ur5-bi 𒄯𒁉 adv., conj., together (OB x1).
However
- an-ĝá 𒀭𒂷 adv., conj., however (OB x1).
Moreover
So, Therefore, Thus
- a-gin7 𒀀𒁶 adv., thus (OS x1, OA x2, OB x154)
- e-en 𒂊𒂗 adv., conj., so (OB x20).
- en 𒂗 adv., conj., so (OB x1).
- ḫé-na-nam 𒃶𒈾𒉆 adv., conj., so, thus (OB x2).
- mu-bí-éš 𒈬𒉈𒂠 adv., conj., therefore.
- mu-ri 𒈬𒊑 adv., thus (OB x1).
- ne-nam 𒉈𒉆 adv., conj., so; thus (OB x2).
- ur5 𒄯 adv., thus (OB x5).
- ur5-da 𒄯𒁕 adv., thus (OB x1).
- ur5-gen7 𒄯𒁶 adv., thus (OB x1).
- ur5-gin7 𒄯𒁶 adv., thus (OB x10).
- ur5-gin7-nam 𒄯𒁶 𒉆 adv., thus (OB x1).
- ur5-ra-a-ka-nam 𒄯𒊏𒀀𒅗𒉆 adv., thus (OB x1).
- ur5-ra-àm 𒄯𒊏𒀀𒀭 adv., thus (OB x1).
- ur5-ra-bi 𒄯𒊏𒁉 adv., thus (OB x2).
- ur5–re 𒄯𒊑 adv., thus (OB x1).
- ur5-šè 𒄯𒂠 adv., thus (OB x3).
- ur5-ta 𒄯𒋫 adv., thus (OB x1).
Adverbs of Degree
Really, Very
Miscellaneous
Adverbs of Location
Above
Front
- gaba-bi-šè 𒃮𒁉𒂠 adv., facing, opposing, confronting it.
- igi-bé 𒅆𒁉 adv., at its front, at the fore.
- igi-na 𒅆𒈾 adv., in front of him.
- igi-šè 𒅆𒂠 adv., to the front, to the fore, before.
Here
- ki-a 𒆠𒀀 adv., in place, here.
- ki-ba 𒆠𒁀 adv., in this place, here.
In the Presence of the King
Thence, Thither
- ki-bi-šè 𒆠𒁉𒂠 adv., to that place, thither.
- ki-ta 𒆠𒋫 adv., from the place, thence.
- šà-bi-ta 𒊮𒁉𒋫 adv., out of it, from it.
Miscellaneous
- ki-ĝá 𒆠𒂷 adv., in/at my place, with me.
- šà-ba 𒊮𒁀 adv., in the middle of it, inside it.
- ugu-ba 𒌋𒅗𒁀 adv., on top of it.
- zà-ba 𒍠𒁀 adv., at its edge, beside it.
Adverbs of Manner
As If/Though
Angrily, Furiously
- lipiš-bé 𒀚𒁉 adv., angrily.
- šúr-bé 𒊨𒁉 adv., furiously.
Feverishly, Quickly
- a-ḫi-aš 𒀀𒄭𒀸 adv., quickly (OB x1).
- bíl-la-bé 𒉋𒆷𒁉 adv., feverishly.
- ul4-la-bé 𒄉𒆷𒁉 adv., quickly.
Greatly, Strongly
- gal-bé 𒃲𒁉 adv., greatly.
- gal-bi 𒃲𒁉 adv., greatly.
- gal-bi-šè 𒃲𒁉𒂠 adv., greatly, well.
- gal-le-eš 𒃲𒇷𒌍 adv., greatly, well.
- maḫ 𒈤 adv., powerfully, mightily.
- maḫ-bé 𒈤𒁉 adv., magnificently.
- maḫ-bé-šè 𒈤𒁉𒂠 adv., exaltedly.
- maḫ-bi 𒈤𒁉 adv., powerfully.
- ti-na 𒋾𒈾 adv., strongly.
Happily, Joyfully
- ḫúl-ḫúl-e 𒄾𒄾𒂊 adv.,, joyfully.
- ḫúl-la-bé 𒄾𒆷𒁉 adv., happily, joyfully, gladly.
- ḫúl-la-e 𒄾𒆷𒂊 adv., happily.
- ḫúl-la-né/na 𒄾𒆷𒉌/𒈾 adv., he being happy, he joyfully.
Newly
- gibil-bé 𒉋𒁉 adv., newly, anew.
- gibil-bé-šè 𒉋𒁉𒂠 adv., newly, anew.
Miscellaneous
- búr-ra-bé 𒁔𒊏𒁉 adv., openly.
- daĝal-bi 𒂼𒁉 adv., widely.
- du9-na-bi 𒁔𒈾𒁉 adv., humbly.
- èn-tukum-šè 𒇷𒋗𒃻𒌉𒇲𒂠 adv., immediately.
- kug-ge-eš 𒆬𒄀𒌍 adv., purely.
- sud-rá-šè 𒋤𒊏𒂠 adv., distantly.
- zi-dè-éš/šè 𒍣X𒂠 adv., loyally, faithfully.
- zid-eš 𒍣𒌍 adv., truly, sincerely, reliably, righteously.
Adverbs of Time
After, Afterwards, Since
- egir-ba 𒂕𒁀 adv., afterwards (NS x2)
- eger-bé 𒂕𒁉 adv., behind that, after that (time/space).
eger-bi 𒂕𒁉 adv., behind that, after that (time/space). - eger-bi-ta 𒂕𒁉𒋫 adv., since then, thereafter (OB x3).
- eger-ra 𒂕𒊏 adv., afterwards (OB x7).
- egir 𒂕 adv., after, afterwards (OB x5) .
- egir4 𒌈 adv., after, afterwards (OB x1).
- egir5 𒈱 adv., after, afterwards (NS x1).
- egir5-ni-ta 𒈱𒉌𒋫 adv., after, afterwards (NS x1).
- u4-bi-ta 𒌓𒁉𒋫 adv., since that time, afterwards.
As Many, Until
Always, Ever, Forever
Before
- dub-saĝ 𒁾𒊕 adv., conj., first; before .
- dug4-saĝ 𒅗𒊕 adv., conj., first; before.
- nu-ub-dam 𒉡𒌒𒁮 adv., conj., before.
Daily
Henceforth
Last/This Year
Now
- a-da-al 𒀀𒁕𒀠 adv., now. excl., (right) now! (OB x9).
- a-da-lam 𒀀𒁕𒇴 adv., now. excl., (right) now! (OB x14).
- a-ša4 𒀀𒁺 adv., now. (OB x1)
- á-še 𒀉𒊺 adv., now (OB x28).
- á-šè 𒀉𒂠 adv., now (OB x 4).
- e-ne-éš 𒂊𒉈𒂠 adv., now. (OB x10)
- i-da-al 𒄿𒁕𒀠 adv., now. excl., (right) now! (OB x3).
- i-dal 𒄿𒊑 adv., now. excl., (right) now! (OB x1).
- i-da-lam 𒄿𒁕𒇴 adv., now. excl., (right) now! (OB x3).
- i-ne now 𒄿𒉈 adv., now (OB x3).
- ne-éš 𒉈𒂠 adv., now (OB x14).
- ne-e-še 𒉈𒂊𒊺 adv., now (OB x3).
- ne-ri 𒉈𒊑 adv., now (OB x2).
On That Day
- u4-ba 𒌓𒁀 adv., on that day, at that time, then.
- u4-da 𒌓𒁕 adv., in/on the day, today; when, if.
Yesterday
- ša-dug4-ga/ba 𒊭𒅗𒁀/𒂵 adv., yesterday.
- ša-ga-ba 𒊭𒂵𒁀 adv., yesterday.
Miscellaneous
- gú-e-a 𒄘𒂊𒀀 adv., later (OB x1).
- ĝi6 𒈪 adv., in/during the night.
- iti-da 𒌗𒁕 adv., in a month, monthly.
- šu-nim 𒋗𒉏 n., spring (time). adv., early.
- u4-dè 𒌓𒉈 adv., by day.
Miscellaneous Sumerian Adverbs
- bar-zu-šè 𒁇𒍪𒂠 adv., for the sake of that; on the occasion of that.
- dili-bé 𒀸𒁉 adv., conj., they alone (impers.).
- dili-zu-šè 𒀸𒍪𒂠 adv., by yourself.
- du7-na-bi 𒌌𒈾𒁉 adv., if you please; in the proper way
- gur-ra 𒄥𒊏 adv., in return.
- ud-dè-eš 𒌓𒉈𒌍 adv., like the daylight.
Your Sumerian Language Journey Continues!
In the next lesson, you’ll learn about Sumerian numerals, so be sure to subscribe!
