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Lesson 12: Adjectives

How to Use This Lesson

This lesson is divided into five sections. Please move through them in this order: Warm-Up, Grammar, Vocabulary, Practice, Flashcards.

Do not try to memorize! Just read through the content attentively. The warm-ups and flashcards will bring the vocabulary back later!

How much do you remember?

Check the boxes for words you think you know. Then click Show Answers to reveal the meanings.

Before our lesson, let's watch this 1-minute video to practice some of what we've learned in context!

Adjectives

We learned many adjectives in the YA Cluster, including slow, long, old. We already know we can use adjectives before another word, as a modifier. For example: 

yasoi mo
 ↓     ↓         
fast food

yaltan falfal
 ↓     ↓         
big  baby

But, how do we say the baby is big? To say [subject] is/are [something], we use this structure: 

a [subject] a [something]

For example, the baby is big would be:

a falfal a yaltan

"Cei faejor?" How would you reply the woman is my mother?

a faejor a nim fare

How would you say: "I am Mary"?

a nim a Mary

How about "the table is smooth"?

a bontame a yahlul

That's all! To say a subject is/are something, we use: 

a [subject] a [something]

Now try to create a sentence using a...a..., or 3 if you're up for a challenge!

The IL Subclusters

Remember what IL indicated?

Click to check

IL = inquiry and cognition.

Now look at these words and see if you can spot the narrower patterns.

Oravia English
ilace ask
ilaluan say
ilian know
ilie maybe
iliro think
ilonya forget
iloi hope
iloto worry

One more example: ilahai = talk. I will tell you the meanings of the three subclusters and you will try to match which is which. Ready?

One is what happens when knowledge is uncertain.
One is about sharing knowledge.
One is about cognition.

What do you think is the subcluster sound of each?

🌍 Sound Connections

Ila comes from Arabic إلى (ilā = toward, sharing direction).

Ili comes from Portuguese/Spanish inteligencia (intelligence); Japanese 意 (i/ili = intention, cognition).

Luan is tongue, like Arabic لِسَان lisān (tongue).

In this cluster, we also have the three general things we may inquire or know about:

Oravia English
ilwol thing
ilhei people
ilteli moment

Combined with sunya (nothing, none, zero), we have:
sunya ilhei = nobody, no one (sunya + ilhei)
sunya ilwol = nothing (sunya + ilwol)

So, to sum it up: 

ILA = sharing knowledge (ask, talk, say)
ILI = cognition (know, maybe, think)
ILO = uncertain knowledge (worry, hope, forget)
Now try the exercise.

Matching Games

Time to practice! Match the Oravia words with their English meanings. Use sound-meaning associations as clues. For example, the subcluster sound tells you the category, even for words you haven't seen before.
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

🎉 Lesson 12 Complete!

Use the Flashcards tab for another quick review.

Come back tomorrow for Lesson 13.