1

Grammar
of
Lingua Franca Nova
4 October 2012



http://lfn.wikia.com/
http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/lfn/
http://purl.org/net/lfn/disionario/
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Contents

Spelling and pronunciation .................................................................................................................... 3
Sentences................................................................................................................................................ 9
Nouns ................................................................................................................................................... 10
Determiners.......................................................................................................................................... 13
Pronouns .............................................................................................................................................. 19
Adjectives ............................................................................................................................................ 23
Adverbs ................................................................................................................................................ 24
Verbs .................................................................................................................................................... 27
Prepositions.......................................................................................................................................... 33
Conjunctions ........................................................................................................................................ 44
Questions.............................................................................................................................................. 46
Clauses ................................................................................................................................................. 48
Numbers............................................................................................................................................... 51
Word formation.................................................................................................................................... 55
Abbreviations....................................................................................................................................... 64
Punctuation .......................................................................................................................................... 65
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Grammar of LFN
The grammar of Lingua Franca Nova (LFN) is simplified from the common grammar of the
Romance languages Catalan, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. As such, it resembles the
grammars of Romance creoles such as Haitian Creole, Cape Verdean Creole, Papiamento, and
Chavacano.
1. Spelling and pronunciation
1.1. Alphabets
Lingua Franca Nova uses the two most widely known alphabets in the world: Roman (or Latin) and
Cyrillic.
Roman
a b c d e f g h i j l m n o p r s t u v x z
Roman capitals
A B C D E F G H I J L M N O P R S T U V X Z
Cyrillic

Cyrillic capitals
K H M H O H P C T Y B N S
K, Q, W, and Y do not appear in ordinary words. They are only used to preserve the original forms
of proper nouns and non-LFN words. The same applies to various additional letters of the Cyrillic
alphabet.
H is also not common, but it is found in some technical and cultural terms.
1.2. Capital letters
A capital letter is used at the start of the first word in a sentence.
Capital letters are also used at the start of proper nouns. When a proper noun consists of several
words, each word is capitalized apart from minor words like la and de:
People
real or imagined, as well as personified animals and things Maria, san Paulo, Barack
Obama, Jan de Hartog, Oscar de la Renta, Mickey Mouse
Organizations
e.g. companies, societies Ikea, Nasiones Unida, Organiza Mundal de Sania
Political entities
e.g. nations, states, cities Frans, Atinai, Site de New York, Statos Unida de America
Geographical locations
e.g. rivers, oceans, lakes, mountains la Alpes, Rio Amazon, Mar Atlantica
Letters of the alphabet
E, N
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But with titles of works of art and literature, only the first word of the title is capitalized (along with
any proper nouns that appear):
Un sonia de un note de mediaestate A Midsummer Nights Dream
La frates Karamazov The Brothers Karamazov
Tocata e fuga en D minor Toccata and Fugue in D Minor
Sometimes, as in warnings, capitals are used to EMPHASIZE entire words or phrases.
LFN uses small letters in places where some languages use capitals:
Days of the week
lundi, jovedi Monday, Thursday
Months
marto, novembre March, November
Holidays and similar occasions
natal, ramadan, pascual Christmas, Ramadan, Easter
Centuries
la sentenio dudes-un the twentieth century
Languages and peoples
catalan, xines Catalan, Chinese
Titles in peoples names
seniora Braun, san Jacobo Mrs Braun, St James
Abbreviations
lfn, pf
1.3. Letter names
The following syllables are used to name letters in speech, e.g. when spelling a word:
a be ce de e ef ge hax i je ka el em
en o pe qua er es te u ve wa ex ya ze
These are nouns and can be pluralized: as, bes, efes.
In writing, one can simply present the letter itself, capitalized, adding -s for the plural:
La parola matematica ave tre As, du Ms (pronounced emes), e un E. The word
matematica has three As, two Ms, and an E.
1.4. Vowels
The letters A, E, I, O, and U are pronounced as in Spanish:
A: [a] as in Spanish or French papa; similar to the vowel in palm open front unrounded
ambasada
E: [e] as in Spanish peso or French t; similar to the vowels in get or gate mid front
unrounded estende
I: [i] the vowel in feet close front unrounded ibridi
O: [o] as in Spanish poso or French beau; similar to the vowels in caught or coat mid
back rounded odorosa
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U: [u] the vowel in moon close back rounded cultur
The vowel sounds allow a degree of variation. For example, A can be pronounced as [] (as in car),
E as [] (get) or [ei] (gate), and O as [] (caught) or [ou] (coat) without causing
misunderstanding.
1.5. Diphthongs
When one vowel follows another, they are normally pronounced separately.
But when the second vowel is I or U, the two vowels form a diphthong:
AI: [aj] the sound in aisle pais
AU: [aw] the sound in mouth auto
EU: [ew] no corresponding English diphthong; similar to the ay w in bay watch euro
OI: [oj] similar to the sound in coin seluloide
Adding a prefix does not create a diphthong: reuni [re-uni], supraindise [supra-indise]. For similar
reasons, two separate syllables are normal in a few other words too: egoiste [ego-iste], proibi
[pro-ibi]. Such words are indicated in the dictionary, e.g. proibi (o-i).
The sequence EI is rare. It is normally pronounced as two separate vowels: ateiste [ate-iste],
einsteinio [e-inste-injo], feida [fe-ida], reinventa [re-inventa]. But speakers who find this
pronunciation difficult can say [ej] or even [e] instead.
The sequence OU is extremely rare. It is pronounced like O: douglas [doglas].
When I or U precedes another vowel, it is reduced to a semivowel like the English Y or W in the
following cases:
At the start of a word
ioga [joga], ueste [weste]
Between two other vowels
joia [oja], ciui [kiwi], veia [veja]
LI, NI between two other vowels
folia [folja], anio [anjo] but not in the first syllable of a word
CU, GU
acua [akwa], cual [kwal], sangue [sangwe]
In other cases e.g. emosia, abitual, plia the I or U remains a full vowel.
While these rules define the normal pronunciation for diphthongs, they can be ignored without
confusion.
1.6. Consonants
The following letters are consonants:
B: [b] as in big voiced bilabial plosive bebe
C: [k] as in cat voiceless velar plosive clica
D: [d] as in dog voiced dental/alveolar plosive donada
F: [f] as in fat voiceless labiodental fricative fotografi
G: [g] as in get voiced velar plosive garga
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H: [h] as in hot, or silent voiceless glottal fricative haicu
J: [] as in treasure voiced postalveolar fricative jeolojia
L: [l] as in let voiced dental/alveolar lateral approximant lingual
M: [m] as in man voiced bilabial nasal mesma
N: [n] as in not voiced dental/alveolar nasal negante
P: [p] as in pot voiceless bilabial plosive paper
R: [r] as in roll voiced dental/alveolar trill rubarbo
S: [s] as in set voiceless dental/alveolar fricative sistemes
T: [t] as in ten voiceless dental/alveolar plosive tota
V: [v] as in vat voiced labiodental fricative vivosa
X: [] as in shop voiceless postalveolar fricative xuxa
Z: [z] as in zoo voiced dental/alveolar fricative zezea
Note the following points:
C is always as in call, never as in cell.
F is always as in off, never as in of.
G is always as in get, never as in gem.
H can be left silent, if the speaker prefers.
J has the sound that it has in French and Portuguese: like the S in treasure. It can also be
pronounced [d] like the J in judge if preferred.
N before G or C has the sound of NG [] in English: longa, ance. Final NG, as in bumerang,
also has this sound: the G is silent.
R has the trilled or rolled sound that it has in Italian and Spanish. Other R sounds (as in French,
German, or English) are acceptable, as long as they are clearly distinct from other LFN sounds.
S is always as in hiss, never as in his.
V never sounds like B, unlike in Spanish.
X is like SH in English, SCH in German, and CH in French and Portuguese. It can also be
pronounced [t] like the CH in church if preferred.
Z never sounds like TS, unlike in German and Italian.
As some speakers have difficulty with consonants in certain combinations or positions, LFN allows
the following variations:
haicu, bahamas: H can be left silent, if a speaker prefers: [aicu], [ba-amas].
blog, club: Some international words end in unusual consonants. A trailing E can be added to
ease the pronunciation: [bloge], [klube].
spada, strada: A number of words start with S followed by a consonant. A speaker who finds
this difficult can add a leading E: [espada], [estrada].
gnostica, psicolojia: Some scientific words start with unusual combinations of consonants,
such as FT, GN, MN, PS, or PT. The first consonant can be omitted in pronunciation: [nostika],
[sikoloia].
1.7. Non-LFN letters
When the non-LFN letters appear in a word, they are normally pronounced as follows:
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K: [k] like C
Q: [k] like C
W: [u] or [w] like U
Y: [i] or [j] like I
: [jo] like IO
: [i] or [j] like I
: [ts] like TS
: [t] like TX
: [t] like XTX
: [i] like I
: [e] like E
: [ju] like IU
: [ja] like IA
1.8. Stress
If a word has more than one vowel, one of the vowels is stressed (pronounced more strongly). The
stressed vowels below are underlined.
The basic rule is to stress the vowel that precedes the last consonant of a word:
falda
integra
matematica
orgulos
ranur
Adding a suffix can move the stress:
matematica > matematical
radiograf > radiografia (no change)
radiograf > radiografiste
But adding the plural -s does not move the stress:
un falda > du faldas
un joven > tre jovenes
ambos this special word is stressed like a plural
The I or U of a diphthong behaves like a consonant in this regard:
abaia
ciui
bonsai
cacau
If no vowel precedes the last consonant, the first vowel is stressed:
trae
fea
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tio
proa
jua
Some words have multiple vowels after their last consonant. If the vowels are IA, IE, IO, UA, UE, or
UO, the stress still goes on the vowel before the consonant:
asentua
jelosia
rituo
alio
However, when the final vowels are AE, AO, EA, EO, OA, OE, o UI, the stress goes on the first
vowel of the pair:
coneo
idea
sutrae
produi
(But in estingui, the U is a semivowel because of another rule.)
Ala, asi, and ami are often pronounced with the stress on the final vowel rather than on the previous
one. Either pronunciation is acceptable.
Compound words such as parario and mediadia retain the original stress of the second component.
LFN is not a tonal language: words are not distinguished by changes in the pitch of the voice.
However, one way to indicate that a sentence is a question is to end on a rise:
Tu parla portuges? with a rising pitch in the last word
Tu no parla portuges. with a flat or falling pitch
1.9. Phonotactics
The forms of ordinary words in LFN are constrained by certain rules.
Two examples of the same vowel (such as aa) cannot be adjacent, except where this is the result of
adding a prefix: reenvia, coopera. In these cases, both vowels are pronounced.
The sequences ei and ou are invalid. But ei is allowed in words that start with re-, such as
reincarne. The two vowels are pronounced individually.
The sequence ei is normally only found in words with a prefix that ends in e (such as preistoria and
reincarne) and in words with a suffix that starts with i (such as fein and veida). The standard
pronunciation of ei is as two separate vowels, but [ej] and [e] are allowed if a speaker prefers.
The sequence ou is not normally acceptable.
Where a suffix would create an invalid vowel sequence, the second vowel of the sequence is
dropped:
comedia + -iste > (comediiste) > comediste comedian
Only the following 22 consonant clusters are allowed at the start of a syllable:
bl-, cl-, fl-, gl-, pl-
br-, cr-, dr-, fr-, gr-, pr-, tr-
sc-, sf-, sl-, sp-, st-
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scl-, scr-, spl-, spr-, str-
Only the following consonants are allowed at the end of a syllable, and they must be directly
preceded by a vowel:
-f, -s, -x
-m, -n, -l, -r
A consonant cluster in the middle of a word is valid if it can be split over two valid syllables:
encontrante = en-con-tran-te
mostrablia = mo-stra-bli-a
instinto = in-stin-to
Proper nouns, along with technical, international, or culture-specific words, are free to break these
rules.
2. Sentences
Most sentences in LFN contain a verb phrase, typically denoting the occurrence of an action. A
verb phrase consists of a verb plus any modifiers such as adverbs or prepositional phrases.
Most sentences also contain at least one noun phrase, typically denoting a person or thing. A noun
phrase consists of a noun plus any modifiers such as determiners, adjectives, and prepositional
phrases.
The two most important noun phrases are the subject and the object. Their exact meaning depends
on the choice of verb, but loosely speaking, the subject is the person or thing that carries out the
action, and the object is the person or thing that is directly affected by the action.
In LFN, the subject always precedes the verb, and the object always follows:
La gato xasa la scural. The cat (subject) chases (verb) the squirrel (object).
La xica gusta la musica. The girl (subject) likes (verb) the music (object).
La can dormi. The dog (subject) sleeps (verb).
Most verbs require a subject, but many do not require an object.
Another common sentence component is the complement. This is an extra description of the subject
that can follow verbs like es (be), deveni (become), pare (seem), and resta (remain):
Computadores es macinas. Computers (subject) are (verb) machines (complement).
La aira pare umida. The air (subject) seems (verb) damp (complement).
La comeda deveni fria. The food (subject) becomes (verb) cold (complement).
La patatas ia resta calda. The potatoes (subject) stayed (verb) hot (complement).
Nos taxe es reconstrui la mur. Our task (subject) is (verb) to rebuild the wall
(complement: a nested sentence).
La idea es ce tu canta. The idea (subject) is (verb) that you sing (complement: a nested
sentence).
Some languages also allow the object to have a complement, as in I find this cheese disgusting or
They elected him president. This type of complement does not occur in LFN.
One other major sentence component is the prepositional phrase, which adds detail to a preceding
noun or verb, or to the sentence as a whole:
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La om ia cade tra se seja. The man (subject) fell (verb) through his chair (prepositional
phrase).
En la note, la stelas apare. In the night (prepositional phrase) the stars (subject) appear
(verb).
Me dona a tu esta poma. I (subject) give (verb) to you (prepositional phrase) this
apple (object).
Me dona esta poma a tu. I (subject) give (verb) this apple (object) to you
(prepositional phrase).
Tu no aspeta como tu foto. You (subject) dont look (verb) like your photo
(prepositional phrase).
In addition to phrases, some sentences contain clauses, which resemble smaller sentences nested
within the larger sentence. They can modify noun phrases, verb phrases, or the whole of the larger
sentence:
La om ci ia abita asi ia vade a Nu Iorc. The man who lived here went to New York.
El va visita en julio, cuando la clima es bon. He will visit in July, when the weather is good.
On no ia permete me fa la cosas como me ia desira. I wasnt allowed to do things as I
wanted.
Me pensa ce el es bela. I think that she is beautiful.
3. Nouns
A noun is typically introduced by determiners, and may be followed by adjectives and prepositional
phrases, producing a noun phrase. Typical nouns denote physical objects such as people, places, and
things, but nouns can also denote more abstract concepts that are grammatically similar.
3.1. Plural
Adding -s to a noun makes it plural. If the singular noun ends in a consonant, -es is added instead.
The plural ending does not affect the words stress:
gato, gatos cat, cats
om, omes man, men
Adjectives modifying a noun do not change when the noun is plural. But when an adjective is used
as a noun, it can be pluralized:
la bones, la males, e la feas the good, the bad, and the ugly
multe belas many beauties
Some nouns that are plural in English are singular in LFN:
El regarda un sisor con un binoculo. Hes looking at a pair of scissors through [a pair of]
binoculars.
On usa un bretela per suporta se pantalon. You use suspenders to hold up your pants (US);
you use braces to hold up your trousers (Br).
Me ia compra esta oculo de sol en Nederland. I bought these sunglasses in the Netherlands.
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3.2. Countable and uncountable nouns
Like many languages, LFN distinguishes countable and uncountable nouns. A countable noun (or
count noun) can be modified by a number, and can accept the plural -s. Typical countable nouns
represent objects that are clearly individual entities, such as houses, cats, and thoughts. For example:
un auto; la autos; cuatro autos a car; the cars; four cars
un gato; multe gatos; un milion gatos a cat; many cats; a million cats
By contrast, uncountable nouns (sometimes called mass nouns) do not normally accept the plural
-s. Uncountable nouns typically denote masses that have no clear individuality, such as liquids
(water, juice), powders (sugar, sand), substances (metal, wood), or abstract qualities (elegance,
slowness). When they are modified by a number or other quantity word, a unit of measure is often
added for clarity. For example:
la acua; alga acua; tre tases de acua the water; some water; three cups of water
lenio; multe lenio; du pesos de lenio wood; a lot of wood; two pieces of wood
However, uncountable nouns can be used in a countable manner. They then denote particular
examples or instances:
Du cafes, per favore. Two coffees, please.
Me ia proba multe cesos. Ive tasted many cheeses.
On no pote compara la belias de Paris e Venezia. You cant compare the beauties of Paris and
Venice.
3.3. Gender
Nouns do not normally indicate their gender. To distinguish the sexes, the adjectives mas and fema
are used:
un cavalo mas a male horse, a stallion
un cavalo fema a female horse, a mare
But there are a few words for family relations that mark females with -a and males with -o:
ava, avo grandmother, grandfather
fia, fio daughter, son
neta, neto granddaughter, grandson
sobrina, sobrino niece, nephew
sposa, sposo wife, husband
tia, tio aunt, uncle
xica, xico girl, boy
There are also a few pairs that use different words for the two sexes:
dama, cavalor dame, knight
diva, dio goddess, god
fem, om woman, man
madre, padre mother, father
rea, re queen, king
seniora, senior lady, Mrs; gentleman, Mr
sore, frate sister, brother
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The rare suffix -esa forms the female variants of a few historical social roles:
abade, abadesa abbot, abbess
baron, baronesa baron, baroness
conte, contesa count, countess
duxe, duxesa duke, duchess
imperor, imperoresa emperor, empress
marci, marcesa marquess, marchioness
prinse, prinsesa prince, princess
3.4. Noun phrases
A noun phrase consists of a noun and its modifiers: determiners, which precede the noun, and
adjectives and prepositional phrases, which follow it.
The two most important noun phrases in a sentence are the subject and the object. The subject
precedes the verb, and the object follows the verb. Other noun phrases are normally introduced by
prepositions to clarify their function.
A noun phrase must normally contain a determiner perhaps just the plural marker -s. But this rule
does not apply to proper nouns, to the names of weekdays, months, and languages, and to
uncountable nouns:
Desembre es calda en Australia. December is warm in Australia.
Nederlandes es me lingua orijinal. Dutch is my original language.
Me gusta pan. I like bread.
The rule is also often relaxed when the noun phrase follows a preposition, particularly in fixed
expressions:
El es la comandor de polisia. He is the chief of police.
Me no gusta come bur de aracide. I dont like eating peanut butter.
Nos vade a scola. We are going to school.
Acel es un problem sin solve en matematica. That is an unsolved problem in mathematics.
Un virgula pare nesesada per claria. A comma seems necessary for clarity.
An adjective or determiner can be modified by a preceding adverb. Because adverbs look like
adjectives, multiple adjectives are normally separated by commas or e. In speech, intonation makes
the difference clear:
Sola un poma multe putrida ia resta. Only a very rotten apple remained.
Me ia encontra un fem bela intelijente. I met a beautifully intelligent woman.
Me ia encontra un fem bela, joven, e intelijente. I met a beautiful, young, and intelligent
woman.
Sometimes a noun is just a token for any member of its class. In such cases, it makes little difference
whether la or un is used, or whether the noun is plural or singular:
La arpa es un strumento musical. The harp is a musical instrument.
Un arpa es un strumento musical. A harp is a musical instrument.
Arpos es strumentos musical. Harps are musical instruments.
A pronoun is a special case of a noun phrase. Pronouns cannot normally be modified.
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3.5. Apposition
Two noun phrases are said to be in apposition when one directly follows the other and both refer to
the same entity:
la rio Amazon the Amazon River
la mar Pasifica the Pacific Ocean
la isola Skye the Isle of Skye
la Universia Harvard Harvard University
la Funda Ford the Ford Foundation
re George 5 King George V
san Jacobo major St. James the Elder
Piotr la grande Peter the Great
me ami Simon my friend Simon
la parola inverno the word inverno
la libro La prinse peti the book The Little Prince
un arbor eucalipto a eucalyptus tree
Acronyms and single letters can directly follow a noun to modify it:
La disionario es ance disponable como un fix PDF. The dictionary is also available as a PDF
file.
El ia porta un camisa T blu de escota V. She was wearing a blue V-necked T-shirt.
Occasionally, two nouns apply equally to an object or person. In these cases, the nouns are joined by
a hyphen:
un produor-diretor a producer-director
un primador-scanador a printer-scanner
In all cases, the plural -s or -es is applied to both nouns:
la statos membros the member states
produores-diretores producer-directors
A special case involves the verb nomi (name):
Nos ia nomi el Orion. We named him Orion.
Me nomi esta forma un obelisce. I call this shape an obelisk.
4. Determiners
A determiner is a word that modifies a noun to express the nouns reference, including its identity
and quantity. Apart from the plural marker -s (which is considered a determiner in LFN), the
determiners always precede the noun.
There are several different classes of determiner. Typical examples of each class are: tota, la, esta,
cual, cada, me, multe, otra.
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4.1. Predeterminers
Tota means all. It indicates the entire quantity of the nouns referent, which must be plural if
countable. Unlike cada, tota refers to the whole thing, rather than the separate individuals that
comprise it:
Tota linguas es asurda. All languages are absurd.
Me va ama tu per tota tempo. I will love you for all time / the whole of time.
La lete ia vade a tota locas. The milk went everywhere.
Ambos means both. It can be used in place of tota when the entire quantity is known to be only
two. The noun must be plural:
Ambos gamas es debil. Both legs are weak.
Semantically, tota and ambos are no different from quantifiers, but they are treated as a separate
class because of their syntax: they precede all other determiners in a noun phrase, including la.
They can also be used as pronouns.
4.2. Articles
LFN has two articles the definite article la, and the indefinite article un. Definite here means that
the nouns referent is already defined, as opposed to being something new.
La introduces a noun that denotes someone or something that the listener is already aware of. It is
used in the following types of situation:
The thing has already been mentioned:
Me ia compra un casa. La casa es peti. Ive bought a house. The house is small.
The listener can easily guess that the thing exists:
Me ia compra un casa. La cosina es grande. Ive bought a house. The kitchen is large.
The rest of the sentence specifies the thing well enough:
El ia perde la numeros de telefon de se amis. Shes lost the phone numbers of her friends.
The listener can perceive the thing directly:
La musica es bela, no? The music is lovely, isnt it?
The thing is well known to everyone. This includes fields of study and abstract nouns:
La luna es multe distante de la tera. The moon is a long way from the earth.
Me no comprende la matematica. I dont understand mathematics.
El ama la cafe. She loves coffee.
La felisia es plu importante ca la ricia. Happiness is more important than wealth.
Un introduces a singular noun that refers to something the listener is not yet aware of. It is not used
with plural or uncountable nouns. (It also serves as a quantifier meaning one.)
Me vole leje un libro. I want to read a book.
Un gato ia veni en la sala. A cat came into the room.
Some languages have a partitive article that indicates an indefinite quantity of an uncountable noun.
LFN uses la, or de, or no article at all:
Me gusta la cafe. I like coffee / I like the coffee.
Me gusta cafe. I like coffee.
Me bevi de cafe. I drink some coffee.
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Me bevi cafe. I drink coffee.
4.3. Demonstratives
The demonstratives point to the nouns referent, locating it in time or space or the discourse itself.
Esta means this. It is similar to la, but points to an item that is near the speaker, either physically or
metaphorically:
Me posese esta casa. I own this house.
Esta libros es merveliosa. These books are wonderful.
Me gusta esta cafe. I like this coffee.
Esta mense ia es difisil. This month was difficult.
Esta frase conteni sinco parolas. This sentence contains five words.
Acel means that. It is also similar to la, but points to an item that is distant from the speaker, or at
least more distant than esta:
Acel xico regarda acel xicas. That boy is looking at those girls.
Atenta denova en acel modo. Try that way again.
Acel torta es noncomable. That cake is inedible.
Esta and acel can be converted to pronouns.
4.4. Interrogatives
The interrogative determiners are one way to create questions.
Ce asks what or what kind of:
Ce animal es acel? What animal is that?
Ce vejetales es la plu bon? What vegetables are the best?
Cual asks which or what. It implies that there is a particular range of possibilities:
Tu veni de cual pais? What country do you come from?
Cual fenetras es rompeda? Which windows are broken?
Cual pinta tu prefere? Which paint do you prefer?
Cuanto asks how many with a plural countable noun, and how much with an uncountable noun:
Cuanto casas es en tu strada? How many houses are on your street?
Cuanto pan tu pote come? How much bread can you eat?
Ce, cual, and cuanto are also used as pronouns.
4.5. Selection determiners
The selection determiners pick out specific individuals from the whole set:
cada each, every
cualce whichever, any
alga some, a few, a little, any
no no
sola only
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Cada means each or every, considering all the items separately as individuals. The noun must be
countable but singular:
Cada can ave un nom. Each dog has a name.
Me no ia leje cada parola. I didnt read every word.
Tu fa la mesma era a cada ves. You make the same mistake every time.
Cualce means any, i.e. it doesnt matter which. The noun is normally countable. Any with an
uncountable noun is usually alga:
Prende cualce carta. Pick any card.
Cualce contenadores va sufisi. Any containers will do.
Alga indicates that the identity of the nouns referent is unspecified:
Me ia leje acel en alga libro. I read that in some book (or other).
Cisa me va reveni a alga dia. Maybe I will come back some day.
Alga cosa es rompeda. Something is broken.
When used with a noun that is uncountable, or a noun that is countable and plural, alga indicates that
not only is the referents identity unspecified, but its quantity is too. The quantity is often understood
to be fairly small otherwise you would say multe but not as emphatically small as with poca:
Me va leje alga libros. Im going to read some books / a few books.
Alga polvo ia cade de la sofito. Some dust fell from the ceiling.
El ave alga pan en se sesto. She has some bread in her basket.
No means no. It indicates that the nouns referent is absent or non-existent:
Me ave no arbores en me jardin. I have no trees / I dont have any trees in my garden.
Tu va senti no dole. You will feel no pain.
No arbor es plu alta ce la tore Eiffel. No tree is taller than the Eiffel tower.
Me ia encontra no person en la parce. I met nobody in the park.
Sola means only, i.e. just this and no others:
El es la sola dotor en la vila. He is the only doctor in town.
Estas es la sola du parolas cual nos no comprende. These are the only two words we dont
understand.
Me va destrui la mur con un sola colpa. I shall destroy the wall with a single blow.
These determiners, with the exception of no and sola, can also be used as pronouns. They also form
the special pronouns cadun, cualcun, algun, e nun, which refer to people. To refer to things, the
determiners are simply followed by cosa.
4.6. Possessives
The possessive determiners are the personal pronouns, preceded by la:
La me gato ia come un mus. My cat ate a mouse.
Me gusta multe la tu dansa. I like your dance very much.
La nos ecipo va gania la premio. Our team will win the prize.
La me desira es forte. My desire is strong.
When there is no ambiguity for example, before a noun root the word la can be omitted.
Possession can also be indicated with a phrase like de me:
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Esta es me casa. This is my house.
Acel es la casa de tu. That is your house.
The third-person possessive is la se, regardless of whether the equivalent pronoun would be el, lo,
los, on, or se. Again, la can be omitted when there is no ambiguity:
La ipopotamo abri (la) se boca. The hippopotamus opens its mouth. (reflexive)
Nos regarda (la) se dentes. We look at its teeth. (not reflexive)
4.7. Quantifiers
Quantifiers are determiners that help express the amount or quantity of the nouns referent:
-s -s (plural marker)
un one, a
du, tre, cuatro two, three, four
multe many, much
poca few, little
plu more
la plu most
min fewer, less
la min least
The plural marker -s is the most basic quantifier. A noun phrase that includes a plural noun does not
require any other determiner:
Me va leje libros. Im going to read [some] books.
Me va leje la libros. Im going to read the books.
As well as being the indefinite article, un is the number one. It indicates a single quantity of the
nouns referent. The noun must therefore be countable but singular:
Me ave un frate e du sores. I have one brother and two sisters.
The other cardinal numbers du, tre, cuatro, etc are likewise quantifiers.
Me ave tre gatos obesa. I have three fat cats.
Me ave cuatro plu anios ca me frate. I am four years older than my brother.
Multe indicates a large quantity of the nouns referent. It means many with a plural countable noun,
and much with an uncountable noun:
Esta casa ia sta asi per multe anios. This house has stood here for many years.
La pijones come multe pan. The pigeons eat a lot of bread.
Poca is the opposite of multe, and indicates a small quantity. It means few with a plural countable
noun, and little with a uncountable noun:
Me reconose poca persones. I recognize few people. (really not many)
El pote dona poca aida. He can give little help. (really not much)
Compare: Me pote leje alga parolas. I can read a few words. (a small number)
Plu means more. It indicates a larger quantity of the nouns referent, and can be used with plural
and uncountable nouns. La plu means most the largest quantity:
Tu ave plu libros ca me. You have more books than me.
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La plu linguas es bela. Most languages are beautiful.
Plu pan es en la cosina. Theres more bread in the kitchen.
La plu fango es repulsante. Most mud is revolting.
Min is the opposite of plu, and means less or fewer. It indicates a smaller quantity, and can be
used with plural and uncountable nouns. La min means least or fewest:
Me desira min vejetales ca el. I want fewer vegetables than her.
Tu ia leje la min libros de cualcun ci me conose. You have read the least books of anyone I
know.
El ave min interesa a cada dia. He has less interest every day.
With the exception of no, the quantifiers can all be converted to pronouns.
4.8. Similarity determiners
Three additional determiners are concerned with similarity and difference:
La mesma means the same. The word la cannot normally be omitted, although it can be changed
to esta or acel for added emphasis:
Tu porta la mesma calsetas como me. Youre wearing the same socks as me.
La gera ia comensa en la mesma anio. The war began in the same year.
Nos va reveni a esta mesma tema pos un semana. We will come back to this same topic in a
weeks time.
Otra means other:
Nos ave aora esta tre otra problemes. We have these three other problems now.
La otra solve ia es plu bon. The other solution was better.
Tu ave otra pan? Do you have any other bread?
Tal means such, i.e. of this or that kind:
Me construi un macina de tempo. Im building a time machine.
Tal cosas es nonposable. Such things are impossible.
Me xerca un abeor. Im looking for a beekeeper.
Me no conose un tal person. I dont know such a person.
Tu vole jua a futbal con nos? Do you want to play football with us?
Me prefere evita tal eserse. I prefer to avoid such exercise.
Tu ave plu libros como estas? Do you have more books like these?
Si, me ave du otra tal libros. Yes, I have two other such books.
4.9. Order of determiners
The determiners follow a certain order:
The predeterminers tota and ambos, if present, precede all others.
Next comes an article, a demonstrative, an interrogative, a selection determiner, or a possessive.
There is normally no more than one such determiner in a noun phrase.
After that, there can be one or more quantifiers or similarity determiners.
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The adjectives bon and mal, while not themselves determiners, usually precede the noun,
following any determiners.
For example:
El ia colie se poca posesedas e parti. She gathered her few possessions and left.
Nos no ia tradui ancora acel otra cuatro frases. We still havent translated those other four
sentences.
Tota la omes ia vade a la costa. All the men went to the coast.
5. Pronouns
A pronoun is a word that replaces a longer noun phrase.
5.1. Personal pronouns
me I, me
tu you (one person)
el he, she, him, her
lo it
nos we, us
vos you (more than one person)
los they, them
Tu is singular and vos is plural in all situations, both formal and casual.
El is used to refer to people, and to animals such as mammals and birds. It can be metaphorically
applied also to other creatures, robots, the moon, storms, etc.
Lo is used to refer to things, simple creatures, ideas, concepts, etc.
Los is used as the plural of both el and lo.
El does not distinguish gender. Proper names, and short phrases such as la om, la fem, la xica, and
la xico, are good alternatives to gendered pronouns. La cosa, esta, and acel are good alternatives
for it:
Do es Joana? La xica es en la jardin. Where is Joana? The girl (= she) is in the garden.
Do es me come de matina? Acel es en la cosina. Where is my breakfast? That (= it) is in the
kitchen.
A personal pronoun can be followed by a relative clause. If the meaning remains clear, the pronoun
can be omitted, leaving the relative pronoun to do double duty:
El recorda sempre la nomes de los ci el ia encontra. He always remembers the names of those
he has met.
Me respeta tu, ci es tan saja. I respect you, who are so wise.
El ci osa, gania. He/she who dares, wins.
Ci osa, gania. Who dares, wins.
On is a general indefinite pronoun, like on in French or man in German. It means people in
general or an arbitrary person or, in idiomatic English, they or you. It often avoids the need
for a passive verb:
On dise ce tu va parti. They say you are going to leave.
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On debe repete la verbo. You should repeat the verb. / The verb should be repeated.
Se is the reflexive pronoun for the third person, both singular and plural. It refers to the subject of
the current verb, but is never the subject itself:
El limpi se. It cleans itself.
Los lava se. They wash themselves.
The pronouns me, tu, nos, vos, and se are used without change as possessive determiners (my,
your, etc), but LFN has no possessive pronouns (mine, yours, etc). Instead, phrases like lo de
tu, los de nos are used, or the relevant noun is simply repeated with the appropriate possessive
determiner:
Me ia trova me libros, ma tu no ia trova tu libros. I have found my books, but you havent
found your books.
Me ia trova me libros, ma tu no ia trova los de tu. I have found my books, but you havent
found yours.
Tu jueta es plu bon ca me jueta. Your toy is nicer than mine.
Lo es ance plu grande ca lo de me. It is also bigger than mine.
No toca acel jueta! Lo no es de tu. Dont touch that toy! It isnt yours.
5.2. Determiner pronouns
Just as an adjective can be converted to a noun, so most determiners can be converted to pronouns.
The pronouns esta, acel, and otra can take the plural -s:
esta, estas this, these
acel, aceles that, those
otra, otras other, others
cualce any, whichever, whatever
cada each
alga some
multe much, many
poca little, few
plu more
la plu most
min fewer, less
la min fewest, least
tota all
ambos both
Examples:
Estas aspeta bela! These look nice!
Prende cualce. Take any (from a selection).
Me no vole judi, car me gusta egal cada. I dont want to judge, because I like each one
equally.
Me vole grasia cada de esta persones. I want to thank each of these people.
Alga pensa ancora ce la mundo es plata. Some (people) still think that the world is flat.
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Tu ia versa mal la vino. Alga es sur la table. Youve poured the wine badly. Some (of it) on
the table.
Multe de nos es programores. Many of us are programmers.
Me no ia regarda multe de acel filmas. I havent watched many of those films.
Me reconose poca de la persones en la popla. I recognize few of the people in the audience.
Plu va ariva pronto. More will arrive soon.
Alga parolas es clar, ma on no pote leje fasil la plu. Some words are clear, but most cant
easily be read.
Tu ave min ca me. You have less than me.
Me vole bonveni tota de vos. I want to welcome you all.
Me ia compra sinco libros nova, ma me ia lasa tota en la bus. I bought five new books, but I
left them all on the bus.
Ambos de la enfantes jua felis. Both of the children are playing happily.
The cardinal numbers can be used as pronouns denoting groups of a specified size. These pronouns
do not normally take the plural -s and do not require determiners:
Tre de me amis va ariva a esta sera. Three of my friends will arrive this evening.
Cuanto pizas tu ia come? How many pizzas have you eaten?
Cuatro! Four!
La cuatro de nos va come en junta. The four of us will eat together.
Un de me gatos manca. One of my cats is missing.
La tre ia abita en la mesma aparte. The three lived in the same flat.
To indicate indeterminate multiples of numbers such as sento, mil, or milion, the plural -s is added:
Ia ave miles de persones a la conserta. There were thousands of people at the concert.
A cada anio, miliones migra a otra paises. Every year, millions immigrate to other countries.
On ia vacui miles de plu persones de locas inondada par la deluvias. Thousands more people
were evacuated from areas inundated by the floods.
On pote fatura plu sentos per servi. You can be charged additional hundreds for service.
La cannot be converted to a pronoun. El, lo, and los are used instead:
La casa de me padre es plu grande ca lo de me frate. My fathers house is larger than my
brothers.
Lo es ance plu grande ca lo cual me intende compra. Its also larger than the one that I intend
to buy.
No cannot be used as a pronoun, but it does form nun and no cosa. The number zero can also be
used as a pronoun.
The idiomatic expression la un la otra means one another or each other. It has variants such as la
un o la otra (one or the other), la un pos la otra (one after another), and la un sur la otra (one on
top of the other):
La xicos colpa la un la otra. The boys are hitting each other.
Me pila me crepes la un sur la otra. I stack my pancakes one on top of the other.
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5.3. Interrogative and relative pronouns
LFN has three pronouns that are used to create questions:
ce? what? (= ce cosa, cual cosa?)
cual? which?
ci? who, whom? (= ce person, cual person?)
While ce and cual are determiners as well as pronouns, ci is only used as a pronoun and should not
be used as a determiner.
Examples:
Cual tu gusta? Which do you like?
Cual tu prefere, la rojas o la verdes? Which do you prefer, the reds or the greens?
Ci vole es un milionor? Who wants to be a millionaire?
Tu vade a la sinema con ci? Who are you going to the movies with?
Ce es en la caxa? What is in the box?
Vos prefere ce? What do you prefer?
Cual and ci also serve as relative pronouns, introducing relative clauses:
cual that, which
ci who, whom (= la person cual)
The relative pronoun for a person is ci. The relative pronoun for other things is cual:
Esta es la fem de ci me ia compra me auto. This is the woman from whom I bought my car.
La fem de ci me ia oblida se nom es denova a la porte. The woman whose name Ive forgotten
is at the door again.
A, vide la patetas ci segue se madre! Ah, look at the ducklings who are following their
mother!
La libro cual me leje es tro longa. The book that Im reading is too long.
La casa en cual nos abita es tro peti. The house in which we live is too small.
La superstisios me gusta esta parola! cual me ia investiga es riable. The superstitions I
like that word! that I have investigated are ridiculous.
El esperia un sonia cual el teme. She experiences a dream of which she is afraid.
Compare: El esperia un sonia ce el teme. She experiences a dream (and the dream is) that she
is afraid.
5.4. Other pronouns
There are four special pronouns that refer to people. They are only used in the singular:
algun somebody, someone (= alga un, alga person)
cualcun anybody, anyone, whoever (= cualce un, cualce person)
cadun everybody, everyone, each person (= cada un, cada person)
nun nobody, no one (= no un, no person)
Examples:
Algun entre nos es la asasinor. Someone among us is the murderer.
Dise acel broma a cualcun, e el va rie. Tell that joke to anybody, and they will laugh.
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Cadun debe reseta un premio. Everyone must get a prize.
Me senta en la atrio per un ora, e nun ia parla a me. Ive been sitting in the lobby for an hour,
and nobodys spoken to me.
The equivalents of algun, cualcun, cadun, and nun for things are alga cosa (something), cualce
cosa (anything), cada cosa (everything), and no cosa (nothing).
5.5. Pronoun phrases
Pronouns are not normally modified by determiners or adjectives, but they can be modified by
prepositional phrases:
Nos en la sindicato esije plu diretos. We in the union demand more rights.
Tota de la lenio es danada. All of the wood is damaged.
La plu de esta linguas es difisil. Most of these languages are difficult.
6. Adjectives
An adjective is a word that modifies the meaning of a noun. Typical adjectives denote the qualities,
properties, or attributes of the referents of their nouns.
In LFN, adjectives do not change to indicate number or gender.
However, any adjective can be reused unchanged as a noun, whose meaning is a person or a thing
that has that adjectives quality. The resulting noun obeys the normal rules for nouns it takes -s
when plural, requires a determiner, and can be modified by adjectives of its own:
Esta anelo es perfeta sirculo. Lo es un sirculo perfeta. This ring is perfectly circular. It is a
perfect circle.
Marilyn es un blonde, e seniores prefere blondes. Marilyn is a blonde, and gentlemen prefer
blondes.
6.1. Position
Most adjectives follow the noun they modify. However, bon (good) and mal (bad) normally
precede the noun, unless they are themselves modified:
un bon can a good dog
un can plu bon a better dog (modified by plu)
la mal enfante the bad child
un mal can bon instruida a bad dog well trained
bon enfantes mal comprendeda good children poorly understood
In poetry and song, other adjectives occasionally precede the noun.
6.2. Comparison
Comparative adjectives are formed by adding the adverbs plu (more) and min (less). Than is
ca:
La cosina es plu calda ca la jardin. The kitchen is hotter than the garden.
Esta leto es min comfortosa ca me ia previde. This bed is less comfortable than I expected.
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Superlative adjectives are formed by adding the adverbs la plu (most) and la min (least):
La sol es la ojeto la plu calda en la sistem solal. The sun is the hottest object in the solar
system.
El ia ave un fia la plu bela en la mundo. She had a daughter, the most beautiful (of daughters)
in the world.
Ordinal numbers can be combined with the superlative construction:
Vega es la stela sinco la plu briliante en la sielo de note. Vega is the fifth brightest star in the
night sky.
El ia deveni la om tre la plu rica en la mundo. He became the third richest man in the world.
Equality comparisons use the combination tan como (so as):
La arbor ia es tan alta como un casa. The tree was as tall as a house.
On es tan joven como on senti. Youre as young as you feel.
7. Adverbs
Just as adjectives are words that modify nouns, so adverbs are words that modify almost anything
else, such as verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, determiners, prepositions, noun phrases, and even
whole sentences. Typically, adverbs give information about place, time, circumstance, cause,
manner, or degree.
7.1. Position
In LFN, adverbs and adjectives have the same form. The difference is made clear by positioning:
adjectives follow nouns; adverbs follow verbs and precede other words:
La om ia studia atendosa la testo. The man studied the text carefully. (modifying a verb)
Me ia veni asi en un tren riable lenta. I came here on a ridiculously slow train. (modifying an
adjective)
La tren ia move asurda lenta. The train moved absurdly slowly. (modifying another adverb)
Me no oia multe bon tu. I cant hear you very well. (multe modifying bon, and multe
bon modifying oia)
Cuasi sento persones ia espeta sur la plataforma. Almost a hundred people were waiting on
the platform. (modifying a quantifier)
On ia escava un buco direta ante me porte. Theyve dug a hole right in front of my door.
(modifying a preposition)
Sola la manico es rompeda. Only the handle is broken. (modifying a noun phrase)
Strana, el ia porta un balde de pexes. Strangely, he was carrying a bucket of fish. (modifying
a sentence)
An adverb (or adverbial phrase) that modifies a verb (or the whole sentence) can also be placed at the
beginning of the sentence. And if it doesnt cause confusion, an adverb can be placed at the end of
the sentence too:
El dansa bon. He dances well.
Pronto el va cade. Soon he will fall.
Surprendente, el es un xico multe bon. Surprisingly, he is a very good boy.
Me leje felis la libro. I read the book happily.
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7.2. Comparison
Comparison of adverbs is exactly like comparison of adjectives.
7.3. Primary adverbs
In addition to the huge number of adverbs derived from adjectives, LFN has a few words that are
only adverbs:
cisa perhaps
cuasi almost
tan so (to such an extent)
tro too (excessively)
asi here
ala there
an even (contrary to expectation)
ance also
ancora again, still
aora now
alora then (at that time)
ja already
nunca never
sempre always
pronto soon
ier yesterday
oji today
doman tomorrow
Tan is used in exclamations:
Un vista tan bela! What a lovely view!
Tan stonante! How amazing!
7.4. Quantifier adverbs
Certain quantifiers can be converted to adverbs, indicating the extent or degree to which something is
the case.
no not
alga some
multe much
poca little
plu more
min less
la plu most
la min least
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No as an adverb means not, to no extent. It negates what it modifies. As a special case, when it
modifies a verb, it precedes the verb:
Los no va comprende. They wont understand.
Nos ave no sola un orania, ma ance du bananas. Weve got not only an orange, but two
bananas as well.
O, no esta problem denova! Oh, not this problem again!
Alga as an adverb means some, somewhat, fairly, to some extent:
Acel es un caso alga spesial. Thats a rather special case.
Alga confusada, el ia cade en la lago. Somewhat confused, he fell into the lake.
Multe as an adverb means much, very, to a large extent:
Me es multe coler. I am very angry.
El ama multe la femes. He loves women a lot.
Poca as an adverb means little, slightly, to a small extent:
Me deveni poca demente. Im going slightly mad.
El core poca. He runs a little.
Plu and min as adverbs mean more and less, to a greater extent and to a lesser extent:
Tu aspeta plu joven ca me. You look younger than me.
No parla plu. Dont talk any more.
Me es min contente con la resulta ca me ta prefere. Im less pleased with the result than I
would like.
La plu and la min as adverbs mean most and least, to the maximum extent and to the minimum
extent:
Pardona es la parola la plu difisil. Sorry is the hardest word.
El es la om la min interesante en la mundo. He is the least interesting man in the world.
A la min, nos ave ancora la un la otra. At least we still have each other.
7.5. Interrogative and relative adverbs
The following adverbs can be used in several ways:
cuando when
do where
como how
cuanto how many, how much
per ce why
They create direct and indirect questions, and they introduce relative clauses. As an extension of
their relative use, they also behave like conjunctions introducing adverbial clauses cuando, for
example, is then short for a la tempo cuando. They can also be introduced by prepositions.
Cuando means when (a cual tempo, en cual tempo):
Cuando nos va come? When are we going to eat?
La enfante demanda cuando nos va come. The child is asking when we are going to eat.
En la anio cuando me ia nase, la clima ia es multe calda. In the year when I was born, the
weather was very hot.
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Cuando nos ariva, me va dormi. (At the time) when we arrive, I will sleep.
Nos va canta ante cuando nos dansa. We will sing before we dance.
Nos va dansa pos cuando nos canta. We will dance after we sing.
Nos va dansa asta cuando nos adormi. We will dance until we fall asleep.
Do means where (a cual loca, en cual loca). When used with a verb of movement, do often
means to where:
Do es la can? Wheres the dog?
Me no sabe do nos vade. I dont know where were going.
En la pais do me ia nase, la clima es multe calda. In the country where I was born, the weather
is very hot.
El ia dormi do el sta. He slept where he stood.
Me veni de do tu ia visita me. Im coming from where you visited me.
La polisior ia desinia un sirculo sirca do el ia trova la clave. The policewoman drew a circle
around where she found the key.
Como means how (en cual modo). It also serves as a preposition meaning like, as:
Como tu conose me nom? How do you know my name?
Me no comprende como tu conose me nom. I dont understand how you know my name.
La manera como tu pasea es riable. The manner in which you walk is ridiculous.
Me parla como me pensa. I speak as/how I think.
La descrive ia difere multe de como la loca aspeta vera. The description differed greatly from
how the place really looks.
Tu oios es como los de un falcon. Your eyes are like those of a hawk.
Cuanto means how much or how many (en cual cuantia). It also serves as a quantifier with the
same meaning:
Cuanto la orolojo costa? How much does the watch cost?
Cuanto tu ia compra? How many/much did you buy?
Cuanto tu desira esta torta? How much do you want this cake?
Me va demanda cuanto ia ariva. I will ask how many have arrived.
Nos va aida cuanto nos pote. We will help as much as we can.
Tu sabe cuanto me ama tu? Do you know how much I love you?
Per ce means why (in various senses: par cual causa, per cual razona, con cual intende). The
corresponding conjunctions are car (because, for the reason that) and afin (so that, with the
intention that):
Per ce tu core? Why are you running?
La fem ia demanda per ce la fenetra es rompeda. The woman asked why the the window was
broken.
8. Verbs
A typical verb denotes the occurrence or abandonment of an action (run, stop), a relationship (have,
lose), or a state (stand, melt). In LFN, verbs do not change to indicate such things as tense or mood.
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Instead, adverbs are used especially the three preverbs ia, va, and ta. Any verb can be reused
without change as a noun.
8.1. Tense
The future tense is marked with va (a word of French origin). Past tenses, including perfect and
pluperfect, are marked with ia (of Chavacano origin). These are special adverbs that precede the
verb. The present tense is unmarked:
Me canta. I sing / I am singing.
Me va canta. I will sing / I am about to sing.
Me ia canta. I sang / I was singing / I have sung / I had sung.
Stories often describe events that take place in the past (or an imagined past), or whose location in
time is of no concern to the reader. In such cases, the ia may be omitted.
LFN does not distinguish perfect and imperfect aspects of the verb (e.g. I ate, I used to eat, I
have eaten, I had eaten). However, one can easily clarify the temporal sequence of two actions by
marking the earlier one with ja (already):
Cuando tu ia encontra nos, nos ia come ja. When you met us, we had (already) eaten.
Si tu reveni doman, me va fini ja la labora. If you come back tomorrow, I will have (already)
finished the work.
Si tu ta esplica ja plu bon la problem, me no ta fa esta era. If you had explained the problem
better, I wouldnt have made this mistake.
Si me no ia vide ja la aparato, me no ta comprende. If I hadnt (already) seen the device, I
wouldnt understand / I wouldnt have understood.
Sempre cuando me ateni la fini de un capitol, me oblida ja la titulo. Whenever I reach the end
of a chapter, Ive (already) forgotten the title.
There are other ways to clarify the temporal sequence:
Me ia come ante aora. I ate before now.
Me ia come plu temprana. I ate earlier.
Me ia fini come. I finished eating.
Me va come pronto. I will eat soon.
Me comensa come. I start to eat.
Me va come pos acel. I will eat after that.
Me va come plu tarda. I will eat later.
LFN does not directly indicate conditional and subjunctive moods. The presence of si and donce
(if, then) are normally enough to suggest a conditional meaning, and verbs such as duta (doubt),
vole (want), desira (desire), espera (hope), and debe (must) often suffice to suggest the
subjunctive.
However, LFN has an optional irrealis particle ta (of Haitian origin) that can be used to indicate
that something is unreal, or in doubt, or merely possible or desired. Ta can also convey a polite
request. It can be used in various situations where many languages would use subjunctive or
conditional moods, and it often corresponds to the English word would:
Si me ta rena la mundo, cada dia ta es la dia prima de primavera. If I ruled the world, every
day would be the first day of spring.
Si lo no esiste, on ta debe inventa lo. If it didnt exist, youd have to invent it.
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Me duta ce tu ta dise acel. I doubt you would say that.
La mundo ta es sempre pasosa! May the world be peaceful forever!
Tu ta dona la sal, per favore? Would you pass the salt, please?
Nos ta dansa! Lets dance!
Normally, only one of va, ia, and ta can be used with each verb. An exception is ia ta, which has the
same meaning as the past conditional in the Romance languages and would have in English. An
example is an amusing comment by Richard Nixon:
Me ia ta es un bon pape. I would have made a good pope.
Unlike in English, reported speech in LFN retains the tense of the original utterance:
El ia dise ce la sala es fria. = El ia dise: Oji, la sala es fria. He said the room was cold. = He
said: The room is cold today.
El ia demanda esce la sala es fria. = El ia demanda: Esce la sala es fria? He asked if the
room was cold. = He asked: Is the room cold?
El ia pensa ce la sala ia es fria. = El ia pensa: Ier, la sala ia es fria. He thought the room had
been cold. = He thought: The room was cold yesterday.
8.2. Imperative
The imperative, or command form of the verb, is unmarked. It differs from the present tense in that
the subject is omitted. The subject would normally be tu or vos, i.e. the person addressed. Ta or ta
ce can be used if a subject has to be included:
Para! Stop!
Pardona me. Excuse me / Sorry.
Toca la tecla de spasio per continua. Press the spacebar to continue.
Vade a via, per favore! Please go away!
Tu rena ta veni. Thy kingdom come.
Ta ce tu rena veni! May thy kingdom come!, would that thy kingdom come!
8.3. Negation
Verbs are negated with the adverb no, which precedes both the verb and va, ia, or ta:
Me no labora oji, e me no va labora doman. Im not working today, and I wont be working
tomorrow.
El no ia pensa ce algun es asi. He didnt think anyone was here.
No traversa la strada sin regarda. Dont cross the street without looking.
8.4. Participles
A participle is a verb used as an adjective or adverb. Verbs form active participles in -nte, and
passive participles in -da. These are adjectives equivalent to those in -ing and -ed (or -en) in
English, and can be used equally well as adverbs and nouns. The active participle normally also
implies an ongoing action, while the passive participle suggests that the action occurred in the past:
Un ruido asustante ia veni de la armario. A frightening noise came from the cupboard.
(adjective)
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La om creante scultas es amirable. The man creating sculptures is admirable. (adjective; = la
om ci crea scultas)
El ia sta tremante en la porta. She stood shivering in the doorway. (adverb)
Nos ia colie tota de la composantes. We have collected all of the components. (noun)
Per favore, no senta sur la seja rompeda. Please do not sit on the broken chair. (adjective)
El ia cade embarasada tra la seja. He fell, embarrassed, through the chair. (adverb)
Se novela va es un bonvendeda. Her novel will be a bestseller. (noun)
The active participle can have an object. Furthermore, it can be used as a complement of the verb es
to convey a progressive sense:
Me es lenta asorbente la informa. I am slowly absorbing the information.
Me no ia disturba tu, car tu ia es laborante. I didnt disturb you, as you were working.
But a participial construction is often unnecessary, as there are others ways to express this meaning:
Me asorbe lenta la informa. I slowly absorb / am slowly absorbing the information.
Vade a via, me labora. Go away, Im working.
Me continua come. I continue to eat.
Me come continual. I eat continually.
Me come tra la dia intera. I eat throughout the day.
The passive participle can be used as a complement of the verbs es or deveni, producing a passive
sense. Par (by) introduces the agent of a passive action:
Esta sala ia es pintida par un bufon. This room was painted by a clown.
La sala deveni pintida. The room is being painted.
Acel ponte ia es desiniada par un injenior famosa. That bridge was designed by a famous
engineer.
Ia deveni conoseda ce el ia es un om perilosa. It became known that he was a dangerous
man.
An active sentence with on or algun as its subject is often an elegant alternative to a passive
sentence:
On pinti la sala. The room is being painted.
On no conose cuanto persones teme aranias. Its not known how many people are afraid of
spiders.
Algun ia come lo. It was eaten by someone.
The active participle of es is esente:
Esente un bufon, el ia senta sur la seja rompeda. Being a clown, he sat on the broken chair.
8.5. Transitivity
A transitive verb is one that can be directly followed by a noun phrase (an object), with no
intervening preposition. An intransitive verb does not have an object. For example:
Me senta. I am sitting. (senta is intransitive)
La patatas coce. The potatoes are cooking. (coce is intransitive)
El usa un computador. Shes using a computer. (usa is transitive)
Los come bananas. Theyre eating bananas. (come is transitive)
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Transitivity is flexible in LFN. For example, if you add an object after an intransitive verb, the verb
becomes transitive. The object corresponds semantically to the intransitive subject, and the verb now
means causes (the object) to :
Me senta la enfantes. I seat the children. (= Me causa ce la enfantes senta)
Me coce la patatas. I cook the potatoes. (= Me causa ce la patatas coce)
The object of a transitive verb can be omitted if its obvious from the situation or the context:
El canta un melodia. Shes singing a tune. > El canta. Shes singing. (= El canta alga
cosa)
When a verbs object and subject are the same thing, you can use a reflexive pronoun as the object:
Me senta me. I seat myself / I sit down. (= Me deveni sentante)
La porte abri se. The door opens (itself). (= La porte abri but emphasizing that nobody
seems to be opening it; its opening by itself)
And to make it clear that a verb is being used transitively, you can use expressions with fa or causa:
Me fa la enfantes senta. I make the children sit. (= Me senta la enfantes)
Me causa ce la fango adere a me botas. I cause the mud to stick to my boots. (= Me adere la
fango a me botas)
In some languages, the object of a transitive verb can have a complement. LFN uses other
constructions instead:
Los ia eleje el a presidente. They elected him president. (preposition of resulting state)
Me ia pinta la casa a blanca. I painted the house white. (preposition of resulting state)
Me ia fa el es felis. I made him happy. (verb chain)
El ia dise ce me es stupida. He called me stupid. (noun clause)
The one exception involves the verb nomi, and is regarded as an example of apposition:
La esplorores ia nomi la rio la Amazon. The explorers named the river the Amazon. (= los ia
dona la nom la Amazon a la rio)
8.6. Verbs without subjects
There are a number of verbs that have no obvious subjects. The clearest examples are words
referring to the weather or the general environment:
Neva. Its snowing.
Va pluve. Its going to rain.
Es tro calda en esta sala. Its too hot in this room.
Es bon Its good.
Another example is when the subject is effectively a trailing noun clause:
Pare ce tu es coreta. It seems that you are correct.
Es importante ce me no oblida esta. Its important that I dont forget this.
Ave with no subject indicates the presence or existence of something. The opposite is no ave:
Ave un serpente en la rua. There is a snake in the road.
No ave pexes en esta lago. There arent any fish in this lake.
Ave multe persones asi oji. There are many people here today.
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8.7. Verb chains
In LFN, the object of a verb can be an unmarked noun clause often containing just a verb, or a verb
and its object. This subordinate verb would be infinitive in many languages, but LFN verbs dont
have a special infinitive form. Instead, the sequence is known as a verb chain (un cadena de
verbos). An adverb can still be included after the main verb, and the subordinate verb can be
negated:
Me espera ariva ante tu parti. I hope to arrive before you leave.
La sol ia pare flota sur la acua. The sun seemed to float on the water.
Me ia gusta multe escuta oji me musica. I greatly enjoyed listening to my music today.
On pote nunca spele coreta me nom. People can never spell my name correctly.
El teme no velia en la matina. He fears not waking up in the morning.
In addition to serving as the object of the main verb, a subordinate verb can also appear as the subject
of a main verb, or after a preposition. Such a verb is equivalent to a gerund or infinitive in other
languages, and requires no determiner:
Nada es un bon eserse. Swimming is good exercise. To swim is good exercise.
Scrive un bon libro es multe difisil. Writing a good book is very difficult / To write a good
book is very difficult.
Es o no es, esta es la demanda. To be or not to be, that is the question.
Me viaja per vide la mundo. Im travelling (in order) to see the world.
El ia mori pos nomi se seguor. She died after naming her successor.
El ia abri la noza par colpa lo forte con un martel. He opened the nut by hitting it hard with a
hammer.
On no pote pasea tra la mundo sin lasa impresas de pede. You cant walk through the world
without leaving footprints.
8.8. Verbs as nouns
Any verb can be reused without change as a noun. The noun denotes either an occurrence of the
verbs action, or its immediate product:
Se condui ia es vera xocante. His behaviour was really shocking.
La valsa e la samba es dansas. The waltz and the samba are dances.
Esta va es un ajunta bela a la ragu. This will be a fine addition to the stew.
Me ia prepara du traduis de la testo. Ive prepared two translations of the text.
LFN es un corti de Lingua Franca Nova. LFN is an abbreviation of Lingua Franca
Nova.
La universa ia es estrema peti a la momento de se crea. The universe was extremely small at
the moment of its creation.
La scrive de un bon libro es multe difisil. The writing of a good book is very difficult. (=
Scrive un bon libro es multe difisil)
With a verb such as ajunta, there is little difference between un ajunta and un ajuntada. But la
traduida is the original text from which la tradui is produced, and un crea is an act of creating un
creada. This follows from the meaning of the objects of the verbs themselves: -da always refers to
the object. With crea, the object is also the result of the action; but with tradui, the object and the
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result are two different things. With a few verbs, such as dansa, where the object and the action are
the same thing, we say un dansa, not un dansada.
9. Prepositions
A preposition is a special word that introduces a noun phrase, forming a preposition phrase. A
preposition phrase typically modifies a preceding noun, pronoun, adjective, or adverb or it can
modify a whole sentence. The preposition indicates how the noun phrase relates to the containing
structure, showing the role it plays in the modification.
LFN has 22 prepositions:
a ante asta ca como con contra de en entre estra longo par per pos sin
sirca su supra sur tra ultra
9.1. A
A means at. It presents a place or a time as a simple point, or as a general space or period, ignoring
its internal structure:
Nos senta a la table. We are sitting at the table.
Me va encontra tu a la crus de vias. Ill meet you at the crossroads.
La scala apoia a la mur. The ladder is leaning on the wall.
Tu casa es a lado de me casa. Your house is next to mine.
El reposa a casa. Hes resting at home.
Sudan es a sude de Misre. Sudan is to the south of Egypt.
La barco es a mar. The ship is at sea.
El ia fini la labora a la comensa de la anio. She finished the work at the start of the year.
A medianote, va ave focos de arte. At midnight, there will be fireworks.
Me debe parti a la ora des-ses. I have to leave at four oclock.
By metaphorical extension, a introduces the point of reference in a relationship:
Tu sta tro prosima a la borda. Youre standing too close to the edge.
La forma de Italia es simil a un gama. The shape of Italy is similar to a leg.
Esta pen parteni a me. This pen belongs to me.
Ce aveni si on no conforma a la regulas? What happens if you dont conform to the rules?
A la min tredes persones espeta. At least thirty people are waiting.
In addition, a can express movement towards a point. This includes metaphorical movements such as
transfers to recipients, and changes into new states:
Me viaja a New York. I am travelling to New York.
Pone tu libros a via. Put your books away.
El leva se oios a la sielo. He raises his eyes to the sky.
El ia dona un oso a la can. She gave a bone to the dog / She gave the dog a bone.
La sorsor ia cambia se a un capra. The wizard changed himself into a goat.
La seja ia cade a pesos. The chair fell to bits.
La xico ia ajunta se nom a la lista. The boy added his name to the list.
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Dise a me tu nom. Tell me your name.
Me no va responde a acel demanda. I will not answer that question.
Nos desira a tu un bon aniversario. We wish you a happy birthday.
Tu idea pare asurda a me. Your idea seems absurd to me.
Me pasea longo la strada, de un fini a la otra. I walk down the street, from one end to the
other.
Tu irita me de tempo a tempo. You annoy me from time to time.
La note progresa a la lus prima. The night is progressing towards dawn.
De lundi a jovedi es cuatro dias. From Monday to Thursday is four days.
In fact, any preposition that indicates a location can also indicate movement towards that location.
For example, in me pone me libros en me saco (I put my books in my bag), en obviously
implies motion into. When extra clarity is needed, a can be placed before the preposition to clarify
the sense of movement towards:
Core a la casa. Run to the house.
Core en la casa. Run in the house.
Core a en la casa. Run into the house.
La gato salta sur la table. The cat jumps while on the table / The cat jumps onto the table.
La gato salta a sur la table. The cat jumps onto the table.
A special use of a is to allow a preposition to be used without a following noun phrase, i.e. as an
adverb. These expressions mean at or to the location suggested by the context:
La can core a ante. The dog runs forward / at the front.
Me ia es asi a ante. Ive been here before.
La otras pasea a pos. The others walk behind / at the back.
Nos va vade ala a pos. We will go there afterwards.
Tu pote pone tu saco a supra. You can put your bag overhead.
La sumerjor ia vade a su. The diver went down.
Vide a su. See below.
9.2. Ante
Ante means before or in front of. Its opposite is pos.
In space, it indicates a location at the more important side of a specified object. Which side is more
important depends on the object and its context. Many things have an obvious front side with which
they face the world; in other cases ante just means at the nearer side of:
Me peto es ante me dorso. My chest is in front of my back.
La jornales es ante la libros. The magazines are in front of the books.
Es tan oscur ce me no pote vide me mano ante me oios. Its so dark that I cant see my hand
in front of my eyes.
Un can reposa ante la boteca. A dog is lying in front of the shop.
Nos ave multe labora ante nos. We have a lot of work ahead of us.
In time, ante indicates a point that precedes a specified time:
Janero veni ante febrero. January comes before February.
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Los intende fini la labora ante la reposa de sol. They intend to finish work before sunset.
Verje a sinistra ante la fini de la strada. Turn left before the end of the street.
Nos esperia la lampo ante la tona. We experience lightning before thunder.
Me ia visita la museo ante du semanas. I visited the museum two weeks ago. (before the two
past weeks)
Ante can also indicate movement to a point in front of something (= a ante):
On ia pone un monton de libros ante me. They put a pile of books in front of me.
Me veni ante tu per demanda tu pardona. I come before you to apologize.
Ante cuando means before as a conjunction (before the time when):
Nos vide la lampo ante cuando nos oia la tona. We see lightning before we hear thunder.
9.3. Asta
Asta means beside or next to. It indicates a location to one side of a specified object:
Me oio destra es asta me oio sinistra My right eye is next to my left eye.
El ia senta asta la rio per un ora. She sat by the river for an hour.
It can also indicate movement to such a location:
Pone tu jacones asta la porta. Put your coats by the door.
By extension of this sense, asta also means up to or as far as, indicating that the movement
doesnt fall short of the target, but doesnt go beyond it either:
El ia acompania me asta me auto. She accompanied me to my car.
La tera es covreda con neva asta la montanias. The ground is covered in snow as far as the
mountains.
Me es empapada asta me pel. I am soaked to the skin.
La preso ia cade asta sola un euro. The price fell to just one euro.
El ia visita cada pais de Andora asta Zambia. Hes visited every country from Andorra to
Zambia.
Studia pajes dudes-sinco asta cuatrodes-du. Study pages 25 to 42 (inclusive).
This leads to the temporal sense of asta, which is until:
El labora asta medianote. He works until midnight.
Espeta asta la estate. Wait until the summer.
Asta doman! Until tomorrow / See you tomorrow!
9.4. Ca
Ca means than. It indicates the reference point for an inequality comparison:
Me can es plu intelijente ca me. My dog is more intelligent than me.
Acel es multe min interesante ca esta. That is much less interesting than this.
La sielo e tera ave cosas plu ca tu imajina en tu filosofia. There are more things in heaven and
earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
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9.5. Como
Como means as or like. It indicates the reference point for an equality comparison:
El rie como un iena. He laughs like a hyena.
Tu cor es dur como petra. Your heart is hard as stone.
Iogurte es como crema. Yoghurt is like cream.
Tu ia veni a la mesma conclui como me. Youve reached the same conclusion as me.
Me pote salta tan alta como tu. I can jump as high as you.
Condui como un adulte. Behave like an adult.
9.6. Con
Con means with. Its opposite is sin.
It introduces an accompanying person, thing, or state:
Me vide la xica con se padre. I see the girl with her father.
Los vole come con nos. They want to eat with us.
Nos bevi cafe con lete. We are drinking coffee with milk.
On ia misca la zucar con sal. The sugar has been mixed with salt.
Los batalia con la elementos. They are battling with the elements.
No multe parolas comensa con X. Not many words start with X.
El ia dona a me un libro con multe fotos. Shes given me a book with many photos.
Elena es un xica con capeles roja. Elena is a girl with red hair.
La om vea senta con un pipa en se boca. The old man sits with a pipe in his mouth.
Se sposa regarda el con stona. His wife looks at him in amazement.
Compara esta con la clima de ier. Compare this with yesterdays weather.
Tota cambia con la pasa de tempo. Everything changes with the passage of time.
A cada dia, me leva con la sol. Every day I get up with the sun.
E con acel parolas, el ia desapare. And with those words he disappeared.
Con can also mean by means of, presenting something that is used as a tool:
Me scrive con un pen. I write with a pen.
Nos oia con nos oreas. We hear with our ears.
La cavalo colpa con se pede. The horse kicks.
El ia compra un casa con la mone cual el ia erita. He bought a house with the money he
inherited.
When an action happens by means of something more abstract or less tool-like, par is preferred.
An con means despite:
Nos va fali an con tu aida. We will fail even with your help.
9.7. Contra
Contra means against. It introduces something that faces or moves in the opposite direction, either
for real or metaphorically:
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Clui tu oios contra la lus. Close your eyes against the light.
Esta camera es secur contra acua. This camera is waterproof.
La elinicas antica ia batalia contra Parsa. The ancient Greeks fought against Persia.
La scala es contra la sepe. The ladder is against the fence.
El lisca e cade contra la mur. He slips and falls against the wall.
Nada contra la flue es difisil. Swimming upstream is hard.
Me es contra la gera. I am against the war.
Tu ia ata contra me desiras. You have acted against my wishes.
9.8. De
De means from. It presents something as an origin:
Me es de New York. I am from New York.
Me viaja de Paris a London. Im traveling from Paris to London.
La paperes ia cade de la fenetra. The papers fell from the window.
Me ia reseta un letera de la re. I have received a letter from the king.
La furor asconde se fas de la cameras. The robber hides his face from the cameras.
La acua difere de la asida par se cimica. Water differs from acid in its chemistry.
La resulta depende de la metodo usada. The result depends on the method used.
Nos labora ja de la lus prima. Weve been working since dawn.
Multe anios ia pasa de la gera. Many years have passed since the war.
La table es fada de lenio. The table is made of wood.
Tu gusta carne de oveta? Do you like lamb?
By extension, de introduces the person or thing that something belongs to:
Acel es la auto de me frate. That is my brothers car.
Me gusta escuta la canta de la avias. I like listening to the singing of the birds.
El ia es impresada par la cuietia de la foresta. She was impressed by the stillness of the forest.
Dona un peso de torta a me, per favore. Give me a piece of cake, please.
More abstractly, de often indicates a general relationship between two things, or between a quality or
action and a thing:
Me ave tre caxas de libros per vende. I have three boxes of books to sell.
El ia presta a me un tela de un color fea. She lent me an ugly-colored towel.
La tore ave cuatro metres de altia. The tower is forty metres high.
Esta balde es plen de pexes. This bucket is full of fish.
Nos vole es libre de vos. We want to be free of you.
La ora ia veni per parla de multe cosas. The time has come to talk of many things.
What would be a compound noun in some languages is commonly expressed as two nouns joined by
de in LFN:
Me oculo de sol es rompeda. My sunglasses are broken.
La gavota es un avia de mar. The seagull is a seabird.
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Esta va es tu sala de dormi. This will be your bedroom.
Tu ia oblida aplica la freno de mano. You forgot to apply the handbrake.
Per se come de matina, el bevi sola cafe. For his breakfast, he just drinks coffee.
El es la campion de mundo de tenis de table He is the world table-tennis champion.
De occurs as the second element in a number of fixed expressions that function as complex
prepositions:
Los ia ajunta tota ingredientes con eseta de la sal. They added all the ingredients except the
salt.
Los ia usa zucar en loca de sal. They used sugar instead of salt.
Me es tarda par causa de un conjesta de trafica. Im late because of a traffic jam.
La campaneria es a destra de la catedral. The belltower is to the right of the cathedral.
De can be placed before another preposition to indicate motion away from:
La gato salta de sur la seja. The cat jumps off the chair.
Un arania rampe de pos la orolojo. A spider creeps from behind the clock.
La pasaros asende de entre la arbores. The sparrows climb from among the trees.
Like a, de can convert a preposition to an adverb. The adverb means from the location suggested by
the context:
La monstro ia veni de su. The monster came from below.
La gidor ia cria de ante, ma me no ia pote oia. The leader was shouting from the front, but I
couldnt hear.
De cuando means since as a conjunction (from the time when):
De cuando me ia es un enfante, me desira sta sur la luna. Since I was a child, Ive wanted to
stand on the moon.
9.9. En
En means in. Its opposite is estra.
It indicates a location in space or time that is wholly or partly contained in something else:
Me cor es en me peto. My heart is my chest.
La sol es en la sielo. The sun is in the sky.
Nos espeta en la auto. We are waiting in the car.
La plantas es en vasos. The plants are in pots.
Se ditos es fisada en la manico de un tas. His fingers are stuck in the handle of a cup.
Me ave alga pensas en me mente. I have some thoughts in my mind.
Gatos no gusta es en acua. Cats dont like being in water.
Nos no vide la stelas en la dia. We dont see the stars in the day.
Beethoven ia nase en 1770. Beethoven was born in 1770.
Nos ia visita la museo en febrero. We visited the museum in February.
El ia scrive la libro en tre semanas. She wrote the book in three weeks.
Metaphorically, the location can be a state, or an activity, or a manner:
Me no vole viaja en esta clima. I dont want to travel in this weather.
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La construida es en foco. The building is on fire.
Nos es en peril. We are in danger.
Esce nos es en acorda? Are we in agreement?
En ajunta, me vide un problem nova. In addition, I see a new problem.
En fato, me vide du problemes. In fact I see two problems.
Nos ia pasa un ora en conversa. We spent an hour in conversation.
La enfantes senta en un sirculo. The children are sitting in a circle.
Me va repete esta en elinica. I will repeat this in Greek.
La presos es en euros. The prices are in euros.
En can also mean into (= a en):
El ia cade en la rio. He fell into the river.
Pone la dejeto en la baldon. Put the rubbish in the bin.
Un bon idea ia veni en se testa. A good idea came into her head.
Me ia tradui la article en franses. Ive translated the article into French.
Nos pasa en un eda nova. We are passing into a new era.
En cuando means while, at a point during the time when:
Ia comensa pluve forte en cuando la reportor ia parla. It started raining heavily while the
reporter was talking.
9.10. Entre
Entre means between. It indicates that one place or time is surrounded by two or more others:
Me testa es entre me oreas. My head is between my ears.
La table es entre la seja e la mur. The table is between the chair and the wall.
Txesco es entre Deutxland, Osteraic, Slovenia, e Polsca. The Czech Republic is between
Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and Poland.
El viaja entre Paris e Madrid a cada semana. She travels between Paris and Madrid every
week.
Tu es entre amis asi. You are among friends here.
La bal ia cade entre la flores. The ball fell among the flowers.
Ce es la difere entre un mur e un sepe? What is the difference between a wall and a fence?
Lfn promove comunica entre poplas. LFN promotes communication between peoples.
Va ave un interval de des minutos entre la du atas. There will be a ten-minute interval
between the two acts.
El ia nase entre la geras. He was born between the wars.
Me velia usual entre sete e oto. I usually wake up between seven and eight.
On debe paia entre des e dudes euros. You have to pay between ten and twenty euros.
9.11. Estra
Estra means outside. Its opposite is en.
It indicates a location that is not contained in something else:
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Me sapato es estra me calseta. My shoe is outside my sock.
El abita estra la site. She lives outside the city.
No ave aira estra la barcon. There is no air outside the ship.
Tu es aora estra peril. You are out of danger now.
No telefona estra la oras de labora. Dont phone outside work hours.
Estra can also indicate movement towards such a location (= a estra):
La enfantes core estra la casa. The children ran outside the house.
Metaphorically, estra can mean except for:
El recorda no cosa estra se nom. He remembers nothing except for his name.
9.12. Longo
Longo means along. It indicates the route that something follows as it moves:
Me pasea longo la strada. I walk along the street.
La balsa ia flota longo la rio. The raft floated down the river.
La xico lisca longo la ramo. The boy slides along the branch.
Un arania rampe longo me gama. Theres a spider crawling up my leg.
9.13. Par
Par means by. It indicates the agent of a passive verb, or the author of a creation:
El ia es colpada par un bal de neva. He was hit by a snowball.
Me es surprendeda par tu reata. I am surprised by your reaction.
Suiz es ensircada par otra paises. Switzerland is surrounded by other countries.
Hamlet es un teatral par Shakespeare. Hamlet is a play by Shakespeare.
By extension, it also indicates an action or method by which something is done:
Me ia viaja asi par tren. I travelled here by train.
Roberto es me fio par sposi. Roberto is my son-in-law.
La botelas es codigida par color. The bottles are color-coded.
Nos ia descovre tu secretas par nos spiores. We discovered your secrets via our spies.
La prisonida ia evade par desembla se como un porte. The prisoner escaped by disguising
himself as a door.
Me va destrui la sepe par sola un colpa de pede. I shall destroy the fence with a single kick.
On no pote solve esta problem par negosia. This problem cannot be solved by negotiation.
9.14. Per
Per means for. It introduces an intended goal or recipient:
Nos labora per mone. We work for money.
Tases es usada per bevi. Cups are used for drinking.
Me viaja per vide la mundo. Im travelling (in order) to see the world.
Tu es vestida per un sera de dansa. Youre dressed for an evening of dancing.
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Me va vade a la botecas per tu. I will go to the shops for you.
El ia scrive la libro per se madre. She wrote the book for her mother.
La viaja va es perilosa per tu. The journey will be dangerous for you.
Me batalia per me vive. Im fighting for my life.
Per esta razona, me no pote parla longa. For that reason, I cant talk for long.
Per esemplo, considera la balena. For example, consider the whale.
By extension, it also indicates an item exchanged for another:
Tu ia paia tro per acel computador. You paid too much for that computer.
Me ia compra lo per mil euros. I bought it for a thousand euros.
Grasias per tu carta postal. Thank you for your postcard.
It can indicate an intended period of time:
Nos vade a Colorado per un semana. We are going to Colorado for a week.
Me no va retarda tu per plu ca un minuto. I wont delay you for more than a minute.
As a special case, per introduces something that is favoured or represented:
Me ia vota per la proposa, ma tu ia vota contra lo. I voted for the proposal, but you voted
against it.
Car tu no ia es ala, me ia parla per tu. Because you werent there, I spoke on your behalf.
9.15. Pos
Pos means after or behind. Its opposite is ante.
In space, it indicates a location at the less important side of a specified object:
Me dorso es pos me peto. My back is behind my chest.
La aparatos es pos un porta securida. The equipment is behind a locked door.
La xicos turbosa ia asconde pos la cabana. The naughty boys hid behind the shed.
In time, pos indicates a point that follows a specified time:
Desembre veni pos novembre. December comes after November.
Los va comensa bevi pos la reposa de sol. They will start drinking after sunset.
Verje a destra pos la eglesa. Turn right after the church.
Me va reveni pos tre dias. I will come back in three days.
Pos can also indicate movement to a point behind something (= a pos):
La serpente ia desapare pos la arbor. The snake disappeared behind the tree.
Pos cuando means after as a conjunction (after the time when):
Nos oia la tona pos cuando nos vide la lampo. We hear thunder after we see lightning.
9.16. Sin
Sin means without. It indicates something that is absent:
Tu sposa gusta se cafe sin lete. Your wife likes her coffee without milk.
Me ia pasea tra la pluve sin parapluve. I walked through the rain with no umbrella.
Ave no fuma sin foco. Theres no smoke without fire.
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Me va decora la casa intera sin aida. I shall decorate the entire house without help.
Tu es tota sin compati. You are totally without mercy.
El ia adormi sin intende. He fell asleep without meaning to.
La rexercor ia sorti sin descovre la responde. The researcher left without discovering the
answer.
La pitur ia cade sin causa evidente. The picture fell down for no apparent reason.
9.17. Sirca
Sirca means around. It indicates a position that surrounds or encloses something else:
La campores fa cantas sirca la foco. The campers sing songs around the fire.
Me mano es cluida sirca me diton. My hand is closed around my thumb.
Edera crese sirca la tronco. Ivy grows around the trunk.
Ave pinta verde sirca la fenetras. There is green paint around the windows.
It can also indicate movement along a surrounding path:
La luna vade sirca la tera, e la tera vade sirca la sol. The moon goes around the earth, and the
earth goes around the sun.
Nos intende viaja sirca la mundo par cavalo. We intend to travel round the world on
horseback.
El vaga sirca la jardin e ole la flores. She wanders round the garden and smells the flowers.
With expressions of time and quantity, sirca indicates that the value is approximate the actual
value is somewhere in the surrounding range:
Me ave sirca sincodes anios. I am about 50 years old.
Me pote pensa de sirca sento razonas per no revela me eda. I can think of about a hundred
reasons not to reveal my age.
La conserta ia comensa sirca dui pos dudes. The concert began at about half past eight.
Sirca la lus prima, me ia oia tu can abaia. Around dawn, I heard your dog barking.
9.18. Su
Su means under. It indicates a location that is lower than another, either physically or
metaphorically:
La neva craci su me pedes. The snow crunches under my feet.
La solo es su la sofito. The floor is below the ceiling.
Antilopes ia reposa su la arbores. Antelopes were resting under the trees.
Ave un table de sanduixes su la fenetra. Theres a table of sandwiches under the window.
Tu pare es su la influe de la vino. You appear to be under the influence of the wine.
Me no pote labora su tu regulas. I cant work under your rules.
By extension, su can also indicate any location that is physically covered by something, whether its
actually lower or not:
La color vera de la sofito es apena vidable su esta pinta fea. The real color of the ceiling is
scarcely visible under this nasty paint.
Me ave un paceta su me braso. I have a parcel under my arm.
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El ia porta un sueter su se jaca. He wore a sweater under his jacket.
Su can also indicate motion to a location below something (= a su):
La acua ia vade su la mobilas. The water went under the furniture.
9.19. Supra
Supra means above. It indicates a location that is higher than another, either physically or
metaphorically:
La nubes es supra me testa. The clouds are above my head.
La teto es supra la sofito. The roof is above the ceiling.
El ia apoia supra la table per ateni la sal. She leaned over the table to reach the salt.
Un tempesta enorme developa supra la mar. A huge storm is brewing over the sea.
Supra implies a gap between the two items. If there is no gap, sur is used instead.
By extension, supra can also indicate anything that physically covers something else, whether its
actually higher or not:
La montania lansa un ombra supra nos casa. The mountain casts a shadow over our house.
El ia porta un covretota supra se otra vestes. He was wearing overalls on top of his other
clothes.
Supra can also indicate motion to a location above (= a supra):
La sol leva se supra la tera. The sun rises over the earth.
9.20. Sur
Sur means on. It indicates a location at the surface of something, either held on top of it by gravity,
or fixed to it in some other way:
Me xapo es sur me testa. My hat is on my head.
No senta sur la seja rompeda. Dont sit on the broken chair.
Si on sta sur la balcon, on vide la mar. If you stand on the balcony, you can see the sea.
La asfalto sur la strada fonde en la caldia. The tarmac on the road is melting in the heat.
Esce ave la vive sur Marte? Is there life on Mars?
Me va pende esta pitur sur la mur. Ill hang this picture on the wall.
La om ia besa la fem sur se jena. The man kissed the woman on her cheek.
Sur can also mean onto (= a sur):
Pone tu cartas sur la table. Put your cards on the table.
Un roca cual cade sur la tera es nomida un meteorite. A rock that falls onto the earth is called
a meteorite.
El ia pone un dital sur se dito. She put a thimble onto her finger.
Metaphorically, sur means concerning or on the subject of:
La teatral es sur la gera. The play is about the war.
Me ia leje multe libros sur la tema. Ive read many books on the subject.
La xica plora sur se popa perdeda. The girl is crying over her lost doll.
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9.21. Tra
Tra means through. It indicates a location within which movement occurs, passing from one end to
the other:
Acua flue tra la tubos. Water flows through the pipes.
La enfantes ia core tra la vileta. The children ran through the village.
La pluve ia trova un via tra me saco. The rain has found a way through my bag.
La tren vade de Milano a Roma tra Bologna. The train goes from Milan to Rome via Bologna.
Un rueta gida tra la campos a la lago. A lane leads through the fields to the lake.
Me regarda la stelas tra la fenetra abrida. I look at the stars through the open window.
Los ia resta juntada tra la anios. Theyve stayed together through the years.
El ia senta en un sejon tra la note. He sat in an armchair throughout the night.
On ia oia la esplode tra la site. The explosion could be heard throughout the city.
9.22. Ultra
Ultra means beyond. It indicates a location on the other side of something:
La scola es ultra la eglesa. The school is beyond the church.
Ultra la ponte es un vista merveliosa. (To be seen from) across the bridge is a wonderful view.
Esta taxe es ultra me capasia. This task is beyond my talents.
It can also indicate movement towards such a location (= a ultra):
La esplorores ia viaja ultra la montanias. The explorers journeyed beyond the mountains.
Los ia remi un barceta ultra la lago. They rowed a dinghy across the lake.
10. Conjunctions
A conjunction is a word that joins two things together. There are two kinds: coordinating and
subordinating.
10.1. Coordinating conjunctions
A coordinating conjunction joins two components of the same type, producing a larger component
of that type. For example, two noun phrases joined by e form a larger noun phrase.
There are four coordinating conjunctions:
e and (both components are equally valid)
o or (one of the components is valid; possibly both are)
no not, and not, but not (the first component is valid; the second one isnt)
ma but (both components are equally valid, but contrast with each other)
Examples:
La om e la fem vade a la casa. The man and the woman go to the house.
Tu es multe vea e saja. You are very old and wise. (probably very wise, otherwise the
sentence would be tu es saja e multe vea)
El ia labora ante e pos se vacanse. He worked before and after his vacation.
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Se aniversario es en marto o april. Her birthday is in March or April.
Tu desira cafe o te? Do you want coffee or tea?
On pote visita la museo a lundi o jovedi. You can visit the museum on Monday or Thursday
(or both).
On ia eleje tu, no me. They elected you, not me.
Me ia conta no sola la oveas ma ance la capras. I counted not only the sheep but also the
goats.
With lists of more than two items, the conjunction is normally replaced by a comma except between
the final pair. A comma is often included before the conjunction too, in such a list:
Nos va viaja tra Italia, Suiz, Osteraic, e Deutxland. We will travel through Italy, Switzerland,
Austria, and Germany.
For emphasis, e, o, and no can be doubled up, with the extra instance placed before the first
component. A double o rules out the possibility of both components being valid:
e e both and
o o either or
no no neither nor
Examples:
E Luis e Maria vade a scola. Both Luis and Maria go to school.
O tu o me gania, ma no ambos. Either you or I will win, but not both.
Me ave no la tempo no la desira per leje plu. I have neither the time nor the desire to read on.
E, o, and ma can also join two clauses or sentences:
Me ia vade a la biblioteca, e tu ia visita la museo. I went to the library and you visited the
museum.
O nos solve esta problem, o la mundo va fini. Either we solve this problem, or the world will
end.
Ma acel es difisil. But thats difficult.
10.2. Subordinating conjunctions
A subordinating conjunction joins a clause to the containing sentence, indicating its role in that
sentence.
Ce (that) introduces a noun clause:
Nos es surprendeda ce vos no ia cexa. We are surprised that you didnt complain.
Me pensa ce tu nesesa un vacanse. I think (that) you need a vacation.
The following conjunctions introduce adverbial clauses:
si if (condition), whether (question)
afin so that, in order that (intention)
car because (reason)
ca than (comparison)
Examples:
Me va veni si tu clama. I will come if you call.
Me labora afin me enfantes pote come. I work so that my children can eat.
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Es calda car la sol brilia. It is hot because the sun is shining.
Esta es plu labora ca me ia espeta. This is more work than I expected.
The following interrogative/relative adverbs can also serve as conjunctions introducing adverbial
clauses:
como as (= en la modo en cual)
cuando when (= a la tempo a cual, en la tempo en cual)
cuanto as much as, as many as (= en la cuantia en cual, en la cuantia cual)
do where (= a la loca a cual, en la loca en cual)
Examples:
Nos parla como nos pensa. We speak as (= in the way in which) we think.
Me dormi cuando me pote. I sleep when I can.
Me va esplica cuanto me comprende. I will explain as much as I understand.
Nos abita do la du rios encontra. We live where the two rivers meet.
The context normally makes it clear whether these are being used as conjunctions or as question
words:
El demanda cuando me dormi. = Probably: She asks at what time I sleep. Possibly: She asks at
a time when Im sleeping.
Nos esplica como nos pensa. = Probably: We give an explanation of how we think. Possibly:
We explain in the way in which we think.
These conjunctions can be introduced by a preposition. The preposition alone cannot function as a
conjunction, unlike in English:
Nos ia adormi pos cuando nos ia dansa. We fell asleep after we danced.
Vade a la boteca ante cuando lo clui. Go to the shop before it shuts.
Me desira es un esploror de cuando me ia es joven. Ive wanted to be an explorer since I was
young.
El ia cexa a cuando on ia paia el. He complained until they paid him.
Me ia fini la taxe en cuando tu ia parla a me. I finished the task while you were talking to
me.
Nos va core a do la vias encontra. We will run to where the roads meet.
Los ia fuji de do on ia oserva los. They fled from where they had been observed.
11. Questions
There are three kinds of question: those that can be answered with a simple yes or no, those that
present a range of options to choose from, and those that ask for a particular piece of information.
Additionally, questions can be direct (Where are we going?) or indirect (I asked you where we
are going, I dont know who I am). Direct questions end in a question mark (?).
11.1. Yes/no questions
A sentence can be turned into a yes/no question by adding esce (is it the case that) at the start, or
si? (yes?) or no? (no?) at the end. Alternatively the mere presence of a question mark or of
rising intonation in speech can be enough to imply a question:
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Esce tu parla deutx? Do you speak German?
Tu ia come, si? Youve eaten, have you?
Nos es perdeda, no? Were lost, arent we?
Vos comprende? Do you understand?
Indirect yes/no questions use si or esce:
Me vole sabe si la posta ia ariva. I want to know whether the post has arrived.
El ia demanda esce me pote aida. She asked if I could help.
The answer to a yes/no question is si (yes) or no (no). Si states that the possibility expressed in
the question is true; no states that it is false:
Tu desira bir? Do you want beer?
Si, per favore. Yes, please. (I do want beer)
No, grasias. No, thanks. (I dont want beer)
If the question was phrased in the negative, si and no convey the same meanings as they would if the
question had not been negative. But this can be confusing, so it can be clearer to answer with a full
sentence:
Tu no desira bir? Dont you want beer?
Si. Yes. (I do want beer)
No. No. (I dont want beer)
Si, me desira bir. Yes, I want beer.
No, me no desira bir. No, I dont want beer.
11.2. Alternative questions
An alternative question simply asks the listener to pick one of a number of options, usually expressed
as a list joined with the conjunction o:
Tu desira te, cafe, o bir? Do you want tea, coffee, or beer?
Cafe, per favore. Coffee, please.
Tu ia veni par auto, o par bisicle, o tu ia pasea? Did you come by car, or by bicycle, or did
you walk?
11.3. Other questions
Other questions use interrogative determiners, pronouns, or adverbs such as cual, ci, ce, cuando,
cuanto, como, do, and per ce. The interrogative word is often moved to the start of the sentence,
but it can also appear in the place where its answer would fit:
Cual libro tu leje? = Tu leje cual libro? Which book are you reading?
Ci es tu autor prefereda? = Tu autor prefereda es ci? Who is your preferred author?
Ce es acel musica fea? = Acel musica fea es ce? What is this ugly music?
Ce tu fa? = Tu fa ce? What are you doing?
Cuando tu dormi? = Tu dormi cuando? When do you sleep?
Cuanto tu va esplica? = Tu va esplica cuanto? How much will you explain?
Como vos ia evade? = Vos ia evade como? How did you escape?
Do es nos? = Nos es do? Where are we?
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Per ce tu core? = Tu core per ce? Why are you running?
12. Clauses
Like a sentence, a clause contains a subject and a verb, but it forms part of a larger sentence.
Every sentence contains a main clause. This can be modified in a variety of ways by one or more
subordinate clauses. If a subordinate clause modifies a noun phrase, it is called a relative clause. If
it modifies a verb or the entire main clause, it is called an adverbial clause. And if it plays the part of
a noun, it is called a noun clause.
In addition, a sentence can contain more than one main clause.
12.1. Relative clauses
A relative clause is a clause that modifies a noun. Relative clauses follow the nouns they modify,
and they usually start with one of the relative pronouns ci and cual:
La om ci ia abita asi ia vade a New York. The man who lived here went to New York.
La poma cual ia cade de me saco es aora noncomable. The apple which fell from my bag is
now inedible.
For clarity, a relative clause can be separated from the rest of the sentence by commas, especially if
its long or complicated:
La poma, cual ia cade de me saco en la fango a matina ier, es aora noncomable. The apple,
which fell from my bag into the mud yesterday morning, is now inedible.
Some relative clauses are not essential to the meaning of the sentence, but simply add a comment in
passing. Such clauses are always set off by commas:
La can, cual ave manxas negra, ia morde la polisior. The dog, who has black markings, bit the
policeman.
Me padre, ci ia jubila, abita en Mexico. My father, who is retired, lives in Mexico.
Esta jus, cual Ana ia fa, ave un bon sabor. This juice, which Anna made, tastes good.
Ci and cual can behave as either the subject or the object of the relative clause. Objects normally
follow the verb, but when one of these is the object, it precedes both the subject and the verb:
La fem ci me ama veni de Frans. The woman (whom) I love comes from France.
La robot cual me ia construi no opera. The robot I built doesnt work.
Nos ta vade a me casa, cual es prosima. Lets go to my house, which is nearby.
When the relative pronoun is the object of a preposition, the preposition comes first:
La fem de ci nos parla labora a me ofisia. The woman of whom we speak works at my office.
Tu libro, en cual me ia scrive se nom, es sur la table. Your book, in which I wrote her name,
is on the table.
When de ci or de cual introduces a possessed noun within the relative clause, that noun is usually
introduced by se for clarity:
Esta fem, de ci se sposo labora en la banco, es un cocor eselente. This woman, whose
husband works at the bank, is an excellent cook.
La fem, de ci tu conose se sposo, labora a me ofisia. The woman, whose husband you know,
works at my office.
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La fem, de ci tu ia dona la letera a se sposo, es encantante. The woman, whose husband you
gave the letter to, is charming.
Me auto, de cual se motor es rompeda, es aora dejeto. My car, whose motor is broken, is now
garbage.
A relative clause sometimes relates to the entire preceding clause, rather than to a particular noun
within it. In these cases, cual is used with a preceding comma:
El pote salta a un metre alta, cual ia surprende me. He can jump a meter high, which surprised
me.
Another way to start a relative clause is with a relative adverb:
Me come en Paris, do me abita. I eat in Paris, where I live.
El va visita en julio, cuando la clima es bon. He will visit in July, when the weather is good.
Acel es la razona per ce Juan ia parti. Thats the reason why Juan left.
Why is always per ce, not per cual.
Such relative clauses are often similar to adverbial clauses:
Me come do me abita. I eat where I live.
El va visita cuando la clima es bon. He will visit when the weather is good.
12.2. Adverbial clauses
An adverbial clause modifies either the verb of the main clause or the main clause itself. Adverbial
clauses are introduced by subordinating conjunctions:
Me no teme la can, car el es multe peti. I am not afraid of the dog, because it is very small.
Si los redui tro rapida se pesa, los va regania lo. If they lose weight too quickly, they will
regain it.
Me core afin la rinoseros no catura me. Im running so that the rhinos dont catch me.
El ia scrive cuando se madre ia demanda. He wrote when his mother asked.
El dise ce el es felis do el abita. He says that he is happy where he lives.
On no ia permete me fa la cosas como me ia desira. I wasnt allowed to do things as I wanted.
An adverbial clause introduced by a relative conjunction (como, cuando, cuanto, do) can be
thought of as an abbreviated relative clause. For example, the last three examples above can also be
expressed as follows:
El ia scrive a la ora cuando se madre ia demanda. He wrote at the time his mother asked.
El dise ce el es felis a la loca do el abita. He says that he is happy at the place where he lives.
On no ia permete me fa la cosas en la modo como me desira. I wasnt allowed to do things in
the way I wanted.
12.3. Noun clauses
A noun clause functions like a noun: it can be the subject or object of a verb or preposition. Noun
clauses are introduced by the conjunction ce, by one of the relative pronouns ci and cual, or by one
of the relative adverbs.
To see if a clause is really a noun clause, substitute he, she, it, or they for the clause. If that
results in a good sentence, the clause is a noun clause. Noun clauses are typically objects of verbs of
thinking, sensing, or emotion:
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Me vide do tu es. I see where you are.
Cuando me va parti, me no sabe. When I will depart, I dont know.
Me sabe de do tu veni. I know where you come from.
Me sabe ci ia dise acel. I know who said that.
Ci ia dise esta, ia es noncoreta. Whoever said that was wrong.
Me ia oia cual tu ia dise. I heard what you said.
Me pote divina cual el leje. I can guess which one hes reading.
Noun clauses look similar to certain adverbial clauses. To avoid ambiguity, a noun or pronoun is
sometimes added:
Me vide la loca do tu es. I see the place where you are.
Me no sabe la ora cuando me va parti. I dont know the hour when I will leave.
Me sabe el ci ia dise acel. I know him/her who said that.
Me ia oia acel cual tu ia dise. I heard that which you said.
Many noun clauses are introduced by ce (that, here operating as a subordinating conjunction):
Me pensa ce el es bela. I think that she is beautiful.
Me pensa ce el pote salta a un metre alta. I think that he can jump a meter high.
Me pensa ce si. I think so.
Es surprendente ce el pote salta un metre alta. It is surprising that he can jump a meter high.
The last example above is similar to a relative clause referring to the entire preceding clause:
El pote salta a un metre alta, cual es surprendente. He can jump a meter high, which is
surprising.
One may drop the ce if no confusion results:
Me pensa el es bela.
Me pensa el pote salta a un metre alta.
Noun clauses often report what someone has said, thought, or asked. In all cases, the tense of the
verb in the noun clause remains the same as that in the original speech, thought, or question:
Me ia dise: Me veni de London. I said: I come from London.
Me ia dise ce me veni de London. I said that I came from London.
El pensa: La tren ia es tarde. She thinks: The train was late.
El pensa ce la tren ia es tarde. She thinks the train was late.
El ia demanda: Cuando nos va parti? He asked: When are we going to leave?
El ia demanda cuando nos va parti. He asked when we would leave.
Me va vole sabe: Do la selebra es? Ill want to know: Wheres the party?
Me va vole sabe do la selebra es. Ill want to know where the party is.
12.4. Coordinated clauses
Two main clauses can be linked together into a single sentence by means of coordinating
conjunctions. A comma is often included before the conjunction:
Me ia desira la auto, ma me no ia ave la mone. I wanted the car, but I didnt have the money.
51
Me desira un bon carera e me vole ance trova un sposa bela. I want a good career and I also
want to find a beautiful wife.
Such clauses can stand as independent sentences, with or without conjunctions:
El ia vole canta e el ia vole dansa, ma el ia teme. He wanted to sing and he wanted to dance,
but he was afraid.
El ia vole canta. E el ia vole dansa. Ma el ia teme. He want to sing. And he wanted to dance.
But he was afraid.
El ia vole canta. El ia vole dansa. El ia teme. He wanted to sing. He wanted to dance. He was
afraid.
13. Numbers
13.1. Cardinal numbers
The basic cardinal numbers are:
zero zero
un one
du two
tre three
cuatro four
sinco five
ses six
sete seven
oto eight
nove nine
des ten
sento hundred
mil thousand
milion million
Numbers up to 999 are written as single words containing up to three components, hyphenated
together. Each component represents a digit, and consists of a cardinal number between un and
nove, with des or sento appended if the digit represents a multiple of ten or a hundred. Single
multiples of ten and a hundred are expressed as just des and sento, with no mention of un. The
components for zero multiples (such as the 0 in 209) are omitted entirely.
des-un 11
des-du 12
des-nove 19
dudes 20
dudes-un 21
dudes-sinco 25
sento-un 101
52
sento-des-du 112
tresento-dudes-un 321
cuatrosento 400
novesento-sinco 905
Mil and milion are always written as standalone words, separating each group of three digits:
mil setesento-sesdes-tre 1763
du mil un 2001
tre mil des-cuatro 3014
cuatrodes-sinco mil sessento-setedes-oto 45 678
novesento-otodes-sete milion sessento-sincodes-cuatro mil tresento-dudes-un balones
roja 987 654 321 red balloons
When writing numbers in digits, LFN uses a space between each group of three digits, as shown
above. The decimal point is written as either a period (a dot) or a comma, according to preference,
and likewise pronounced as either punto or virgula. Digits following the decimal point are simply
listed:
tre punto un cuatro un ses 3.1416
du virgula zero nove 2,09
Negative numbers are expressed with min:
min sinco grados minus five degrees
13.2. Thousands of millions
The word billion can mean either a thousand million or a million million, depending on culture.
Similar problems affect trillion, quadrillion, etc. To avoid confusion, LFN prefers to spell such
numbers out explicitly:
mil milion 1 000 000 000 (one with nine zeroes, 10
9
)
milion milion 1 000 000 000 000 (10
12
)
mil milion milion 1 000 000 000 000 000 (10
15
)
The words bilion, trilion, cuadrilion, etc do exist in LFN, but a speaker who uses them should take
care to clarify the meaning.
In scientific writing, the clearest option is to use the international prefixes:
giga- 10
9

tera- 10
12

peta- 10
15

exa- 10
18

zeta- 10
21

iota- 10
24

13.3. Ordinal numbers
When a number precedes a noun, it is a cardinal number, indicating a quantity:
tre omes e cuatro femes three men and four women
But when a number follows a noun, it is an ordinal number, indicating a position in a sequence:
53
la om tre the third man
la pato ses the sixth duck
la paje un the first page, page one
Prima is a common alternative to ordinal un, but it cant be used for higher ordinals that happen to
end in 1:
la paje prima the first page
sala sento-un room 101
Numero can be used as a dummy noun to support an ordinal number:
El es numero tre. He is number three / He is third.
A cual paje tu es? Me es a numero setedes. What page are you on? Im on number seventy.
Numero tre, me vole grasia la furnores de come. Thirdly, I want to thank the caterers.
13.4. Fractions
One use of the suffix -i is to form words for fractional numbers:
dui half
tri third
cuatri quarter, fourth
desi tenth
des-dui twelfth
cuatrodesi fortieth
senti hundredth
tresento-sesdes-sinci 1/365
mili 1/1000
dudes-mili 1/20 000
Fractions follow the rules for ordinary nouns:
un tri de la tarte a third of the pie
du tris de la tarte two thirds of the pie
esta tri ardeda de la tarte this burnt third of the pie
un cuatri de un sentenio a quarter century
tre tredes-duis de un diton three thirty-seconds of an inch
tre e un dui oras three and a half hours
tre oras e un dui three hours and a half
sete e un dui milion anios seven and a half million years
For scientific writing, international prefixes are available:
micro- 10
-6

nano- 10
-9

pico- 10
-12

femto- 10
-15

ato- 10
-18

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zepto- 10
-21

iocto 10
-24

13.5. Multiples
The suffix -uple forms words for numeric multiples:
duple double, duo, pair, couple
truple triple, trio
cuatruple quadruple
Phrases with ves or veses express how many times something happens:
a un ves once, one time
a du veses twice, two times
a tre veses thrice, three times
Ves does not express arithmetic multiplication.
13.6. Arithmetic
Addition is expressed with plu or e:
Un plu un es du. One plus one is two.
Du e du no es sinco. Two and two are not five.
Subtraction is expressed with min:
Ses min tre es tre. Six minus three is three.
Multiplication is expressed with multiplida par, often simplified to just par:
Du multiplida par tre es ses. Two multiplied by three equals six.
Ses par cuatro es dudes-cuatro. Six times four is twenty-four.
Division is expressed with divideda entre, often simplified to just entre:
Des divideda entre du es sinco. Ten divided by two is five.
Sinco entre du es du e un dui. Five over two is two and a half.
Sinco entre du es du punto sinco. Five over two is 2.5.
Sinco entre du es du virgula sinco. Five over two is 2,5.
Powers are expressed with a potia and an ordinal number. Cuadrida and cubida are alternatives for
squared and cubed:
Tre a potia du es nove. Three to the power of two is nine.
Tre cubida es dudes-sete. Three cubed is twenty-seven.
des a potia min nove 10
-9

des a potia sento 10
100

Roots are expressed with a radis and an ordinal number:
256 a radis cuatro es 4. The fourth root of 256 is 4.
La radis cuadro de 64 es 8. The square root of 64 is 8.
La radis cubo de 27 es 3. The cube root of 27 is 3.
55
13.7. Measurements
Physical measurements can be expressed in a variety of ways:
Cuanto alta es la tore? How high is the tower?
Cuanto de altia la tore ave? How much height does the tower have?
La tore es cuanto alta? The tower is how high?
La tore ave cuanto de altia? The tower has how much height?
La tore es 40 metres alta. The tower is 40 meters high.
La tore ave 40 metres de altia. The tower has a height of 40 meters / The tower is 40 meters
in height.
La tore es un metre plu alta ca la casa. The tower is one meter higher than the house.
La tore ave un metre plu de altia ca la casa. The tower has a height one meter more than the
house.
La tore es du veses plu alta ca la casa. The tower is two times higher than the house.
La tore ave du de la altia de la casa. The tower has two times the height of the house.
La tore ave un dui de la altia de la casa. The tower has half the height of the house.
La tore es duple plu alta ca la casa. The tower is twice as high as the house.
La tore ave duple la altia de la casa. The tower has double the height of the house.
A basic principle is that one has height (ave altia) but is high (es alta).
40 metres alta literally means 40 high meters (i.e. the meters themselves are high), but by natural
extension it comes to mean 40 meters in height.
The same options apply to other measurements, such as:
larga, largia
grande, grandia
pesosa, pesa
longa, longia
longa, tempo
vea, eda
basa, basia
profunda, profundia
frecuente, frecuentia
rapida, rapidia
densa, densia
14. Word formation
In LFN, new words can be formed by adding prefixes or suffixes to existing words, or by combining
two existing words as a compound noun.
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14.1. Prefixes
Auto- means self- or auto-. It forms nouns, verbs, and adjectives that indicate reflexive or
automatic actions:
respeta respect > autorespeta self-respect
flue flow > autoflue to wordwrap
adere adhere > autoaderente self-adhesive
Des- means un- or dis- in the sense of undoing an action. It forms verbs. It simplifies to de-
before S, Z, X, or J:
botoni to button > desbotoni to unbutton
infeta to infect > desinfeta to disinfect
jela to freeze > dejela to thaw
sifri to encode > desifri to decode
Inter- means inter-. It forms nouns, verbs, and adjectives that indicate mutual actions or states:
cambia to change > intercambia to exchange
nasional national > internasional international
Media- means mid-. It forms nouns that indicate the midpoint of something:
note night > medianote midnight
estate summer > mediaestate midsummer
punto point > mediapunto midpoint
Non- means un-, non-. It forms adjectives and nouns indicating opposites. It simplifies to no-
before N:
justa just > nonjusta unjust
ativa active > nonativa inactive
nativa native > nonativa non-native
nesesada necessary > nonesesada unnecessary
crede belief > noncrede disbelief
Pos- means post-. It forms nouns, verbs, and ajectives that refer to a time (or place) that lies after
or behind (pos) another:
graduada graduate > posgraduada postgraduate
media middle > posmedia afternoon
alveolo alveolus > posalveolal postalveolar
Pre- means pre-. It forms nouns, verbs, and ajectives that refer to a time (or place) that lies before
or in front of (ante) another:
graduada graduate > pregraduada undergraduate
istoria history > preistoria prehistory
judi judge > prejudi prejudge
Re- means re-. It forms verbs indicating a repeated action, or an action in the reverse direction:
comensa to begin / to start > recomensa to begin again / to restart
pleni to fill > repleni to refill / to replenish
paia to pay > repaia to pay back / to repay
57
veni to come > reveni to come back / to return
Su- means sub- or under-. It forms nouns, verbs, and adjectives that indicate a lower point in a
hierarchy:
teninte lieutenant > suteninte sublieutenant
divide to divide > sudivide to subdivide
consensa conscious > suconsensa subconscious
indise index figure > suindise subscript
campion champion > sucampion runner-up
Supra- means super- or over-. It forms nouns, verbs, and adjectives that indicate a higher point in
a hierarchy:
computador computer > supracomputador supercomputer
pasa to pass > suprapasa to surpass
dramosa dramatic > supradramosa overdramatic / sensational
fem woman > suprafem superwoman
natural natural > supranatural supernatural
Vis- means vice-. It forms nouns indicating deputies:
presidente president > vispresidente vice-president
re king > visre viceroy
Bon- and mal- form good and bad (or mistaken) versions of adjectives and verbs, sometimes
metaphorically. Mal- is often equivalent to mis- in English:
parla speak > bonparlante eloquent
vende sell > bonvendeda bestselling
dise say > bondise bless
veni come > bonveni welcome
acusa accuse > malacusa libel / slander
comprende understand > malcomprende misunderstand
nomida named > malnomida misnamed
odorosa smelly > malodorosa foul-smelling
Numbers and fractions are used as prefixes on certain words. With family members, numbers denote
increasingly distant generations, like sequences of great- in English:
avo grandfather > duavo great-grandfather
neta granddaughter > treneta great-great-granddaughter
pede foot > cuatropedal quadruped(al)
sore sister > duisore half-sister
galon gallon > cuatrigalon quart
14.2. Suffixes
Many suffixes start with a vowel. When such a suffix is added to a word that already ends in a
vowel, the existing vowel is dropped, unless it was the only vowel in the original word:
fruta fruit > frutosa fruity
58
jua game > jueta toy
bu owl > buin owl-like
Where a suffix would create an invalid vowel sequence, the second vowel of the sequence is
dropped:
comedia + -iste > (comediiste) > comediste comedian
There are two exceptions to these rules:
tre + -i > tri
tre + -uple > truple
14.3. Suffix forming verbs
Just like other verbs, the verbs produced by this suffix can be used both transitively and
intransitively, or as nouns.
-i is added to nouns and adjectives to form verbs meaning to become , to change into . As a
special case, this also includes verbs meaning to emit a substance or a new part:
arco arch > arci to arch
roja roja > roji to redden
umida damp > umidi to humidify
duple double > dupli to double
saliva saliva > salivi to salivate
flor flower > flori to blossom
-i also makes verbs meaning to use (typically as a tool or device), or to apply (a substance
or a convention):
boton button > botoni to button
telefon telephone > telefoni to telephone
sponja sponge > sponji to sponge
pinta paint > pinti to paint
nom name > nomi to name
14.4. Suffixes forming adjectives
Just like other adjectives, the adjectives produced by these suffixes can be reused as nouns denoting
people or things that have the specified quality.
-in is added to a noun to create an adjective meaning similar to , -like, -ish:
ami friend > amin friendly
enfante child > enfantin childlike / childish
fantasma ghost > fantasmin ghostly
mente mint > mentin minty
monstro monster > monstrin monstrous
serpente snake > serpentin snakelike / serpentine
-osa is added to a noun to make an adjective meaning full of or made of :
zucar sugar > zucarosa sugary
59
oro gold > orosa made of gold
capel capelos > capelosa hairy
festa holiday > festosa festive
melma slime > melmosa slimy
jua game > juosa playful
caos chaos > caososa chaotic
-al is added to a noun to form a general adjective meaning pertaining to or to do with :
fotografia photography > fotografial photographic
nasion nation > nasional national
siensa science > siensal scientific
averbo adverb > averbal adverbial
erita inheritance > erital hereditary
mito myth > mital mythical
monce monk > moncal monastic
-iste is added to a noun denoting a belief, such as a religion or a philosophy, to make a general
adjective. If the noun ends in -isme, then -iste takes its place. In some words where the root is a
proper noun, the nouns final vowel is retained if this produces a more international word:
bigamia bigamy > bigamiste bigamous
otimisme optimism > otimiste optimist
puria cleanliness > puriste puristic
Mitra Mithras > mitraiste Mithraist
-an is added to a few nouns denoting extents of space or time (places and eras) to form general
adjectives:
suburbe suburb > suburban suburban
Victoria Victoria > victorian Victorian
-an is also one of the five standard suffixes for forming adjectives that denote languages and peoples.
The other four are -es, -ica, -i, and -sce. For these adjectives, LFN uses words that sound as similar
to the native names as possible: as a result, some names use a special suffix of their own, or no suffix
at all, and the root is sometimes modified too:
Africa Africa > african African
Frans France > franses French
Elas Greece > elinica Greek
Arabia Arabia > arabi Arabian
Rusia Russia > rusce Russian
Europa Europe > european European
Deutxland Germany > deutx German
Britan Britain > brites British
-ica is added to a noun denoting a medical, psychological, or similar problem, to form an adjective
that describes a person who has the problem:
catalesia catalepsy > catalesica cataleptic
xenofobia xenophobia > xenofobica xenophobic
60
-nte is added to a verb to create the active participle, an adjective that means -ing, i.e. such that it
does (the specified action). The active participle of es is esente:
ama to love > amante loving
depende to depend > dependente dependent
dormi to sleep > dorminte asleep
obedi to obey > obedinte obedient
pare to appear / to seem > parente apparent
es to be > esente being
Nouns ending in -nte are not used as names of actions:
La covrente es sur la caxa. The lid/covering is on the box.
Covre la caxa es un bon idea. Covering the box is a good idea.
-da is added to a verb to form the passive participle, an adjective that means -ed, i.e. such that it
has or has had done to it:
ama to love > amada beloved
clui to close > cluida closed
conose to know > conoseda known
jela to freeze > jelada frozen
nesesa to need > nesesada needed / necessary
putri to rot > putrida rotten
One does not use -da to indicate the past tense of verbs:
La caxa es covreda par la tela. - at this time, the cloth covers the box.
La tela ia covre la caxa. - in the past, the cloth covered the box.
-able is added to a verb to make an adjective that means -able, capable of having done to it, or
worthy of having done to it:
ama to love > amable lovable
come to eat > comable edible
infla to inflate > inflable inflatable
loda to praise > lodable praiseworthy
nota to note > notable notable
titila to tickle > titilable ticklish
14.5. Suffixes forming nouns
-or means -er. When added to a verb, it makes a noun meaning a person who performs the specified
action, often typically or habitually. When added to a noun, it makes a noun meaning a person who
works with the specified thing, or plays the specified sport:
aida to help > aidor helper
deteta to detect > detetor detective
dirije to direct > dirijor director
fumi to smoke > fumor smoker
gania to win > ganior winner
61
jogla to juggle > joglor juggler
parla to speak > parlor speaker (person)
pexa to fish > pexor fisherman
carne meat > carnor butcher
vaso pot > vasor potter
futbal football > futbalor footballer
tenis tennis > tenisor tennis player
-ador also means -er, but creates nouns meaning a tool or machine that performs the specified
action, or works on the specified thing:
caldi heat > caldador heater
computa compute > computador computer
fax fax > faxador fax machine
lava wash > lavador washing machine / dishwasher
parla speak > parlador loudspeaker
surfa surf / browse > surfador (web) browser
umidi dampen > umidador humidifier
-eria is added to a noun or verb to make a noun meaning a place, often a shop, associated with the
specified action or thing:
cafe coffee > caferia cafe
pan bread > paneria bakery, bakers shop
beli beautify > beleria beauty salon
campana bell > campaneria bell tower
fruto fruit > fruteria orchard
monce monk > monceria monastery
planeta planet > planeteria planetarium
xef chief / leader > xeferia headquarters
-ia is equivalent to -ness or -ity or -ship or -hood in English. It forms abstract nouns that serve
as the names of qualities. When -ia is added to a word that ends in -ia, the word doesnt change:
ajil agile > ajilia agility
felis happy > felisia happiness
jelosa jealous > jelosia jealousy
neutra neutral > neutria neutrality
madre mother > madria motherhood
enfante child > enfantia childhood
sultan sultan > sultania sultanate
fria cold > fria coldness
vea old / old person > veia old age
Words like enfantia and sultania can denote a or time or place in which the quality exists.
The names of many fields of study also end in ia (or ica) but this is part of the root, and not a suffix.
The names of the corresponding practitioners are formed with -iste. -iste is also used to form the
62
names of believers in a religion or philosophy (as derived from the adjectival suffix -iste), the names
of musicians, and the names of certain other people that end in -ist- internationally:
jeografia geography > jeografiste geographer
psicolojia psychology > psicolojiste psychologist
cimica chemistry > cimiciste chemist
eletrica electricity > eletriciste electrician
musica music > musiciste musician
Crixna Krishna > crixniste Krishnaist
ideal ideal > idealiste idealist(ic)
gitar guitar > gitariste guitarist
solo solo > soliste soloist
jornal journal > jornaliste journalist
sicle cycle > sicliste cyclist
-isme forms the names of belief systems, replacing -iste in the name of the believer. It also occurs in
certain other words that end in -ism- internationally:
dauiste Taoist > dauisme Taoism
altruiste altruist(ic) > altruisme altruism
raziste racist > razisme racism
sindicatiste syndicalist > sindicatisme syndicalism
turiste tourist > turisme tourism
simbol symbol > simbolisme symbolism
canibal cannibal > canibalisme cannibalism
14.6. Less productive suffixes
The following suffixes are only applied to specific words, as defined in the dictionary.
-eta is added to certain nouns to create a name for a version of something that has been reduced in a
particular way. This includes the names of young animals and inner garments. -eta can similarly be
added to a few verbs to create words for reduced versions of actions:
bebe baby > bebeta newborn baby
caro cart > careta wheelbarrow
imaje image > imajeta thumbnail
lente lens > lenteta contact lens
manga sleeve > mangeta hosepipe
mone money > moneta coin
orolojo clock > orolojeta watch
bove cow / ox > boveta calf
ovea sheep > oveta lamb
calsa stocking > calseta sock
camisa shirt > camiseta undershirt / T-shirt
jaca jacket > jaceta vest (US) / waistcoat (Br)
63
pluve to rain > pluveta to drizzle
rie to laugh > rieta to giggle
parla to speak > parleta to chat
-on is added to certain nouns to create a name for a version of something that has been augmented in
a particular way. This includes the names of outer garments:
abea bee > abeon bumblebee
caxa box > caxon crate
dente tooth > denton fang / tusk
dito finger > diton thumb
padre father > padron patriarch / boss
sala room > salon living room
seja chair > sejon armchair
calsa stocking > calson tights / pantyhose
jaca jacket > jacon overcoat
-eta and -on are not synonyms for peti and grande: its quite possible to have un careta grande or
un salon peti. Instead, they form words with specific new meanings that can be loosely described as
being smaller or larger versions of the original.
-o and -a are added to a few nouns that denote members of the family, to switch the meaning
between male and female respectively:
tio, tia uncle, aunt
The names of some trees are formed by changing the final -a of the name of the fruit or nut to -o:
pera pear > pero pear tree
-esa is added to a few nouns denoting historical male social roles to form the female equivalent:
prinse prince > prinsesa princess
14.7. Technical affixes
International scientific and medical terms are formed from Latin and Greek sources by means of a
large number of technical prefixes and suffixes. These affixes are used in LFN too, and follow LFNs
rules of transcription.
The suffixes -i and -uple are used to name fractions and multiples.
14.8. Compound nouns
A compound noun can be formed by combining a verb with its object, in that order. The result means
a person or thing that performs the specified action on the specified object:
corti, ungia shorten, nail > cortiungia nail clipper
covre, table cover, table > covretable tablecloth
fura, bolsa steal, handbag > furabolsa pickpocket
lansa, petra throw, stone > lansapetra catapult
para, morde stop, bite > paramorde muzzle
para, pluve stop, rain > parapluve umbrella
pasa, tempo pass, time > pasatempo pastime
64
porta, mone carry, money > portamone wallet
porta, vose carry, voice > portavose spokesperson
brinca, dorso hop, back > brincadorso leapfrog (the game, named after its players)
15. Abbreviations
A number of abbreviations are used in LFN. They are not written with periods (dots).
There are several abbreviations for common words or phrases. These are not capitalized, except at
the beginning of a sentence:
acc (ance conoseda como) a.k.a. (also known as)
aec (ante la eda comun) BCE (before the common era) / BC (before Christ)
dr (dotor) Dr (as part of a persons name)
ec (de la eda comun) CE (common era) / AD (anno domini)
etc (e tal cosas, e tal continuante) etc (et cetera), and so on
lfn LFN (Lingua Franca Nova)
n (numero) number
nb (nota bon) NB (nota bene), please note
ovn (ojeto volante nonidentifiada) UFO (unidentified flying object)
p (paje, pajes) p (page), pp (pages)
pe (per esemplo) e.g. (exempli gratia), for example
pf (per favore) please
ps (pos scrive) PS (post scriptum), postscript
sr (senior) Mr (as part of a persons name)
sra (seniora) Mrs, Miss, Ms (as part of a persons name)
tv (televisa, televisador) TV (television)
v (vide) see (introducing a cross-reference)
LFN also retains a few abbreviations from other languages that are recognized internationally,
including the standardized abbreviations for metric units:
cd (disco compata) CD (compact disc)
pc (computador personal) PC (personal computer)
cm (sentimetre) cm (centimeter)
km (cilometre) km (kilometer)
mg (miligram) mg (milligram)
m (micrometre) m (micrometer)
MB (megabait) MB (megabyte)
The abbreviated forms of proper nouns use capital letters. But minor words such as la and de
which are not capitalized in the full form of the name are not included in the abbreviation. Such
nouns are often introduced by la, even when abbreviated:
la NU (Nasiones Unida) the UN (United Nations)
la RU (Rena Unida) the UK (United Kingdom)
65
la SUA (Statos Unida de America) the USA (United States of America)
Some proper nouns are best known internationally as untranslated abbreviations, and these are
retained in LFN:
IBM IBM (International Business Machines Corporation)
KGB KGB ( , Committee for State Security)
16. Punctuation
In general, LFN leaves the choice of punctuation up to the writer, the only standards being those of
clarity and consistency. There are certain basic conventions, though, which are the same as in most
European languages.
The first word in a sentence should start with a capital letter.
16.1. Primary punctuation marks
An ordinary sentence ends with a period or full stop ( . ).
If a sentence is a direct question, it ends with a question mark ( ? ).
An exclamation mark ( ! ) can be used at the end of a sentence that would have an emotional
intensity if spoken.
A comma ( , ) indicates a natural pause in a sentence, or is sometimes just included to clearly
separate one part of a sentence (such as a clause) from another. Commas are also used to separate the
items of a list.
When writing numbers, the decimal point can be written as either a comma or a period (dot).
Adjacent groups of three digits can be separated by spaces.
The colon ( : ) introduces a more detailed presentation of what precedes it. Use a capital letter after
a colon if what follows is a complete sentence, but not if its just a list or part of a sentence.
The semicolon ( ; ) can be used in place of a period between two sentences that closely reflect or
balance each other. It can also separate the items of a list where these are lengthy or contain their
own commas.
Dont place a space to the left of a primary punctuation mark. But do place a space to the right,
except at the end of a paragraph.
16.2. Quotation marks
A quotation mark appears at the start and end of words that are presented as a direct quotation.
There are various forms of quotation mark in the world, including ' " .
In LFN, the form " is normally used, as its clear, easy to type, and international. When one
quotation appears within another, ' is placed around the inner quotation theres an example below.
In good typography, as in books, the curved forms and are used, but these are unnecessary in
everyday communication. Dont place spaces between the quotation marks and the quoted text.
In some languages, a dash ( ) appears in the middle of dialogue when a new person begins to
speak, instead of quotation marks. We recommend avoiding this in LFN, because its less clear, and
can be confused with other uses of dashes.
When quoting the words of a character in a story, the quotation is often accompanied by a tag
indicating who is speaking, and their manner. For such sentences in LFN, its best to place a dash
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between this tag and each part of the quotation. That way its easy to preserve the exact punctuation
of the original sentence:
La vendor murmura Ma no es tan simple, me ami.
Me acorda. la om responde felis.
Per ce tu es asi? la fem demanda.
Cisa la bonvolor sujesta me pote aida.
Me ave un ami nomida Freda, el esplica ci es un tortuga.
When writing about languages and quoting a word or phrase in order to mention it, just use quotation
marks:
Me gusta la parola xuxa.
Se sposa ia comenta Me gusta la parola xuxa.
16.3. Minor punctuation marks
The ellipsis ( ) suggests a pause, or indicates that some words have been left out.
Dashes ( o ) and parentheses ( () ) surround comments inserted into the normal flow of a
sentence.
The apostrophe ( ' ) indicates that a vowel has been omitted. This normally only occurs in verse.
In LFN, currency symbols (, , , $, etc) are written before or after the digits of prices, according
to the custom of the country in question.
Additional punctuation marks exist, but their usage has little connection to the rules of LFN.