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Getting Directions

Navigating a new city or finding a specific building requires a mastery of spatial vocabulary. In Hîsyêô, giving directions relies heavily on the Locative Nucleus Construction (treating locations as possessed parts) and the Radial Prepositions (In/Before vs. On/After).

Travel vocabulary

EnglishHîsyêôLiteral Meaning
To TraveltulutiTo traverse / cross / pass through
MovingMoving / Going
ReturningdukwêlitReturning / Coming Back
DirectionbonoFacing / Pointing
Path / Waytîton
Mapnôkso
NorthsôltûstikNorthern
SouthzonûbîSouthern
EastkilukûEastern
WestfîtîkôsWestern
Leftxîmol
Rightsotnîn

Major Landmarks

EnglishHîsyêôLiteral Meaning
Town / CitysinsîUrban area
CountrykûôcyoNation state
RegionfenûoArea / Zone
TerritorybûmîLand / Ground
Stationsêdu
Ocean / Seaxômûtlô
Riverxûto
Bay / Gulfbinlêô

Asking for Directions

To ask where something is, you use the location preposition hoî combined with the question word zik.

gubuyo côûfon (li ) hoî zik?Where is the restaurant?

noyo kôî yosten tîton mût sinsî bi zik?How can I find the way to the city? (Lit: By what manner?)

û niwos nîmû (li ) hoî zik?Where is your house?

Giving Directions

When giving directions, you often use the imperative form (starting with kûu).

EnglishHîsyêôLiteral Meaning
Go Straight

kûu li mûstokîn

Be straight moving
Turn Left

kûu li infultîn mût xîmol

Rotate towards left
Turn Right

kûu li infultîn mût yûkwoî

Rotate towards right
Stop

kûu nîltûgu

Stop
Cross

kûu tuluti

Pass

kûu tuluti sôbo

Traverse the side of...
If you're facing left...

hôn fos nîmû bît li bono xîmol

Given you would be left facing...

Describing Locations

Use the Spatial Relations system to describe where buildings are relative to each other.

îlê tômôs (li ) hoî fôhon gubuyo.The library is in front of the store.

kûu li mût sôbo niwos cênbô.Go to the side of the large residence.

ni (li ) hoî soden comen.It is behind the field.

kûu li ilik sêdu oûtô kîskô.Go inside the train station.

Distance

To talk about how far something is, use the distance preposition lon.

ni li hoî mônbili cûtî.It is a short distance away. (Lit: It is at a small distance).

ni li hoî mônbili cênbô.It is far away. (Lit: It is at a large distance).

nûs kûu li lon tîû êfun.We should walk for five minutes.

Public Transportation

Navigating the transit system requires knowing the types of vehicles.

EnglishHîsyêôLiteral Meaning
Vehicleoûtôto drive a vehicle
Train

oûtô kîskô

Rail car
Bus

oûtô kîldo fîmôsyôs

Public long vehicle
Station

sêdu

Ticket

doînbî