Appearance
Sakes (/ɡ/ / /th/ / /w/)
A sake is something that is good for a person, a psychological payoff you can name (autonomy, competence, understanding, purpose, relatedness, beneficence, pleasure, physical, or an unspecified sake). It means for your sake (what is good for you), not for argument's sake, and an unmet sake is a cost to name, not a lack in you. At Beginner, a stance is how you stand toward that sake on a noun: it serves the sake or detracts from it. Intermediate adds prescription on the clause (deontic: the agent ought to do this act for this sake) and motive (doing for the sake).
On this page
Beginner
Write the sake under /ɡ/ when you talk about a noun you keep (how you feel about that belonging). Write it under /th/ when you talk about the clause. When the noun is not yours, personal possession shows how to point at it instead.
Sake inventory
Nine published roots are the sakes you can name, and no other root takes the sake form. Pick one row. With mid-word th and a stance vowel, that root means the sake in the English column — not the everyday object in Same root as.
| Agazan | Use | English | Same root as | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
ahu | autonomy sake | autonomy (choice, agency, self-direction) | ahul ballot | 🗳️: voting is choosing for yourself |
ulo | competence sake | competence (efficacy, skill, getting things to work) | ulol toolbox | 🧰: the kit that gets things working |
ado | understanding sake | understanding (making sense, learning, discovery) | adol lightbulb | 💡: the light goes on when it makes sense |
ame | purpose sake | purpose (meaning, direction, an aim that matters) | amel compass | 🧭: a heading worth following |
ana | relatedness sake | relatedness (connection, belonging, care) | anal knot | 🪢: ties people together |
ebe | beneficence sake | beneficence (making someone better off) | ebel present | 🎁: a gift leaves someone better off |
ozo | pleasure sake | pleasure (enjoyment, comfort, aesthetic payoff) | ozol strawberry | 🍓: sweetness you enjoy |
oyu | physical sake | physical (health, exercise, food, sleep, shelter, safety from harm) | oyul lungs | 🫁: breathing easy means the body is well |
ega | a sake without picking among the eight | unspecified sake | egal egg | 🥚: not yet a specific kind |
Compare with: zahul is a ballot. gahul is ballot-like. Under /ɡ/ with tha / thu, ahu is the autonomy sake.
Compare with: when / always / never on /h/ is a restrictor. This page names a sake.
Which sake?
Each sake answers a different question about what pays off. Ask the question, then pick the row.
| Sake | What pays off |
|---|---|
| autonomy | I chose it. |
| competence | It worked; I can do this. |
| understanding | It makes sense; I learned something. |
| purpose | It matters. |
| relatedness | We're connected. |
| beneficence | Someone is better off because of me. |
| pleasure | It feels good. |
| physical | My body is cared for and safe. |
Compare with: competence is how well it goes; purpose is whether it is worth doing. A failed try at something that matters still serves purpose, and it detracts from competence. Mastering a pointless puzzle serves competence, not purpose.
Compare with: competence is whether it works; understanding is whether it makes sense. You can fix a machine you do not understand, and understand stars you can never change. A task that is too easy can meet competence and still leave understanding unmet: that is the boredom of nothing new to learn.
Compare with: something new for its own sake (new sights, variety) is pleasure. Understanding pays off when the new thing fits: an hour of headlines can serve pleasure and leave understanding unmet.
Compare with: relatedness lives in the bond, and it runs both ways. Beneficence lives in the effect: your act left someone better off, with or without a bond. An anonymous donation serves beneficence and leaves relatedness alone; an easy evening with friends serves relatedness with no one helped. Being helped is not your beneficence: it serves whichever sake of yours the help met.
Compare with: purpose needs an aim that matters to you; beneficence needs someone who is actually better off. Writing a novel serves purpose with no one helped; fixing a stranger's tire serves beneficence with little purpose. When an act does both, name both.
Compare with: autonomy is I chose it; purpose is it matters. Being handed a task you believe in serves purpose and can still detract from autonomy.
Met (tha): serves the sake
When you want to say that a named belonging serves this sake (pays it off), write that thing as a noun, then a /ɡ/ word: sake root, mid-word th, a, then an ending. That adjective is about the noun. The ending says the payoff's time horizon: whether the payoff lasts or arrives right away.
Not the same job as: ability (can sing, taught later). Ability glues an activity to its vowel with x. Sake words glue a sake with th, and tha means serves this sake.
Time horizon (endings on met)
On a serves word, -l / -m / -r say when the payoff lands: lasting, unstated, or immediate. Neither end is better; a good day needs both. It uses the same scale as unmet: -l lasts, -r passes. If you do not know, use -m.
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
…thal | serves the sake over time | lasting | -l ≈ lasting |
…tham | serves the sake; time horizon unstated (soft default if unknown) | serves | -m ≈ open |
…thar | serves the sake right away | immediate | -r ≈ in the moment |
zebel ganathal.z-present | g-relatedness-met-lasting
"My gift serves relatedness in the long term."
zahazal gulotham.z-house | g-competence-met-any-term
"My house serves competence."
zubugal gulothar.z-book | g-competence-met-immediate
"My book serves competence right now."
An immediate payoff is often exactly what is needed:
zozol gozothar.z-strawberry | g-pleasure-met-immediate
"My strawberry is a pleasure right now."
Compare with: unmet uses the same scale for a cost.
Unmet (thu): detracts from the sake
When you want to say a named belonging detracts from this sake, write that thing as a noun, then a /ɡ/ word: sake root, mid-word th, u, then an ending.
That ending is changeability: how lasting that detriment is. If you do not know, use -m.
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
…thul | the detriment is fixed as far as you can tell | irreversible | -l ≈ locked |
…thum | effort or circumstance may soften the detriment (soft default if unknown) | modifiable | -m ≈ open to change |
…thur | the detriment has no lasting impact | passing | -r ≈ in the moment |
zubugal gulothum.z-book | g-competence-unmet-modifiable
"My book detracts from competence (modifiable)."
One noun can carry both a tha word and a thu word, and the pairing runs either way: good now, costly later (an immediate tha word and a lasting thu word), or costly now, good later:
zubugal gozothur gulothal.[z-book | g-pleasure-unmet-passing | g-competence-met-lasting]
"My book is a slog for now, but it builds lasting competence."
Word shape
A sake word is a sake root with mid-word th, a stance vowel, and an ending. /ɡ/ talks about a noun you keep; /th/ talks about the clause. An unowned noun uses a stimulus word, with the same sake word on /w/ immediately before it.
-n is ordinary proper. -l / -m / -r follow that stance’s table.
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
tha | the belonging pays off this sake | serves / met | a ≈ add (the payoff is in) |
thu | the belonging subtracts from this sake | detracts from / unmet | u ≈ undo (the sake is taken down) |
Intermediate adds the (ought this act for this sake) and tho (doing for this sake). See prescription and motive.
A word with no th is not a sake word: gahul is still ballot-like; hozol is still strawberry as an adverb.
Personal possession
A sake on /ɡ/ means the noun is yours (speaker possession) and the sake is how you stand toward that belonging. That shortcut puts gratitude and unmet on the things you already name as my X, so the stance is cheap to say. Ownership without a sake is still gegabem plus /b/ (joins). Someone else’s thing uses that pair, not a bare /ɡ/ need.
When the noun is not yours (weather, a gathering, another person’s church), write the sake on /w/ immediately before gobum. /w/ here is the same met / unmet word you already use on /ɡ/; it details the stimulus adjective. (cue: ☝️ point: you point at the thing; you do not hold it)
zabezam wahuthur gobum.z-gathering | [w-autonomy-unmet-passing | g-stimulus]
"The gathering detracts from autonomy right now (passing)."
Ordinary zobul is still emphasis. Bare gobum with no /w/ sake does not ascribe a sake. An episode (this raining, this telling) still uses /th/ on the clause, possessed or not.
| Agazan | Use | English | Same root as | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
gobum | unowned noun as sake-target | as stimulus | obul emphasis | ☝️: you point at it rather than keep it |
Translation practice
Short drills for Beginner. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a shelter tent
Roots used here:
| English | Agazan | Same root as |
|---|---|---|
| tent | ededul | |
| backpack | abal | |
| flashlight | avehal | |
| rain | erehel | |
| wind | ewedul | |
| fire | avahel | |
| stimulus | gobum | obul emphasis |
| autonomy | ahul | ahul ballot |
| competence | ulol | ulol toolbox |
| purpose | amel | amel compass |
| relatedness | anal | anal knot |
| beneficence | ebel | ebel present |
| physical | oyul | oyul lungs |
| sake | egal | egal egg |
English → Agazan
1. My tent serves the physical sake in the long term.
Show answer
zededul goyuthal.
z-tent | g-physical-met-lasting
2. My backpack serves competence.
Show answer
zabal gulotham.
z-backpack | g-competence-met-any-term
3. The wind detracts from relatedness right now (passing).
Show answer
zewedul wanathur gobum.
z-wind | [w-relatedness-unmet-passing | g-stimulus]
4. The fire detracts from the physical sake (irreversible).
Show answer
zavahel woyuthul gobum.
z-fire | [w-physical-unmet-irreversible | g-stimulus]
5. My flashlight serves an unspecified sake in the long term.
Show answer
zavehal gegathal.
z-flashlight | g-sake-met-lasting
6. My tent serves beneficence in the long term.
Show answer
zededul gebethal.
z-tent | g-beneficence-met-lasting
Agazan → English
1. zededul gegathal.
Show answer
z-tent | g-sake-met-lasting
My tent serves an unspecified sake in the long term.
2. zavehal gulothal.
Show answer
z-flashlight | g-competence-met-lasting
My flashlight serves competence in the long term.
3. zerehel wahuthum gobum.
Show answer
z-rain | [w-autonomy-unmet-modifiable | g-stimulus]
The rain detracts from autonomy (modifiable).
4. zededul goyuthar.
Show answer
z-tent | g-physical-met-immediate
My tent serves the physical sake right now.
5. zabal gulothul.
Show answer
z-backpack | g-competence-unmet-irreversible
My backpack detracts from competence (irreversible).
6. zavahel wahuthul gobum.
Show answer
z-fire | [w-autonomy-unmet-irreversible | g-stimulus]
The fire detracts from autonomy (irreversible).
7. zavehal gamethar.
Show answer
z-flashlight | g-purpose-met-immediate
My flashlight serves purpose right now.
Intermediate
Emotion compose
When an English emotion word (anxious, resentful, proud) is doing judgment or explanation work, name three pieces instead of one opaque label: an sake stance on the situation, where the charge sits or what it points at, and how it moves. All three ride on one word: the sake word keeps its stance and its ending letter, then adds a locus (the vowels of a hook) and a motion ending. Put that word on /ɡ/ after a belonging, on /w/ immediately before stimulus gobum when the noun is not yours, or on /th/ by itself when the feeling has no object. You can then say the take without smuggling a single emotion word. For the bare noun emotion, with no judgment to explain, the compound zaholohahal (the water of the heart) names it.
zezebel wulothuraor gobum.z-speech | [w-competence-unmet-passing-CIRCUM-SURGING | g-stimulus]
"Anxious about the dialogue:" competence at stake for now; it hangs over the room; it surges.
Build it from the plain sake word: wulothur (competence, unmet, passing) + ao (over: CIRCUM) + -r (SURGING) = wulothuraor. The old ending letter (-r here) stays in the middle of the word and keeps its meaning.
The locus uses the hook vowels you already know. A placement locus says where the feeling sits:
| Locus | Hook | Use | English |
|---|---|---|---|
a | in | INTERNAL | mine, held inside |
ao | over | CIRCUM | the atmosphere of the situation |
uo | through | UNPLACED | I can't place where it comes from (no single source) |
A direction locus says what the charge points at:
| Locus | Hook | Use | English |
|---|---|---|---|
o | at | AIMED | the charge lands on a target (annoyed at, grateful to, pressing for) |
oe | toward | SEEKING | turning to someone for comfort or safety |
ue | against | RESISTING | pushing back (objecting to, fighting) |
e | for | ON-BEHALF | felt for someone's sake (upset for) |
u | from | AWAY | moving off (avoiding, fleeing, disengaging, hiding) |
ua | out of | COLLAPSE | out of fight: giving up (defeated by) |
ae | using | FAWN | using yourself to placate (appeasing) |
A direction names the dominant pull when feelings mix; use two feeling words for two pulls. AIMED lands on a party or a goal; RESISTING opposes an outcome or a demand. ON-BEHALF is your own feeling about someone else's stake (their own feeling needs a holder); FAWN is placating someone for your own safety.
Name the landmark with a /b/ word right after the feeling (after gobum when the feeling is on /w/): the target of a direction, or the situation for CIRCUM. INTERNAL and UNPLACED take no /b/. A direction with no /b/ points at the stimulus noun when there is one, otherwise at someone unnamed.
zumel wanathumol gobum balahen.z-memo | [[w-relatedness-unmet-modifiable-AIMED-STILL | g-stimulus] | b-Alahen]
"Resentful at Alahen about the memo, gone still."
The motion ending says how the feeling moves. Affect is water:
| Motion ending | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
| -r | SURGING | moving in waves or spikes: rising, falling, swinging | -r ≈ right now: a wave |
| -m | FLOWING | moving steadily, at a pace you can ride | -m ≈ the ordinary case: a current |
| -l | STILL | not moving: held, frozen, numb | -l ≈ locked: still water |
Motion is how the feeling moves, not how strong it is. Strong but steady anger is flowing, and so is calm contentment. Fury held in check and a numb flatness are both still. Surging and still are information, not verdicts: surging can be a cue to ground; still can be a cue to rest, or to re-engage gently. Freezing is STILL: AWAY with -l is frozen, wanting out.
Say how strong the feeling is with a degree word on /w/ right before the feeling word. Before a /ɡ/ feeling it grades that adjective as usual. Before a /w/ feeling, it grades the feeling, not the stimulus. With no degree word, strength is unstated.
zebeyom wohahal gulothamar.z-draft | [w-ocean | g-competence-met-any-term-INTERNAL-SURGING]
"Overwhelmingly proud of the draft."
zumel wamazam wanathumom gobum balahen.z-memo | [[w-small | w-relatedness-unmet-modifiable-AIMED-FLOWING | g-stimulus] | b-Alahen]
"A little irritated at Alahen about the memo, steadily."
The tail goes on met tha, motive tho, and unmet thu words. Prescription the is advice, not a feeling, so it takes no tail. A word with no tail (wulothur) is an ordinary sake word.
| Agazan | English |
|---|---|
zezebel wulothuraor gobum | anxious about the dialogue (competence at stake, temporary; hangs over the room; surging) |
zozazom wanathumual gobum | given up over the division (unmet relatedness; out of fight; still) |
zebeyom gulothamar | proud of the draft (met competence; held inside; surging) |
zumel wanathumem gobum bazawan | upset for Azawan about the memo (unmet relatedness; on Azawan's behalf; flowing) |
zezebel wanathumum gobum balahen | avoiding Alahen over the dialogue (unmet relatedness; moving off from Alahen; flowing) |
zezebel wanathumaem gobum balahen | placating Alahen about the dialogue (unmet relatedness; appeasing Alahen; flowing) |
zumel wanathumoem gobum bazawan | upset about the memo and turning to Azawan for comfort (unmet relatedness; seeking Azawan; flowing) |
zumel wanathumuer gobum | objecting to the memo (unmet relatedness; pushing against the memo; surging) |
zezebel wamethumal gobum | the dialogue feels pointless (unmet purpose; held inside; still) |
zebeyom gebethamam | glad my draft helped (met beneficence; held inside; flowing) |
zezebel wamazam wulothuruom gobum | a little uneasy about the dialogue, and I can't say why (competence at stake, temporary; slightly; unplaced; flowing) |
Raw feeling (contacting a sensation without judgment) may go unlabeled. To name a feeling without explaining it, its lexicon root works as an ordinary property word: zn ganegel (I am angry). Full compose is for when an emotion word would have done evaluative work.
Compare with: could be uses MAY (thovum). Because of is a causal claim with the because pole. The stimulus says what the feeling is about; a direction /b/ says what it is aimed at; the because pole says what caused it.
Prescription (the): ought this act for this sake
When English puts should / ought to on the doing for a named sake (Ahaben ought to sing to serve the physical sake), put /th/ on the clause: sake root, mid-word th, e, then an ending. The host verb names the act that ought to count toward the sake. Prescription the gives the clause deontic force: you are stating obligation, not reporting that the act is already happening.
That ending says why you think a move is welcome. Use -l when the person invited this move, explicitly or through a clear standing invitation. Use -m for an unsolicited offer meant to serve the sake. Use -r for a trial: the move is worth trying to see whether it serves the sake, not a settled recommendation. These endings describe the move's warrant and aim, not whether it succeeds. How firmly you put the act on the addressee stays on /y/ (yel / yem, yal / yam). If no such warrant applies, drop the.
Unlike MAY (thovum): the host verb stays ordinary content there and the event is still could be. With the, the same host verb is the ought-to act, not a simultaneous performance claim.
Compare with: command yel instructs an act outright without naming the sake or why a move is wanted. the is sake-linked deontic: ought to advance this sake, with that warrant on the ending.
Compare with: a forecast (a channel plus bral) when English should is really a forecast about what will pay off the sake, or when you want both is doing and a norm on that doing — not prescription deontic. For a plain performance report, drop the and assert the verb alone.
Compare with: motive tho plus a request yem when the speaker wants their own sake served. the is advice about the sake named on this word.
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
…thel | the person invited this kind of move | invited | -l ≈ locked to their word |
…them | an unsolicited offer meant to serve the sake | offered | -m ≈ open offer |
…ther | a move worth trying, to see whether it serves the sake | worth a try | -r ≈ for now (a trial run) |
zazawan vezebel thanathem.z-Azawan | v-tell | th-relatedness-ought-offered
"Azawan ought to tell to serve relatedness (offered)."
zahaben vezehel thoyuthel.z-Ahaben | v-sing | th-physical-ought-invited
"Ahaben ought to sing to serve the physical sake (Ahaben asked for a move)."
zalahen vabayal thanather.z-Alahen | v-bow | th-relatedness-ought-trial
"Alahen ought to try bowing to serve relatedness (worth a try)."
A move meant to prevent harm to the sake is a so that … not dependent (so that): hogom + burl, then the outcome to keep off.
zalahen vabayal thanathem hogom burl zazawan vedabal.z-Alahen | v-bow | th-relatedness-ought-offered | [h-so-that | b-lest-clause] | z-Azawan | v-departure
"Alahen ought to bow for relatedness, so that Azawan does not leave."
Motive (tho): time horizon
English have to / need to / doing this for… often names a motive: why the action is happening, as a description, not a should. Write /th/ on the clause with the sake root, mid-word th, o, then an ending. That ending is the time horizon, on the same scale as met: whether the act serves the sake over time or right away. If you do not know, use -m. -n is ordinary proper. Habit of the reason uses hual (usually my reason is …thom plus hual).
zazawan vezebel thanathom.z-Azawan | v-tell | th-relatedness-motive-any-term
"Azawan tells for relatedness."
Not the same job as: prescription the (this act ought to serve this sake). tho describes doing for this sake. On /ɡ/, the same stance is your noun’s purpose (my gift for relatedness). Walks so that Alahen sits is an intended event (so that, hogom), not a sake. A book for a hammer as a swap is exchange (hehem). Tells on behalf of Alahen is proxy (hadem).
A reason held to keep a cost off is a so that … not dependent (so that, hogom burl), as with prescription.
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
…thol | does this for the sake over time | lasting | -l ≈ lasting |
…thom | does this for the sake; time horizon unstated (soft default if unknown) | for | -m ≈ open |
…thor | does this for the sake right away | immediate | -r ≈ in the moment |
Neither end is better; a good day needs both, and doing something for a payoff right now is often exactly what is needed. When the situation is what pulls the reason, say so with the because pole and the situation as /b/.
Which ending table?
Beginner already used serves and detracts from. Intermediate adds ought this act for and doing for. Pick the ending table that matches the stance vowel.
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
tha | time horizon endings | serves / met | a ≈ add |
the | invited / offered / trial endings | ought this act for this sake | e ≈ order (instruct / ought) |
tho | time horizon endings | doing for this sake | o ≈ one (one sake as the reason) |
thu | changeability endings | detracts from / unmet | u ≈ undo |
Attachment sites
Beginner already attached /ɡ/ after a noun and /th/ on the clause for met and unmet. The rest of the map:
| Agazan | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
g…tha… after a noun | praise: your noun serves the sake | my gift (serves relatedness) (ganatha…) |
g…thu… after a noun | criticism: your noun detracts from the sake | my book (detracts from competence) (gulothu…) |
g…tho… after a noun | your noun’s purpose is this sake | my gift for relatedness (ganatho…) |
/w/ sake + gobum | the same stances on a noun that is not yours | the gathering (detracts from autonomy) (wahuthu… gobum) |
gl- + sake word | the same adjective before the belonging | glanathal zebel |
th…tha… on the clause | the event serves the sake | tells: competence is met (thulotha…) |
th…the… on the clause | deontic prescription | ought … for this sake (thanathe…); ending = invited / offered / trial |
th…tho… on the clause | motive | Azawan … (for relatedness) (thanatho…) |
/w/ before a sake /ɡ/ | extra detail on that adjective | very relatedness-serving |
On the, use -l for an invitation, -m for an offer, and -r for a trial. Prefer -m on thu / tho when that table’s dimension is unclear. Several sakes are several /ɡ/ or /th/ words (gulothal ganathal), not stacked th-additions on one sake. The host noun or verb carries concrete vs abstract sense. /w/ before a sake /ɡ/ grades that adjective; /w/ immediately before gobum is the sake.
zazawan vezebel thulothal thanathom.z-Azawan | v-tell | th-competence-met-lasting | th-relatedness-motive-any-term
"Azawan tells: it serves competence in the long term, and relatedness is the motive."
Feeling with no object
On the clause, a feeling word is about the clause's event: zalahen vowogal thanathamar is moved that Alahen walks. With no event at all, a feeling word on /th/ is a whole sentence about you: how you feel right now, with nothing as its object.
thulothuruor.th-competence-unmet-passing-UNPLACED-SURGING
"I'm anxious."
A lone feeling can still name what caused it. The cause is not the object: the feeling is not about the rain.
thulothuruor thevem berehel.th-competence-unmet-passing-UNPLACED-SURGING | [th-because | b-rain]
"I'm anxious, and the rain caused it."
Compare with: a lone noun before the feeling is an existence clause, so the noun's being there is the stimulus: zalahen thulothuruor. is anxious that Alahen is here, not Alahen is anxious.
Thanks and sorry
Agazan has no set phrase for thank you. Say that your sake is met: a lone /th/ met word is a whole sentence about you, the same shape as a feeling with no object, and saying it to the one who acted is the thanks. Pick the sake that was actually served; the ending says how long the payoff lasts (endings on met). (cue: thanks = my sake is met)
thanatham.th-relatedness-met-any-term
"That meant a lot to me." — thank you
thulothal.th-competence-met-lasting
"That will keep helping me do it." — thanks, that sets me up
Add an emotion tail to say how the thanks moves you:
thanathamar.th-relatedness-met-any-term-INTERNAL-SURGING
"I'm so moved." — thank you, that really touched me
| Agazan | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
…thal | the help lasts | that will stay with me |
…tham | the help, horizon unstated (default) | thank you |
…thar | the help landed right when needed | thanks, that got me through |
Sorry is about their sake, not yours. A lone unmet word would say my sake went unmet, so name whose sake in /b/ right after it. The ending is the same changeability as on any unmet word, so it says how serious the harm is. (cue: sorry = that detracted from your sake)
thanathum behodon.[th-relatedness-unmet-modifiable | b-listener]
"That hurt your sense of connection." — I'm sorry
| Agazan | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
…thul behodon | the harm is lasting | I'm deeply sorry |
…thum behodon | the harm can be softened (default) | I'm sorry |
…thur behodon | the harm is passing | my bad |
The /b/ can name anyone: thanathum balahen. owns a harm to Alahen, even when you are telling someone else.
Compare with: a met word with a /b/ person (thanatham balahen.) says the act met Alahen's sake: Alahen appreciated it, not your thanks.
Hopefully and other attitudes
English hopefully, luckily, and worryingly say how you, the speaker, feel about the whole claim. In Agazan, put the content root for that feeling on /th/ with -m. It is always the speaker's attitude, never the subject's. For the subject's manner (Azawan walks hopefully), use /h/ (hevegem).
| Agazan | Use | English | Same root as |
|---|---|---|---|
thevegem | you want it, and it is still open | hopefully | evegel crossed-fingers |
theledem | it went well by chance | luckily | eledel ladybug |
thewedam | it concerns you | worryingly | ewedal worried |
zazawan thevegem vowogal.z-Azawan | th-hope | v-walk
"Hopefully Azawan walks."
Hope is not a way of knowing, so it cannot hold up a forecast by itself. To say hopefully … will, add a real evidence channel as well. Hope colors the claim; the channel says what backs it.
Compare with: a hunch with no evidence is FELT (evidentiality). thevegem says you want the outcome; FELT says your gut expects it.
Permission (thegol / thegom / thegor)
English may / is allowed to says a restriction is lifted. Put thegol, thegom, or thegor on the clause: stance th on the root ego (🟢 green circle). The ending says how formally the restriction is lifted, on the same strong-to-light scale as the other stance endings. Use -l when a rule, policy, or formal right allows it. Use -m when a person grants it; that person is the speaker unless a hosted /b/ names someone else. Use -r when no one granted it but no one objected either. If you do not know, use -m.
zazawan vowogal thegom.z-Azawan | v-walk | th-PERMIT-granted
"Azawan may walk (I'm allowing it)."
zazawan vowogal thegom balahen.z-Azawan | v-walk | [th-PERMIT-granted | b-Alahen]
"Alahen lets Azawan walk."
zahaben vehahel thegol.z-Ahaben | v-sit | th-PERMIT-allowed
"Ahaben is allowed to sit (the rules allow it)."
zalahen vezebal thegor.z-Alahen | v-sleep | th-PERMIT-tolerated
"Alahen sleeps, and no one is stopping it."
The negatives use the root ede (⛔ no entry) with the same endings.
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
thegol | a rule, policy, or formal right allows it | is allowed to / has the right to | -l ≈ locked in (on paper) |
thegom | a person grants it (speaker, or the /b/) (default) | may / I'm letting you | -m ≈ a person's word |
thegor | tolerated: no one granted it, no one objected | no one's stopping it | -r ≈ light (no word given) |
thedel | a rule, policy, or formal ban forbids it | is not allowed to | -l ≈ locked in (on paper) |
thedem | a person forbids it | may not / I won't let you | -m ≈ a person's word |
theder | frowned on: no one forbade it, but it is not welcome | people won't like it | -r ≈ light (no word given) |
To ask for permission, put the clause under ask: yom zn vehahel thegom. (May I sit?). Grant it with yaol. (go ahead).
Compare with: prescription the says the act ought to serve a sake; permission only says the act is allowed. Ability says someone can do it; permission says whether they may.
Requirement (thumel / thumem / thumer)
English must / has to / is supposed to puts a demand on an act without naming a sake. Put thumel, thumem, or thumer on the clause: stance th on the root ume (📝 memo). The endings follow permission. Use -l when a rule, policy, or law requires it. Use -m when a person demands it; that person is the speaker unless a hosted /b/ names someone else. Use -r when nothing is written and no one demands it, but people expect it. If you do not know, use -m.
zazawan vowogal thumel.z-Azawan | v-walk | th-REQUIRE-rule
"Azawan has to walk (the rules say so)."
zahaben vehahel thumem balahen.z-Ahaben | v-sit | [th-REQUIRE-demanded | b-Alahen]
"Alahen makes Ahaben sit."
zalahen vezebal thumer.z-Alahen | v-sleep | th-REQUIRE-expected
"Alahen is supposed to sleep."
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
thumel | a rule, policy, or law requires it | must / is required to | -l ≈ locked in (on paper) |
thumem | a person demands it (speaker, or the /b/) (default) | has to / I need you to | -m ≈ a person's word |
thumer | custom expects it; no rule, no one demanding | is supposed to | -r ≈ light (no word given) |
Compare with: prescription the says the act ought to serve a named sake, a reason you can check. Requirement says only that a rule, a person, or custom demands it. A command yel is the speaker telling the listener now; thumem reports a demand, which may be someone else's.
Consent (thuxegol / thuxegom / thuxegor)
Consent is permission from the one the act happens to: their body, their things, their time. Put thuxegol, thuxegom, or thuxegor on the clause: stance th, then role vowel u (the one it happens to), mid-word x, and the root ego. The hosted /b/ names who consents. That slot holds one noun; when several people are affected, fill it with a plural or a join. The actor's own consent is always implied, so with no /b/ the only person affected is the actor, and the clause reads as letting yourself.
The ending says how binding the yes is, on the same scale as permission. Use -l for a binding agreement: they signed on in advance, and withdrawing has terms. Use -m when they said yes; they can take it back at any time. Use -r when you are assuming or inferring it and no one said yes. If you know they said yes but not how binding it is, use -m.
zazawan vezebel thuxegom bahaben.z-Azawan | v-tell | [th-CONSENT-given | b-Ahaben]
"Azawan tells, and Ahaben said yes to it."
zazawan vezebel thuxegol bahaben.z-Azawan | v-tell | [th-CONSENT-contract | b-Ahaben]
"Azawan tells, as Ahaben agreed to in advance."
zazawan vezebel thuxegor bahaben balahen bal.z-Azawan | v-tell | [th-CONSENT-assumed | [b-Ahaben | b-Alahen | b-and]]
"Azawan tells, assuming Ahaben and Alahen are OK with it."
zalahen vezebal thuxegom.z-Alahen | v-sleep | th-CONSENT-given
"Alahen lets themself sleep."
-r is allowed but visibly weaker. Choosing it makes I assumed part of the sentence instead of hiding it inside they were fine with it. On yourself, -r is half-hearted: zn vehahel thuxegor. is I suppose I'm OK with sitting. -l on yourself is a vow: zn vehahel thuxegol. is I've committed myself to sitting.
Promise: a vow said to someone is a promise. The listener is the one you promise by default: zn vowogal thuxegol., said to someone, is I promise (you) to walk. To name a different person as the one you promise, add the for hook (extra noun).
zn vowogal thuxegol el bahaben.z-speaker | v-walk | th-CONSENT-contract | [for | b-Ahaben]
"I promise Ahaben I'll walk."
The weaker endings stay weaker on purpose: -m is I'll do it (you can still back out), and -r cannot pass for a promise.
The negatives thuxedel / thuxedem / thuxeder use the same endings. -l is a binding refusal: they opted out, and the matter is settled. -m means they said no. Any no withdraws an ordinary -m yes; only a -l agreement has terms for withdrawing. -r means they probably don't want it; with no /b/, it is not letting yourself.
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
thuxegol | a binding agreement; withdrawing it has terms | by agreement / they signed on | -l ≈ locked in (on paper) |
thuxegom | the affected said yes; they can take it back (default) | they agreed / I let myself | -m ≈ their word, still open |
thuxegor | consent assumed or inferred | I think they're OK with it | -r ≈ light (no word given) |
thuxedel | a binding refusal | they opted out | -l ≈ locked in (on paper) |
thuxedem | the affected said no | they refused | -m ≈ their word |
thuxeder | consent presumed absent | they probably don't want it / I won't let myself | -r ≈ light (no word given) |
To check in, ask: yom zazawan vezebel thuxegom. (Are you still OK with this?).
Compare with: permission thegom can come from anyone with the standing to grant it: zazawan vezebel thegom balahen. means Alahen allowed it, which is not the same as the listener agreeing. zn vehahel thegom. is I'm allowed to sit (someone let me); zn vehahel thuxegom. is I let myself sit.
Contrary to a stance (uem)
English against the rules, against Alahen's will, and contrary to the plan say that the event happens even though a rule, a person, or a plan says otherwise. Put the hook uem contrary to right before a /th/ stance word. The stance then says what the event goes against, and it no longer applies to the claim. zazawan vowogal thedel. says Azawan is not allowed to walk; zazawan vowogal uem thedel. says Azawan walks anyway. (cue: ue ≈ undo aimed at; -m the opposing frame, which the stance spells out)
zazawan vowogal uem thedel.z-Azawan | v-walk | [contrary-to | th-FORBID-disallowed]
"Azawan walks against the rules."
The stance keeps its endings and its hosted /b/. On a refusal, the /b/ is the person who said no, so the pair is English against their will:
zazawan vezebel uem thuxedem balahen.z-Azawan | v-tell | [contrary-to | [th-CONSENT-refused | b-Alahen]]
"Azawan tells against Alahen's will (Alahen said no)."
zahaben vehahel uem thumem balahen.z-Ahaben | v-sit | [contrary-to | [th-REQUIRE-demanded | b-Alahen]]
"Ahaben sits, against Alahen's orders."
A plan after uem is the subject's own unless a /b/ names whose plan it is. A speaker attitude after uem is what you were hoping for.
zazawan vowogal uem thamam.z-Azawan | v-walk | [contrary-to | th-plan-itinerary]
"Azawan walks, contrary to their plan."
zazawan vowogal uem thamam balahen.z-Azawan | v-walk | [contrary-to | [th-plan-itinerary | b-Alahen]]
"Azawan walks, contrary to Alahen's plan."
zazawan vowogal uem thevegem.z-Azawan | v-walk | [contrary-to | th-hope]
"Azawan walks, against my hopes."
Only the stance right after uem is what the event goes against. A stance anywhere else in the clause still applies to the claim:
zazawan vowogal uem thedel thegom.z-Azawan | v-walk | [contrary-to | th-FORBID-disallowed] | th-PERMIT-granted
"Azawan walks against the rules, and I'm allowing it."
The stance after uem has to say something the event can go against: a ban, a requirement, a refusal, a plan, or what you hoped.
After uem | English |
|---|---|
ban thedel / thedem / theder | against the rules / though I forbade it / though people frown on it |
requirement thumel / thumem / thumer | contrary to regulations / against my orders / contrary to custom |
refusal thuxedel / thuxedem / thuxeder | against their will (they opted out / they said no / they probably don't want it) |
plan thamar / thamam / thamal | contrary to the plan |
speaker attitude, such as thevegem | against my hopes |
Permission and consent given (thegom, thuxegom) only lift a restriction, so nothing can go against them. Sake words cannot follow uem either: to say an act goes against someone's interest, put an unmet sake word on the clause (zazawan vowogal thegathum balahen. Azawan's walking harms Alahen's interests).
Compare with: despite the rain is uem or hezom with a noun in /b/ (zazawan vowogal uem berehel.). Although Alahen said no as a full sentence is hezom barl plus that sentence. The sentence after barl needs an event or a thing, so a stance word alone cannot fill it; use uem with the stance instead.
Enough and too (sake bars)
English enough and too much compare an amount with what a need requires. A met sake word on /th/, written as the bar right before a rank join, is what that sake needs. The equal-rank join zael is enough. Rank zel is too much, and zuel is not enough. Use the unspecified sake ega when you do not name which sake.
zedehel thegatham zael gral.[z-tea | th-sake-met-any-term | z-equal-rank | g-amount]
"There is enough tea."
zedehel thegatham zel gral.[z-tea | th-sake-met-any-term | z-rank/more | g-amount]
"There is too much tea."
zedehel thegatham zuel gral.[z-tea | th-sake-met-any-term | z-rank/less | g-amount]
"There is not enough tea."
The bar keeps its time-horizon ending, which now says how long the payoff has to last: thegathal is enough to last, and thegathar is enough for now.
zedehel thegathar zael gral.[z-tea | th-sake-met-immediate | z-equal-rank | g-amount]
"There is enough tea for now."
Name a sake to say which need sets the limit. With a quality as the scale, the same pattern gives too ADJ and ADJ enough. To say whose stake it is, put that person in /b/ right after the bar.
zedehel thoyutham zel gahadul.[z-tea | th-physical-met-any-term | z-rank/more | g-hot]
"The tea is too hot to be safe."
zedehel thoyutham balahen zel gahadul.[z-tea | [th-physical-met-any-term | b-Alahen] | z-rank/more | g-hot]
"The tea is too hot for Alahen's health."
On the time scale, a sake bar is too late and too early:
zazawan thegatham zuel bral vevahal.[z-Azawan | th-sake-met-any-term | z-rank/less | b-later] | v-arrival
"Azawan arrives too early."
| Agazan | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
met sake bar + zael | reaches what the sake needs | enough / ADJ enough |
met sake bar + zel | past what the sake needs | too much / too ADJ / too late |
met sake bar + zuel | short of what the sake needs | not enough / too early |
| bar ending -l / -m / -r | how long the payoff has to last | enough to last / enough / enough for now |
/b/ right after the bar | whose stake | too hot for Alahen |
Compare with: the same met word after the fence is about the whole claim: zedehel zel gahadul thoyutham is the tea is the hottest, and that serves my health.
Translation practice
Short drills for Intermediate. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a monastery
Roots used here:
| English | Agazan | Same root as |
|---|---|---|
| Azawan | azawan | |
| Alahen | alahen | |
| Ahaben | ahaben | |
| church | ehehal | |
| rosary | orozol | |
| candle | agogal | |
| bell | ebehul | |
| ownership | egabem | egabel copyright |
| stimulus | gobum | obul emphasis |
| pray | vebevol | ebevol pray |
| kneel | venehal | enehal kneel |
| hush | vahehal | ahehal hush |
| bow | vabayal | abayal bow |
| scream | vezugel | ezugel scream |
| tell | vezebel | ezebel speech |
| sleep | vezebal | ezebal sleep |
| autonomy | ahul | ahul ballot |
| competence | ulol | ulol toolbox |
| purpose | amel | amel compass |
| relatedness | anal | anal knot |
| beneficence | ebel | ebel present |
| pleasure | ozol | ozol strawberry |
| physical | oyul | oyul lungs |
| sake | egal | egal egg |
| permission | egol | egol green |
| forbidden | edel | edel no-entry |
| plan | amam | amal plan-atlas |
| always | hual |
English → Agazan
1. Azawan ought to tell to serve relatedness (offered).
Show answer
zazawan vezebel thanathem.
z-Azawan | v-tell | th-relatedness-ought-offered
2. Ahaben ought to sleep to serve pleasure (offered).
Show answer
zahaben vezebal thozothem.
z-Ahaben | v-sleep | th-pleasure-ought-offered
3. Alahen ought to scream to serve the physical sake (Alahen asked for a move).
Show answer
zalahen vezugel thoyuthel.
z-Alahen | v-scream | th-physical-ought-invited
4. Ahaben ought to try bowing for relatedness (worth a try).
Show answer
zahaben vabayal thanather.
z-Ahaben | v-bow | th-relatedness-ought-trial
5. Azawan prays for relatedness (horizon unstated).
Show answer
zazawan vebevol thanathom.
z-Azawan | v-pray | th-relatedness-motive-any-term
6. Alahen kneels for relatedness (over time).
Show answer
zalahen venehal thanathol.
z-Alahen | v-kneel | th-relatedness-motive-lasting
7. Ahaben hushes for relatedness (as usual).
Show answer
zahaben vahehal thanathom hual.
z-Ahaben | v-hush | th-relatedness-motive-any-term | h-always-except
8. Azawan bows for relatedness (right now).
Show answer
zazawan vabayal thanathor.
z-Azawan | v-bow | th-relatedness-motive-immediate
9. Alahen prays for competence (horizon unstated).
Show answer
zalahen vebevol thulothom.
z-Alahen | v-pray | th-competence-motive-any-term
10. Azawan’s church serves relatedness in the long term.
Show answer
glegabem bazawan zehehal wanathal gobum.
[[gl-ownership | b-Azawan] | z-church] | [w-relatedness-met-lasting | g-stimulus]
11. Azawan prays: it serves competence in the long term, and relatedness is the motive.
Show answer
zazawan vebevol thulothal thanathom.
z-Azawan | v-pray | th-competence-met-lasting | th-relatedness-motive-any-term
12. Alahen ought to scream to serve the physical sake (Alahen asked for a move); relatedness is the motive, over time.
Show answer
zalahen vezugel thoyuthel thanathol.
z-Alahen | v-scream | th-physical-ought-invited | th-relatedness-motive-lasting
13. Ahaben lets Azawan kneel.
Show answer
zazawan venehal thegom bahaben.
z-Azawan | v-kneel | [th-PERMIT-granted | b-Ahaben]
14. Azawan hushes, assuming Alahen and Ahaben are OK with it.
Show answer
zazawan vahehal thuxegor balahen bahaben bal.
z-Azawan | v-hush | [th-CONSENT-assumed | [b-Alahen | b-Ahaben | b-and]]
15. Resentful about the bell: relatedness unmet; aimed at them; surging.
Show answer
zebehul wanathumor gobum.
z-bell | [w-relatedness-unmet-modifiable-AIMED-SURGING | g-stimulus]
16. Alahen prays for purpose (over time).
Show answer
zalahen vebevol thamethol.
z-Alahen | v-pray | th-purpose-motive-lasting
17. Azawan ought to tell to serve beneficence (offered).
Show answer
zazawan vezebel thebethem.
z-Azawan | v-tell | th-beneficence-ought-offered
18. Alahen prays too often to stay healthy.
Show answer
zalahen thoyutham zel hral vebevol.
[z-Alahen | th-physical-met-any-term | z-rank/more | h-how-often] | v-pray
19. Alahen screams against the rules.
Show answer
zalahen vezugel uem thedel.
z-Alahen | v-scream | [contrary-to | th-FORBID-disallowed]
20. Ahaben sleeps, contrary to their plan.
Show answer
zahaben vezebal uem thamam.
z-Ahaben | v-sleep | [contrary-to | th-plan-itinerary]
21. Azawan tells against Ahaben's will (Ahaben said no).
Show answer
zazawan vezebel uem thuxedem bahaben.
z-Azawan | v-tell | [contrary-to | [th-CONSENT-refused | b-Ahaben]]
Agazan → English
1. zalahen vezebel thanather.
Show answer
z-Alahen | v-tell | th-relatedness-ought-trial
Alahen ought to try telling for relatedness (worth a try).
2. zahaben vezugel thoyuther.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | v-scream | th-physical-ought-trial
Ahaben ought to try screaming for the physical sake (worth a try).
3. zalahen vebevol thulothol.
Show answer
z-Alahen | v-pray | th-competence-motive-lasting
Alahen prays for competence (over time).
4. zahaben venehal thanathom.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | v-kneel | th-relatedness-motive-any-term
Ahaben kneels for relatedness (horizon unstated).
5. zazawan vahehal thanathor.
Show answer
z-Azawan | v-hush | th-relatedness-motive-immediate
Azawan hushes for relatedness (right now).
6. zorozol gozothar.
Show answer
z-rosary | g-pleasure-met-immediate
My rosary is a pleasure right now.
7. zagogal wahuthum gobum.
Show answer
z-candle | [w-autonomy-unmet-modifiable | g-stimulus]
The candle detracts from autonomy (modifiable).
8. zebehul wanathum gobum.
Show answer
z-bell | [w-relatedness-unmet-modifiable | g-stimulus]
The bell detracts from relatedness (modifiable).
9. zalahen vezugel thoyuthom hual.
Show answer
z-Alahen | v-scream | th-physical-motive-any-term | h-always-except
Alahen screams for the physical sake (as usual).
10. zalahen vebevol thedel.
Show answer
z-Alahen | v-pray | th-FORBID-disallowed
Alahen is not allowed to pray (the rules forbid it).
11. zahaben vezebal thuxegom.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | v-sleep | th-CONSENT-given
Ahaben lets themself sleep.
12. zazawan vezugel thuxedem balahen.
Show answer
z-Azawan | v-scream | [th-CONSENT-refused | b-Alahen]
Azawan screams, though Alahen said no to it.
13. zehehal gulothamam.
Show answer
z-church | g-competence-met-any-term-INTERNAL-FLOWING
Quietly proud of my church: competence met; held inside; flowing.
14. zazawan venehal thumel.
Show answer
z-Azawan | v-kneel | th-REQUIRE-rule
Azawan has to kneel (the rules say so).
15. zahaben vahehal thumem balahen.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | v-hush | [th-REQUIRE-demanded | b-Alahen]
Alahen makes Ahaben hush.
16. zalahen vabayal thumer.
Show answer
z-Alahen | v-bow | th-REQUIRE-expected
Alahen is supposed to bow.
17. zalahen vahehal thebethor.
Show answer
z-Alahen | v-hush | th-beneficence-motive-immediate
Alahen hushes for beneficence (right now).
18. zebehul wamethum gobum.
Show answer
z-bell | [w-purpose-unmet-modifiable | g-stimulus]
The bell detracts from purpose (modifiable).
19. zagogalx thegatham zael gral.
Show answer
[z-candle-x | th-sake-met-any-term | z-equal-rank | g-amount]
There are enough candles.
20. zahaben vahehal uem thumem balahen.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | v-hush | [contrary-to | [th-REQUIRE-demanded | b-Alahen]]
Ahaben hushes, against Alahen's orders.
21. zalahen vabayal uem thedel thegom.
Show answer
z-Alahen | v-bow | [contrary-to | th-FORBID-disallowed] | th-PERMIT-granted
Alahen bows against the rules, and I'm allowing it.
See also
- Applicability when: restrictors.md
- Ability
xa/xe/xo/xuon an activity host: intention.md#ability - DECISION reuses unmet changeability endings: intention.md