Lizish

Consonant inventory: g͡b h j k k͡p l m n p q s t ʦ. Click IPA symbols for audio.

↓Manner/Place→	Bilabial	Alveolar	Palatal	Velar	Uvular	Glottal
Nasal	m	n
Stop	p	t		k	q
Affricate		ʦ
Fricative		s				h
Approximant			j
Lateral approximant		l

Co-articulated phonemes

↓Manner/Place→	Labial-velar
Stop	k͡p g͡b

Vowel inventory: a e i o u ɔ ɛ

Height	Front	Back
High	i	u
High-mid	e	o
Low-mid	ɛ	ɔ
Low	a
Syllable structure: (C)(C)V(C) ?

Stress pattern: Penultimate — stress is on the second last syllable ?

Spelling rules:

Pronunciation	Spelling
ɛ	e̊
ɔ	aw
j	y
g͡b	gb
k͡p	kp
ʦ	ts

Grammar

Main word order: Subject Object Verb (Prepositional phrase). "Mary opened the door with a key" turns into Mary the door opened with a key.

Adjective order: Adjectives are positioned before the noun.

Adposition: postpositions ?

Nouns

Nouns have three cases:

Nominative is the doer of a verb: dog bites man.
Accusative is the done-to of a verb: man bites dog.
Genitive is the possessor of something: dog's tail hits man.

Case	Forms
Nominative	No affix pyep /pjep/ dog (doing the verb)
Accusative	Suffix -ɔ pyepaw /ˈpjepɔ/ (verb done to) dog
Genitive	If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʦ Else: Suffix -ɛʦ pyepe̊ts /ˈpjepɛʦ/ dogʼs

Gender	Singular	Plural
Masculine	No affix kmap /kmap/ boy	If ends with vowel: Suffix -l Else: Suffix -il kmapil /ˈkmapil/ boys
Feminine	No affix ospe̊ /ˈospɛ/ girl	Suffix -ik͡p ospe̊ikp /osˈpɛik͡p/ girls
Neuter	No affix pyep /pjep/ dog	If ends with vowel: Suffix -ti Else: Suffix -ati pyepati /pjeˈpati/ dogs

Articles

Article	Gbakian
Definite	smawl /smɔl/ the
Indefinite	spaw /spɔ/ a, some
Uses of definite article that differ from English:

Definite article can be omitted: ‘I am going to supermarket'
Used for personal names in third person: ‘The Maria has left for school'
Used for languages: ‘The English'

Uses of indefinite article that differ from English:

Not used for non-specific countable nouns: non-specific means ‘I am looking for a (any) girl in a red dress', whereas specific means ‘I am looking for a (particular) girl in a red dress'

Pronouns

Person	Nominative	Accusative	Genitive
1st singular	spel /spel/ I	lu /lu/ me	sits /siʦ/ mine
2nd singular	pyem /pjem/ you	maws /mɔs/ you	ntiq /ntiq/ yours
3rd singular masc	gbo /g͡bo/ he,	yu /ju/ his,	ye /je/ his,
3rd singular fem	ol /ol/ she,	sye̊ /sjɛ/ her,	ne /ne/ hers,
3rd singular neuter	mu /mu/ it (neut)	ski /ski/ it (neut)	syaws /sjɔs/ its (neut)
1st plural	migb /mig͡b/ we	yots /joʦ/ us	pli /pli/ ours
2nd plural	lya /lja/ you all	yit /jit/ you all	si /si/ yours (pl)
3rd plural masc	li /li/ they (masc)	syawgb /sjɔg͡b/ them (masc)	gbu /g͡bu/ theirs (masc)
3rd plural fem	kme /kme/ they (fem)	e /e/ them (fem)	tsa /ʦa/ theirs (fem)
3rd plural neuter	tse /ʦe/ they (neut)	lum /lum/ them (neut)	tsi /ʦi/ theirs (neut)

Possessive determiners

Person	Possessive
1st singular	sits /siʦ/ my
2nd singular	ntiq /ntiq/ your
3rd singular masc	yu /ju/ his
3rd singular fem	ne /ne/ her
3rd singular neuter	syaws /sjɔs/ his, her, its (neut)
1st plural	pli /pli/ our
2nd plural	si /si/ your (pl)
3rd plural masc	gbu /g͡bu/ their (masc)
3rd plural fem	tsa /ʦa/ their (fem)
3rd plural neuter	tsi /ʦi/ their (neut)

Verbs

1st person

Tense	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Present	Suffix -a upmaa /upˈmaa/ (I (masc)/we (masc)) learn	If ends with vowel: Suffix -mo Else: Suffix -amo upmamo /upˈmamo/ (I (fem)/we (fem)) learn	Suffix -ɛg͡b upmae̊gb /upˈmaɛg͡b/ (I (neut)/we (neut)) learn
Past	If ends with vowel: Suffix -k͡p Else: Suffix -ɛk͡p upmakp /ˈupmak͡p/ (I (masc)/we (masc)) learned	Suffix -ɔk͡p upmaawkp /upˈmaɔk͡p/ (I (fem)/we (fem)) learned	If ends with vowel: Suffix -llu Else: Suffix -allu upmallu /upˈmallu/ (I (neut)/we (neut)) learned

2nd person

Tense	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Present	If ends with vowel: Suffix -q Else: Suffix -ɛq upmaq /ˈupmaq/ (you (masc)/you all (masc)) learn	If ends with vowel: Suffix -l Else: Suffix -ɔl upmal /ˈupmal/ (you (fem)/you all (fem)) learn	If ends with vowel: Suffix -n Else: Suffix -in upman /ˈupman/ (you (neut)/you all (neut)) learn
Past	Suffix -e upmae /upˈmae/ (you (masc)/you all (masc)) learned	Suffix -el upmael /upˈmael/ (you (fem)/you all (fem)) learned	If ends with vowel: Suffix -p Else: Suffix -ap upmap /ˈupmap/ (you (neut)/you all (neut)) learned

3rd person

Tense	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Present	Suffix -ig͡b upmaigb /upˈmaig͡b/ (he/they (masc)) learn(s)	If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʦ Else: Suffix -oʦ upmats /ˈupmaʦ/ (she/they (fem)) learn(s)	If ends with vowel: Suffix -t Else: Suffix -ut upmat /ˈupmat/ (it (neut)/they (neut)) learn(s)
Past	If ends with vowel: Suffix -nhi Else: Suffix -ɛnhi upmanhi /upˈmanhi/ (he/they (masc)) learned	If ends with vowel: Suffix -k Else: Suffix -ɛk upmak /ˈupmak/ (she/they (fem)) learned	Suffix -ɛl upmae̊l /upˈmaɛl/ (it (neut)/they (neut)) learned

Gbakian uses a standalone particle word for future tense:

Tense	Construction
Future	Particle before the verb: o - o upma /o ˈupma/ will learn

Numbers

Gbakian has a base-10 number system:

1 - mawk

2 - e̊

3 - syaw

4 - on

5 - qop

6 - syek

7 - ska

8 - spim

9 - ntois

10 - gbatsinyas

11 - nawt

12 - tse̊t

13 - me̊

14 - yaw

15 - yome̊

16 - ntawkp

17 - ki

18 - mots

19 - smu

20 - syepmepe

100 - hye̊m

1000 - negb

Derivational morphology

Adjective → adverb = Suffix -ɔ

Adjective → noun (the quality of being [adj]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -m

Else: Suffix -om

Adjective → verb (to make something [adj]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʦ

Else: Suffix -iʦ

Noun → adjective (having the quality of [noun]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -l

Else: Suffix -ul

Noun → adjective relating to noun (e.g. economy → economic) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -k

Else: Suffix -ek

Noun to verb = Suffix -i

Verb → adjective (result of doing [verb]) = Suffix -o

Tending to = Suffix -oʦ

Verb → noun (the act of [verb]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -p

Else: Suffix -up

Verb → noun that verb produces (e.g. know → knowledge) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -mpa

Else: Suffix -umpa

One who [verb]s (e.g. paint → painter) = Suffix -up

Place of (e.g. wine → winery) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -g͡b

Else: Suffix -ig͡b

Diminutive = If ends with vowel: Suffix -k

Else: Suffix -ok

Augmentative = Suffix -o

Gbakian - English Dictionary

Key: spelling /pronunciation/ part of speech. definition(s)

a /a/ prep. like
an /an/ prep. for (a period of time or length of distance)
attsalpa /atˈʦalpa/ nf. empire
awnpa /ˈɔnpa/ nnt. band (musical group)
awts smal /ɔʦ smal/ nf. branch (tree part)
ek /ek/ det. no
e̊kp /ɛk͡p/ v. catch, capture, seize, grab
emup /ˈemup/ nm. runner
eye /ˈeje/ nm. resource
gbatsinyas /g͡batˈsinjas/ num. ten
gbe /g͡be/ prep. on
gbets /g͡beʦ/ nf. arrow (weapon), arrow (sign)
gbipul /ˈg͡bipul/ adj. successful
gbiyawnul /g͡biˈjɔnul/ adj. fashionable
gbot nogb /g͡bot nog͡b/ nm. lipstick
gbumi /ˈg͡bumi/ adj. lucky
hyal /hjal/ adv. together
hyawnots /ˈhjɔnoʦ/ adj. careful
hye̊ntits /ˈhjɛntiʦ/ nf. weapon
hyit /hjit/ nf. rate, grade
hyotya /ˈhjotja/ nf. center, core, nucleus, hub (center of activity)
ia /ˈia/ nm. crime, felony
il /il/ v. argue
is /is/ nf. bed
ityaw /ˈitjɔ/ v. feel (sense by touch), feel (examine by touch)
kal /kal/ nf. stem
kamup /ˈkamup/ nnt. experience
kat /kat/ v. achieve, accomplish, work (have desired result)
kawgbu /ˈkɔg͡bu/ nnt. flour
kawntenhugb /kɔnˈtenhug͡b/ nm. manner
kehyawm /ˈkehjɔm/ adv. therefore, thus
ke̊na /ˈkɛna/ v. reach
ke̊t /kɛt/ nf. trouble, problem
ke̊ytep /ˈkɛjtep/ nm. permission
kimpanpaws /kimˈpanpɔs/ v. call (refer to by ), name
kiqetsis /kiˈqeʦis/ adj. naked, nude
kiyas /ˈkijas/ nm. cat
kma /kma/ v. call (cry out)
kmawli /ˈkmɔli/ nm. feather, pen, pencil
kme̊nma /ˈkmɛnma/ nf. project
kmimpa /ˈkmimpa/ nm. certificate
kmom /kmom/ v. shift, vary
kmus /kmus/ nnt. thing, stuff, item
kon /kon/ nf. eyelash
kotskol /ˈkoʦkol/ adj. warm
kpas /k͡pas/ nnt. garden, orchard
kpawq /k͡pɔq/ nnt. bow (weapon)
kpe̊n /k͡pɛn/ nnt. minute
kpe̊spats /ˈk͡pɛspaʦ/ nnt. cost
kpihiqu /k͡piˈhiqu/ adj. excellent, fantastic, wonderful, fabulous, terrific, superb
kpit /k͡pit/ v. touch, feel (sense by touch)
kpoq /k͡poq/ adj. last (previous), previous
kputs /k͡puʦ/ v. blow
kukp /kuk͡p/ nf. offer
kuts /kuʦ/ adj. private
lan /lan/ adj. fine (okay)
lawk /lɔk/ nm. stump, log
lawq /lɔq/ adv. sometimes
lelsin /ˈlelsin/ prep. per, for each
le̊t /lɛt/ nnt. rumor, scandal
likp /lik͡p/ nm. roof
lintu /ˈlintu/ nf. day, date
litnut /ˈlitnut/ nnt. crack
lolyumpa /loˈljumpa/ nf. drawing
lot /lot/ v. shop
luk /luk/ v. help, assist, serve, cater, relieve, treat
lukup /ˈlukup/ nm. help
luqumul /luˈqumul/ v. sail, cruise, navigate
lya /lja/ pron. you all
lyawk /ljɔk/ nf. head
lye̊p /ljɛp/ nf. comfort
lyilup /ˈljilup/ nf. recognition
lyitsaw muse̊ /ˈljitsɔ ˈmusɛ/ nm. footprint
lyosom /ˈljosom/ nnt. happiness
lyumli pyuk /ˈljumli pjuk/ v. approach
mak /mak/ adj. other, spare
mamot /ˈmamot/ nnt. animal
maqillo /maˈqillo/ v. kiss
mawhlawq /ˈmɔhlɔq/ nf. shark
mawn /mɔn/ v. carry
mawts /mɔʦ/ nnt. tax
mekp /mek͡p/ v. warn, alert
mem /mem/ nnt. eye, eyeball
mempits /ˈmempiʦ/ v. bore
menti /ˈmenti/ v. ban, prohibit
me̊s /mɛs/ nnt. pillow
me̊yolse̊ /mɛˈjolsɛ/ v. drift
mikat /ˈmikat/ nf. doctor
mintitom /minˈtitom/ nnt. limit
mittsop /ˈmitʦop/ nm. repetition
momawn /ˈmomɔn/ nf. market
moq /moq/ prep. including
mu /mu/ v. can
mun /mun/ prep. during
mutko /ˈmutko/ v. face, confront
nam /nam/ nf. fight
nats /naʦ/ adj. available
ne /ne/ conj. or, either
ne̊mi /ˈnɛmi/ v. accompany
nikpek /ˈnik͡pek/ adj. oral
nit /nit/ v. cause, induce, provoke
non /non/ nm. course (direction of travel), tour
ntannaw /ˈntannɔ/ adj. white, clear, transparent
ntawktsi /ˈntɔkʦi/ nf. web
nte̊k /ntɛk/ nm. way, style, route
ntep /ntep/ nnt. series
ntim /ntim/ nf. spell (of magic)
ntok /ntok/ nm. trousers, pants
ntots /ntoʦ/ nm. wrist, ankle
ntutimaw /ntuˈtimɔ/ adv. simply
nukp /nuk͡p/ nm. rake
ol /ol/ pron. she,
os /os/ nnt. climate, temperature
oyi /ˈoji/ nm. back (of body), back (reverse side)
plap /plap/ adj. poor
plaws /plɔs/ nm. vision
ples /ples/ nm. nail
pliktsakup /plikˈʦakup/ nnt. scientist
plo /plo/ v. remember, recognize
plop /plop/ nf. memory
plunup /ˈplunup/ nf. farmer
pyats /pjaʦ/ nf. shadow
pyawt /pjɔt/ v. float, hover
pyep /pjep/ nnt. dog
pyi /pji/ nnt. human
pyogba /ˈpjog͡ba/ nnt. bit
pyoshes /ˈpjoshes/ adv. later
qam /qam/ prep. among
qatso /ˈqaʦo/ nf. engine, motor
qawkom /ˈqɔkom/ nm. subtlety
qawt /qɔt/ nnt. cheese
qek /qek/ adj. big, great (very large), huge
qekpeq /ˈqek͡peq/ nnt. hair (of head), hair (of body)
qenmaw /ˈqenmɔ/ nm. powder
qeup /ˈqeup/ nf. driver
qintawkpus pliktsak /qinˈtɔk͡pus ˈplikʦak/ nnt. geography
qitsluq /ˈqiʦluq/ nf. vocabulary
qu /qu/ adj. early
qup /qup/ conj. although, though
sammawm /ˈsammɔm/ nm. beauty
sawm /sɔm/ nnt. family (related by blood)
se̊el /ˈsɛel/ nm. power
se̊msawp /ˈsɛmsɔp/ nm. pressure
sigbi /ˈsig͡bi/ nf. acid
sinnaw /ˈsinnɔ/ nm. hospital, ward
sit /sit/ adv. actually
skak /skak/ v. smell (sense with nose)
skawmhu /ˈskɔmhu/ v. identify, point out
skek /skek/ pron. nothing
ski /ski/ nf. week
sko /sko/ pron. what
skotaw /ˈskotɔ/ adv. certainly
skupsa /ˈskupsa/ nf. university
smatul /ˈsmatul/ adj. confident
smawtsoaw /smɔˈʦoɔ/ adv. finally
sme̊m pliktsakup /smɛm plikˈʦakup/ nm. psychologist
smi /smi/ nnt. room (of house)
smiq /smiq/ v. rise
smomup /ˈsmomup/ nm. warrior
smuq /smuq/ nm. cabinet, drawer
spa /spa/ v. steal, rob
spataw /ˈspatɔ/ nnt. dish, plate, platter
spawyi /ˈspɔji/ nnt. match (for fire)
spe̊nse̊n /ˈspɛnsɛn/ nnt. goal (objective)
spitya /ˈspitja/ nf. hammer
spop /spop/ nm. skin, crust, leather
spus /spus/ v. debate, negotiate
sul /sul/ nf. page
sya /sja/ v. seem, appear, manifest
syawgb /sjɔg͡b/ pron. them (masc)
syayse /ˈsjajse/ v. hate
sye̊lek /ˈsjɛlek/ adj. natural
syep /sjep/ v. chase
sye̊tsu /ˈsjɛʦu/ v. smash, shatter
syits /sjiʦ/ v. sneeze
syoye /ˈsjoje/ nm. accent (of language), dialect
syuk /sjuk/ v. like
tmal /tmal/ nm. blade, razor
tmanto /ˈtmanto/ v. serve, provide, cater
tmawkp /tmɔk͡p/ nnt. saliva
tmen /tmen/ v. hit, beat (strike), collide
tme̊ts /tmɛʦ/ nf. advice
tmikup /ˈtmikup/ nm. election
tmisup /ˈtmisup/ nnt. vendor
tmukup /ˈtmukup/ nf. hearing
tsakpo /ˈʦak͡po/ v. turn on
tsat /ʦat/ nf. bathroom
tsawnha tmats /ˈʦɔnha tmaʦ/ nf. river
tse̊gb lintu /ʦɛg͡b ˈlintu/ nf. yesterday
tsento /ˈʦento/ nnt. cart, wagon
tseyit /ˈʦejit/ nm. economy
tshaq /ʦhaq/ v. record
tshawthe̊n /ˈʦhɔthɛn/ nm. drug, medicine
tshi /ʦhi/ adj. fat, broad
tshimtsaup /ʦhimˈʦaup/ nm. dancer
tshu qem /ʦhu qem/ nm. lower class
tsi /ʦi/ det. their (neut)
tsitup /ˈʦitup/ nf. emphasis
tsonom /ˈʦonom/ nf. height
tsukawt /ˈʦukɔt/ v. exist
uke̊l /ˈukɛl/ nnt. word, phrase
upma /ˈupma/ v. study, learn
yak /jak/ v. drink, sip
yamhilup /jamˈhilup/ nm. container
yas /jas/ v. improve, enhance, refine
yawkp /jɔk͡p/ prep. in, within
yawtyaq /ˈjɔtjaq/ v. drag, draw
ye̊kute /jɛˈkute/ nm. doll, puppet
ye̊msa /ˈjɛmsa/ adj. regular
ye̊p /jɛp/ v. spell
yi /ji/ nm. will
yilu /ˈjilu/ adj. stable, steady, calm
yo /jo/ v. work (toil)
yopmo /ˈjopmo/ v. swallow, absorb
yugb /jug͡b/ v. fail
yuq /juq/ nm. boyfriend