Introduction to Sambahsa-3: Lesson 8

Ses, i.e. to be in Sambahsa, has a special past tense to express long duration states (like used to be or was/were being in English). It is formed on ee (IPA ’eə) + the present tense endings. So, it used to be is id eet = ee + t in Sambahsa.

You remember that there is ter in Sambahsa; however, in most cases, to say there is/are, the ter is dropped, especially if the verb is the first word in the sentence.

Let’s say There were an (entrance) hall and a small basement (cellar) in Joseph’s house.. In Sambahsa, small entrance hall is vestibule (IPA vest’ibyl); remember that the final -ule of Sambahsa words is never stressed. small is smulk and basement (cellar) is kellar (IPA kel’lar). Don’t forget the agreement between the verb at the beginning of the sentence and the two subjects in the sentence.

?There were a hall and a small basement in Joseph’s house.|Eent un vestibule ed un smulk kellar in Josephs dom.

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