Basic

greetings

yata - greet/farewell - Hello. / Goodbye.

iyomani - PROX-day-nice - Good day/morning.

ipuamani - PROX-evening-nice - Good night/evening.

to tayo ka - manner 2S.POSS Q - How are you?

niha, nyasa - fine thank - Fine, thank you.

meeting

ke ata tayo ka - O name 2S.POSS Q - What is your name?

____ ke ata nayo - ____ O name 1S.POSS - ____ is my name.

ya pesoni - VOC meet-nice - Nice to meet you.

civilities

tsepa - please - Please.

nyasa - thank - Thank you.

nyasampa - thank-much - Thank you very much.

hako - welcome - You're welcome.

munyek - problem-NEG - No problem.

yali(te) - pardon-(PREC) - Excuse me.
(getting attention, begging pardon, etc)

na koya - 1S apologize - I'm sorry.

tama - good - It's okay/fine.
(polite response to “I’m sorry”)

munak - worry-NEG - No worries.
(informal response to “I’m sorry”)

Communicating

na ke kala unyak - 1sg O language know-NEG - I don't speak Kala.

ta ke enkalatla unya ka - 2sg O England-language know Q - Do you know English?

kola ke enkalatla unyatle hina ka - AG-INDEF O England-language know-REL be.here Q - Is there someone here who speaks English?

yote! - help - Help! (in emergencies)

na unyak - 1sg understand-NEG - I don't understand.

pokomo ka - urinate-place Q - Where's the pisser? (informal)

mo uetse ka - place toilet Q - Where is the toilet? (polite)

Problems

ya utse - VOC exclude - Leave me alone.

na uehak - 1S want-NEG - I don't want it!
(useful for people who come up trying to sell you something)

ya matok - VOC touch-NEG - Don't touch me!

na ke tsonyo nyalotli - 1S O police phone-FUT - I'll call the police!

tsonyo - police - Police!

ya nusuko - VOC steal-AG - Stop, Thief!

Asking for help

ena yotehe - P.1S help-NEC - I need help.

Test Sentences

Nominal Phrases

na noya - 1s happy - I am happy.
na noyak - 1s happy-NEG - I am not happy.
na noyaye - 1s happy-PST - I was happy.
ma ha noya - and 3s happy - She is also happy.
yema nam noya - both 1pl happy - We are both happy.
na noyala - 1s happy-become - I become happy.
na noyalanko - 1s happy-become-PROG - I'm becoming happy.
na noyanua - 1s happy-FREQ - I stay happy.
tla poyo ua nyopa - 4s rich or poor - You are either rich or poor.
tla noya uek muhe - 4s happy or-NEG sad - You are neither happy nor sad.
ihito taha - PROX-tree big - This is a big tree.
yehito taha - DIST-tree big - That is a big tree.
yehito ke taha - DIST-tree O big - That is the big tree.
itoha niuahue nayo - tree-AUG garden-LOC 1s.GEN - There is a big tree in my garden.

Word Order

tsumun na ke yena te ota nayo ka’e opatlaka ma’e tali onteyetle hilohue yeta

cautious-ADV 1s O money GEN father 1s.GEN toward danger-man in.front church determine-PST-REL plaza-LOC give

I cautiously give the dangerous man my father's money at the predetermined square in front of the church.

Verbal Phrases - Time/Condition/Aspect

iyoma na ke yonahi moya PROX-day 1s O letter-DIM write I (will) write a letter today iyoma na ke yonahi moyak PROX-day 1s O letter-DIM write-NEG I don't write the letter today iyoma na ke yonahi moyak PROX-day 1s O letter-DIM write-NEG I don't write a letter today yomaye na ke yonahi moya day-PST 1s O letter-DIM write I wrote a letter yesterday yomaye na ke yonahi moyak day-PST 1s O letter-DIM write-NEG I didn't write a letter yesterday yomaye na ke yonahi moyak day-PST 1s O letter-DIM write-NEG I didn't write the letter yesterday sayoli na ke yonahi moyaye month-each 1s O letter-DIM write-PST I wrote a letter every month I used to write a letter every month I will write a letter tomorrow I will not write a letter tomorrow I would write a letter I would write a letter if I had a pencil I have written a letter I had written a letter I am writing a letter I was writing a letter

Verbal Phrases - Modalities

I can write a letter [I could write one now] I can write a letter I could write a letter I could have written a letter I could be writing a letter I have to write a letter I must write a letter I had to write a letter I must have written a letter I must be writing a letter I can/may write a letter I could write a letter [with permission] I need to write a letter I needed to write a letter

Verbal Phrases - Passive

The letter is written by me The letter was written by me The letter has been written by me The letter will be written by me The letter would be written by me The letter would have been written by me

Verbal Phrases - Imperative

Write a letter! Write a letter (pl.)! Don't write a letter! Don't write a letter (pl.)! Let's write a letter! Let the letter be written!

Verbal Phrases - Subjunctive, Doubt, Certainty, Hope, Emotion

I doubt that he writes a letter I doubt that he wrote a letter yesterday I doubt that he wrote a letter every day I doubt that he has written a letter I doubt that he will write a letter I doubt that he would write a letter I am certain that he will write a letter I hope that he will write a letter I'm glad that he will write a letter

Verbal Phrases - Participles

The man, now writing a letter, will go to the post office later The man, having written a letter yesterday, has gone to the post office The man, who will write a letter tomorrow, will go the post office The man, who would write a letter, would go the post office (While) risking his life, he saves me (After/while) Having risked his life, he saved me He is an understanding man The told message was shocking

Verbal Nouns The reading was relaxing Verbal Phrases - Process I start reading my book I continue reading my book I stop reading my book I finished reading my book Subordinate phrases na nya yonam moya nomo 1sg for letter-PL write like I like to write letters I decided to read my book I try to show my opinion I decide that I will read my book I can't decide whether he should read my book Interrogative Phrases What is that? Who is this/that? Where is he? Where do we go (to)? When do we go? How do we go? How much water do you have? How many friends do you have? Which/what colour do you like? Non-interrogative phrases I don't understand what I see I don't know where I live I don't know when I'll come I don't know how I will survive this disaster Conjunctions - Conditional phrases If I were rich I'd buy a new car When I am rich, I'll buy a new car I go to the party, except when it is raining I go to the party, unless it is raining I go to the party, even if it is raining It is raining, nevertheless I will go to the party Conjunctions - Reason, Cause, Consequence I go to the party, although it is raining I go to the party, because it is raining I go to the party, since it is raining I go to the party, so (that) I can drink beer I go to the party, so say goodbye (to me)! I go to the party to dance with my friends Conjunctions - Additive/Coordinative I will go to the party, but it is raining I will go to the party, moreover, I will eat there Conjunctions - Temporal I drink tea before I read my book I drink tea after I've read my book I drink tea while I read my book I will drink tea as soon as I've finished （reading) my book I am drinking tea since I finished my book I drink tea, then I finish my book I will eat until I'm tired Relative Phrases I am the man who buys an apple I am the woman who buys an apple I see the man, who buys an apple I see the man, whom she sees as well I see the man, whom I gave a present I see the man, whom I got the news from I see the woman, whom I had a meeting with I see the apple, which smells good The apple, which I see, smells good The apple, which I looked at, smells good The apple, which the man buys, smells good Comparative Phrases I'm as big as you I'm more intelligent than you I'm less intelligent than you I'm the most intelligent I sing like you I sing like you cry Positional Phrases - Target/reason I give you the present I give the present to you This is my friend's dog Positional Phrases - Location/Movement The bird is in his cage The bird flies in his cage The bird flies into his cage The pilot flies in his airplane The bird is sitting on his cage The bird is sitting on top of his cage The bird flies over his cage The bird flies underneath his cage The bird flies above his cage The bird flies under his cage The bird flies around his cage The bird flies through his cage The bird flies out of his cage The bird flies to his cage The bird flies towards his cage The bird flies away from his cage The bird flies past his cage The bird flies alongside a plane The bird flies near his cage The bird flies far from his cage Positional Phrases - Temporal I drink wine before dinner I drink wine after dinner I drink wine during dinner I've been drinking wine since dinner I drank wine five days ago I will drink wine in five minutes I can finish my glass of wine within five minutes I will meet you on monday in january Positional Phrases - Topic My mother speaks to me about cleaning my room Regarding my room, it is still uncleaned As for my room, it is still uncleaned Positional Phrases - Other I should clean my room, according to my mother I didn't clean my room, despite my mother's warning I didn't clean my room, contrary to my sister I didn't clean my room, except my desk I cleaned my room with my mother I cleaned my room without my mother I cleaned my room with a broom Correlatives I see everybody I see somebody I don't see anybody Nobody can see me I don't see anybody except you I see only you I see all men I see no men I see every man I see everything I see something I don't see anything I don't see anything else I don't see anything anymore Nothing can see me I see all books I see no books I see every book I see some books I see some book I see no book at all I see the entire book I see the book itself I see the same book I see such a book You can choose any book Nobody can see me I have looked everywhere I haven't looked anywhere I have looked somewhere We will meet sometime We will meet sometimes We will never meet We will always meet We will often meet We will usually meet We will rarely meet Quantity na ke mayampa yoha 1sg O water-much have I have a lot of water I have enough water I have too much water I have a litre of water I have five bottles of water I have more water I have less water I only have water I have water as well I already have water I still have water

Kala/phrases

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