Quick Start

This page gives the minimum needed to begin reading and writing simple Nordsippisk.

Basic clause order

Nordsippisk uses strict subject → verb → object order.

ik timb hus
I build a house.

han zin husen
He sees the house.

Nouns use regular suffixes:

The order is:

ROOT → NUMBER → DEFINITENESS → POSSESSION

The bare root is the ordinary present form for every subject.

ik werk — I work
han werk — he works
de werk — they work

Past tense always uses -de:

ik werkde — I worked

The present perfect uses hav + VERB-de:

ik hav skrivde — I have written

Future uses skal + VERB:

ik skal werk — I will work

The copula is ett:

ik ett trett — I am tired

ne negates a clause.

ik ne werk — I do not work

Questions retain ordinary word order and end with ka.

du werk ka? — do you work?

du mak vat ka? — what do you do?

Ordinary verb chains use bare verbs:

ik vil far — I want to go

Use at + VERB only when an explicit infinitive phrase is needed:

At liv ett at sterf. — To live is to die.

Adjectives precede nouns and never agree with them.

redd hus — a red house
redd husar — red houses

Comparatives are transparent compounds:

mergod — better, literally more-good
mersmal — smaller, literally more-small
ferrhard — less difficult

Mornen ett kald. Ik wak erl og far til werk-stedd. Eft werk ik far hem, giv mat til iks kattar, og rest med de.

The morning is cold. I wake early and go to the workplace. After work I go home, give food to my cats, and rest with them.