Basic syntax of Tirelat

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Download the Vlika fonts to see the examples in the Tirelat alphabet.

Stative verbs

Intransitive verbs in Tirelat are divided into two categories: stative and dynamic. Stative verbs describe the state or condition of something, or state an opinion. Typically, the stative verb comes before its subject, which appears in the nominative case.

jmoriSaj se rehv. 

j'-mori -ša -j  se  rév
3s-round-INF-GA NOM world
The world is round.

vZihriLij su nikaz. 

v'-žíri  -łi -j  su  nik  -az
3p-pretty-OPI-GA NOM mouse-kind
Mice are pretty.

Single-word modifiers (such as adjectives and adverbs) precede the words they modify. Longer modifiers follow the modified word.

taNu jZuhvivivez se Suhru. 

taŋu   j'-žúvivi  -ve    -z   se  šúru
little 3s-open.DIM-OBS.NP-IPF NOM door
The door is slightly ajar.

jzeziLan so ginxu jlai sy dahn. 

jë-zezi -ła    -n  so  ginżu j'  -lai   sy  dán
3s-sleep-INF.NP-PF TEM today POSS-night NOM lion
The lion sleeps tonight.

Dynamic verbs

Dynamic verbs represent motions and actions without an object, including passive forms of transitive verbs. The subject of a dynamic verb typically precedes the verb.

sa vaZahl jRastatin ve lak o Zalahn. 

sa  važál j'-ŕasta-ti   -n  ve  lak  o   žalán
NOM cow   3s-jump -OBS.P-PF LOC over OBL satellite
The cow jumped over the moon.

si Nak jkaxaruvamikan y Xuhl. 

si  ŋak  j'-każa-ru -va -mi   -ka -n  y   húl
NOM duck 3s-eat -PAS-OPT-INF.P-NEG-PF OBL wolf
The duck did not want to be eaten by the wolf.

Transitive verbs

Transitive verbs have both a subject and an object. The subject typically precedes the verb and takes the nominative case. The object follows the verb and usually takes the accusative case, although some transitive verbs require a different case.

su nik jkaxavez mo nirik. 

su  nik   j'-każa-ve    -z   mo  nirik
NOM mouse 3s-eat -OBS.NP-IPF ACC cheese
The mouse is eating cheese.

su robin: jcimalin ky marian:. 

su  Robin j'-ċima-li   -n  ky  Marian
NOM Robin 3s-kiss-HSY:P-PF COM Marian
Robin kissed Marian.
Some transitive verbs can take two objects: direct (accusative) and indirect (dative). These objects can occur in either order after the verb, but the indirect object usually comes first.

su ravnavin jmakelin nu Sykavin ma kihm. 

su  ravna-vin j'-make-li   -n  nu  šyka -vin ma  kím
NOM learn-er  3s-give-HSY:P-PF DAT teach-er  ACC apple
The student gave the teacher an apple.

rRadeban nu keh mu Xilnik:. 

r'-ŕade-ba    -n  nu  ké mu  Xilnik
2s-call-POT:NP-PF DAT me ACC Teamouse
You can call me Teamouse.

Topic-comment structure

Any noun or noun phrase can be made the topic of a sentence by placing it at the beginning. The rest of the sentence is considered as a comment on this topic. Note that nouns used as topics are often used without case markers.

Zalahn sa vaZahl jRastatin ve lak. 

žalán     sa  važál j'-ŕasta-ti   -n  ve  lak
satellite NOM cow   3s-jump -OBS:P-PF LOC over
As for the moon, the cow jumped over it.

dahn jzeziLan so ginxu jolai. 

dán  j'-zezi -ła    -n  so  ginżu jo  -lai
lion 3s-sleep-INF:NP-PF TEM today POSS-night
The lion sleeps tonight.

Complex topics end with a topic particle to set them apart from the rest of the sentence.

rkezanuj mi zjanjki tanigira da, rlinaiZataj ve rsarga. 

r'-keza-nu -j  mi  zjanj'ki tani-gira   da, r'-linaiža-ta -j  ve  r'-sarga
2s-seek-CND-GA ACC pleasant half-island TOP 2s-look   -DEO-GA LOC 2s-around
If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look around you.

Abbreviations

CND conditional
COM comitative
DIM diminutive (an infix, -vi-)
GA general aspect (either perfective or imperfective)
HSY hearsay
INF inferential
IPF imperfective
LOC locative
NOM nominative
.NP non-past
OBL oblique
OBS observation
OPI opinion
OPT optative
PAS passive
POT potential
.P past
.PL plural
TEM temporal
TOP topic