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Sentence Structure

Basic Structure

The basic structure of an English sentence follows the Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) format.

1. I like coffee
Nuer: Ɣän nhɔakä bun | Amharic: ቡና እወዳለሁ። buna iwedalehu
2. Nyibol did not go to the party
Nuer: nyibol /ke̱nɛ wä ŋar | Amharic: ኒቦል ወደ ግብዣው አልሄደችም። nibol wede gibizhawi ālihēdechimi.
3. Today is Wednesday
Nuer: Ɛn walɛ ɛ cäŋ kä diɔ̱k | Amharic: ዛሬ ረቡዕ ነው። zarē rebu‘ new

Types of Sentences

Sentences can be categorized into four types:

Declarative Sentences

1. The sky is blue.
Nuer: nhial ɛ mi̱ yie̱l .| Amharic: ሰማዩ ሰማያዊ ነው። semayu semayawī newi
2. I enjoy reading books.
Nuer: Ɣän nhɔakä kuën buɔkni.| Amharic: መጽሐፍትን ማንበብ እወዳለሁ። mets’iḥāfitini manibebi iwedalehu
3. They are playing football.
Nuer: Kɛn ŋarkɛ kɛɛ kurɛ . | Amharic: እግር ኳስ እየተጫወቱ ነው። igir kwas iyetech’awetu newi

Interrogative Sentences

1. What time is it?
Nuer: Ɛ thaak di? | Amharic: "ስንጥ ሰአት ነው? sinit’i se’āti new
2. Where are you going?
Nuer: ji̱n wi nikä?| Amharic: ወዴት እየሄድክ ነው፧ wedēti iyehēdiki newi፧
3. what happened to you
Nuer: Ɛŋu mi ci tuɔk kä ji | Amharic: ምን አጋጠመህ ? min āgat’emehi ?

Imperative Sentences

1. Close the door.
Nuer: gäk thi̱i̱k | Amharic: በሩን ዝጋ. berun ziga
2. Please help me.
Nuer: luäk Ɣä| Amharic: እባክህ እርዳኝ. ibakihi iridany
3. Sit down.
Nuer: Nyuur ni piny.| Amharic: ተቀመጡ። tek’emet’u.

Exclamatory Sentences

1. What a beautiful day!
Nuer: Ɛ cäŋ mi gɔaa mi ŋuɛnɛ! | Amharic: እንዴት ያለ ቆንጆ ቀን ነው! inidēti yale k’onijo k’eni newi
2. wow! this is amazing!
Nuer: Wow! nɛmɛ ɛ mi gääy naath!| Amharic: ዋው! ይህ አስደናቂ ነው! wawi! yihi āsidenak’ī newi!
3. I can't believe it!
Nuer: /Cä jɛ dee ŋäth! | Amharic: ማመን አልችልም።! mameni ālichilimi

Complex Sentences

Complex sentences contain one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

1. Although it was raining, we went for a walk.
Nuer: A cäŋɛ mëë tëë kɛ nhiaal, cuakɔ wä ja̱l. | Amharic: ዝናብ ቢዘንብም ለእግር ጉዞ ሄድን። inabi bīzenibimi le’igiri guzo hēdini
2. Because she was tired, she decided to stay home.
Nuer: Kɛ ɣöö cɛ cuuc, cuɛ ca̱r ɛn ɣöö bɛ te cieŋ. | Amharic: ደክሟት ስለነበር ቤቷ ለመቆየት ወሰነች። dekimwat sileneberi bētwa lemek’oyeti wesenech
3. If you study hard, you will pass the exam.
Nuer: Mi ci kuen a bum, bi ɣɔ̱n bäl. | Amharic: ጠንክረህ ከተማርክ ፈተናውን ያልፋል። t’enikirehi ketemarik fetenawini yalifali

Compound Sentences

Compound sentences connect two independent clauses with a conjunction.

1. I wanted to go bathing, but it was too cold.
Nuer: cuä göör ɛn ɣöö bä wä puak, duŋni̱ ɣöö cuɛ kɔ̱äc ɛlɔ̱ŋ | Amharic: መታጠብ ፈልጌ ነበር፣ ግን በጣም ቀዝቃዛ ነበር። metat’ebi feligē neberi, gini bet’ami k’ezik’aza neberi
2. Do you know the man who is talking to Nyɛkɔŋ?
Nuer: ŋäci wut ɛ ruacɔ kɛ Nyɛkɔŋ? | Amharic:ከ Nyɛkɔŋ ጋር የሚያወራውን ሰው ያውቁታል? ke Nyɛkɔŋ gari yemīyawerawini sewi yawik’utali?
3. I will go to school, or I will stay home.
Nuer: Ɣän bä wä duel gɔ̱rä, kiɛ bä te cieŋ.| Amharic: ትምህርት ቤት እሄዳለሁ፣ ወይም እቤት እቆያለሁ። timihiriti bēt ihēdalehu, weyimi ibēt ik’oyalehu.
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