Before starting this lesson, you should re-read Chapter 6 of the reference manual.
nu- generic noun
-bi vague physical states without corresponding measure words (big, wet, sharp, strong, clean, light/lit) -bya other devices (windmill, jacuzzi, oscilloscope, generator, transmitter, refrigerator, telephone, washing machine, turbine, computer, clock/watch, walkie-talkie, television) -li physical relationship, default = P/F-s verb (hear, be allergic to, taste, feel pain in, detect (eg. an instrument)/sense, be hungry for, to be/feel cold in) -poy genitive personal pronouns (default = P-s adjective) -pye true conjunctions (and, or, but, default = P/F-s true conjunction)
-vi infinitive -vu A/P/F-d -vyu A/P-d
fivyu - cause, make, have, cause to become a reality
tokonvu - remind, cause to remember or recall
fekondo - undecided, vacillating, of two minds, indecisive
bido - big, large, having great size
cabido - wet, damp, moist, humid, muggy, dank, sticky,
having atypically high moisture or water
cinbido - strong, powerful, mighty
bikonda - understand, comprehend, grasp, fathom, follow
bijudi - bear [carnivore]
bikandi - bus [vehicle]
bitodi - auditorium, hall
bizwedi - sofa, couch, settee, lounge
lida - see, detect with the eye(s)
telida - hear, detect with the ear(s)
likonda - imagine, visualize, picture, fancy, see in one's mind
liloda - read, understand the meaning of written symbols
lipyo - in front of, ahead of
litawdi - owl
cabyadi - toilet
jinbyadi - stove, range, appliance used for cooking food
libyadi - television (set), TV
tebyadi - telephone
tawtebyadi - radio (receiver), wireless
byacindi - technician
poy - my
fepoy - your [singular]
byefido - colorful, having a lot of color(s)
lumu - five
mase - for [beneficiary case tag]
tawpyo - above, over
pye - and [conjunction]
1. A generic noun is formed by prefixing "nu-" to the noun. Generic nouns refer to entities in general, rather than to specific entities:
Definite: Pi jutada mi judi = I like the dog.
Pi jutada mi nijudi = I like the dogs.
Indefinite: Pi jutada mi judi ma = I like a dog.
Pi jutada mi nijudi ma = I like some dogs.
Generic: Pi jutada mi nujudi = I like dogs.
2. The infinitive form of a verb is formed by using the suffix "-vi":
Tada mi kanlovi.
I wanted to go.
Note that infinitives are always verbs, and the verb suffix "-da" is not needed.
However, you should never use the infinitive form if the verb has an explicit subject, even if English still uses "to":
Tada mi kanloda femi.
I wanted you to go.
In other words, the infinitive suffix should be used only when the subject is not being repeated because it already appears with the main verb.
3. You can convert a case tag to a verb by simply changing its part of speech to verb using the suffix "-da":
Topyoda nifekandi jidi.
The bicycles were in the house.
Note that we can also use "fida" to achieve a similar result. However, for the sake of consistency, we will use the case-tag-to-verb construction rather than "fida" in all future exercises.
4. The suffix "-vyu" converts a state to an agentive, transitive, change-of-state verb (A/P-d):
Jinxevyu ceki todi pe?
Who made this room hot?
Tawbyevyu mi zwedi.
I made the chair blue.
If a root is inherently focused, use the A/P-d suffix "-vyu" to remove the focus or the A/P/F-d suffix "-vu" to retain the focus:
Jintavyu koncindi mi.
The teacher made me angry.
Jintavu koncindi mi bume takonloda mi.
The teacher made me angry that I didn't study.
Note that the new vocabulary word "tokonvu", meaning 'remind', is just the A/P/F-d derivative of "tokonda", meaning 'remember'.
We can even use noun and case tag roots:
Juvyu cedi bape mi.
That person changed me into a dog.
Topyovu mi lozwedi jintodi.
I put the table in the kitchen.
An especially useful A/P-d word is "fivyu", meaning 'cause', 'make', or 'have', depending on the nature of the arguments (literally, "fivyu" means 'to cause to become actual or real'):
Fivyu mi konzwedi.
I made the desk.
[Literally: I caused the desk to come into existence.]
Fivyu mi takonloda Najoncedi.
I had John study.
[Literally: I caused John's studying to come to exist or be real.]
"Fivyu" will be translated into English "cause" when the object is a noun phrase that represents an event, as in "He caused the accident". We'll learn more about event nouns later.
5. Keep in mind that there is an important distinction between the three scalar state classifiers that you've learned so far. Here they are again:
bi vague scalar physical states without corresponding, commonly used, measure words (big, wet, sharp, strong, colorful, clean, light/lit, sunny, smooth, common, soft, sweet, loud) xe measurable scalar physical states with corresponding measure words (hot, tall, heavy, thick, fast, old/aged, expensive, high, long, late) la other scalar states - human or subjective (good, attractive, wise, friendly, wealthy, quiet/reticent, normal, fragrant)
"Bi" is used for physical states that do not have common measure words,
while "xe" represents typically measurable states. For example, we can
easily say "The boy is two meters tall", but not "The boy is two meters
big". The classifier "la" is used for non-physical states; i.e., states
that typically represent human judgment or human values.
Is your bicycle at my house?
Meki pi pyoda fekandi fepoy jidi poy?
I heard the radio in front of the building.
Telida mi tawtebyadi lipyo cejidi.
Who made these three pieces of furniture?
Fivyu ceki cezwedi gimu pe?
I want my dogs to drink.
Pi tada mi caloda nijudi poy.
The pilot wanted to make the airplane fast.
Tada tawcedi kanxevyuvi tawkandi.
How many cats live at your house?
Pi jiloda jijudi muki pyo jidi fepoy?
There was a big owl in front of the garage.
Fida litawdi bido ma lipyo kanjidi.
The plumber put the wet chair near the sofa.
Pyovu cacindi zwedi cabido bizwedi.
It's good that the angry bear wasn't strong.
Pi lada bume cinbida bijudi jintado.
Your parrot made the linguists angry.
Jintavyu tetawdi fepoy nisencindi.
I thought about friendly people and fast cars.
Lokonda mi nucedi jutindo pye nukandi kanxedo.
The technician is undecided about those five
televisions.
Pi fekonda byacindi libyadi lumu bape.
I wanted the painter to imagine a big colorful bus.
Tada mi likonda byecindi bikandi byefido bido ma.
Did you have the plumber work in the bathroom?
Meki fivyu femi loda cacindi pyo catodi?
Who put the toilet in the living room?
Topyovu ceki cabyadi zwetodi?
I wanted to remind you that I taught at the library.
Tada mi tokonvuvi femi konloda mi pyo konjidi.
The doctor saw the students read in the auditorium.
Lida cindi liloda nitakoncedi pyo bitodi.
Is it true that the telephone was above the stove?
Meki pi fida tawpyoda tebyadi jinbyadi?
John made me angry that I cooked for the students.
Jintavu Najoncedi mi jinloda mi mase nitakoncedi.
Did you tell some students that I changed my car into a
truck?
Meki teda femi nitakoncedi ma lokanvyu mi kandi poy.
Mary explained to the teacher that the desks weren't in
the classroom.
Konteda Naryacedi koncindi bume topyoda nikonzwedi
kontodi.
I remembered that the fire fighter understands fires
and firetrucks.
Tokonda mi pi bikonda jincedi nujindi pye nujinkandi.
Did the chef remind you to put the good table in the
kitchen?
Meki tokonvu jincindi femi topyovuvi lozwedi lado
jintodi?