A starter to Sambahsa

Sambahsas orthographical and accentual system is quite elaborate; this is because it tries to respect the forms that loanwords have in the source languages, especially West-European languages where orthography plays a key role.

Nevertheless, those rules are entirely regular, and can be mastered through repetition. To ease the learning of those rules, a simpler phonetic transcription system, the Sambahsa Phonetic Transcription (SPT), is used. Words written in SPT are always between brackets [ ]. Be sure to fully understand the SPT before going further.

[a] = like a in car[] = like e in bed, but often a bit longer[b] = as in English[c] = as sh in shoe[d] = as in English[e] = as in Italian or Spanish. Listen to it: http://tts.imtranslator.net/4Fxa[] = as e in the[f] = as in English[g] = as g in give[h] = as h in hope[i] = as i in bit[j] = as si in vision[k] = as in English[l] = as in English[m] = as in English[n] = as in English[o] = as in English[] = as u in burn, but slightly longer[p] = as in English[q] = the ach-laut of German or the jota of Spanish. It is written kh in the Sambahsa orthography. Listen to khako (Im not able to: [qAko]: http://tts.imtranslator.net/4Fxf[r] = its pronunciation varies from region to region. Nevertheless, rr and rh have to be pronounced rolled, as in Spanish.[s] = as s in say[t] = as in English[u] = as oo in book[] = the u of French or the of German. According to various rules, it can be written with u or y. Listen to styr (steering wheel): http://tts.imtranslator.net/4Fxk[v] = as in English[w] = as in English[x] = it is the ich-laut of German. Is written sh in the Sambahsa orthography. Listen to ghianshiek (rock, stone): http://tts.imtranslator.net/4Fxt[y] = as y in you[z] = as z in zero[] = as th in thin

Stressed vowels are written in capital letters in polysyllabic words, and a [:] following a vowel indicates that this one has to be lengthened. Letters in italics can be left unpronounced.

1st lection

An important (and irregular) Sambahsa verb is habe [hab] = to have. As in English, it serves to build a special tense with the past participle. However, the Sambahsa composed past refers to an action that took place in the past and that is now over (even if its consequences are still going on) while the English present perfect can refer to an unfinished action. Therefore, this Sambahsa tense will be rendered by the English past time.

Learn by heart the present tense conjugation of Sambahsa habe. On the contrary to English, nearly all conjugated verbs of Sambahsa can drop personal pronouns for their endings already indicate which person is referred to.

Ho has hat hams/habmos [hAbmos] yu habte [habd] hant/habent [hAbnt]

Sambahsa distinguishes between the familiar 2nd person (in Old English : thou) and the polite form, which uses the plural : yu = you.

There are two endings for the past participles of Sambahsa, with no difference of meaning : -t & -(e)n. Since the latter is easier, we'll only use this one in the first lessons.

Ho voten I voted Habte yu voten ? Did you vote ? Ho copien I copied Habte yu copien ? Did you copy? Ho preparen I prepared Habte yu preparen ? Did you prepare ? Ho visiten I visited Habte yu visiten ? Did you visit ? Ho deciden I decided Habte yu deciden ? Did you decide ? Ho refusen I refused Habte yu refusen ? Did you refuse ? Ho protesten I protested Habte yu protesten ? Did you protest ? Ho formen I formed Habte yu formen ? Did you form ? Ho reserven I reserved Habte yu reserven ? Did you reserve ?

Sambahsa uses the same word for the definite article (the) and the 3 person pronoun (he/she/it). For things (the neuter gender), the pronoun is id.

Id cofie = the coffeeId dinner = the dinnerId classe = the classId salat = the saladId soup = the soupId meja = the table (for meals)Id lection = the lessonId dessert = the dessertId vesper = the eveninghovesper = tonight (adverb)pro = for.

Conversation

Habte yu preparen id lection ? (Did you prepare the lesson ?)Ya, ho preparen id lection.

Habte yu preparen id lection hovesper ? Ya, ho preparen id lection hovesper.

Habte yu copien id lection ? Ya, ho copien id lection.

Habte yu copien id lection pro id classe ? Ya, ho copien id lection pro id classe.

Habte yu preparen id salat pro id dinner ? Ya, ho preparen id salat pro id dinner.

Habte yu preparen id soup pro Paul hovesper ? Ya, ho preparen id soup pro Paul hovesper.

Habte yu reserven id meja pro Paul hovesper ? Ya, ho reserven id meja pro Paul hovesper.

Sentence-forming exercise

For practice combine the words below to form as many sentences as you can. Just be sure to use words from each of the columns in every sentence you form.

123

Ho copienid lectionpro id classe

Habte yu copien? id mejapro Paul

Ho reservenid souppro id dinner

Habte yu reserven? id salathovesper

Ho preparenid cofie

Habte yu preparen?id chay (tea)

id dinner

Exercise in translation

Translate the following English sentences into Sambahsa. Write out each sentence in Sambahsa, using out the columns above as a guide. After you have written out each sentence, check with the correct translation below this exercise.

I copied the lesson for the class.

Did you reserve the table for Paul ?

Did you copy the lesson for Paul ?

I copied the lesson for Paul.

I prepared the lesson tonight.

I prepared the salad for Paul.

Did you prepare the dinner tonight ?

Yes, I prepared the dinner tonight.

Did you prepare the dinner for Paul ?

Yes, I prepared the dinner for Paul.

Did you prepare the soup ?

Yes, I prepared the soup.

Solution :

Ho copien id lection pro id classe.

Habte yu reserven id meja pro Paul ?

Habte yu copien id lection pro Paul ?

Ho copien id lection pro Paul.

Ho preparen id lection hovesper.

Ho preparen id salat pro Paul.

Habte yu preparen id dinner hovesper ?

Ya, ho preparen id dinner hovesper.

Habte yu preparen id dinner pro Paul ?

Ya, ho preparen id dinner pro Paul.

Habte yu preparen id soup ?

Ya, ho preparen id soup.

2nd lection

Words to remember

SambahsaSPTEnglish

in[in]in

museium[mzeyum]museum

theatre[atr]theatre

concert[kontsert]concert

garden[gardn]garden

kino[kino]movies' theater

bureau[bro:]office, bureau

auto[aoto]car, automobile

crovat[krovat]bed

grippe[grip]grippe, flu

radio[radyo]radio

un[un]a(n)

arrogant[arrogant]arrogant

khauris[qaoris]good, charming

gohd[go:d]good, well-made

meg[meg]very

fantastic[fantastic]fantastic

film[film]film, movie

no[no]no

est[est]is

hotel[hotel]hotel

quer[ker]where

ne[n]not

On the contrary to English, the Sambahsa negation ne is generally put before the verb.

Conversation

Est Charles in id hotel ? = Is Charles in the hotel ? No, Charles ne est in id hotel. = No, Charles is not in the hotel.

Quer est Charles ? Charles est in id park (park).

Est Charles arrogant ? No, Charles ne est arrogant. Charles est khauris.

Est Charles intelligent (intelligent)Ya, Charles est meg intelligent.

Hat Charles un auto ? Ya, Charles hat un auto.

Hat Charles un radio in id auto ? Ya, Charles hat un radio in id auto.

Est Fred in id kino ? No, Fred ne est in id kino.

Quer est Robert ? Robert est in id crovat.

Hat Robert id grippe ? Ya, Robert hat id grippe.

Est id film gohd ? Ya, id film est meg gohd. Id film est fantastic.

Reading exercise

Try to read aloud these sentences below, then check with the SPT solutions underneath. Continue reading those sentences aloud until you pronounce them well.

Charles ne est in id hotel. 2. Charles est khauris. 3. Charles hat un auto. 4. Robert hat id grippe. 5. Quer est Sylvia ? 6. Ya, ho un radio.

Solutions in SPT : 1. [tcarls n_est in id hotel]. 2. [tcarls est qaoris] 3. [tcarls hat un auto] 4. [robrt hat id grip] 5. [ker est slvya ?] 6. [ya, ho un radyo]

TranslationTry to translate the following sentences into Sambahsa :

Charles is not in the museum. 2. Fred is not in the movies' theater. 3. Where is Fred ? 4. Fred is at the office. 5. The film is fantastic.

Solution : 1. Charles ne est in id museium. 2. Fred ne est in id kino. 3. Quer est Fred ? 4. Fred est in id bureau. 5. Id film est fantastic.

Answer the following questions in sambahsa :

Example : 1. Est Charles in id hotel ? Ya, Charles est in id hotel.

Est Peter in id museium ? Ya,

Est Maria intelligent ? Ya,

Est Charles in id kino ? Ya,

Hat Charles un radio ? Ya,

New important words.

Remember that Sambahsa uses the same words for the definite article (the) and the 3 person pronoun. Sambahsa has 4 genders, i.e. one more than English : masculine, feminine, neuter (for things & abstractions) and undetermined. The last one is used for nouns whose gender is unknown.

Sambahsa nouns and pronouns work with 4 cases. The first one is the nominative, which represents the case of the subject of the verb. Here are the four words you must remember : SambahsaGender

ismasculine

ia [ya]feminine

idneuter

elundetermined

Thus, Sambahsa says :

Ia hat un auto = She has a carIa gwen hat un auto = The woman has a car.

3t lection

Read aloud the following sentences :

Id cap est un mems [id kap est un mems]Id brakh est un mems [id braq est un mems]Id hand est un mems [id hand est un mems]Id jamb est un mems [id jamb est un mems]Id ped est un mems [id ped est un mems]

Un rose est un flor [un roz est un flor]

Un menexi [un mneksi]

Un menexi est un flor [un mneksi est un flor]Quod est un banane ? [kwod est un banan ?]Un banane est un fruit [un banan est un frwit]Quod est un piano ? [kwod est un pyano ?]Un piano est un music instrument. [un pyano est un muzik instrmnt]Quod est id cap ? [kwod est id kap ?]Id cap est un mems [id kap est un mems]Est id jamb un mems ? [est id jamb un mems ?]Ya, id jamb est un mems [ya, id jamb est un mems]Est id menexi un mems ? [est id mneksi un mems ?]No, id menexi est un flor [no, id mneksi est un flor]

4t lection

SambahsaSPTEnglish

buk[buk]book

lection[lktyon]lesson

tennis[tennis]tennis

ghitarr[gitarr]guitar

englisch[englic]English

con[kon]with

euco[ko]I learn

Eucte yu? [kt_yu?]Do you learn?

bahm[ba:m]I speak

Bahte yu? [ba:t_yu?]Do you speak?

Leiso[leyzo]I read

Leiste yu? [leist_yu?]Do you read?

Danso[danso]I dance

Danste yu?[danst_yu?]Do you dance?

Snahm[sna:m]I swim

Snahte yu? [sna:t_yu?]Do you swim?

Kano[kano]I make music

Kante yu? [kant_yu?]Do you make music?

Leiko[leyko]I play

Leicte yu? [leykt_yu]Do you play?

Ne danso[n_danso]I don't dance

Ne snahm[n_sna:m]I don't swim

Sambahsa only uses personal pronouns with verbs when it's necessary to indicate the person (as in English), or for questions (then, the order is inverted).

Conversation

Eucte yu Sambahsa in id classe ? Do you learn Sambahsa in the class ? Ya, euco Sambahsa in id classe. Yes, I learn Sambahsa in the class.

Leiste yu in id lection in id classe ? Ya, leiso id lection in id classe.

Leicte yu tennis ? Ya, leiko tennis.

Leicte yu tennis con Fred ? Ya, leiko tennis con Fred.

Kante yu ghitarr ? Ya, kano ghitarr.

Notice the difference between leiko = I play (a game, ex: tennis) and kano = I play (a music instrument; ex: guitar).

Reading exerciseRead these sentences aloud then check on the solutions beneath. Read them until it's correct.

Euco Sambahsa in id classe. 2. Euco id lection in id classe. 3. Leicte yu tennis con Fred ? 4. Kante yu ghitarr ?

Solutions : 1. [ko samba:sa in id klas]. 2. [ko id lktyon in id klas]. 3. [leykt_yu tenis kon fred ?]. 4. [kant_yu gitarr ?]

Translation exerciseTranslate the following sentences in Sambahsa (solutions below).

I speak Sambahsa in the class. 2. I don't dance in the class. 3. I read the book. 4. I play tennis with Maria. 5. I play guitar.

Corrections : 1. Bahm Sambahsa in id classe. 2. Ne danso in id classe. 3. Leiso id buk. 4. Leiko tennis con Maria. 5. Kano ghitarr.

The present tense

Unlike many European languages, Sambahsa verbs are not indicated under their infinitive, but their verbal stem, because it indicates how the verb is to be conjugated. Note that the English progressive present (to be + -ing) can be rendered by a Sambahsa present too. Sambahsa can have a progressive present, but it is less used as in English.

Verbs ending with a vowel stressed sound follow the model of snah (swim):

snahm, snahs, snaht, snahm(o)s, yu snahte, snahnt[sna:m, sna:s, sna:t, sna:m(o)s, yu_sna:t, sna:nt]

Verbs ending a consonant sound after a stressed vowel follow the model of euc (learn):

euco, eucs, euct, eucmos, yu eucte, eucent[ko, ks, kt, kmos, yu_kt, tsnt]

If the stem ends with -g or -k and if the following ending begins with -s or -t, the former letters turn to -c-, as it is the case with leik (play)

leiko, leics, leict, leikmos, yu leicte, leikent[leyko, leyks, leykt, leykmos, yu leikt, leyknt]

ExerciseGive the present tense of these verbs : kan, bah.

Solution :

kano, kans, kant, kanmos, yu kante, kanentbahm, bahs, baht, bahm(o)s, yu bahte, bahnt

5t lectionSambahsaSPTEnglish

Id rogv est jamile[id rogv est jamil]The dress is pretty

Id lection est facil[id lktyon est fatsil]The lesson is easy

Pauline est jamile[paolin est jamil]Pauline is pretty

Id cravat est jamile[id kravat est jamil]The necktie is pretty.

rudh[rud]red

Habte yu kaupen? [habd_yu kaopn ?]Did you buy?

Habte yu inviten? [habd_yu invitn?]Did you invite?

do[do](in)to

Another way to form questions in Sambahsa is to add the word kwe [kwe] at the beginning of the sentence, without any inversion. (Look at the first sentence in Conversation)

Why is there a difference of accentuation between facil and jamile ? It's because the unpronounced e of jamile shifts the stress on the preceding syllable.

Conversation

Kwe Susanne est jamile ? Is Susanne pretty ? Ya, Susanne est jamile.

Kwe id rogv est rudh ? Ya, id rogv est rudh.

Habte yu kaupen un rogv ? Ya, ho kaupen un rogv.

Habte yu inviten Philip do id kino ? Ya, ho inviten Philip do id kino.

Sentence-forming exercises

Id lectionestfacil

Id rogv jamile

Id cravatrudh

Susannemeg jamile.

Translation exerciseTranslate into Sambahsa the following sentences :

Is the lesson easy ?

Yes, the lesson is very easy.

The necktie is very pretty

It's good.

Solution : 1. Kwe id lection est facil ? / Est id lection facil ? 2. Ya, id lection est meg facil. 3. Id cravat est meg jamile. 4. (Id) est gohd/khauris.

6t lection

The present tense of verbs whose last letter is an unstressed (and often unpronounced) e follow the model of studye (study) :

io studye studyes studyet studyems yu studyet studyent[yo study, studys, studyt, studyms, yu studyt, studynt]

As the 1 person singular has no ending, the use of the personal pronoun io is necessary.

Words to remember

baygh[bayg]Much, a lot

hemi[hemi]At home

Suadanst Maria? [swadanst marya]Does Maria dance well?

To express well with a verb, Sambahsa uses the verbal prefix sua- (with or without an hyphen).

Conversation

Kwe Fred studyet Sambahsa ? Does Fred study SambahsaYa, Fred studyet Sambahsa. Yes, Fred studies Sambahsa.

Kwe Fred studyet hemi ? Ya, Fred studyet hemi.

Suasnaht Fred ? Ya, Fred suasnaht.

Kwe Fred kant ghitarr ? Ya, Fred kant ghitarr.

Reading exercise

Fred studyet baygh. 2. Fred suadanst. 3. Kwe Fred leict tennis ? 4. Albert leict tennis con Maria.

Solution : 1. [fred studyt bayg]. 2.[fred swadanst]. 3.[kwe fred leykt tenis] 4.[albrt leykt tenis kon marya].

Conjugation exercise : Conjugate in the present tense the verb gwehm (come). [gwe:m]. As you can see, it ends with a consonant after a vowel sound.

Solution : It follows the model of euc.

Gwehmo, gwehms, gwehmt, gwehmmos, yu gwehmte, gwehment

[gwe:mo, gwe:ms, gwe:mt, gwe:mmos, yu gwe:mt, gwe:mnt]

7im lectionComparative & superlative.

Sambahsa uses words which function as in English : meis = more, meist = most, minter [mintr], mins = less, quem = than

If it doesn't change the accentuation, the endings -(t)er (for the comparative) and -st (for the superlative) can be used.

Numbers :

The cardinals are, from 1 to 10 : oin, dwo, tri, quar [kwar], penk(we), six, sept(a), oct(o), nev, dec. Teens are obtained by suffixing -dem. Ex: septdem [septdm] = 17Tenths are obtained by suffixing gim. Ex: octgim [oktdjim] = 80.

First is prest, or preter when there are only two elements. Second can be second [skond] or dwot (dwoter when referring to a pair). Other ordinals suffix -t, or -im when it's incompatible. Ex: dwodemt [dwodmt] = 12th.

VocabularySambahsaSPTEnglish

wer[wer]Spring (season)

bell[bell]beautiful

saison[szon]season

France[frants]France

land[land]country

Januar[janwar]January

srig[srig]cold

munt[munt]month

dien[dyen]day

hoyd[hoyd]today

sabd[sabd]Saturday

charitable[tcaritabl]charitable

Pater [patr]father

mien[myen]my

capitel[kapitl]chapter

interessant[intresant]interesting

trist[trist]Sad (when referring to a thing)

Exercise Translate into Sambahsa the following sentences :

Spring is the most beautiful season. 2. France is a beautiful country. 3. January is the coldest month. 4. What day is today ? 5. Today is Saturday, the seventh day. 6. My father is very charitable. 7. The first chapter is less interesting than the second (of two). 8. The ninth chapter is very sad.

Solution : 1. Wer est id meist bell saison. 2. France est un bell land. 3. Januar est id meist srig saison. 4. Quod dien est hoyd ? 5. Hoyd est sabd, id septim day. 6. Mien pater est meg charitable. 7. Id preter capitel est minter/mins interessant quem id dwoter. 8. Id nevt capitel est meg trist. 8im lection

How to form words

English and Sambahsa share a large amount of nouns ending in -ation. Most of them correspond to Sambahsa verbs ending with an unstressed e. Ex:

presentation > presente (to present).

Plural

Learn by heart those nominative plural forms :

SingularPlural

isies [yes]

iaias [yas]

idia

eli [i]

The undetermined plural can serve for groups containing elements of different genders. Most Sambahsa nouns mark their plural as in English, i.e., they add a final -s, when it's phonetically compatible. Ex :

id tiquet [tikt] > ia tiquets [tikts] (the ticket / the tickets).

Conversation

Hat Paul inviten Susanne do id club [klub] ? Did Paul invite Susanne to the club ? Ya, Paul hat inviten Susanne do id club. Yes, Paul invited Susanne to the club.

Hat Susanne accepten id invitation ? Ya, Susanne hat accepten id invitation.

Hat Susanne dansen id valz [valdz] con Paul ? Ya, Susanne hat dansen id valz con Paul.

Hat Robert reserven un meja pro id dinner ? Ya, Robert hat reserven un meja pro id dinner.

Habte yu dansen id valz ? Ya, ho dansen id valz.

Sentence-forming exercise

Hodansenid valz

Ia hatacceptencon Paul

Habte yu? refusenid invitation

Hat is? invitenRobert

Hat ia? hovesper

Hat Paul? con Susanne

Paul hatdo id club.

Translation Exercise :Translate the following sentences into Sambahsa :

Paul invited Susanne to the club. 2. Susanne accepted the invitation. 3. Did Paul invite Susanne to the theatre ? 4. Did she invite Paul to the club ? 5. I prepared dinner for Paul. 6. Did you copy the lesson ? 7. He invited Pauline to the movies' theater. 8. Is the dress red ?

Solution : 1. Paul hat inviten Susanne do id club. 2. Susanne hat accepten id invitation. 3. Hat Paul inviten Susanne do id theatre ? 4. Hat ia inviten Paul do id club ? 5. Ho preparen dinner pro Paul. 6. Habte yu copien id lection ? 7. Is hat inviten Pauline do id kino. 8. Habte yu copien id lection ? 8. Kwe id rogv est rudh ?

9t Lection

Elements of pronunciation.

In Sambahsa, c is pronounced [k], but turns to [ts] before e, i or y. Likewise, g is pronounced [g], but turns to [dj] before the same letters. u is pronounced [u] but turns to [] if one of the two following letters is e. At the end of a word, the e in -es is only pronounced if it helps to distinguish the s from the preceding sound. Between two consonants, w becomes [u] but is never stressed.

too, also.

In Sambahsa, this word is yaschi [yaci]. With a pronoun, the ya can disappear and the schi is suffixed to the pronoun. Ex: yuschi = you too.

want, would like to

In Sambahsa, the general verb eiskw can express a desire, an intention. Here is its conjugation in the present tense :

eiskwo, eiskws, eiskwt, eiskwm(o)s, yu eiskwte, eiskwnt[eyskwo, eyskus, eyskut, eyskum(o)s, yu eyskut, eyskunt]

With another verb, it can be reduced to -skw and suffixed to that other verb if it doesn't alter its accentuation.

Ex: leik + -skw = leicskw want to play.

The infinitive

Many languages have an infinitive, an indeclinable form of a verb, which behaves sometimes like a noun. In English, there is no true infinitive, but it corresponds to the forms of to + verb, or when a verb (with or without -ing) is used with another verb.

For verbs ending with an unstressed e, there is no change. Ex: invite = to invite.

For the other verbs, if their stressed vowels are eu or ei, those ones respectively turn to u and i, and -es is suffixed. Ex:

leis > lises [lizs] = to readeuc > uces [tss] = to learn

The remaining verbs add -e if it doesn't alter their accentuation. Ex: rhalte + e = rhalte to make mistakes.Vocabulary

SambahsaSPTEnglish

ghehd[ge:d]Can, to be able to

rhalt[rhalt]To be mistaken, to make mistakes

mehn[me:n]to think

daskal[daskal]teacher

inkap[inkap]to begin

almen[almn]pupil

orbat[orbat](to) work

aun[aon]without

sweurgh[swrg]sorrow

Translation exercise :Translate into Sambahsa the following sentences (remember that groups of persons can include both genders) :

We can make mistakes. 2. I think (that) the teachers make mistakes too. 3. The pupils want to begin to study Sambahsa. 4. You can work without (any) sorrow.

Solution : 1. Ghehdmos rhalte. 2. Mehno ischi (i + [ya]schi) daskals rhaltent. 3. I almens inkapskwnt studye Sambahsa. 4. Yu ghehdte orbate aun sweurgh.

10t lection

The present tense of to be.

It is, like habe, an irregular verb: som, es, est, smos, ste, sont. The infinitive is ses.

To express there is/are, ter there is optional in Sambahsa.

OfSambahsa uses a special word for of the. Like of alone, it follows the gender and number of the noun after it. (Singular/Plural)ofof the

MasculineOs/omIos/iom

FeminineAs/amIas/iam

NeuterOs/omIos/iom

UndeterminedEs/emAl/im

Vocabulary

SambahsaSPTEnglish

citad[tsitad](big) city

maung[maong]Many, much

orkester[orkestr]orchestra

ed[ed]and

prispehc[prispe:k]attend

albud[albud]swan

ep[ep]id

gwah[gwa:]To go to (doesn't need a preposition)

restaurant[rstaorant]restaurant

touriste[tu:rist]tourist

nav[nav]ship

ex[eks]From (within)

or[ao]or

Translation Exercise :Translate the following sentences into Sambahsa :

Hamburg is a very beautiful city. 2. There are many beautiful parks in Hamburg. 3. The orchestra plays music of Mozart, Beethoven and Bach. 4. I attend many concerts. 5. Beautiful swans swim on the Alster. 6. The tourists go to the restaurants. 7. The ships come from America, Africa or India.

Solution : 1. Hamburg est un meg bell citad. 2. Sont maung bell parks in Hamburg. 3. Id orkester kant music om Mozart, Beethoven ed Bach (all of them were males !) 4. Prispehco maung concerts. 5. Bell albuds snahnt ep id Alster. 6. I touristes gwahnt ia restaurants. 7. Ia navs gwehment ex America, Africa au Hind.

11t lection. The near future.

To express the near future (Eng. To be going to + verb.), Sambahsa uses a special verb vah- (with the normal endings; therefore, it conjugates like snah-) + infinitive. Ex: Ne vahm orbate = I am not going to work.

The future tense

Likewise, for the future tense, Sambahsa uses a special verb, sie- (+ the conjugational endings) + the infinitive. There is even a negative future auxiliary (like Eng. won't) which is nie.

Examples : Siem tolke ad Paul = I will talk to Paul. Niem tolke ad Paul = I won't talk to Paul.

There is a synthetic future for sie too. Take the 2 sing. Present conjugated form, add -ie- + the required ending. Example : Phone + s = phones; + ie + m = Phonesiem [fonzyem] = I will phone.

The forms for ses and habe are irregular; respectively sessie- and habsie-.

VocabularySambahsaSPTEnglish

Tolk ad[tolk ad]Talk to

Phone ad[fon ad]Phone to

todegher(n)[todegr(n)]This morning

client[kl(i)yent]Client, customer

brev[brev]Letter (to be sent)

dicte[dikt]dictate

buksteiv[buksteyv]Letter (of alphabet); to spell (a word)

Conversation

Vahte yu orbate todeghern ? Are you going to work this morning ? Ya, vahm orbate todeghern.

Siete yu phone ad un client todeghern ? No, niem phone ad un client todeghern.

Vahte yu dicte id brev in id bureau ? No, ne vahm dicte id brev in id bureau.

Siete yu danse hovesper ? No, niem danse hovesper. Gwahsiem (id) kino.

Translation exerciseTranslate the following sentences into Sambahsa :

I am not going to dictate the letter this morning. 2. I won't work. 3. I'm going to reserve a table. 4. I won't prepare the lesson this evening.

Solution : 1. Ne vahm dicte id brev todeghern. 2. Niem orbate. 3. Ne vahm reserve un meja. 4. Niem prepare id lection hovesper.

12t lectionThe past participle in (e)n of verbs with ablaut.

Ablaut means vowel mutation in German. This phenomenon happens to some verbs in Sambahsa : Verbs whose stressed consonants is ei/eu change it to respectively i/u before adding the ending.

Likewise, eh, followed by one or several consonants, turns to oh before adding the ending.

Examples :

leik (to play) > liken euc (to learn) > ucen myehrs (to forget) > myohrsen

VocabularySambahsaSPTEnglish

gnoh[nyo:]To know

an[an]If (introducing an interrogation)

prokwem[prokwm]near

ma[ma]why

change[tcandj]To change

Denars (plural in Sambahsa)[dnars]money

niter[nitr]Down here, lower

bankautomat[bankaotomat]Cash dispenser

neud[nd]To use

credit[kredit]credit

carte[kart]card

way[way]Unfortunately, alas

myehrs[mye:rs]To forget

Dialogue

- Gnohte yu an est un bank prokwem? - Do you know if there's a bank near?

- Ma? - Why?

- Eiskwo change denars. - I want to change money.

- Niter est un bankautomat quer yu ghehdte nudes un credit carte- Down here (lower) (there) is a cash dispenser where you can use a credit card.

- Way, ho myohrsen id hemi. - Unfortunately, I've forgotten it at home.

Translation exercise:Translate into Sambahsa the following sentences :

I'm going to change money in the bank. 2. I will go down here with my father.

Solution : 1. Vahm change denars in id bank. 2. Gwahsiem (or Siem gwahe) niter con mien pater.

13t lectionThe accusative

We've already seen the nominative which is the case used for subjects of the verb. Another case is the accusative which is the case of the direct object, i.e. the noun concerned directly by the verbal action. Ex: in I accuse you !, you is the direct object, for it's the target of the action. Furthermore, in Sambahsa, the accusative is used after nearly all prepositions. This is important for pronouns, which are declined in Sambahsa. Here is below a full table of Sambahsa pronouns in nominative and accusative. Remember that :

The nominative of personal pronouns is only used in Sambahsa when the ending doesn't indicate the person, for interrogations (then the pronoun is put after the verb) or simply in other to stress who's acting (like in English I do + verb)/

The same word is used for the definite article (the) and the 3rd person pronoun.

PersonNominativeAccusative

1st person singularEgo (when stressed), iome

2nd person singulartute

3rd person singular masculineisiom

3rd person singular feminineiaiam

3rd person singular neuteridid

3rd person singular undeterminedelel

1st person pluralweynos

2nd person pluralyuvos

3rd person plural masculineiesiens

3rd person plural feminineiasians

3rd person plural neuteriaia

3rd person plural undeterminedii

Vocabularyquayt[kwayt]How many

Ferias (Sambahsa plural)[feryas]Holidays

lient[lyent]summer

nun[nun]now

ghim[gim]winter

ambh[amb]around

Natal[natal]Christmas

semper[sempr]always

hevd[hevd]week

man[man]To stay

her[her]here

swehd[swe:d]To have the habit to

spend[spend]To spend (time)

parent[parnt]parent

Dialogue- Quayt feriadiens has tu? - How many vacation days do you have?

- In lient? - In summer?

- No, nun, in ghim. - No, now in winter.

- Ambh Natal, ho semper dwo hevds ferias- Around Christmas, I have always two weeks (of) holidays

- Mans tu her? - Do you stay here?

- Swehdo spende Natal con mien parents. - I have the habit to spend Christmas with my parents.

- Te hant inviten? - They have invited you?

- Ya, ed eiskwo ses con i. - Yes, and I want to be with them.

Translation exercise:Translate into Sambahsa the following sentences :

Summer is a charming season. 2. How many days are there in a week ? 3. There are seven days in a week.

Solution : 1. Lient est un khauris saison. 2. Quayt diens sont (ter) in un hevd ? 3. Sont sept(a) diens in un hevd.

14t lection

The reflexive pronoun

3rd person singular Sambahsa pronouns use a special pronoun to express oneself in the accusative : se. The corresponding possessive pronoun is sien (one's).

The present participle

Just add the ending (e)nd to the verbal stem. Ex: join + end = joinend (joining).

The euphonic vocalisation.

This is a set of endings used to avoid awkward combinations of sounds between two neighbouring words, or when s cannot be used for a plural (if it couldn't be distinguished from the precedent sound). Ex: glehdj [gle:dj] has glehdja as a plural, for in *glehdjs, the final s would be confused with the j before. The adjectives vasyo (all the, mostly used in the plural) and alyo (another) always use those endings. They cannot be used if they modify the word's accentuation.

MasculineFeminineNeuterUndetermined (used only with living beings)

Nominative singular-(o)s-a-o, -um-is

Accusative singular-o, -um-u-o, -um-em

Genitive singular-(io)s-(ia)s-(io)s-(e)s

Nominative plural-i-as-a-i

Accusative plural-ens-ens-a--ens

Genitive plural-en-en-en-en

Vocabulary

Sambahsa SPTEnglisch

nordpole[nordpol]North pole

glehdjbenk[gle:djbnk]Pack ice

leus[ls]To lose

surface[surfats]surface

unte[unt]During, within the space of

yar[yar]year

ob[ob]Because (of)

accelere[aktseler]To accelerate

warmen[warmn]warm-up

Gronland[gronland]Greenland

preswed[preswd]Fresh water

hol[hol]Whole, entire

continent[kontinnt]continent

join[joyn]To join

saldwed[saldwd]saltwater

ocean[otsan]ocean

You can now understand the first lines of that documentary movie subtitled in Sambahsa : http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xgjpgp_ghom-part-10-in-sambahsa_shortfilmsGhom (part 10 in Sambahsa).

Ambh id Nordpole, id glehdjbenk hat lusen 30% os sien surface unte 30 yars. Around id North Pole, the pack ice has lost 30% of its surface during 30 years.

Ed ob id acceleren warmen os Gronland,And because of the accelerated warm-up of Greenland,

Id preswed uns hol continent est joinend id saldwed iom oceans. The fresh water of a whole continent is joining the saltwater of the oceans.