leʼbaʼ

See also: leba, Leba, Léba, lêba, lēba, lĕba, Łeba, and Łebą

Makasar

Etymology

Compare Mandar leqbaq (exacty, clear, precise).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ˈleʔbaʔ]

Adjective

leʼbaʼ (Lontara spelling ᨒᨙᨅ)

  1. done, finished, completed, or past
    Inai leʼbaʼ?Who's done?
    Kamma rileʼbakaAs in the past
    Na ia leʼbaʼnamo ballaʼna, ...And when her house was finished, ...
  2. former, previous (e.g., a past state or role).
    Leʼbaʼ ballakkuMy former house
    Leʼbaʼ bainengkuMy former wife
    Leʼbaʼ otokuMy previous car
  3. exact, precise
    Synonyms: tantu, nassa, assa
  4. definite, absolute, decisive
    Kana leʼbaʼAbsolute decision

Adverb

leʼbaʼ (Lontara spelling ᨒᨙᨅ)

  1. exactly, absolutely
    Kamma leʼbaʼExactly as
    Sanrupa leʼbaʼExactly the same in appearance
  2. (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)

  1. (intransitive) to end, to finish

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, →DOI