Our journey into person marking starts with first person singular—that is the speaker.
First person singular pronouns in English are: “I”, “me”, “my”, “mine”

Here are all the different ways of expressing first person singular in Hul’q’umi’num’—

• ’een’thu ~ ’unthu “It’s me” “I am” “to/for/by… me”

 

(1)	’een’thu Swustanulwut.
	I am Swustanulwut.
(2)	’een’thu tse’ kwu’elh le’lum’ut.
	It is me that will be looking after him.
(3)	m’i ch tseelqum ’utl’ ’een’thu.
	Come follow me.

• tsun ~ tsu “I”
The first person singular subject pronoun is tsun “I”.
Put tsun after the first major word of the sentence.
It is a second position clitic —a small word that clings.

 

(4)	nem’ tsun ’umshasum’.
	I am going for a walk.
(5)	ni’ tsun kwu’elh kwunnuhw.
	I indeed got it.
(6)	’i tsun t’ut’i’wi’ulh.
	I am praying.
(7)	t’i’wi’ulh tsun tse’.
	I will pray.
(8)	yuxwule’ tsun.
	I am an eagle.
(9)	nan tsun ’uw’ kw’ekw’i’.
	I am very hungry.

• nu “my”

 

(10)	sii’em’ nu siiye’yu
	my respected friends and relatives
(11)	ni’ ’untsu kwthunu kapou?
	Where is my coat?

Note, some Snuneymuxw speakers say ‘unuts for “where”.

 

(12)	ni’ ’unuts kwunu kapou?/td>
	Where is my coat?

• kwunus “that I ….. (do something )” “for me… (to do something)”

 

(13)	skw’ey kwunus nem’ tl’tawun.
	I can’t got to town.
	It’s impossible for me to go to town.
(14)	‘uy’ kwunus huye’.
	I’d better leave.
	It is good for me to leave.
(15)	‘uy’ nu shqwaluwun kwunus lumnamu.
	I am happy to see you.

Note, some Snuneymuxw speakers say shqweluwun.

 

(16)	‘uy’ nu shqweluwun kwunus lumnamu.
	I am happy to see you.