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Greetings & Salutations

How to say hello, introduce yourself and describe where you're from.

Verbs & Gerunds.​

Meeting someone involves the verb monodo and a usage of a subordinate clause (an inner sentence). The subordinate clause acts similar to how a gerund would in English, meaning that it allows you to refer to the action of the verb as a noun.

 xe  kelo  tô  ônî  tûek,  li  kûzoû. Playing on computers is awesome.

 li  kûzoû  û  xe  kelo  tô  ônî  tûek. It is awesome to play on computers.

 noyo  sûko  xe  kelo  tô  ônî  tûek. I like playing on computers.

Starting the first sentence with a subordinate clause requires that you use a pause (a comma, orthographically) to ensure that the listener understands this to be an inner clause of the sentence. However, he second example doesn't start with a subject and instead provideds it after the verb (li) by using the subject preposition (û). This allows you to introduce the subordinate clause at the end of the sentence which reduces the need for the pause when speaking. In the third sentence, since the subordinate clause is being provided as the object of the verb, it also is the last argument of the sentence and avoids the need for a pause.

Meet & Greet​

Now with some grammar under our belt, let's learn how to meet and greet your fellow Hisyêans! We will try to describe some of the characteristics of the different sentences being used in the examples. Feel free to skip over that if you want to just focus in on learning the phrases.

Meeting Someone​

Meeting other Hîsyêô speakers is a great way to improve your language skills and create new friendships.

 noyo  monodo  nîo  hoî  suhot  dus. I am meeting them at 10

 nûs  kûu  monodo  til  côûfon  bitûn  cî. Let's meet for supper, sound good?

 nîmû  fôlun  xe  monodo  noyo  hoî  cihôû  ko. Do you want to meet me later?

Grammar Used

In the first sentence, we are using a simple sentence with a transitive verb, two pronouns. This is your standard subject, verb, object sentence. With the addition of one preposition at the end.

In the next sentence, we are using a deontic verb phrase coupled with propositive sentence ender. The deontic verb phrase marker indicates the sentence describes a desired future. The propositive sentence ender indicates the speaker is looking for agreement or approval from the listener. The sentence also uses the beneficiary/purpose preposition indicating what the meeting is for.

Finally, the last sentence is where we make use of a subjective subordinate clause we learned about above. It indicates that an action is what is desired (the verb of the main predicate).

How To Greet​

For the initial contact with another person, there are some common expressions that indicate your interest in meeting the other person and builds a foundation of respect.

 li  xôn  û  xe  monodo  nîmû  lôîcôk. It is so nice to meet you.

 li  xôn  êto  û  xe  dêko  nîmû. It is great to see you.

 li  cômêl  û  xe  monodo  nîmû. Lovely to meet you.

Grammar Used

Each one uses a subjective subordinate clause as the experiencer of an adjectival complement.

Responding To A Greeting​

After being greeted, it's appropriate to respond with some kind of pleasantry that acknowledges the respect given or reciprocates it.

 li  konxo  hôn  nîmû.Thank you.

 li  konxo  êto  hôn  nîmû.Many thanks to you.

 li  konxo  bi  êto  lôîcôk. Thank you so much.

 til  noyo  ûtok. For me also.

 li  xôn  û  xe  monodo  nîmû  ûtok. It is nice to meet you too.

Grammar Used

The standard "thank you" can be interpreted as either being subjectless or a first-person subject drop. The context preposition indicates that the thankfulness is concerning that marked object. Use adjectives on the thankfulness to expand on the meaning. In the third example, we are interpeting the "much" as being adverbial (i.e., they have been thankful many times) and the added emphasis sentence ender is being used to represent "so".

When You'll Meet Again​

After meeting someone, it's important to setup the next time you'll meet. This helps build friendships and shows that you enjoy conversing with them in Hîsyêô.

 nûs  kûu  monodo  bi  dîzel  zelen  cî. Let's meet again soon, ok?

 hoî  wokût  zik  û  noyo  kôî  dêko  nîmû  bi  dîzel. When can I see you again?

 nûs  kôî  dôstoc  îskô  hoî  bitûn  yê  lono  unbol  cî. We could get a drink on Saturday night, sound good?

 nîmû  li  fôlnî  hoî  suhot  tukwos  yê  bitûn  ôfo  ko. Are you free at 8pm tonight?

 noyo  xîwon  xe  dêko  nîmû  bi  zelen  êto  lôîcôk. I so hope to see you very soon!

Grammar Used

Here, we are intepreting the mood in the English sentence as being deontic and the added ender of "ok?" is being filled by the propositive sentence ender. In the second sentence, we are interpeting the mood in the English sentence as being epistemic and the question word also means that it is effectively interrogative as well. In the third sentence, you have to be careful to remember that the second verb is being intepreted as the object of the active verb preposition. The fourth sentence makes use of the interrogative sentence ender.

Introductions​

My Name Is...​

Proper names are an important tool to identify specific entities with great accuracy.

( umo)  zik  li  nîmû. Who are you?

 noyo  li  umo Zêk. I am Jake.

 zik  li  somo  nîmû. What is your name?

 somo  noyo  li  umo Keli. My name is Kelly.

( umo)  somo  zik ( mût  nîmû). What do people call you?

( umo)  somo  umo Ootyo ( mût  noyo). People call me Aadhya.

 nîmû  somo  zik  mût  cizî. What do you call yourself?

 noyo  somo Ismêl  mût  cizî. I call myself Ismail.

 noyo  fuî  somo  dîzel  ko. Do you have a nickname?

 somo  dîzel  li  umo Yûsilnên123. My nickname is UserName123.

Grammar Used

Proper names are modifiers and they exist connected to a noun phrase nucleus.

Introducting others​

If you are bringing someone to meet others, you can create a polite imperative usage of monodo. You can also just use a simple demonstrative. When you introduce someone, the word you use as a nucleus of the proper name can be seen as an honorific. There are several words that are common.

 kûu  monodo  sûtûô ( noyo) Zêk  lôtfen. Please meet my friend Jake.

 ôfo  li  umo Kelî. This is Kelly.

 nîmû  kûu  monodo  ônî  bêûdo Ootyo. You should meet student Aadhya.

 nîmû  monodo  foko  bêûdo Ismêl  ko. Have you met teacher Ismail?

know vs meet

In many languages, there are two different connotations you can "know" someone or something. When you know a topic, having once studied it or if you practice a skill every day, that is one sense. When you have seen someone and can describe them, or have tried a method, or any other thing that you have been exposed to in some capacity that is slightly more than just being acquaintances, that is the other sense. An alternative translation could be "to be familiar with".

In Hîsyêô, the verb fôlun is intended only for the first sense. The verbs monodo or zîcoû can be used for the second sense.

To imply that you just met, you can use ubênus in a manner preposition.

Invitations​

In Hîsyêô culture, an invitation to participate in discussions and gatherings is common. Participation helps to develop your language skills, helps the communtiy to grow and builds stronger bonds amongst its members.

Inviting Someone​

You must always have the courage to put yourself out there with an invitation. Even if the person isn't able to accept, it's always seen as a sign of respect and admiration.

 umo Dominik  xokûlû si  umo Kinen  til  kon  kôto  yê  mocko. Dominick called Keenan for a conversation about cats.

 nîmû  ke  xokûlû  umo Kulisti  mût ( fos  li  nô mut)  kôndodû  onô  ko. Will you invite Christie to (go to) the party?

 noyo  bi  centik  xokûlû  nîmû  mût  côûfon  kon  môtô  yê  comen  soden  yê  niwos  noyo I formally invite you to my backyard barbecue.

 umo Gulolîo  xokûlû  umo Bilondî  til  xe  xokûlû  nîo  mût  fos  tûu  kon  mûhoyon.  Gloria called Brandy to invite her to go camping.

Grammar Used

The verb xokûlû is used for both calling and inviting actions. For the sense of "calling on the telephone", you would say that you invited someone to a conversation electronically. The direct object of the verb is the invited patient. The indirect object represents what you are inviting the patient to partipcipate in. It is supplied using mût but if the purpose of the invitation is the same as the invited action, you can use the preposition til.

Being Invited​

Hopefully when someone invites you to something in Hîsyêô, you will be able to participate. If not, you should respectfully decline the offer.

( noyo)  wofok  kon  xokûlû  nîmû. I accept your invitation.

( noyo)  kûu  wofok  yôk  kon  xokûlû  nîmû  nênko  fos  môî  motûo ( li  gô)  hoî  sinsî  onô. I must decline your invitation because my parents are in town.

 li  xoînbo  û  fos  ulyô  li  foko  xowosê. That sounds like fun!

( noyo)  ke  fuî  yôk  zîcoû  yê  xe ( li  gô)  hoî  ulyô,  hoî  lono  ulyô. I won't be able to make it on that day.