Grammar Reference (beta)
This is the beta version of the grammar reference. Entries here follow the course curriculum, and are short and simplified. To understand the full picture of how the language works, I recommend the course instead.
How the language works needs to be tested in actual communication, and may change based on beta testers' feedback.
Up to Lesson 40 by now, will add more as I upload more lessons (there are about 5 more grammar points, plus a lot of optional style).
Sentence Structure L1–2
Words can be used as nouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs. They have flexible and extended meanings. The markers indicate their role in the sentence.
The four main markers:
| Marker | Role |
|---|---|
a |
subject |
i |
verb |
e |
direct object |
u |
indirect object |
Word order is flexible — the markers signal the role, not the position.
Full pattern:
Pronouns L1–2
| Oravia | English |
|---|---|
| nim | I / me |
| run | you |
| hay | he / she / they (singular) |
| nima | we |
| runa | you (plural) |
| haya | they (plural) |
Modifications L3
Words before another become adjectives or modifiers. whichever comes first is modifying the next one:
Negation L4
Add -um to any word to negate it:
Gender L4
| Suffix | Meaning |
|---|---|
-jor |
male |
-jal |
female |
Gender suffixes are optional, the base word includes all genders.
Prepositions L5
EN is used for location and time (in, at, on):
DE means from, of, about:
Questions L6
Question words are formed with ce (what) as a base:
| Oravia | English |
|---|---|
| ce | what? |
| cei | (what + person) = who? |
| cedom | (what + location) = where? |
| celi | (what + time) = when? |
Possessive L8
Add -e to pronouns for possessive:
For other nouns, use de (of, from, about):
Verb Stacks L8
We use the short form of the verb (drop the subcluster sound) when stacking:
i anidai e bonfene = I want a bed
i dai i bonfene = I want to lie down
i anifou e mo = I need food
i fou i mo = I need to eat
Indirect Object L10
U marks the indirect object (frequently in English to, for):
Is / Are L12
To say [subject] is/are [something], use:
a falni a yaltan = the baby is big
a nim a Mary = I am Mary
a bontame a yahlul = the table is smooth
Opposite L13
Ho placed before a word means its opposite:
Connectors L14
| Oravia | English |
|---|---|
| su | and / with / also |
| dou | or |
| mai | but |
| eta | therefore / then |
nim i mo e mocen su e moaria = I eat chocolate and apple
i mo e mocen dou e moaria = [I] eat chocolate or apple
i daium e moaria mai i mo e mocen = [I] don't like apple, but [I] eat chocolate
nim i ilonya, eta i ilace = I forget, so I ask
Extended Family L16
Core family roots encode genealogical direction:
Numbers extend relationships:
fare = parent (1 up)
fatore = grandparent (2 up)
fatorsu = cousin (2 side)
fatorno = grandchild (2 down)
CA Connectors L18
Ca means that / which and links clauses. It parallels ce (question) in affirmatives:
| Question | Affirmative | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ce | ca | that / what |
| cedom | cadom | where |
| cei | caei | who |
| celi | cali | when |
nim i anidai ca run i mo = I want that you eat
i dai i ilian cadom run i anvu = I want to know where you are going
AR / IS L20
-ar = completed action -is = action not yet started
Typically, our reference is the present moment. As a result, completed events are usually in the past and events not yet started are usually in the future. There are a few cases in which ar and is don't correspond exactly to past and future, but we will look at this later.
Both are optional, use when emphasis or clarity is needed.
litam i mo = today I eat
litamar i mo = yesterday I ate (completed)
litamis i mo = tomorrow I will eat (not yet started)
Works on any word, not just verbs:
faiborar = ex-spouse (completed relationship)
anseis = prospective job (not yet started)
litamar = yesterday (completed day)
litamis = tomorrow (day yet to start)
Time Units L22
Days of the week:
tamen liperi = 1 in week = Monday
toren liperi = 2 in week = Tuesday
paren liperi = 3 in week = Wednesday
alemen liperi = 4 in week = Thursday
aluien liperi = 5 in week = Friday
tevaen liperi = 6 in week = Saturday
perien liperi = 7 in week = Sunday
In speech, liperi may be dropped.
Months:
Dates:
Hai & Hue L24
Hai = agent / role Hue = recipient / result
Memory aid: hai shares sounds with a + i (actor markers); hue shares sounds with u + e (receiver markers).
Professions — add hai to an action:
Sequences L26
Notam = first event / earlier Notor = second event / later
(From no + tam = 1, and no + tor = 2)
Either word can be used alone, leaving the other implicit:
notam nim i mo, i bonfene = first I eat, (then) I lie down
notor i bonfene, i mo = second I lie down second, (first) I eat
This is frequently translated in English as before and after.
Why & How L28
| Question | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ceora | (what + reason) = why? |
| cenon | (what + way) = how? |
| cecoter | (what + number) = how many? |
| cegaori | (what + value) = how much (price)? |
As before, ce is used for questions and ca for affirmatives/connectors.
ceora run i dairan e nim? = why do you like me?
i ilianum e caora mai i dairan = I don't know why, but I do
cenon run i anvu en bedam? = how are you going to the plaza?
i anidai canon run i anye e hoi = I like how you do this
Mir = many / plural. Used in quantity answers and to mark plural:
Comparatives L30
Ga = compared to:
This is when we compare two things, like your child is taller than my child.
ga nime fano, a rune fano a yalen.
Compared to my child, your child is tall.
a yudur ga i iliroar = it's harder than I thought
Anodu = top / the most:
a rune fano a anodu yalen = your child is the tallest
a hoi mo a anodu yuba en boemo = this food is the best in the kitchen
Pattern:
ga [x], a [y] a [adjective] → compared to x, y is more [adj]
a [y] a anodu [adjective] → y is the most [adj]
a [y] a anodu [adj] de [z] → y is the most [adj] among z
Should & Must L32
(No)tane = recommendation (should):
fano i tane i mo = the child should eat
fano i taneum i mo = there is no recommendation that the child eat
fano i tane i moum = it's recommended that the child not eat
(Doh)vil = obligation (must):
gelna hai i vil i gerina = the buyer must pay
fare i vil i ilonosum e fano = parents must not forget their children
Pattern:
[subject] i vil i [verb] = it's an obligation that [subject] [verb]
[subject] i vil i [verb]um = it's an obligation that [subject] not [verb]
[subject] i tane i [verb] = it's recommended that [subject] [verb]
[subject] i tane i [verb]um = it's recommended that [subject] not [verb]
Conditionals L34
Two types of conditional:
Ilicei = imagine / counterfactual / hypothesis:
ilicei a nim a yalen = imagine: I am tall (I am not)
ilicei a hay a yuba, nim i dairan e hay
If he were good, I would like him.
ilicei nim i anvuar, i anopum e bejae
If I had gone, I would not have lost the luggage.
Daehun = assume / if-then (neutral hypothesis):
Daehun makes no claim about whether the condition is true, it just asks you to consider the consequence.
Notice that using ilicei and daehun skips a lot of complicated verb tenses in languages like English.
Each Other & Self L36
Cemi = each other:
haya i vardei e cemi = they look at each other
haya i anye e anona u cemi = they make gifts for each other
Elihei = self:
haya i vardei e elihei = they look at themselves
haya i anye e anona u elihei = they make gifts for themselves
Habit L36
Lirul = habitually (ongoing habit):
Lirular = lirul + ar = used to (habit now completed):
lirular farejal i mouje e mogali en liyar
My father used to drink coffee in the morning (but no longer does).
The -ar on the verb is optional when lirular is used, since the meaning is already clear.
Relative Time L38
AR and IS are relative to whatever time reference is established. This is not always the present.
Past narrative:
litamar, nim i vaspai cali hay anifi
Yesterday, I was putting on my shoes when he arrived.
(simultaneous)
litamar, nim i vaspaiar cali hay anifi
Yesterday, I had put on my shoes when he arrived.
(first action completed before second)
litamar, nim i vaspai, hay anifis
Yesterday, I put on my shoes, he hadn't arrived yet.
(second action not yet started at time of first)
Future narrative:
litamis, nim i bospupi cali i mouje = tomorrow I'll shower while drinking
litamis, nim i bospupiar cali i mouje = tomorrow I'll have showered by the time I drink
litamis, nim i bospupi, i moujeis = tomorrow I'll shower, then drink later
Noli (now) sharpens timing:
Gradation L40
Ne (quantifier cluster) + number expresses degree on a 0–10 scale, applied to any gradable word:
netor yuvabo = 2/10 comfortable = a little comfortable
nealem yuvabo = 4/10 comfortable = somewhat comfortable
neteva yuvabo = 6/10 comfortable = rather comfortable
nedas yuvabo = 10/10 comfortable = completely comfortable
nesunya lufiva = 0/10 cold = not cold at all
nedastam lufiva = 11/10 cold = too cold
Works with adverbs and other gradable concepts:
ne + number + lirul = frequency
nesunya lirul = 0/10 frequency = never
nepar lirul = 3/10 frequency = sometimes
nealui lirul = 5/10 frequency = half the time
neauta lirul = 8/10 frequency = often
nedas lirul = 10/10 frequency = every time
ne + number + ilie = likelihood
nesunya ilie = 0/10 likely = impossible
nepar ilie = 3/10 likely = possibly
neperi ilie = 7/10 likely = likely
nedas ilie = 10/10 likely = certainly
Notice that by using ne + number, we can express a lot of fine grained frequency, intensity, certainty, etc, without having extra words.
Pattern: