CYBERSAMBAHSA

Now, with the available digital tools, it's easy to get a basic level in Sambahsa on the net.

- The Sambahsa Goldendict can pop-up and give the English translation of many words
(on Windows, can work on Microsoft Word and on Notepad++) :
http://sambahsa.pbworks.com/w/page/52788470/Sambahsa%20Dictionary%20for
%20Windows%2C%20Mac%20and%20Linux

- Sambahsa is on Glosbe ! And it's bidirectional : https://glosbe.com/en/mis_sam

And better, the Sambahsa Hehlper conjugates verbs and gives the Sambahsa Phonetic
Transcription of all words. This software must be accurate for 95% of verbs and of
transcribed words. Download its latest version here :
https://github.com/hmslima/sambahsahehlper/releases/tag/1.02

Here is the explanation of SPT = Sambahsa Phonetic Transcription :

{a} = like “a” in “car”

{ä} = like “e” in “bed”, but often a bit longer
{b} = as in English
{c} = as “sh” in “shoe”
{d} = as in English
{e} = as in Italian or Spanish. Or IPA [e]
{ë} = as “e” in “the”
{f} = as in English
{g} = as “g” in “give”
{h} = as “h” in “hope”
{i} = as “i” in “bit”
{j} = as “si” in “vision”
{k} = as in English
{l} = as in English
{m} = as in English
{n} = as in English
{o} = as in English
{ö} = as “u” in “burn”, but slightly longer
{p} = as in English
{q} = the “ach-laut” of German or the “jota” of Spanish. It is written “kh” in the Sambahsa
orthography. Or IPA [x]
{r} = its pronunciation varies from region to region. Nevertheless, “rr” and “rh” have to be
pronounced rolled, as in Spanish.
{s} = as “s” in “say”
{t} = as in English
{u} = as “oo” in “book”
{ü} = the “u” of French or the “ü” of German. According to various rules, it can be written
with “u” or “y”. IPA [y].
{v} = as in English
{w} = as in English
{x} = it is the “ich-laut” of German. Is written “sh” in the Sambahsa orthography. IPA [ç].
{y} = as “y” in “you”
{z} = as “z” in “zero”
{§} = as “th” in “thin”

Stressed vowels are written in capital letters in polysyllabic words, and a {:} following a
vowel indicates that this one has to be lengthened. Letters in italics can be left
unpronounced.

Concerning verbs, Sambahsa has only three irregular verbs; here are their infinitives : ses
= “to be”, habe = “to have” & woide = “to know” (ex: a fact, in the meaning of French
“savoir” or Spanish “saber”). Otherwise, in Sambahsa dictionaries (and in the Hehlper), all
Sambahsa verbs are indicated under their bare stem while their infinitive (English “to +
verb”) can be a different form (that the Hehlper indicates as well). The conditional is the
“would tense”, and is used after sei = “if” where English uses the preterit. For example :
Sei neudies id Hehlper, Sambahsa esiet meis facil = “If you used the Hehlper, Sambahsa
would be easier”. Sambahsa verbs bear conjugational endings in most cases, and
therefore the personal pronouns can be dropped if the meaning is obvious.

Just like English, Sambahsa has a composed tense using the verb habe + the past
participle. However, unlike the English present perfect, this tense doesn't apply to actions
that are still ongoing.

Here are the three irregular verbs. Notice that “to be” has two past tense forms : the
imperfect for long actions in the past (“used to be”, “was/were being”) and the simple past
for limited events (“was/were”).
 NOUNS

Sambahsa nouns are classified in 4 genders : masculine, feminine, neuter and

undetermined. However, don't worry, they follow their “real nature” : males are masculine,
females are feminine, things and abstractions are neuter and the rest (including groups of
nouns of different genders) is undetermined. There are declensions as well, but they are
only compulsory for pronouns. Nominative refers to the subject of the verb, accusative to
the noun which undergoes the verbal action, and is used after prepositions as well, dative
to the beneficiary of the action (ex: who is given something) and genitive refers to the
possessor of something.

Plural

The simple form is the singular number. The plural number ends in -s. If that is phonetically
incompatible with the preceding consonant (ex: s, ch, j), then -i (for animate beings) or -a will be
used. If all those forms do not match with the stress rules, no endings shall be used. -um of names
of things turns to -a in the plural. The unstressed endings -es or -os turn to -si or -sa. According to
an optional rule, names of groups of animate beings ending with a letter which is phonetically
incompatible with a final s (ex: s, ch, j) may have no ending for the plural number. Examples:
div (god) = divs
urx (bear) = urx(i) (as it is a collection of animate beings)
territorium (territory) = territoria
daumos (wonder) = daumsa
deutsch (German) = deutsch(i) (as it is a collection of persons).
prince (prince, son of a sovereign) = princes
The sole irregular plural in Sambahsa is for ok (eye), plural: oks or okwi (eyes)

DECLENSION

Sambahsa uses the same word for “the” and for the personal pronoun of the third person (1).
However, the genitive applies only to “of the”, since the personal pronouns use possessive
pronouns instead. Likewise, Sambahsa uses similar words for the relative and interrogative
pronouns (4). And, finally, the demonstrative articles (2 & 3) can be listed within the same table.

Masculine Singular (Plural) Nominative Accusative Dative Genitive

(1) is (ies) iom (iens) ei (ibs) ios (iom)
(2) cis (cies) ciom (ciens) cei (cibs) cios (ciom)
(3) so (toy) tom (tens) tei (tibs) tos (tom)
(4) qui, quis* (quoy) quom (quens) quei (quibs) quos (quom)
* qui = relative pronoun, quis = interrogative pronoun

Feminine Singular (Plural) Nominative Accusative Dative Genitive

(1) ia (ias) iam (ians) ay (iabs) ias (iam)
(2) cia (cias) ciam (cians) ciay (ciabs) cias (ciam)
(3) sa (tas) tam (tans) tay (tabs) tas (tam)
(4) qua (quas) quam (quans) quay (quabs) quas (quam)

Undetermined Singular (Plural) Nominative Accusative Dative Genitive

(1) el (i) el (i) al (im) al (im)
(2) cel (ci) cel (ci) cial (cim) cial (cim)
(3) tel (ti) tel (ti) tal (tim) tal (tim)
(4) quel (qui) quel (qui) qual (quim) qual (quim)

Neutral Singular (Plural) Nominative Accusative Dative Genitive

(1) id (ia) id (ia) ei (ibs) ios (iom)
(2) cid (cia) cid (cia) cei (cibs) cios (ciom)
(3) tod (ta) tod (ta) tei (tibs) tos (tom)
(4) quod (qua) quod (qua) quei (quibs) quos (quom)

“Cis” is far less used than “so”. Another demonstrative pronoun is “enos” (here he...) which uses
the endings the “euphonic vocalisation” (see below).
A negative adjective/pronoun (no-one, nothing) is neis, nia, neid which consists of n(e) + is, ia, id
(the word must always be monosyllabic. The masculine nominative plural is noy.
The indefinite article is “un”, which can bear the endings of the euphonic declension.

Other personal pronouns are :

Case 1st singular 2nd singular 1st plural 2nd plural

Nominative Ego (io if Tu wey yu
 unstressed)
Accusative me te nos vos
Dative mi tib nos vos

The possessive pronouns are :

Person/Number singular plural

1st mien Nies (noster)
2nd tien Vies (voster)
3rd masculine eys ir
3rd feminine ays ir
3rd neutral ids ir
3rd undetermined els ir

The reflexive pronoun is “se” (accusative) and “sib” (dative). The reflexive possessive pronoun is
“sien”. “Each other” is “mutu”.

The preposition “os” = “of” agrees in number and gender with the possessor :

Number/Gender masculine feminine neutral undetermined

singular os as os es
plural om am om em

The “euphonic vocalisation” is the set of optional declensional endings that can be used with
adjectives and substantives, if their accentuation allows it. However, these endings ought to be
always used with vasyo (all [of] the) and alyo (another).

Singular
Case/Gender Masculine Feminine Neutral Undetermined
nominative -o(s) -a -o/-um -is*
accusative -o/-um -u -o/-um -em*
dative -i -i -i -i
genitive -(io)s -(ia)s -(io)s -(e)s
 : only for animate beings !
 The “vocative” masculine (when calling someone) can have an ending “-e”.

Plural
Case/gender masculine feminine neutral
nominative -i -as -a
accusative -ens -ens -a
dative -ims -ims -ims
genitive -(e)n -(e)n -(e)n

The undetermined plural is like the masculine when it refers to animate beings.