Hálém means ‘going’ or ‘to be going’.
You can also translate it as ‘to be on one’s way’.
Hálém is the ‘ing’ (‘continuative’) form of the base verb lá:m – ‘to go’.
Pronunciation
Hálém sounds like this: HELL-um. Some speakers have a slightly raised pitch on the second syllable, marked with the accent on the e (é).
Audio: Elizabeth Herrling, Elizabeth Phillips
Formation
Hálém comes from the based word lá:m – ‘to go‘ (audio here).
Elders make this type of –ing form by adding the prefix ha-, with some vowel changes.
Ha– prefixation is the regular way of making the ‘-ing’ (‘continuative’) form for words that start with certain sounds, including l (also y, m, and w).
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