This prefix occurs before the pronominal (pronoun) prefix. It gives more specific information about the verb it is attached to. Each prefix has different forms (variants) depending on the syllable that comes before or after it. Some may have cause tone changes in the word. Some can occur along with others. Sometimes several can be attached to one verb stem. However, it is rare to find more than three attached to one verb. The ten common prepronominal prefixes are:

Cherokee is technically classified as a polysynthetic language, meaning each word is made of smaller parts called morphemes. In English there is one meaningful part, one singular word, depicting the action or state of being, such as sing or walk. One single word in Cherokee can tell you a whole sentence: the subject, the verb, the time the action took place, and sometimes even more information. All this information is contained in the affixes that can attach to a single verb. Hence, making the Cherokee verb complex.

All Cherokee verbs are typically made of four parts, some more. They are made with a pre-pronominal prefix, a pronominal prefix, a reflexive prefix, verb stem, non-final suffix and a final suffix. There can be more than one pre-pronominal prefix or non-final suffix.

Pre-pronominal prefixes immediately precede the pronominal prefix. There are ten.
y – negative
ts (j) – relative, past, specific past time, negative imperative, or again imperative
w – motion / position away from speaker
n – lateral position to the speaker, already, negative, or specified action
de – plural object
da – future or motion toward the speaker
di – position facing speaker or motion toward speaker (some call this a distance position)
i – again
ga – since
e – distant imperative

d –

e –

ga –

i –

n –

ts – (j – )

w –

y –