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Lesson 38: Relative Time / YO Cluster

How to Use This Lesson

Every lesson is divided into five sections: Warm-Up, Grammar, Vocabulary, Exercise, and Review. Please move through these tabs in order.

Do not try to memorize! Just read through the content attentively. We will have plenty of exercises and reviews later!

How much do you remember?

Check the boxes for words you think you know. Then click Show Answers to reveal the meanings and uncheck any you got wrong.

Relative time

A while ago, we learned AR and IS, which mean completed and yet to start. Back then, I told you they don't always map into past and future, and that later we would learn the cases when this happens. The time has arrived!

Typically, our reference is the present, so the completed time and the time yet to start are in the past and in the future, respectively. However, when we use another reference that is not the present, the uses diverge.

When we are talking about a narrative in the past, or sequencing two actions, the time is relative to these references. 

Litamar, nim i vaspai cali hay anifi.
Yesterday, I was putting on my shoes when he arrived.
Both actions at the same time.

Litamar, nim i vaspaiar cali hay anifi.
Yesterday, I had put on my shoes when he arrived.
First action completed by the time of the second action

Litamar, nim i vaspai, hay anifis.
Yesterday, (when) I put on my shoes, he hadn't arrived yet.
By the time of the first action, second action yet to start

Relative time is not only in the past; it also happens when the reference is the future. For example:

Litamis, nim i bospupi cali i mouje.
Tomorrow, I will shower while drinking.
Both actions at the same time.

Litamis, nim i bospupiar cali i mouje.
Tomorrow, I will have showered by the time I drink.
First action completed by the time of the second action

Litamis, nim i bospupi, i moujeis.
Tomorrow, I will shower, (later) I will drink.
By the time of the first action, second action yet to start

This brings us to noli, which means now. If you use AR and IS with noli, you can express nuanced time. For example:

Hay i anocariar noli.
He has just left.
Action completed just now

Hay i anocaris noli.
He is about to leave.
Action about to start now

Just remember: AR means completed and IS means yet to start, and they are relative to the time you are speaking about.

Now try to create 3 sentences using AR or IS: one about the past, one about the future, and one with noli (now).

YO CLUSTER

Today, let's learn the YO cluster!

Oravia English
yoyol blue
yolimel dark
yohisa red
yoyar white
yosari yellow
yogali brown

What do you think it is about?

If you use these words as verbs, it means to turn or to paint something a certain color: 

i yoyol
to turn blue

i yoyol e borcai
to paint the wall blue

Finally, you can create new words for colors. You can think of mixing paint, like this: 

yoyolsari = blue + yellow = green

Or, you can refer to something the listener also knows the color of: 

yolefa = plant color = green
yobeitor = color of my bike :)

Sound Connections

Take a look at the YO words. By this point, you have already encountered most of these syllables. Try to see if you recognize them and what they mean!

Create two new color words and explain them:

You are ready for the exercise now!

Matching Games

Time to practice! Match the Oravia words with their English meanings.

If you don't remember or make a mistake, that's totally fine! We will have plenty of opportunities to practice. Right now just give it a try.

Click one word from each column to match them. The game will check automatically when you select both words.

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Matching Games

Time to practice! Match the Oravia words with their English meanings.

If you don't remember or make a mistake, that's totally fine! We will have plenty of opportunities to practice. Right now just give it a try.

Click one word from each column to match them. The game will check automatically when you select both words.

After completing the Exercises and Review, try it again to see how much you've improved.

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Review Missed Words

This section shows words you got wrong during practice, and words you didn't know in the Warm-Up. If you didn't miss any, this will be empty - great job! 🎉

🎉 Lesson 23 Complete!

If you missed any words, check the Review tab to practice them again.

Come back tomorrow for Lesson 24.