Slovio
Slovio is a constructed language begun in 1999 by Mark Hučko. Hučko claims that the language should be relatively easy for non-Slavs to learn as well, as an alternative to languages such as Esperanto which are based more on Latin root words.
Alphabet
Optional characters:Stress appears on the penultimate syllable, counting ai, oi, io, uo etc. as diphthongs.
Grammar
Slovio has a relatively simple grammar based on a mix of Esperanto grammar with Slavic elements. Just like in natural Slavic languages, new words can be formed with a variety of suffixes and prefixes. Most words are identified by their endings, such as adjectives, adverbs, and verbs.Numerals
Fractions can be made by adding -tink to a numeral. ex. dvatink = 1/2, tritink = 1/3, tri piattink = 3/5Ordinal numbers can be made by adding -ju to a numeral. ex. dinju = first, dvaju = second
The names of shapes can also be made by adding -ugolik to a numeral. ex. triugolik = triangle, cxtirugolik = square/rectangle
Pronouns
The 3rd person singular high class pronoun to describes people or high animals with an unknown gender. Svoi is a genitive pronoun that means "my own, your own, his own, their own, etc.".The accusative of the 3rd person singular low class pronoun can optionally be written nam, and the dative nas. Vams functions in the same manner, optionally vam for the accusative and vas for the dative.
Nouns
Nouns have no special endings or declensions. Nouns can however be made plural, indicate subject or object, or describe direction.Nouns can be made plural by adding -s. ex. okno – oknos. If the noun ends in a or a consonant, suffix -is is added, e.g. dom domis. This suffix can optionally be left out if the noun dealt with is clearly a plural.
Optionally, to make a noun genitive, the suffix -f is added. If the noun is plural, then it becomes -fs.
Nouns are not changed if a preposition precedes them.
Adjectives
Adjectives normally end in -ju. ex. dobrju, velju, silaju. If the word ends in ia or ie then it replaces it. ex. galaktia – galaktju, morie – morju. Adjectives can also end in -sk if pronunciation with -ju would be difficult to pronounce or if it is unclear whether it is an adjective or adverb.If an adjective is slight, then add -just to the adjective. ex. zxoltju – zxoltjust. This suffix is somewhat equivalent to English "-ish". The prefixes mal- or slab- can also be used in the same manner. ex. slabbelju.
Opposites of adjectives can be formed with the prefix bez-. ex. bezdobrju ; opasju – bezopasju.
Comparatives and superlatives
To make an adjective more, precede it with plus or bolsx or add -jusx. ex plus velju, bolsx velju, veljusx ; mlodju – plus mlodju ; Ti es krasjusx cxem ja.. To make it less, precede it with mensx or minus. ex mensz velju, minus velju. To make it the most, precede it with maks or nai-. ex. maks velju, naivelju ; maks mlodju. To make it the least, precede it with min or naimensx. ex. min velju, naimensx velju ; min mlodju, naimensx mlodju.
Adjective participles.
To make adjective participles, either the active adjective participles -bsju for future, -tsju for present, -lsju for past, or the passive adjective participles -bju for future, tju for present, lju for past.
To make an adjective an active verb, add -juvit to the root. The -t can be changed to change its tense. dobrjuvit, veljuvit. To make it a passive verb, add -juvsit to the root. dobrjuvsit, veljuvsit.
Adjectives do not have a plural form.
Verbs
Slovio verbs can have various endings. To create the infinitive and present, add -vit if the root ends in an o, -it if it ends in a consonant, and -t and optionally -vit if it ends in a, e, i, or u.Other conjugations can be derived from the infinitive by replacing -t with the ending which corresponds to whichever tense is needed. Replace it with -b for future, -l for past, and -lbi conditional, and -j for imperative. The exceptions to this rule are es, mozx, hce dolzx, and dolzxbi. Es is replaced by the other helping verbs to change its tense, mozx, dolzx, and dolzxbi are preceded by the helping verbs to change tense, and hce is simply a variant of hotit.
The helping verbs are bu, es, bil, and bi.
To make the verb show duration or repetition, add -va- between the root and the tense suffix. This affix is somewhat like English "used to" in past tense. ex. Ja cxudovil – Ja cxudovavil. To make it show completion, add the prefix zu-.
To make a verb into a noun which is the action or activity of the verb, add -nie, -ie, -cia, or -ba. These suffixes are used similarly to English "-ment". ex. vidit – videnie, viditie ; razvit – razvitie, razvenie, sluzxit, sluzxba.
To make the verb an adjective with possibility, add -mozxju or -mju. ex. vidit – vidimozxju or vidimju, mozg-cxistit mozg-cxistimju. To make it an adverb with possibility, add -mozxuo or -muo. ex. vidimozxuo or vidimuo. To make it a noun with possibility, add -mozxost or -most. ex. vidimozxost or vidimost. These suffixes are similar to English "-able".
To make it an adjective with necessity, add -nuzxju. ex. vidit – vidinuzxju. To make it an adverb with necessity, add -nuzxuo. ex. vidinuzxuo. To make it a noun with necessity, add -nuzxost. ex. vidinuzxost. These suffixes are similar to English "needs to be".
To make it an adjective with obligation, add -dolzxju. ex. vidit – vididolzxju. To make it an adverb with obligation, add -dolzxuo. ex. vididolzxuo. To make it a noun with necessity, add -dolzxost. ex. vididolzxost.
Adverbs
Adverbs normally end in -uo. ex. dobruo, bistruo. They can also end in -sk if pronunciation with -uo is difficult or it is unclear whether it is an adverb or adjective.Opposites of adverbs can be formed with the prefix bez-. ex. opasuo, bezopasuo.
Comparatives and superlatives
To make an adverb more, precede it with plus or bolsx or add -ue. ex. plus bistruo, bolsx bistruo, bistrue ; plus dobruo, bolsx dobruo, dobrue. To make it less, precede it with mensx or minus. ex mensx bistruo, minus bistruo ; mensx dobruo, minus dobruo. To make it the most, precede it with maks or nai-. ex. maks bistruo, naibistruo ; maks dobruo, naidobruo. To make it the least, precede it with min or naimensx. ex. min velju, naimensx velju ; min mlodju, naimensx mlodju ; min dobruo, naimensx dobruo''.
Word order
The usual word order for Slovio is "subject, verb, object". ex. Mlodic lubil mlodica.. If the subject and object are to be switched, -f is added to the object. ex. "Mlodicaf lubil mlodic.". If the object is plural, the ending is changed to -fs. This ending can also emphasize direction:Peter sidijt na stul.
Peter sidijt na stuluf.
Peter idijt v sxkol.
Peter idijt v sxkoluf.
Peter idijt na gora.
Peter idijt na goraf.
Peter sberijt gribis v les.
Peter bu idit sberit gribis v lesuf.
Adjectives usually come before the noun, but can also come after. ex. dobrju mlodic = mlodic dobrju.
Sample text
Mark 16.1 – 8:Latin
Posle Sabat koncil, Maria Magdalena i Maria, Jakubvoi i Salomavoi mama, kupili pikantis, abi mozxili jeg namazat. I velm ranuo, om pervju den siemdenuf, posle sunce visxil, oni idili ko grobuf. I oni skazali drug druguf, "Kto bu ottiskit tot kamen pred vhod grobuf dla nams?". Pogledits, oni vidili zxe kamen bil ottiskilju – to bil velm velju kamen. Vstupits vo grobuf oni vidili mlodju muzx, siditsju na pravju storon, odevilju vo belju toga, i oni bili trevogilju. On onif skazal, " Ne bu trevogju. Vi iskate Jesus iz Nazaret, ktor bil ukrestilju. On visxil; on ne es tugde. Vidijte mesto gde jeg kladili. Idijte i skazajte jeg priverzxnikis i Peter zxe on bu idit pred vams vo Galileaf. Tamgde vi jeg bu naidit, takak on vams skazal." I oni izhodili i otbegili ot grob ibo oni bili hvatilju ot trepetenie i udiv, i oni skazali nisxto niktof, ibo oni boiali.
Cyrillic
После Сабат концил, Мариа Магдалена и Мариа, Якубвои и Саломавои мама, купили пикантис, аби можили йег намазат. И велм рануо, ом первю ден сиемденуф, после сунце вишил, они сказали друг другуф, "Кто бу оттискит тот камен пред вход гробуф дла намс?”. Погледитс, они видили же камен бил оттискилю – то бил велм велю камен. Вступитс во гробуф они видили млодю муж, сидитсю на правю сторон, одевилю во белю тога, и они били тревогилю. Он ониф сказал, “ Не бу тревогю. Ви искате Йесус из Назарет, ктор бил укрестилю. Он вишил; он не ес тугде. Видийте место где йег кладили. Идийте и сказайте йег привержникис и Петер же он бу идит пред вамс во Галилеаф. Тамгде ви йег бу наидит, такак он вамс сказал". И они изходили и отбегили от гроб ибо они били хватилю от трепетение и удив, и они сказали ништо никтоф, ибо они боиали.