Nouns

Nouns are divided into four genders or nominal classes, typically called masculine, feminine, edible, and neuter (abbreviated m., f., e., and n. respectively). Note that abstract nouns almost invariably fall into the "edible" gender.

Nouns have three cases: nominative, genitive, and accusative. Unlike verbs, they are not usually marked for number; while some few nouns have plural counterparts, they are typically properly analyzed as distinct lexemes: for example, the etymologically unrelated tsi (eye, f.) and kjaš (pair of eyes, n.).

Conjugation of dox (dog, m.) Nominative: edox Genitive: kadox Accusative: jidox	Conjugation of tsi (eye, f.) Nominative: itsi Genitive: hatsi Accusative: hetsi
Conjugation of cinog (apple, e.) Nominative: jacinog Genitive: hacinog Accusative: acinog	Conjugation of vook (eating-utensil), n. Nominative: vook Genitive: xavook Accusative: vook

Note that in casual speech, the masculine nominative prefix e-, like the third-person-singular verb prefix, is typically elided.

Some texts distinguish a fourth case, the comitative case, which is identically the zero-form for all genders. This case did exist as a separate case with actual case markers until a few hundred years ago, but is now typically seen as an elision of the case markers from the latter words of a conjunction.

e-Tevli	Kjaxa	ŋa-sere.
NOM-Tevli	∅-Kjaxa	3pl-to be present
Tevli	and Kjasa	are here.

(Male and female speakers formerly used different case markers for masculine and feminine nouns; however, this is no longer considered correct usage.)

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(Suggestions as to how to lay out the tables above are welcome; I'll try a few things.)

Verb conjugation

Verbs are typically conjugated by taking the dictionary stem and prefixing one of the following:

i-	I ~	ke-	we ~
pa-	you ~	kje-	y'all ~
e-	he/she/it ~	ŋa-	they ~

The "infinitive" form is formed similarly, by prefixing the a-: the scare quotes are present because it also sees use as a finite verb in certain impersonal situations, often where English would use the indefinite third person ("It is raining" or "It is hoped").

In casual conversation, both the third-person prefix e- and the "infinitive" prefix a- are often elided. In some western dialects, ŋa- becomes a syllabic ŋ-.

Verb tenses do not exist as such, and are always formed periphrastically, with auxiliary verbs (almost invariably taking the "infinitive"): thus e.g. kes arahi We will see, formed from the irregular verb is will and the verb rahi see.

Conjugation of is is formally as follows:

is, 's	I shall	kes	we shall
pais	you will	kjes	y'all will
is, 's	he/she/it will	ŋais	they will

The truncation of first- and third-person is to 's is, again, only present in casual speech: thus 's rahi I'll see (informal).

As an exception, when referring to members of one's in-group (one's family, when speaking to a coworker; one's coworker, when speaking to a business client), one typically uses the first-person verb forms, not the third-person. Dually, when referring to someone you believe to be in the addressee's in-group, use the second-person verb form, even if that person is not present.

Thus the following possible (and perfectly sensible) telephone conversation:

Kjaxa:	Xalo?	Hello?
Peter:	Xalo, za pasere 'Tevli?	Hello. Are you there, Tevli?
Kjaxa:	Ve, iɬanta ka vo isere.	No, I'm afraid I'm not.
Peter:	Irahi. Iɬanta.	I see. Sorry.

Or, alternately, the following telephone conversation, with added subtext:

Kjaxa:	Xalo?	Hello?
Peter:	Xalo, za pasere 'Tevli?	Hello. Are you there, Tevli?
Kjaxa:	Ve, iɬanta ka vo esere.	No. I'm afraid he's not.
Peter:	... irahi. Iɬanta.	I see. I'm sorry.