10-Minute Grammar
Learn the basics in 10 simple points and start making sentences right away.
Grammar at a Glance
4 core markers: a (subject), i (verb), e (direct object), u (indirect object)
Flexible word meaning and order: markers show role
Simple negation: add -um to any word
Prepositions: use en (location) and de (source/possession)
Questions: start the sentence with ce words (what + person / place / ...)
Pronunciation
B C D F G H J L M N P R S T V W Y
All pronounced as you would expect in English or IPA, with the details of:
- C /k/ as in cake
- H /h/ as in house or soft rasp
- J /dʒ/ as in jello
- R /ɾ/ flap, like the tt in American English butter
Vowels: A E I O U
- A /ɑ/ as in father
- E /ɛ/ as in cellar
- I /i/ as in creek
- O /ɔ/ as in door
- U /u/ as in flu
If you pronounce E and O closed like in Spanish (IPA e and o), that's fine too!
Stress: On the penultimate syllable, like iLIru.
1. Pronouns and Possession
Pronouns:
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| nim (I) | nima (we) |
| run (you) | runa (you, pl) |
| hay (he/she/they) | haya (they, pl) |
Pronouns are often dropped when context is clear. Affirmative sentences default to nim and questions to run, so you don't repeat them as much as in English.
Possessive: Use the pronoun before the word
For nouns or to disambiguate, use de:
2. The Four Core Markers
Markers go before the word or phrase they mark:
Core Markers
a = subject (doer/experiencer)
i = verb (main action)
e = direct object (what the verb acts on)
u = indirect object (recipient, often English "to/for")
More often (nim dropped in affirmative): i anona e mocen u run
Mnemonics: Actor [subject] · Initiates [verb] · Engaging [direct object] · Unto [indirect object]
You may drop markers when context is clear. a drops the easiest, and then e.
Because roles are marked, word order is flexible and you can copy the natural order of your own language. Since this website is in English, I will follow English word order in the core grammar examples. In natural language encounter, other orders such as e mocen u run i anona are also common.
We also use a...a to say something is something. For example, a nim a yalen = I am tall · a bo a yamirli = the house is old.
3. Describing Words
A modifier goes right before the word it describes.
Because of the markers, any word can go in any role. For example, if you say a angi this means "[subject] brave", if you say i angi this means "[verb] to dare". If you say angi falen, this means "bold child".
4. Two Core Prepositions
Use these instead of a large set of prepositions:
Connectors
en = location/time ("in, on, at")
de = source/possession ("of, from")
Examples:
5. Coordination and Contrast
Coordinators
su = and/with
mai = but
dou = or
eta = so, therefore
6. Negation
Add -um to the word you want to negate. For example, used with the word dami, meaning to exist or there is/are:
7. Questions and "What/That" Clauses
Raise intonation for yes/no questions, no structural change needed:
ce = what (question) · ca = that / which (connector)
Build more question words with ce + a domain word:
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| cei | who (what + person) |
| cedom | where (what + place) |
| celi | when (what + time) |
| ceora | why (what + reason) |
| cenon | how (what + way) |
In statements, swap ce → ca: ceora → caora (because), cedom → cadom (where), etc.
8. Verb Stacking
To chain two verbs, repeat i before each one:
run i dairan i anelem en bo → you like to stay home
nim i do i mo → I can eat
haya i dai i anvu → they want to go
hay i fou i mo → she needs to eat
No "to" needed between verbs.
9. Compounds
Oravia has a small vocabulary, and as such, there is full creativity and flexibility to create new expressions.
-gu suffix bonds modifiers and noun into a single concept:
wagu jasru = ocean-bend = bay
lufugu yahlul = air-soft = fluffy
yalgaigu mus = small-bug = ant
ligu selyino = time-plan = schedule
wagu dom = water-land = island
lufugu bei = air-vehicle = airplane
Notice you can be as specific as you'd like by adding more descriptions to your compound. If you think lufugu bei (air-vehicle) is not enough specificity for what you want to express as airplane, you can for example say jeluingu lufugu bei (winged-air-vehicle).
Hyphenated forms fuse two words into one expression:
falen-li = child-time = childhood
tohpu-vanvu = sad-walk = to trudge, move with sadness
bo-bortal = house-enter = to enter a house
ilofun-vardei = hesitant-look = to peek with doubt
If you are unsure whether you want a compound or hyphenated expression, just use whatever feels right to you. Chances are, either works!
10. Vocabulary
Most Oravia words are formed as (sub)cluster + root.
A cluster is the first sound of the word, which signals its semantic domain. For example, MO for food and eating, FA for family, AN for actions, YA for qualities, and so on across 48 clusters.
Clusters are further divided into 0-4 subclusters, indicated by the third letter.
A root is a sound shared across multiple clusters that adds a second layer of meaning.
For example, moalen, banana, is formed by MO (food cluster) + A (fruit subcluster) + LEN (root for long).
Together, the ~260 (sub)clusters and roots form the sound-meaning associations of Oravia. These classifications were not created by me; rather they were discovered by using word embeddings of how people associate concepts together.
Because the sounds aren't arbitrary, once you know the associations, you can make educated guesses about words you haven't learned yet, remember words more easily, play around with word components, and learn words faster and faster. (Sub)clusters and roots also have associations with natural languages. For example, vi means internal body, similar to Latin's viscera. For more information, take a look at What is Oravia? →.
Now that you know a little of how the vocabulary works, you can explore:
Full vocabulary
Building blocks
Blocks Cheat Sheet
You've Got the Essentials of Grammar!
You now know:
- The 4 core markers (a/i/e/u)
- How to negate with -um
- How to ask questions (ce)
- Prepositions (en/de)
- Core connectors (ca) and coordinators (su/mai/dou/eta)
- Verb stacking and creating new expressions
You can start building sentences right away!
Start Here — Starter Vocabulary
Pronouns and function words we've seen:
nim = I · run = you · hay = he/she/they · nima = we · runa = you plural · haya = they
de = of/from · en = at/in · su = and · mai = but · dou = or · eta = so
Other words:
mo = eat / food
mouje = drink
anye = make, do
anvu = go
anidai = want
ilaluan = speak / say
vardei = see / look
dami = exist / there is
dairan = like
ilian = know
elemi = live, life
boemo = kitchen, cook
ando = can
bonfene = lie down / bed
bo = house
fano = child
fare = parent
faejor = woman
faejal = man
mogali = coffee
moaria = apple
mouje = drink
mocen = chocolate
anifou = need
anona = give
leirih = tree
noi = here / this
ho noi = there / that (opposite + here)
faibor = spouse
miau = cat
beivu = car
none = have
litam = day
nolili = always
eofa = friend
elihei = person
noli = now
yuba = good
ti = bad
one = tam
two = tor
three = par
four = bale
five = alui
elireva = true / really
yalen = long / tall
yaltan = big
yamirli = old
yunro = smart
yasoi = fast
tohpu = sad
gerina = money
roedom = school
liyar = morning
limel = night
bevio = store
oipoh = exciting
Try combining them now. nim i dairan e mogali · i dami a yuba mo · a bo a yamirli · hay i anvu, mai nim i doum
Don't worry too much about perfect grammar, the goal is communication.
Ready to go further?
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