Lesson 15

New words in this lesson:

• am - imperative particle
• okur - happen, occur
• plasi - put, place
• side - sit, is/am/are sitting
• porta - carry, take
• tem - about (regarding)
• fe fronta de - in front of
  • fronta - forehead
• fe ruke de - behind (in back of)
  • ruke - back
• fe kape de - on top of
  • kape - head
• fe peda de - at the bottom of
  • peda - foot
• fe comen de - beside, next to
  • comen - side
• sofa - sofa
• dixan - floor

Notes

fe

The word fe is a multi-purpose preposition with a general, indefinite meaning. It is generally translated as at but can be used when no other preposition seems to be appropriate.

Other prepositions besides fe, such as of (off, from), may be used with the phrasal prepositions above.

• of kape de - off/from the top of
• of comen de - off/from the side of
• of peda de - off/from the bottom of

am

The verb particle am is used to express commands. It is placed at the beginning of a verb phrase, just as other verb particles are (le, xa, na).

For 2nd-person singular (yu) commands, the pronoun yu is typically omitted.

• Am no velosi pala. Am hanman pala.
  Don't speak fast. Speak slow.

For 2nd-person plural (uyu) commands, the pronoun uyu must always be used.

• Uyu am lala ton mi.
  You all, sing with me.

With the first-person plural (imi) commands, imi must always be used.

• Imi am oko filme.
  Let's watch a movie.

Example Sentences

• Am plasi kursi fe ruke de sofa.
  Put the chair behind the sofa.

• Am cudu kitabu of (kape de) mesa.
  Take the book off/from (the top of) the table.

• Imi pala tem Turki.
  We are talking about Turkey.

Reading Pratice

Am plasi fenjan fe cay per mesa. Am no cudu gelas fe bira of mesa. Am plasi meli kamisa per bistar. Am no plasi dayo kursi in banyodom. Am porta newe bistar in somnodom. Am cudu lawo sofa of hotel. Am no plasi kitabu per dixan.

Lesson Activity

Create your own sentences using the examples above, and examples from previous lessons, as sentence patterns. Tell a story.