leʼbaʼ
Makasar
Etymology
Compare Mandar leqbaq (“exacty, clear, precise”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [ˈleʔbaʔ]
Adjective
leʼbaʼ (Lontara spelling ᨒᨙᨅ)
- done, finished, completed, or past
- Inai leʼbaʼ? ― Who's done?
- Kamma rileʼbaka ― As in the past
- Na ia leʼbaʼnamo ballaʼna, ... ― And when her house was finished, ...
- former, previous (e.g., a past state or role).
- Leʼbaʼ ballakku ― My former house
- Leʼbaʼ bainengku ― My former wife
- Leʼbaʼ otoku ― My previous car
- exact, precise
- definite, absolute, decisive
- Kana leʼbaʼ ― Absolute decision
Adverb
leʼbaʼ (Lontara spelling ᨒᨙᨅ)
- exactly, absolutely
- Kamma leʼbaʼ ― Exactly as
- Sanrupa leʼbaʼ ― Exactly the same in appearance
- (with negation) absolutely not, completely not
- Taena leʼbaʼ kulleanna
- It is absolutely not possible
- Teái leʼbakkai kanangku
- I didn't say that at all
Verb
leʼbaʼ (Lontara spelling ᨒᨙᨅ)
Affixations
- kaleʼbakkang
- leʼbakkang
- leʼbakki
- leʼbaʼ-leʼbaʼ
- paleʼbaʼ
- paʼleʼbakkang
Usage notes
Leʼbaʼ is commonly used as a marker of completive aspect and often can be translated simply as 'already', especially in combination with the perfective clitic -mo. E.g. Leʼbaʼmaʼ annganre 'I have already eaten' (lit. 'I have finished eating').
Further reading
- A. A. Cense (2024) Makassaars-Nederlands woordenboek[1], Brill,