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Pular grammar is the set of structural rules that govern thePular language, one of theFula languages of theNiger-Congo language family spoken inWest Africa. It is complicated and varies from region to region. This may explain why it is virtually impossible to find literature that teaches advanced topics in Pular grammar. The following explanation concerns mainly the Pular language spoken inFuta Jallon. To facilitate learning, all expressions are translated intoEnglish.

Since thearticles of nouns vary significantly, it is better to learn each Pular noun with its appropriate articles. It is also useful to learn the plural and singular forms of Pular nouns together because no simple rules are apparent for going from the singular form to the plural form, however, a few generalizations can be made.

• Pular nouns don't have indefinite articles. So the "a" article in English is simply omitted in Pular. Example: a hand =jungo𞤶𞤵𞤲𞤺𞤮.
• The most common, definite articles associated with plural nouns are:𞤩𞤫𞤲‎ɓen (which is reserved for nouns indicating many people),ɗin, andɗen. The latter two articles are used for nouns referring to objects or things.𞤩𞤫𞤲ɓen,𞤯𞤭𞤲ɗin, and𞤯𞤫𞤲ɗen correspond to "the" in English.
• 𞤮𞤲on is the singular form ofɓen, and is used for nouns that indicate a single person.
• Nouns borrowed from other languages, especially French, follow some systematic patterns. In the singular form of the noun, the definite article ison (there are some situations where other articles can work as well, but theon article seems to work all the time). If the noun indicates an object or a thing, the plural form of the noun is usually created by adding 𞤶𞤭ji at the end of the singular form, andɗin is used as the article for the plural form. If the imported noun indicates a person, the singular form of the noun will end withjo, but the plural form will end withɓe, andɓen is used as the article for the plural form.

The plural articlesɓen,ɗin, andɗen correspond toɓe,ɗi, andɗe in other varieties of Fula, respectively. Pular pronunciation tends tonasalize these words, which is represented by the trailing letter "n."

Please see the tables below for examples that demonstrate these systematic patterns.

The nouns of most fruits and vegetables follow a similar pattern when changing from singular to plural. These nouns have a root form, which perhaps was imported from other languages. The singular form of these nouns is created by adding𞤪𞤫-re to the root, and𞤲'𞤣𞤫𞤲nden is usually the definite article. By contrast, the plural form is obtained by adding𞤶𞤫-je to the root, and𞤯𞤫𞤲ɗen is the definite article for the plural form. The table below provides examples to demonstrate this pattern.

Note that "jungo" can be used for all when it means "responsibility". Example: No e jungo amen = "it is in our responsibility," or "we are in change." Men acci e jungo mon = "We leave it to you."Also, unlike in English, the possessive adjective comes after the noun in Pular. In the table above, "jungo" is a noun that meanshand. Similar to English, the possessive adjective does not vary with the gender or number of what is possessed. It varies only with the noun that possesses. For example:

• ɓeyngu an (my wife) -->moodi an (my husband). Note here that the gender of the noun changed, but the possessive adjective stayed the same (an).
• jungo an (my hand) -->juuɗe an (my hands). Note here that the noun changed from singular to plural, but the possessive adjective stayed the same (an).

The singular possessive in Pular –an – corresponds exactly with theam used in other varieties of Fula. Again, the pronunciation is more nasalized in Pular.

lan, ma, te, mo, men, en, on, ɓe.

ko hombo, ko honɗun, ko homɓe, ko honno, ko honto, ko ... honɗi, ko ... njelo, ko ... jelu

mi, a, o, men, en, on, ɓe, ɗe, ɗi

Pular has many demonstrative adjectives, which are keywords that indicate the location of a "noun" with respect to the speaker. However, they are usually derived from the definitive articles described above. Here is a partial list:

oo,ɓee (plural = these people),ɗii(plural),ɗee(plural), [ngal, ngol, ngii, ngoo, nguu, nduu, ndee, ndii, ɗan, mbaa, kun, etc...]The English equivalent of these adjective demonstratives are: this, these, that, and those.

Note that this is a partial list.

• goɗɗo, goɗɗun, hay e gooto, hay e fus

See the table below for some expressions using indefinite pronouns.

ɗoo, gaa, ɗaa, too, gaɗa, gaanin

Pular verbs – like those in other varieties of Fula (with the exception ofAdamawa^{[citation needed]}) – fall into one of three "voices": active, middle, and passive. Infinitives in Pular are formed with -gol rather than -de as in other varieties of Fula. The endings are:

• Active:-ugol
• Middle:-agol
• Passive:-egol

Verbal extensions (sometimes dubbed "infixes") can be added between the root and the (active) verb ending to change meaning. Examples of verb endings with this adfixes include:angol,ingol,orgol and others. Please see the table below for examples.

1)Active voice verbs (ending in "ugol"): To express the affirmative form ofugol verbs in the future, simply replace theugol ending withay. For example, soodugol turns into sooday. Note that the verb does not vary with the subject. The table below provides more examples using the verb "soodugol", which means to buy.

Although the verb does not vary with the subject, it does vary with the object. That is when the object is the singular form of you, the "ay" ending becomes "e". The table below shows some examples of how the future form of "ugol" verbs varies with the object.

Verbs with "infixes" (ending in "angol", "ingol" or "orgol", ): To express the affirmative form of these verbs in the future, simply replace thegol ending withay. For example, jangangol turns into janganay; yaggingol into yagginay; and okkorgol into okkoray. Similar to above, the verb does not vary when the subject varies.

2)Middle voice verbs (ending in "agol"): To express the affirmative form ofagol verbs in the future, simply replace theagol ending withoto. For example, fubbagol turns into fubboto. Note that the verb does not vary with the subject. The table below provides more examples using the verb "fubbagol", which means to swim.

3)Passive voice verbs (ending in "egol"): To express the affirmative form ofegol verbs in the future, simply replace theegol ending withete. For example, weelegolturns into weelete. Note however that this form does not always make sense if the subject is I (mi). For example, "mi sokete" sounds more like "I will have you jailed" than "I will be jailed". The table below provides more examples using the verb "weelegol", which means to be hungry.

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1)Verbs ending in-ugol makes either-u 2nd pers. sing. or-en 1st pers. plur. or-ee 2nd pers. plur.

okkugol: to give makes Okku : Give; Okken: Let us give and Okkee: Let you give

2)Verbs ending in-agol makes either-o 2nd pers. sing. or-oɗen 1st pers. plur. or-ee 2nd pers. plur.

Jooɗagol: to sit makes Jooɗo gaa : Sit here; Jooɗoɗen : Let us sit; Jooɗee : Let you sit.

3)Verbs ending in-egol do not have an imperative forms though an imperative construction is possible.

Rules when the verb has an infix:

^[1]

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1)Verbs ending in "ugol": To express the affirmative form ofugol verbs in the "terminated past" form, simply replace theugol ending withuno. For example, soodugol turns into sooduno. Note that the verb does not vary with the subject. The table below provides more examples using the verb "soodugol".

Here are some simple sentences where "ugol" verbs are conjugated in the Terminated Past form.

Although the verb does not vary with the subject, it does vary with the object. That is when the object is either me or you (singular), the "ugol" verb can vary. The table below shows some examples of how the Terminated Past form of "ugol" verbs varies with the object. The chosen verb is "wallugol", which means to help.

2)Verbs ending in "agol": To express the affirmative form ofagol verbs in the "terminated past" form, simply replace theagol ending withino. For example, jooɗagol turns into jooɗino. Note that the verb does not vary with the subject. The table below provides more examples using the verb "immgagol", which means to get up.

Here are some simple sentences where "agol" verbs are conjugated in the Terminated Past form.

3) 7Verbs ending in "egol": To express the affirmative form ofegol verbs in the "terminated past" form, simply replace theegol ending withano. For example, lamminegol turns into lamminano. Note that the verb does not vary with the subject. The table below provides more examples using the verb "weelegol", which means to be (get) hungry.

Here are some simple sentences where "egol" verbs are conjugated in the Terminated Past form.

1)Verbs ending in "ugol": To express the affirmative form ofugol verbs in the "past simple" form, simply replace theugol ending withii. For example, soodugol turns into soodii. Note that the verb does not vary with the subject. The table below provides more examples using the verb "ɲaamugol", which means to eat.

Here are some simple sentences where "ugol" verbs are conjugated in the Past Simple form.

2)Verbs ending in "agol": To express the affirmative form ofagol verbs in the "past simple" form, simply replace theagol ending withike. For example, jooɗagol turns into jooɗike. Note that the verb does not vary with the subject. The table below provides more examples using the verb "immgagol", which means to get up.

Here are some simple sentences where "agol" verbs are conjugated in the Past Simple form.

3)Verbs ending in "egol": To express the affirmative form ofegol verbs in the "past simple" form, simply replace theegol ending withaama. For example, lamminegol turns into lamminaama. Note that the verb does not vary with the subject. The table below provides more examples using the verb "weelegol", which means to be (get) hungry.

Here are some simple sentences where "egol" verbs are conjugated in the Past Simple form.

1)Verbs ending in "ugol": To express the affirmative form ofugol verbs in the "past participle" form, simply replace theugol ending withi. For example, nawnugol turns into nawni. Note that the past participle form of the verb behaves as an adjective and is preceded by the verb to be conjugated in the present. The table below provides more examples using the verb "ronkugol", which means to be tired.

Here are some simple sentences where "ugol" verbs are converted to the Past Participle form and used as adjectives.

2)Verbs ending in "agol": To express the affirmative form ofagol verbs in the "past simple" form, simply replace theagol ending withike. For example, jooɗagol turns into jooɗike. Note that the verb does not vary with the subject. The table below provides more examples using the verb "immgagol", which means to get up.

Here are some simple sentences where "agol" verbs are conjugated in the Past Simple form.

3)Verbs ending in "egol": To express the affirmative form ofegol verbs in the "past simple" form, simply replace theegol ending withaama. For example, lamminegol turns into lamminaama. Note that the verb does not vary with the subject. The table below provides more examples using the verb "weelegol", which means to be (get) hungry.

Here are some simple sentences where "egol" verbs are conjugated in the Past Simple form.

1)Verbs ending in "ugol": To express the negative form ofugol verbs in the future, simply replace theugol ending withataa. For example, soodugol turns into soodataa. Note that the verb does not vary with the subject. The table below provides more examples using the verb "soodugol", which means to buy.

2)Verbs ending in "agol": To express the negative form ofagol verbs in the future, simply replace theagol ending withataako. For example, fubbagol turns into fubbataako. Note that the verb does not vary with the subject. The table below provides more examples using the verb "fubbagol", which means to swim.

3)Verbs ending in "egol": To express the negative form ofegol verbs in the future, simply replace theegol ending withataake. For example, janfegol turns into fubbataake. Note that the verb does not vary with the subject. The table below provides more examples using the verb "janfegol", which means to be cheated.

This section is empty. You can help byadding to it.(February 2013)

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This section is empty. You can help byadding to it.(February 2013)

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The word "very" in English takes many different forms in Pular depending on what adjective is being emphasized. Here are a few examples:

• kaanikas meansvery ugly.
• laaɓipos meansvery clean.
• woɗɗipon meansvery far.
• raɓɓiɗipot meansvery short.

However, in general, most of these Pular adverbs could be replaced withmoƴƴa to emphasize the adjective. But the style would be lost. The table below contains additional examples with their appropriate adverbs.

• Comparing with "ɓuri"

• Comparing with "wa"
• Comparing with "fotta"

• Expressing contrasting ideas with "kono" (which meansbut)

• Expressing cause with "ɓayru"

• Expressing time clauses with "tuma"

• Expressing time clauses with "haa"

• Expressing time clauses with "tuma woo"
• Expressing time clauses with "fewndo"

Relative clauses in Pular are often used to give more details about a noun or an idea within a sentence. Thus they play a similar role in English.^[2] They are often associated with the following relative pronouns:

• ɗo = who (singular). This pronoun usually comes after a conjugated verb. Ex: ... gorko nawnuɗo. = ... a man who is sick.
• mo = who (singular). Unlikeɗo,mo usually comes after a noun. Ex: ... gorkomo nawnaa. ... a man who is not sick.
• ɓe = who (plural)
• wondema = that
• ɗi, ɗe, ko, ɗan, ngal, etc... = that
• mo/ɓe/ɗi/ɗe ... mun = whose. This is a partial list since these pronouns are related to the definitive articles of the nouns.

Please see the table below for examples that demonstrate the use of relative clauses.

• Expressing conditional clauses with "si"

• Herb Caudill and Ousmane Besseko Diallo."Pular Resources".Miɗo Waawi Pular! Learner's Guide to Pular (Fuuta Jallon). Retrieved7 July 2011.
• http://pular.webonary.org

• Niger-Congo grammars
• Fula language

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