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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 oxon 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.

oxon 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 yûnyoû 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 oxon 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 oxon 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 oxon.

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