Appearance
Intention
English will and going to can state either an intention (what someone means to do) or a forecast (what someone expects to happen later). Agazan marks intention with a /th/ word before an ordinary verb, and gives a forecast a different shape that always says what it rests on. So the listener can tell someone's chosen course from a claim about a future event.
On this page
Beginner
Plan
To say what someone means to do (plans to walk), put thama plus an ending on /th/ before the ordinary verb. This /th/ word is called PLAN. Like a stance word, it covers the whole sentence: the sentence now says what the subject intends, not that the walk happens. The ending says how fully the person has planned it. (Cue: 🗺️ A map charts a course you mean to take.)
zazawan thamam vowogal.z-Azawan | th-plan-itinerary | v-walk
"Azawan plans to walk."
As a plain noun or verb, the root keeps its own meaning (zamal a map; vamal to plan). Leave PLAN out when you are only saying what happens.
Endings: map resolution
The ending on PLAN says how much of the plan is worked out: -l for a plan with backups ready, -m for the steps, -r for just the direction. The three run on the same settled-to-passing scale as time horizon. No level is better: match the detail to the plan, and a sketch is often all a small or early plan needs. With -n, the word is an ordinary name. When you are unsure how detailed the plan is, use thamam: it claims a plan without saying how much is worked out.
| Agazan | Use | English | Same root as | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
thamal | atlas | is fully prepared to …: hurdles are anticipated and prepared for | amal plan-atlas | -l ≈ lasting (detours already drawn, so it holds up) |
thamam | itinerary (soft default) | plans to …: steps laid out, or detail unstated | amam plan-itinerary | -m ≈ middle (the route, no backups) |
thamar | sketch | intends to … / is thinking of …: the direction, details left open | amar plan-sketch | -r ≈ right now (a rough direction) |
zalahen thamar vowogal.z-Alahen | th-plan-sketch | v-walk
"Alahen is thinking of walking."
zahaben thamal vowogal.z-Ahaben | th-plan-atlas | v-walk
"Ahaben is fully prepared to walk."
Saying I will in English can hide whether you have a direction, the steps, or backups too. Picking the ending makes that level of detail audible, so others know how firm the details are.
For will about the world (it will rain), use: a forecast. PLAN says what someone means to do, and needs no evidence. A forecast always says what it rests on.
To say how much later someone means to act (in three hours), put a forward time offset in the /b/ right after PLAN.
Practice
Short drills for Beginner. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a chess club
New words:
| English | Agazan | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| pawn | obohul | ♟️ |
| PLAN | thamam | 🗺️ from map: a course you mean to take |
Review:
| English | Agazan |
|---|---|
| Azawan | azawan |
| Alahen | alahen |
| Ahaben | ahaben |
| sit | vehahel |
| find | vamagal |
| tell | vezebel |
| lie | valahal |
| write | varadal |
| fight | vavadal |
| book | ugul |
| see | vahahal |
| therefore | xodum |
| punch | vabahel |
| scream | vezugel |
| walk | vowogal |
English → Agazan
1. Azawan intends to sit.
Show answer
zazawan thamar vehahel.
z-Azawan | th-plan-sketch | v-sit
2. Alahen plans to find a pawn.
Show answer
zalahen thamam dobohul vamagal.
z-Alahen | th-plan-itinerary | d-pawn | v-find
3. Ahaben is fully prepared to tell Alahen.
Show answer
zahaben thamal vezebel balahen.
z-Ahaben | th-plan-atlas | v-tell | b-Alahen
4. Alahen is thinking of lying.
Show answer
zalahen thamar valahal.
z-Alahen | th-plan-sketch | v-lie
5. Azawan plans to write.
Show answer
zazawan thamam varadal.
z-Azawan | th-plan-itinerary | v-write
6. Ahaben is fully prepared to fight Alahen.
Show answer
zahaben thamal dalahen vavadal.
z-Ahaben | th-plan-atlas | d-Alahen | v-fight
Agazan → English
1. zalahen thamar dugul vahahal.
Show answer
z-Alahen | th-plan-sketch | d-book | v-see
Alahen is thinking of seeing a book.
2. zazawan thamal dobohul vamagal.
Show answer
z-Azawan | th-plan-atlas | d-pawn | v-find
Azawan is fully prepared to find a pawn.
3. zahaben thamam vezebel bazawan.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | th-plan-itinerary | v-tell | b-Azawan
Ahaben plans to tell Azawan.
4. zalahen vavadal. xodum zazawan thamam vehahel.
Show answer
z-Alahen | v-fight . x-therefore | z-Azawan | th-plan-itinerary | v-sit
Alahen fights. Therefore Azawan plans to sit.
5. zazawan thamar dalahen vabahel.
Show answer
z-Azawan | th-plan-sketch | d-Alahen | v-punch
Azawan is thinking of punching Alahen.
6. zahaben thamal vezugel.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | th-plan-atlas | v-scream
Ahaben is fully prepared to scream.
Pick one
1. Alahen intends to see a pawn (just the direction, details open). zalahen thamar dobohul vahahal. or zalahen thamal dobohul vahahal.
Show answer
zalahen thamar dobohul vahahal.
z-Alahen | th-plan-sketch | d-pawn | v-see
-r is a sketch, only the direction; -l would claim backups are ready.
Fix it
1. Ahaben plans to walk. zahaben vamal vowogal.
Show answer
zahaben thamam vowogal.
z-Ahaben | th-plan-itinerary | v-walk
Plans to is PLAN on /th/ before the verb, not a second verb.
Intermediate
Ability and incapability
English can and can't usually sit in front of the verb (can sing, can't sing). In Agazan you fold that meaning into the verb or adjective itself. After the root, write x, then a vowel for can or for which kind of can't, then the same ending the word would have without it.
Can (xa)
To say someone can do something (can sing) or can have a quality, keep the verb or adjective and add x and a after the root, before the usual ending. The first letter stays /v/ for an action or /ɡ/ for a quality, and no separate word for can is needed. Only a verb or an adjective takes the ability vowel; a noun, a name, or an /h/ word does not, apart from the special word in when there is no single verb. (Cue: a ≈ add, so capability is in)
zazawan vezehexal.z-Azawan | v-sing-able
"Azawan can sing."
For English could about a skill someone used to have, add FORMER thenom: the ability held before, and you are not claiming it now.
zazawan vezehexal thenom.z-Azawan | v-sing-able | th-FORMER
"Azawan could sing." (as a former ability)
As a quality, the same word goes on /ɡ/: zazawan gezehexal (Azawan is able to sing). Without the ability vowel, zazawan vezehel is just Azawan sings.
The ending is the one the verb or adjective would have anyway (-l concrete, -m abstract, -n name, -r resume). It does not change what kind of can you mean:
zalahen vezehexam.z-Alahen | v-expression-able
"Alahen can express themself."
For English so can I / can too, resume the verb and keep the x and vowel: the whole stem, then x, the vowel, and -r. A plain resume would drop the can.
zazawan vowogaxal. zalahen vowogaxar.z-Azawan | v-walk-able . z-Alahen | v-←walk-able
"Azawan can walk, and so can Alahen."
Can be (role + ability)
To say someone can be something (can be the author, can be a teacher) rather than that they can do the act, put the ability vowel on a role compound on /ɡ/. Write the role compound, then x and the ability vowel, then the ending. This works only on /ɡ/, the same slot that says is a teacher (classification).
zalahen gaxaradaxam.z-Alahen | g-agent-x-authorship-able
"Alahen can be the author."
zazawan gaxedehoxul.z-Azawan | g-agent-x-teach-unable-irreversible
"Azawan can never be a teacher."
Compare with: vedehoxal is can teach (the act). gaxedehoxal is can be a teacher (fit for the role).
Can't (xe / xo / xu)
English can't does not say whether this is just for now, not yet, or never. After x, pick e, o, or u for that difference.
zalahen vezehexel.z-Alahen | v-sing-unable-temporary
"Alahen can't sing right now."
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
xa | they can (this verb or quality) | can | a ≈ add (capability is in) |
xe | they can't, just for now (they usually can) | can't right now | e ≈ order (this moment's ranking) |
xo | they can't yet (use this if you are not sure how lasting it is) | can't yet | o ≈ one (one open can't) |
xu | they can never / it is impossible | can never / impossible | u ≈ undo (capability taken off) |
zahaben vezehexol.z-Ahaben | v-sing-unable-modifiable
"Ahaben can't sing yet."
zazawan varahaxul.z-Azawan | v-run-unable-irreversible
"Azawan can never run."
Compare with: a sake word puts th and a vowel after a sake root: tha / thu is met / unmet (thulothum competence unmet). x and a vowel after a verb or adjective root is can / can't.
When there is no single verb (ubo)
Sometimes English can / can't is not about one named verb or quality: the activity takes more than one root, you just want a bare can't, or the can covers the whole sentence. Then there is no single root to put x into. Use the special word ubo: after ubo, write the same x, vowel, and ending as on a verb. Put it on /th/ when it is about the whole clause, or on /w/ immediately before the adjective it grades. That lets you say can / can't without naming the activity in that word. Prefer the verb itself whenever one root is enough. (Cue: 🥣 bowl: it holds what you can do)
zazawan thuboxel.z-Azawan | th-ABIL-unable-temporary
"Azawan can't right now." (no single activity named)
Decision (revisability)
To say that someone has decided to do something, put thehu plus an ending on /th/ before the ordinary verb. This word is called DECISION. Its ending says whether the decision is final, still open to change, or only for now, so you can say how open a choice is without changing the verb. (Cue: ✅ A checkmark confirms a choice.)
As a plain noun or verb, the root keeps its own meaning (zehul a checkmark; vehul to check / tick).
zalahen thehum vezehel.z-Alahen | th-DECISION-modifiable | v-sing
"Alahen has decided to sing, and can still change that."
Compare with: PLAN says how fully someone has planned what to do. DECISION says how readily they may change their choice.
Endings: changeability
The endings on DECISION run on the same settled-to-passing scale as changeability on an unmet sake: -l irreversible, -m modifiable, -r temporary. With -n, the word is an ordinary name. If you do not know how settled the decision is, use -m.
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
thehul | irreversible | has decided for good to … | -l ≈ lasting (for good) |
thehum | modifiable (soft default if unknown) | has decided to …, and can still change that | -m ≈ open to change |
thehur | temporary | has decided for now to … | -r ≈ right now (for now only) |
To say both how detailed a plan is and how firm the decision is, put DECISION after PLAN:
zazawan thamam thehul vowogal.z-Azawan | th-plan-itinerary | th-DECISION-irreversible | v-walk
"Azawan plans to walk, and that choice is final."
PLAN and DECISION endings run the same way: -l is the most settled, -m the default, and -r the most passing.
zalahen thamar thehur vowogal.z-Alahen | th-plan-sketch | th-DECISION-temporary | v-walk
"Alahen is thinking of walking, and has decided only for now."
To say an event goes against a decision (though they had decided not to), put DECISION after the hook uem (contrary to a stance). It is the subject's own decision unless a /b/ after it names whose it is.
zazawan vowogal uem thehum.z-Azawan | v-walk | [contrary-to | th-DECISION-modifiable]
"Azawan walks, though they had decided not to."
zazawan vowogal uem thehul bamun.z-Azawan | v-walk | [contrary-to | [th-DECISION-irreversible | b-speaker]]
"Azawan walks against my final decision."
Try
To say that someone is trying to do something, put thudu plus an ending on /th/ before the ordinary verb. The sentence says the attempt happens, not whether it works. The ending says how committed the attempt is. (Cue: 🧪 A test tube tries a sample to see what happens.)
As a plain noun, the root keeps its own meaning (zudul a test tube).
zazawan thudum varadal.z-Azawan | th-ATTEMPT-unstated | v-write
"Azawan tries to write."
Endings: commitment
On udu, -l / -m / -r say how far the attempt will go. -n is ordinary proper. If you do not know, use -m.
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
thudul | committed | commits to trying … / keeps trying to … until it works or is ruled out | -l the full run |
thudum | unstated (soft default) | tries to … | -m middle |
thudur | trial run | tries out … / gives … a shot: a low-stakes probe, and failing is useful to know | -r ≈ right now (a small sample) |
zalahen thudur vezehel.z-Alahen | th-ATTEMPT-trial | v-sing
"Alahen gives singing a try."
zalahen thudul vowogal.z-Alahen | th-ATTEMPT-committed | v-walk
"Alahen keeps trying to walk."
A trial run (-r) plans for failure: if it fails, that is what the probe was for. Use it when you want to lower the stakes, for yourself or for someone else.
Fallback (xon)
For try A; failing that, B, put the clause join xon between the attempt and the backup. The backup comes into play only if the attempt before it fails, so exactly one of them ends up holding.
zazawan thudur vowogal xon zazawar vezehel.[z-Azawan | th-ATTEMPT-trial | v-walk | x-or-else | z-←Azawan | v-sing]
"Azawan gives walking a try; failing that, Azawan sings."
A /th/ word covers only its own clause, so the backup above is a plain Azawan sings. Each clause takes its own /th/ words, so you can probe the first option and commit to the backup:
zazawan thudur vowogal xon zazawar thudul vezehel.[z-Azawan | th-ATTEMPT-trial | v-walk | x-or-else | z-←Azawan | th-ATTEMPT-committed | v-sing]
"Azawan gives walking a try; failing that, Azawan keeps trying to sing."
A fully prepared PLAN (thamal) already has backups. To name them, chain the clauses with xon, first choice first, and put PLAN on each one:
zazawan thamal vowogal xon zazawar thamal vezehel xon zazawar thamal vezebal.[z-Azawan | th-plan-atlas | v-walk | x-or-else | z-←Azawan | th-plan-atlas | v-sing | x-or-else | z-←Azawan | th-plan-atlas | v-sleep]
"Azawan's plan is to walk; failing that, to sing; failing that, to sleep."
Compare with: ability says whether someone can do something; an attempt makes no claim either way. PLAN is intention before acting; an attempt is acting with the outcome open.
Not the same job as: plain or, xol (clause joins), which has no first choice and no backup.
Want
To say that someone wants to do something, put thohu plus an ending on /th/ before the ordinary verb. This word is called WANT. The sentence says the subject wants the act; it does not say the act happens, or that they mean to do it. The ending says how long the wanting lasts. (Cue: 🌠 A shooting star is where you make a wish.)
zazawan thohum vowogal.z-Azawan | th-WANT-unstated | v-walk
"Azawan wants to walk."
To want a person or thing (wants Azawan), name the act that would get it (see, take) and put the person or thing in /d/ as usual.
zalahen thohum vahahal dazawan.z-Alahen | th-WANT-unstated | v-see | d-Azawan
"Alahen wants to see Azawan."
Endings: lastingness
On ohu, -l / -m / -r say how long the wanting lasts. -n is ordinary proper. If you do not know, use -m.
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
thohul | a want that keeps coming back | really wants to … / has long wanted to … | -l ≈ lasting (a steady star) |
thohum | duration unstated (soft default) | wants to … | -m ≈ open |
thohur | a want that will pass | feels like … / has a whim to … | -r ≈ right now (a streak) |
zalahen thohur vezehel.z-Alahen | th-WANT-passing | v-sing
"Alahen feels like singing." (a whim)
A want, a plan, and a decision are three different steps, so they stack in that order:
zazawan thohul thamam vowogal.z-Azawan | th-WANT-lasting | th-plan-itinerary | v-walk
"Azawan has long wanted to walk, and plans to."
For against their will, put WANT after the hook uem (contrary to a stance): the event goes against that want. The want is the subject's own unless a /b/ after it names whose it is (against Azawan's wishes).
zazawan vowogal uem thohum.z-Azawan | v-walk | [contrary-to | th-WANT-unstated]
"Azawan walks against their will."
zalahen vezebal uem thohum bazawan.z-Alahen | v-sleep | [contrary-to | [th-WANT-unstated | b-Azawan]]
"Alahen sleeps, against Azawan's wishes."
Compare with: hopefully (thevegem) is your attitude toward a whole claim; thohum is the subject's own wanting. Motive says which sake the act serves, not that it is wanted. In emotion compose, SEEKING is a feeling turning toward someone for comfort, not a plain want.
Someone else's want, plan, or decision
English Alahen wants Azawan to walk, Alahen plans for Azawan to walk, and Alahen has decided that Azawan walks give the wanting, planning, or deciding to someone other than the one who acts. Put that person in /b/ right after the WANT, PLAN, or DECISION word, the same way a person who allows or demands something sits after that word. With no /b/, the want, plan, or decision is the subject's own. Either way, the clause does not say the act happens. Naming whose it is keeps someone else's wishes from passing as the subject's own.
zazawan thohum balahen vowogal.z-Azawan | [th-WANT-unstated | b-Alahen] | v-walk
"Alahen wants Azawan to walk."
zazawan thamam balahen vowogal.z-Azawan | [th-plan-itinerary | b-Alahen] | v-walk
"Alahen plans for Azawan to walk."
zazawan thehum balahen vowogal.z-Azawan | [th-DECISION-modifiable | b-Alahen] | v-walk
"Alahen has decided that Azawan walks, and can still change that."
The /b/ right after PLAN holds either whose plan it is or when the act comes (thamam bral, plans to … later), not both. When you need both, keep the person there and give the time with huwem during:
zazawan thamam balahen vowogal huwem bral.z-Azawan | [th-plan-itinerary | b-Alahen] | v-walk | [h-while | b-later]
"Alahen plans for Azawan to walk later."
Compare with: requirement zazawan vowogal thumem balahen. (Alahen makes Azawan walk) puts a demand on Azawan, who now owes the walk. thehum balahen says only that Alahen chose how things go, the way a coach decides who plays, with nothing asked of Azawan.
Plan or forecast
English will can state a plan or a forecast. A plan uses PLAN and needs no evidence. A forecast about the world uses a channel, a /th/ word that says how you know, plus the later offset bral (forecasts). So a forecast always says what it rests on.
thobam bral verehel.[th-PATTERN | b-later] | v-rain
"It will rain (going by the usual pattern)."
zalahen thamam thunel bral vehahel.z-Alahen | th-plan-itinerary | [th-CLUES.strong | b-later] | v-sit
"Alahen plans to sit, and the clues strongly say it will happen."
Compare with: without an offset, a channel is about what is happening now or already so (thodom if you are watching it now; thevom if you remember watching it). Add bral when the claim is about a later event.
Practice
Short drills for Intermediate. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a board meeting
New words:
| English | Agazan | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| clipboard | egabol | 📋 |
| pen | ebewel | 🖊️ |
| capacity | ubom | 🥣 from bowl; as thuboxel, a bare can't |
| DECISION | thehum | ✅ from check: the box is ticked |
| attempt-unstated | thudum | 🧪 from test tube: try a sample |
| want-unstated | thohum | 🌠 from shooting star: a wish |
Review:
| English | Agazan |
|---|---|
| Azawan | azawan |
| Alahen | alahen |
| Ahaben | ahaben |
| PLAN | thamam |
| page | abehel |
| write | varadal |
| sit | vehahel |
| tell | vezebel |
| sing | vezehel |
| find | vamagal |
English → Agazan
1. Azawan can write on the clipboard.
Show answer
zazawan varadaxal aol begabol.
z-Azawan | v-write-able | [on | b-clipboard]
2. Alahen can't write yet.
Show answer
zalahen varadaxol.
z-Alahen | v-write-unable-modifiable
3. Alahen has decided to sit, and can still change that.
Show answer
zalahen thehum vehahel.
z-Alahen | th-DECISION-modifiable | v-sit
4. Ahaben gives telling a try.
Show answer
zahaben thudur vezebel.
z-Ahaben | th-ATTEMPT-trial | v-tell
5. Azawan feels like singing. (a whim)
Show answer
zazawan thohur vezehel.
z-Azawan | th-WANT-passing | v-sing
6. Alahen wants Ahaben to write.
Show answer
zahaben thohum balahen varadal.
z-Ahaben | [th-WANT-unstated | b-Alahen] | v-write
Agazan → English
1. zalahen gaxaradaxam.
Show answer
z-Alahen | g-agent-x-authorship-able
Alahen can be the author.
2. zazawan thuboxel.
Show answer
z-Azawan | th-ABIL-unable-temporary
Azawan can't right now.
3. zahaben thamam thehul dabehel varadal.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | th-plan-itinerary | th-DECISION-irreversible | d-page | v-write
Ahaben plans to write the page, and that choice is final.
4. zazawan vezebel uem thehum.
Show answer
z-Azawan | v-tell | [contrary-to | th-DECISION-modifiable]
Azawan tells, though they had decided not to.
5. zalahen thudur vezehel xon zalaher varadal.
Show answer
[z-Alahen | th-ATTEMPT-trial | v-sing | x-or-else | z-←Alahen | v-write]
Alahen gives singing a try; failing that, Alahen writes.
6. zahaben thohul thamam debewel vamagal.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | th-WANT-lasting | th-plan-itinerary | d-pen | v-find
Ahaben has long wanted to find a pen, and plans to.
Pick one
1. Azawan can't sit right now (Azawan usually can). zazawan vehahexel. or zazawan vehahexul.
Show answer
zazawan vehahexel.
z-Azawan | v-sit-unable-temporary
xe is can't, just for now; xu is can never.
2. Alahen keeps trying to write. zalahen thudul varadal. or zalahen thudur varadal.
Show answer
zalahen thudul varadal.
z-Alahen | th-ATTEMPT-committed | v-write
-l commits to the attempt; -r is only a trial run.
Fix it
1. Ahaben can sing. zahaben thuboxal vezehel.
Show answer
zahaben vezehexal.
z-Ahaben | v-sing-able
With one named verb, fold can into it with x and a; thuboxal is for a can with no single verb.
See also
- How you know a forecast: knowing.md
- Choosing as an act: join-across-roles.md
- Autonomy as a sake: sakes.md