SAMBAHSA EXERCISES

Before beginning these exercises, be sure to fully master the SPT (Sambahsa
Phonetic Transcription) in 1-1 of the Grammar. All Sambahsa texts will be
transcribed into SPT so that you can exercise your pronounciation of this auxlang. If
you are in a situation where you cannot speak aloud (ex: train, bus), you can replace
your reading of Sambahsa by your tentative transcription of the exercise sentences
into SPT.

1st Exercise : Pronounciation (read Section 1 of the Grammar before making this
exercise)

Pronounce the following Sambahsa sentences:

1- Gwahnt id theatre : they go to the theatre

2- Quando has tu likwn id restaurant ? : when did you leave the restaurant ?
3- Yaghskwo forels : I want to catch some trout
4- Sei prefers gwahe id Rusk Ballett hoyd, gwahms cras id kino : If you prefer
going to the Russian Ballet today, we’ll go to the (cinema) theatre tomorrow.
5- Is baht franceois difficil-ye, bet meg suapretet id : He speaks French with
difficulty, but understands it very well
6- Is hat bright un douzen oiven : He has brought a dozen eggs
7- Quer has tu gnahn ? : Where were you born ?
8- Volo construge her un garage : I want to build a garage here

2nd Exercise : Pronouns & Declension (read Section 2 of the Grammar)

Put the missing pronouns into the sentences in Sambahsa :

1- .. statue vidmos face nos est ... .. Atatürk : The statue we see in front of us is
the one (that) of Atatürk.
2- .. wir hat gwohmto do .. dukan con ... pwarn : The man has come into the
shop with the boy.
3- Ho gwohmt ex France kay vide ... fiancee …. mater hat trohven pro .. : I have
come from France to see the fiancée my mother has found for me.
4- . nowngmins eebringhe extos ... products kay pehrne .. urbi tris ye hevd : The
peasants used to bring from outside their produce to sell it downtown thrice a
week
5- .. volt od .. kwehrte .. hoyd : He wants that you do that today
3rd Exercise : Conjugation (read section 3 of the Grammar):

Conjugate the verbal stems :

1- Quetos (gwehm) tu ? (Gwehm) ex Paris, ex id Latin quartier : Where do you

come from ? I come from Paris, from the Quartier Latin.
2- Ne (habe) id wakt os (kaup) un swadglehdj : We don’t have the time to buy an
ice-cream
3- Ghes (ses) sieug bet hoyd (leit) wal : Yesterday we were sick but today we’re
fine.
4- Tu (ghang) in id medio ios strad, (kleuster) tien walkman : You walked on the
street, listening to your walkman.
5- (Repeteih) ielg lection kay ne (myehrs) : I repeat each lesson in order not to
forget.
6- Pon id weir ia (weik) in America : Since the war she has lived in America
7- Io ne (woid) quetro (gwah) : I don’t know where they go
8- Tiel pos Mund Weir Dwo, Nederland (xeih) riche colonias, hassa in Sudeust
Asia, con qua id (torgue) : Until after WWII, the Netherlands possessed rich
colonies, with which they traded.

4th Exercise : Past participles (this exercises focuses more especially on 3-2-1 and
-2)

Conjugate the verbal stems :

1- Ho (rhalt) de te ed me has (dreugh) : I have been mistaken about you and you
have deceived me.
2- Yu habte (arrive) dom ye midnoct : You’ve come home at midnight.
3- Has tu (leus) alyo bril ep id meithel : Have you lost some other glasses on the
main square ?
4- Quod orbat has tu (kwehr) ? : Which work have you done ?
5- Has tu (vid) tod film ? : Have you seen that movie ?

5th Exercise : Numbers (section 4-6)

Write in letters the numbers :

1- Wehst in Portstrad, adadh 17, ye id 8im etage, 2t levter dwer : He is located

on Port Street, number 17, on the 8th floor, second door on the left
2- Tod hammam est ghyant pon 9 saat tiel id vesper : This hammam is open
from 9 o’clock until the evening.
3- Ho ja kalt iom ...., bet is refusit gwehme in : I’ve already called him twice, but
he refused to come in.
4- Ia est 15at : She’s 15.
Solutions:

1st Exercise : Pronounciation:

1) Gwahnt id theatre : [gwa:nt id §ëAtrë]

“th” must be pronounced [§] but turns to [t] when it stands before or after a
sibillant.

2) Quando has tu likwn id restaurant ? : [kwAndo has tu lIkun id rëstaorAnt]

As a consonant, “w” is like a short unstressed [u]. “au” is always [Ao] except “eau”
which is [o:]

3) Yaghskwo forels : [yAgskwo forEls]

Words in “oCel” are stressed on the “e”. Examples: hotel, colonel, personel...

4) Sei prefers gwahe id Rusk Ballett hoyd, gwahms cras id kino : [sey prëfErs
gwa: id rusk balEt hoyd, gwa:ms kras id kIno]

“prefers” is stressed on “fers” because “pre” is a prefix, which can never be

stressed. The double “t” of “ballett” indicates that the stress must fall on the vowel
before.

5) Is baht franceois difficil-ye, bet meg suapretet id : [is ba:t frantsëOys difItsil-ye,
bet meg swaprEtët id]

Some sounds can be unpronounced before they would be nearly unnoticed if they
were. “c” is [ts] before e, i or y. A final “il” is unstressed.

6) Is hat bright un douzen oiven : [is hat brigd un dU:dzën Oyvën]

The “t” of “bright” ought to be pronounced [d] because of the “gh” before. “z” is
always [dz] and “ou” is always [u:].

7) Quer has tu gnahn ? : [ker has tu nya:n]

“qu” is [k] before e, i and y. “gn” is always [ny]

8) Volo construge her un garage : [vOlo konstrÜdj her un garAdj]

« u » is pronounced [ü] if one of the two following letters of the word is « e ». “g” is
pronounced [dj] before e, i and y.
2nd Exercise : Pronouns & Declension

1- Id statue vidmos face nos est tod os Atatürk : The statue is neutral while “os”
agrees with Atatürk.

2- Is wir hat gwohmto do id dukan con iom pwarn : The man and the boy are
masculine. The preposition “con” triggers, like all other prepositions, the
accusative. “Dukan” is neutral.

3- Ho gwohmt ex France kay vide iam fiancee mien(a) mater hat trohven pro
me : “iam” is the feminine singular accusative. Likewise, “me” is at the
accusative. “Mien” is “my”, and can be added the ending of the euphonic
vocalisation (here, “a” = feminine singular nominative)

4- I nowngmins eebringhe extos ir(a) products kay pehrne ia urbi tris ye hevd :
The peasants can be both masculine and feminine; therefore “i” (plural
undetermined). “Their” is “ir”. Beware that “products” is a plural in Sambahsa;
hence use “them” = “ia”.

5- Is volt od yu kwehrte to hoyd : “He” is “is”. The ending of “kwehrte” shows that
the “plural of courtesy” is used. Then use “yu”. “To” is the general neutral
prnoun, referring to a whole situation, not to a precise thing.

Exercise 2 bis : Pronounce (or write in SPT) the sentences above.

3rd Exercise : Conjugation

1- Quetos gwehms tu ? Gwehmo ex Paris, ex id Latin quartier.

2- Ne habmos/hams id wakt os kaupe un swadglehdj.
3- Ghes eem(o)s sieug bet hoyd leitmos wal.
4- Tu ghieng/ghiencst(a) in id medio ios strad, kleusternd(-ye) tien walkman.
5- Repeteihm ielg lection kay ne myehrse.
6- Pon id weir ia weikneut in America :
(The use of the literary durative is here the best way to render the English present
perfect)
7- Io ne woid(im) quetro gwahnt :
(“woid” is irregular; see the Grammar)
8- Tiel pos Mund Weir Dwo, Nederland xih(sit) riche colonias, hassa in Sudeust
Asia, con qua id torguit :
(In Sambahsa, “Nederland” is singular; “torguesit” may be acceptable).

Exercise 3 bis : Pronounce (or write in SPT) the sentences above.

4th Exercise : Past participles :

1- Ho rhalt(en) de te ed me has drught/drughen.

2- Yu habte arrivet/arriven dom ye midnoct.
3- Has tu lust/lusen alyo bril ep id meithel ?
 4- Quod orbat has tu kwohrt/kwohrn ?
5- Has tu vis/viden tod film ?

Exercise 4 bis : Pronounce (or write in SPT) the sentences above.

5th Exercise : Numbers

1- Wehst in Portstrad, adadh septdem, ye id octim etage, dwot levter dwer.

2- Tod hammam est ghyant pon nev saat tiel id vesper.
3- Ho ja kalt iom dwis/dwo kers, bet is refusit gwehme in.
4- Ia est penkdemat.

Exercise 5 bis : Pronounce (or write in SPT) the sentences above.

Exercise 2 bis:

1- Id statue vidmos face nos est tod os Atatürk : [id statÜ : vIdmos fAtsë nos
est_tod os atatÜrk]

2- Is wir hat gwohmto do id dukan con iom pwarn : [is wir hat gwO:mto do id
dukAn kon yom pwarn]

3- Ho gwohmt ex France kay vide iam fiancee mien(a) mater hat trohven pro
me : [ho gwo:mt eks frAntsë kay vid yam fyantsEë myEn(a) mAtër hat trO:vën
pro me]

4- I nowngmins eebringhe extos ir(a) products kay pehrne ia urbi tris ye hevd : [i
nowngmIns eëbrIng Ekstos Ir(a) prodUkts kay pe:rn ya Urbi tris ye hevd]

5- Is volt od yu kwehrte to hoyd : [is volt od yu kwE:rtë to hoyd]

Exercise 3 bis :

1- Quetos gwehms tu ? Gwehmo ex Paris, ex id Latin quartier : [kEtos gwe :ms

tu ? gwE :mo eks parIs, eks id latIn kwartyEr] (Names of persons or places do
not necessarily follow the Sambahsa rules)
2- Ne habmos/hams id wakt os kaupe un swadglehdj : [në hAbmos/hams id wakt
os kAop un swadglE :dj]
3- Ghes eem(o)s sieug bet hoyd leitmos wal : [ges Eëm(o)s syög bet hoyd
lEytmos wal]
4- Tu ghieng/ghiencst(a) in id medio ios strad, kleusternd(-ye) tien walkman : [tu
gyeng/gyEnkst(a) in id mEdyo yos strad, klÖstërnd(-ye) tyen walkmAn]
5- Repeteihm ielg lection kay ne myehrse : [rëpëtE:ym yelg lëktyOn kay në
mye:rs]
6- Pon id weir ia weikneut in America : [pon id weyr ya weyknÖt in amErika]
7- Io ne woid(im) quetro gwahnt : [yo në wOyd(im) kEtro gwa:nt]
 8- Tiel pos Mund Weir Dwo, Nederland xih(sit) riche colonias, hassa in Sudeust
Asia, con qua id torguit : [tyel pos mund weyr dwo, nEdërland ksI:(sit) ritc
kolOnyas, hAsa in südÖst Azya, kon kwa id torgwIt]

Exercise 4 bis :

1- Ho rhalt(en) de te ed me has drught/drughen : [ho rhAlt(ën) dë te ed më has

drugd/drUgën]
2- Yu habte arrivet/arriven dom ye midnoct : [yu habd arrIvd/arrIvën dom ye
midnOkt]
3- Has tu lust/lusen alyo bril ep id meithel ? : [has tu lust/lÜzën Alyo bril ep id
mEy§ël ?]
4- Quod orbat has tu kwohrt/kwohrn ? : [kwod orbAt has tu kwo:rt/kwo:rn ?]
5- Has tu vis/viden tod film ? : [has tu vis/vIzën tod film ?]

Exercise 5 bis:

1- Wehst in Portstrad, adadh septdem, ye id octim etage, dwot levter dwer. :

[we:st in portstrAd, adAd sEpdëm, ye id Oktim etAdj, dwot lEvtër dwer]
5- Tod hammam est ghyant pon nev saat tiel id vesper. : [tod hammAm est gyant
pon nev saAt tyel id vEspër]
6- Ho ja kalt iom dwis/dwo kers, bet is refusit gwehme in : [ho ja kalt yom
dwis/dwo kers, bet is rëfUzit gwe:m in]
7- Ia est penkdemat. : [ya est pënkdëmAt]