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Conjunctions

Avar Conjunctions (Союзы)

Version: 1.0
Last Updated: May 26, 2026

This section is part of our living public grammar of Avar and is regularly updated to reflect the latest linguistic research, database enhancements, and morphological analyses.

Conjunctions in Avar are a relatively young, unproductive, and closed class of function words. Unlike European languages that rely heavily on analytical conjunctions to link clauses, Avar has a synthetic preference. It primarily uses infinite verb forms (converbs, participles, and masdars) along with particles to fulfill both predicative and connective roles simultaneously.

Because of this, the inventory of true conjunctions is small, and many words function simultaneously as adverbs or particles depending on syntax.

1. Structural Classification

Conjunctions are morphologically invariant and fall into three structural types:

1.1 Simple Conjunctions (Простые)

These consist of a single morpheme or base where genetic links to other parts of speech are difficult to establish.

  • -ги (and) — A clitic particle acting as a conjunction.
  • ва (and) — A free word, borrowed from Arabic.
  • амма (but) — Adversative, borrowed from Arabic.
  • -гун / -гин (and/with) — A comitative clitic.
  • я (or) — Disjunctive.
  • гӀадин (as if) — Similative.
1.2 Complex Conjunctions (Сложные)

Derived by merging existing words or particles into a single unit.

  • яги, ялъуни (or) ← я + particles.
  • кинниги (however / although) ← кин? (how?) + -ниги (negative particle).
  • гьединлъидал (therefore / so).
  • гьелдалъун (from this / consequently) ← Demonstrative + Ablative case.
1.3 Compound Conjunctions (Составные)

Two independent words functioning as a single subordinating unit.

  • щай абуни (because) ← щай? (why?) + абуни (conditional of "to say").
  • щай гурелъул (because) ← щай? + гурелъул (from "not").
  • гьелъие гӀоло (because of that) ← Dative pronoun + postposition.
  • ва амма (but / however) ← Reinforced adversative, highly formal/literary.
1.4 Grammaticalized Verb Forms (Окаменелые формы)

Some conjunctions are actually grammaticalized forms of verbs or particles:

  • абуни (as for / while) ← Conditional of абизе (to say).
  • гурони (otherwise / except / if not) ← Conditional of the negative particle гуро.
2. Functional Classification
2.1 Coordinating Conjunctions (Сочинительные)

These link grammatically equal units (words, phrases, independent clauses).

  1. Connective (Соединительные): -ги, ва
    • Crucial Rule for -ги: Unlike the English "and" (which only appears before the last item), the clitic -ги must attach to every conjunct in the series.
      • ЦӀоросоролъ-ги, ролъ-ги, картошка-ги, гӀарац-ги... (Corn and wheat and potatoes and money...)
    • ва is generally used to link adjectives or complete clauses (ГӀакъилай ва сабурай... "Smart and patient...").
  2. Adversative (Противительные): амма, ва амма
    • Expresses contrast or unexpected result. (Къоял ана, амма Юсуп араб бакӀ лъалеб букӀинчӀо. "Days passed, but Yusuf's whereabouts were unknown.")
  3. Disjunctive (Разделительные): я, яги, ялъуни
    • Indicates alternation or mutual exclusion.
    • Repeated я... я... normally functions as "either... or".
    • Affirmative Polarity: In some affirmative contexts, я... я... functions as a connective-reinforcing conjunction meaning "both... and..." (Russian и... и...).
    • Negative Polarity: If the sentence is negative, я... я... translates to "neither... nor" (Я квен гьечӀо, я макьу гьечӀо "Neither food nor sleep").
2.2 Subordinating Conjunctions (Подчинительные)

Subordinating conjunctions link unequal units (a dependent clause to a main clause). Because Avar heavily prefers converbs for subordination, true subordinating conjunctions mostly deal with cause, reason, or consequence.

  • Вацас кагъат бачӀинчӀо, гьединлъидал ниж рахӀат хун рукӀана. (The brother's letter didn't arrive, therefore we were worried.)
  • Дур чу лъелъ бегизе жубана, гьелдалъун бичӀчӀана дида... (Your horse started to sink in the water, from this I understood...)
3. Ambiguity and Dual Functions

Because conjunctions are a young class, many still carry their original adverbial meanings. The distinction relies entirely on syntax (whether the word modifies a verb vs. connects clauses).

Word Adverbial Meaning Conjunction Usage
жеги Still, yet (Time) Moreover, also (Connector)
кинниги Anyway, still (Concession) As, like (Comparison between clauses)
гьединго Likewise, similarly (Manner) Also, in addition (Connector)
цин First, once (Time) Now... now... (Alternation: Цин дуца, цин дица...)
4. Asyndetic Connection (Бессоюзная связь)

It is highly common in Avar to omit conjunctions entirely (Asyndetic connection).

  1. Enumeration can be done purely through intonation, without -ги.
  2. Causal clauses are often formed via infinite verb forms without any conjunction (e.g., using the Ergative case of a masdar to show "because of doing X").