Appearance
Predication (classification and identity)
English is does two jobs that look alike. You can say someone is a kind or role (Azawan is a dog): they belong in that category. You can also say two names pick out the same one (Alahen is Azawan): one person under two labels, not a category. Agazan uses a different word pattern for each.
On this page
Beginner
Property (is ADJ)
You already write a property on /ɡ/ after the noun (a blue dog). When you say someone is that quality (Azawan is challenging), you use the same pair with no verb. You do not add a separate is; the name plus the /ɡ/ word already make the sentence. The /ɡ/ word is the piece English would put after is.
zazawan gamadam.z-Azawan | g-challenge
"Azawan is challenging."
A /ɡ/ word after the verb does not describe the subject the way tired does in English arrived tired. Give the state its own sentence instead (zalahen gadadal. zalahar vedabal.).
The same string is also the noun plus its adjective: zazawan gamadam is both the full sentence Azawan is challenging and the phrase challenging Azawan.
To say someone belongs to a country or tradition (Japanese), use the -m ending, not the name ending -n. -n names the country itself (Japan), and -m says you belong to it (countries and traditions).
zazawan gahebam.z-Azawan | g-japanese
"Azawan is Japanese."
Kind / role
To say someone is a kind of thing or has a role (Azawan is a dog), put the kind word on /ɡ/ right after the noun. It is the same pattern as a quality, again with no word for is: the /ɡ/ word is what English puts after is a.
This use is called classification: it puts someone in a category rather than describing a quality.
zazawan godogal.z-Azawan | g-dog
"Azawan is a dog."
Compare with: A dog walks uses a noun plus a verb (zodogal vowogal). When the subject is that kind, keep the kind on /ɡ/.
In the middle of an event
Some roots name an event (walk, fight, sing). On /ɡ/, such a root says the noun is in the middle of that event, as the one doing it: English walking. The ending picks the sense as always, so -l is the everyday event and -m its abstract sense (gavadam, struggling).
zazawan gowogal.z-Azawan | g-walk
"Azawan is walking."
After a noun it works like any adjective. The event is under way at the time the sentence talks about, so the dog below is walking while Azawan sees it.
zazawan dodogal gowogal vahahal.z-Azawan | [d-dog | g-walk] | v-see
"Azawan sees a walking dog."
Only a sense that is an event reads this way. A thing root stays a kind (godogal, is a dog), even when English has a verb from the same picture.
Compare with: the verb in zazawan vowogal. reports the walking without saying it is under way. To name someone who walks, with no claim that the walking is under way, use a role word.
Existence (a lone noun)
To say that something exists or is here (English there is …), write the noun alone, with no verb and no /ɡ/ word after it.
zodogal.z-dog
"There is a dog."
The same holds with a /ɡ/ word after the noun, when the noun is new: a common noun, or one of a name on -ln, but not a name on -n or a resumed noun on -r. The pair introduces the thing: there is a G Z.
zodogal gelavam.z-dog | g-big
"There is a big dog."
With a name or a resumed noun, the listener already knows the thing, so the /ɡ/ word is a property: zazawan gamadam. is Azawan is challenging, and zodogar gelavam. is The dog is big.
An object (/d/) needs a verb, so a noun plus a /d/ word with no verb is not a sentence.
Compare with: zodogal vowogal. says what the dog does. zazawan godogal. puts Azawan in a kind.
Identity (SAME)
When two names pick out the same person or thing (Alahen is Azawan), you are not putting Alahen in a kind. You are saying the two labels match: they are one individual.
Write the special adjective gugol after the first name, then an extra noun (/b/) for the other label. Keep gugol and that /b/ word next to each other. This pair states identity. The adjective’s English name is SAME; its root is ugo. (cue: 🪙 coin: two faces, one substance)
zalahen gugol bazawan.z-Alahen | [g-SAME | b-Azawan]
"Alahen is (the same person as) Azawan."
zagavol gugol bazawan.z-guard | [g-SAME | b-Azawan]
"The guard is Azawan."
The second label is a /b/ whatever it is: a common noun or a pronoun works as well as a name.
zagavol gugol babazel.z-guard | [g-SAME | b-police]
"The guard is the police officer."
zalahen gugol bamun.z-Alahen | [g-SAME | b-speaker]
"Alahen is me."
With no /b/ after it, gugol points back to the one already mentioned: the same one again. Put gugol after the thing.
zalahen dugul gugol varadal.z-Alahen | [d-book | g-SAME] | v-write
"Alahen writes the same book (as before)."
Compare with: Azawan is a dog uses kind / role (godogal). Use SAME when two labels name one person. A house like Azawan’s is resemblance (simile), not one house under two names.
Practice
Short drills for Beginner. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a passport office
New words:
| English | Agazan | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| police | abazel | 👮 |
| page | abehel | 📄 |
| Japanese | ahebam | 🇯🇵 from Japan flag: belonging takes -m |
| challenge | amadam | ⛰️ from mountain |
| SAME | ugol | 🪙 from coin: two faces, one substance |
Review:
| English | Agazan |
|---|---|
| Azawan | azawan |
| Alahen | alahen |
| Ahaben | ahaben |
| speaker | amun |
| guard | agavol |
| angry | anegel |
| very | welavam |
| sneak | vezevul |
| run | varahal |
| see | vahahal |
English → Agazan
1. Azawan is a guard.
Show answer
zazawan gagavol.
z-Azawan | g-guard
2. Ahaben is Japanese.
Show answer
zahaben gahebam.
z-Ahaben | g-japanese
3. Alahen is very angry.
Show answer
zalahen welavam ganegel.
z-Alahen | [w-very | g-angry]
4. The police officer is Azawan.
Show answer
zabazel gugol bazawan.
z-police | [g-SAME | b-Azawan]
5. There is a page.
Show answer
zabehel.
z-page
6. Alahen is sneaking.
Show answer
zalahen gezevul.
z-Alahen | g-sneak
Agazan → English
1. zazawan gabazel.
Show answer
z-Azawan | g-police
Azawan is a police officer.
2. zalahen gamadam.
Show answer
z-Alahen | g-challenge
Alahen is challenging.
3. zagavol gugol balahen.
Show answer
z-guard | [g-SAME | b-Alahen]
The guard is Alahen.
4. zabazel garahal.
Show answer
z-police | g-run
There is a police officer running.
5. zahaben dabehel gugol vahahal.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | [d-page | g-SAME] | v-see
Ahaben sees the same page (as before).
6. yol zalahen gugol bamun.
Show answer
y-question | z-Alahen | [g-SAME | b-speaker]
Is Alahen me?
Pick one
1. Alahen is Japanese. zalahen gahebam. or zalahen gaheban.
Show answer
zalahen gahebam.
z-Alahen | g-japanese
Belonging to a country takes -m; -n names the country itself.
2. The guard is angry. (the guard already mentioned) zagavol ganegel. or zagavor ganegel.
Show answer
zagavor ganegel.
z-←guard | g-angry
After a known guard, the /ɡ/ word is a property; zagavol ganegel. introduces one: there is an angry guard.
Fix it
1. Alahen is Azawan. (one person, two names) zalahen gazawan.
Show answer
zalahen gugol bazawan.
z-Alahen | [g-SAME | b-Azawan]
A word on /ɡ/ puts Alahen in a kind; two names for one person take gugol and the other name in /b/. (A family name is such a kind: zalahen gazawan. is Alahen is an Azawan, multipart names.)
Intermediate
Classification packaging
You already put a kind on /ɡ/ after the name (Azawan is a dog). The extra choice here is how firmly the kind holds: hedge it, say it holds at every time, or deny it. The kind word stays on /ɡ/. Add a hedge on /w/ before it (sort of), hual after the pair (always), or gul after it (not).
zazawan godogal gul.z-Azawan | [g-dog | g-not]
"Azawan is not a dog."
| Agazan | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
/w/ hedge before the classifying /ɡ/ | soft / hedged class | Azawan is something of a dog / a dog, sort of |
zazawan godogal hual | characterizing / habitual | Azawan is always a dog |
zazawan godogal gul | negation | Azawan is not a dog |
zazawan wabedem godogal.z-Azawan | [w-degree | g-dog]
"Azawan is somewhat of a dog."
Related form: habitual always uses hual.
Related form: not a dog uses negation u (gul).
Commands to be ADJ
A command can ask for a state as well as an act. Put the command word yel before a /ɡ/ word with no verb: the listener is the unstated subject, and the pair reads be ADJ!, as a verbless statement does.
yel geyayem.y-command | g-caution
"Be careful!"
The /ɡ/ word takes the verb's place in the usual order, so it comes first. Name the listener after it to address one person (yel geyayem zehon), or use the verb root for the doing (yel veyayem, take care). yul turns the same pair into don’t be ADJ.
SAME endings
Beginner already used gugol (is the same as). Its other ending finishes the map.
| Agazan | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
| -l | stand behind the match (closed) | is (the same as) |
| -m | leave the match open | same for our purposes / basically |
| Agazan | English |
|---|---|
zalahen gugol bazawan | Alahen is (the same as) Azawan |
zalahen gugom bazawan | Alahen is basically Azawan |
zalahen gugol bazawan gul | Alahen is not (identical to) Azawan |
zobel gugol bazawan | inside a noun phrase: the person who is Azawan |
Compare with: ordinary coin as a noun is zugol. Identity is gugol / gugom plus a following /b/ label, kept next to each other.
Label scope
English Alahen is angry can mean one outburst or the kind of person Alahen is. The same word does both jobs, and a single act easily turns into a claim about someone's nature. To say what kind of claim a label is, write the root, then mid-word th, then a scope vowel, then the ending. The vowel says whether the label covers only this episode, a practiced role, one relationship, or a type that follows the person across scenes. The word keeps its usual slot, so a label on /ɡ/ is still is ADJ, and a verb is still the verb.
zalahen ganegethal.z-Alahen | g-angry-th-episode
"Alahen is angry this time."
A label with no scope vowel says nothing about how far it reaches. Use one when that reach matters, the way you would add this time or a teacher in English.
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
tha | this episode: this stretch of doing | angry this time, lied (this once) | a ≈ add (one instance added) |
the | a practiced role: the office they inhabit | a teacher, lying as their craft | e ≈ order (a sequence of practice) |
tho | this pair: true in one relationship | a stranger to Azawan, lying, as far as Alahen is concerned | o ≈ one (that extra one) |
thu | a type across scenes: the quality follows them | an anxious type, a teacher type | u ≈ undo (not only here) |
Mid-word th with a scope vowel goes on /ɡ/, /z/, /d/, /b/, /v/, and /h/, on a content root or a role compound. It labels a content word, so a special pronoun with -n takes none (its root on -l is an ordinary word, zamuthal a microphone, this time). The sake roots use this spot for their own stances instead.
To say when that claim counts (only at school, always except when raining), put a restrictor on /w/ immediately before a scoped /ɡ/ word, with the circumstance words on /w/ too. The scope vowel says what kind of claim the label is; the restrictor says on which occasions it holds. A restrictor on /h/ limits the whole sentence instead (walks only when raining), not the label.
zalahen wanadal wal gaxedehothel.z-Alahen | [w-night | w-only-when | g-agent-x-teach-th-role]
"Alahen is a teacher only at night."
Compare with: hual / wual says the claim holds at every time. thu says you are treating them as that type across scenes, which can still have exceptions. wual gaxedehothel is the practiced role at every time, and gaxedehothul is the type-claim. Using both together doubles down.
This episode (tha)
zazawan valahathal.z-Azawan | v-lie-th-episode
"Azawan lied this once."
Practiced role (the)
zalahen gaxedehothel.z-Alahen | g-agent-x-teach-th-role
"Alahen is a teacher."
On a verb, the is that act as their practice, not one outing: zazawan valahathel is Azawan lies as their craft.
Compare with: usually / often is a restrictor (huam, war). thu is the type-claim (a lying type), which is not a practiced role.
This pair (tho)
tho says the label holds in one relationship: toward one other party. Put that party in /b/ right after the word. On /ɡ/, /h/, and /v/, that /b/ is hosted by the tho word, so a verb's recipient comes after the pair. On a noun, tho stands alone; to name the party, say the label on /ɡ/ instead.
zazawan gelehothom balahen.z-Azawan | [g-strangeness-th-pair | b-Alahen]
"Azawan is a stranger to Alahen."
zazawan valahathol balahen.z-Azawan | [v-lie-th-pair | b-Alahen]
"To Alahen, what Azawan does counts as lying."
With no /b/, the party is unstated: a stranger (to someone).
Type across scenes (thu)
zalahen ganagothul.z-Alahen | g-anxious-th-type
"Alahen is an anxious type."
Compare with: a mention talks about the spelling (glelel). thu still describes the person: you are applying the type, not naming letters.
On a role compound
A role compound takes the same seam after its stem, which scopes the role, not the act. A bare role compound leaves the reach unsaid (gaxedehol, one who teaches). the makes it the usual role: gaxedehothel is is a teacher. tha keeps it to this time (gaxedehothal). thu is a teacher type, and tho takes its /b/ like any other /ɡ/.
zalahen gaxedehothal.z-Alahen | g-agent-x-teach-th-episode
"Alahen is the teacher this time."
zaxedehothul varahal.z-agent-x-teach-th-type | v-run
"A teacher type runs."
A role compound carries one seam, so it takes this scope or the ability vowel, not both. Scope on the stem alone (vedehothal) scopes the teaching.
Compare with: on an arrow root, tho + /b/ is the landmark's own facing (behind the house): the direction relative to that landmark.
Stacked scope
The four scope vowels also combine in pairs, the same pairs that joins and hooks use. A pair that starts with u sets the second vowel's reach aside (except this episode, except this pair, not in that role). The other pairs have fixed meanings (on, using, toward); do not read them as the first vowel's meaning followed by the second's.
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
thao | this episode on this pair | teacher this time, to Alahen | ao ≈ on |
thae | using the role as a means | using teacher (as a tool) | ae ≈ using |
thoe | toward the role | becoming a teacher | oe ≈ toward |
thua | type except this episode | a teacher type, except this time | ua ≈ everything but |
thuo | type except this pair | a teacher type, except with Alahen | uo ≈ anything but that one |
thue | not in that capacity | not as a teacher | ue ≈ against / outside |
zazawan valahathaol balahen.z-Azawan | [v-lie-th-on-pair | b-Alahen]
"This once, to Alahen, it counts as lying."
zn gaxedehothael.z-speaker | g-agent-x-teach-th-using
"I am using teacher (as a tool)."
zalahen gaxedehothoel.z-Alahen | g-agent-x-teach-th-toward-role
"Alahen is becoming a teacher."
zazawan valahathual.z-Azawan | v-lie-th-except-episode
"A lying type, except this time."
zazawan ganegethuol balahen.z-Azawan | [g-angry-th-except-pair | b-Alahen]
"Angry as a type, except with Alahen."
zn gaxedehothuel.z-speaker | g-agent-x-teach-th-outside-role
"I am not speaking as a teacher."
thao and thuo take /b/ the same way tho does. thae is not a mention: the person is still the one you describe, and the role is a means. thue means speaking off duty or refusing that role, not fake teacher and not FORMER.
Practice
Short drills for Intermediate. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a museum gallery
New words:
| English | Agazan | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| frame | evevol | 🖼️ |
| anxious | anagol | 😰 |
| strangeness | elehom | 👽 from alien |
| teach | vedehol | 🧑🏫 |
Review:
| English | Agazan |
|---|---|
| Azawan | azawan |
| Alahen | alahen |
| Ahaben | ahaben |
| SAME | ugol |
| guard | agavol |
| quiet | agawal |
| angry | anegel |
| lie | valahal |
| see | vahahal |
English → Agazan
1. Azawan is not a guard.
Show answer
zazawan gagavol gul.
z-Azawan | [g-guard | g-not]
2. Be quiet!
Show answer
yel gagawal.
y-command | g-quiet
3. Alahen is basically Azawan.
Show answer
zalahen gugom bazawan.
z-Alahen | [g-same | b-Azawan]
4. Ahaben is angry this time.
Show answer
zahaben ganegethal.
z-Ahaben | g-angry-th-episode
5. Azawan is a teacher. (a practiced role)
Show answer
zazawan gaxedehothel.
z-Azawan | g-agent-x-teach-th-role
6. To Alahen, what Ahaben does counts as lying.
Show answer
zahaben valahathol balahen.
z-Ahaben | [v-lie-th-pair | b-Alahen]
Agazan → English
1. zalahen gagavol hual.
Show answer
[z-Alahen | g-guard] | h-always
Alahen is always a guard.
2. yul ganegel.
Show answer
y-prohibition | g-angry
Don't be angry!
3. zazawan ganagothul.
Show answer
z-Azawan | g-anxious-th-type
Azawan is an anxious type.
4. zahaben valahathal.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | v-lie-th-episode
Ahaben lied this once.
5. zaxedehothul devevol vahahal.
Show answer
z-agent-x-teach-th-type | d-frame | v-see
A teacher type sees a frame.
6. zalahen gaxedehothoel.
Show answer
z-Alahen | g-agent-x-teach-th-toward-role
Alahen is becoming a teacher.
Pick one
1. Alahen is anxious this time. zalahen ganagothal. or zalahen ganagothul.
Show answer
zalahen ganagothal.
z-Alahen | g-anxious-th-episode
tha keeps the label to this episode; thu would make Alahen an anxious type.
2. Azawan is not the same as Alahen. zazawan gugol balahen gul. or zazawan gugom balahen.
Show answer
zazawan gugol balahen gul.
z-Azawan | [[g-SAME | b-Alahen] | g-not]
gul denies the match; gugom says they are basically the same.
Fix it
1. Azawan is a stranger to Ahaben. zazawan bahaben gelehothom.
Show answer
zazawan gelehothom bahaben.
z-Azawan | [g-strangeness-th-pair | b-Ahaben]
The other party goes in /b/ right after the tho word.
See also
- Scalar as ADJ as / comparative property clauses: comparatives.md
- Complex
/ɡ/+/b/: clause.md - Negation / single-item packaging on properties: joins.md