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16

Lojban Through Dialogues

Lesson 16. Son, Daughter, Siblings

More about family — sons, daughters, brothers, sisters. The be pattern from Lesson 15 keeps working the same way.

LojbanEnglish
la mentu
la mentu
le bersa be mi cu gleki
My son is happy.
la mentu
la mentu
le tixnu be mi cu zvati le zdani
My daughter is at home.
la mentu
la mentu
mi se panzi le pa nanla .e le pa nixli
I have a boy and a girl.
la lifri
la lifri
xu do se bruna
Do you have a brother?
la mentu
la mentu
go'i .i le bruna be mi cu gleki
Yes. My brother is happy.
la lifri
la lifri
xu do se mensi
Do you have a sister?
la mentu
la mentu
na go'i
No.

New words

LojbanMeaning
bersax₁ is the son of x₂
tixnux₁ is the daughter of x₂
brunax₁ is the brother of x₂ — se bruna = "to have a brother"
mensix₁ is the sister of x₂ — se mensi = "to have a sister"
nanlaboy
nixligirl

Grammar note:

be continues to link possessed items: le bersa be mi = "the son of me" = "my son." le pa nanla = "the one boy" — a number can go between le and the predicate to specify quantity. For siblings: since bruna = "x₁ is brother of x₂," you ask xu do se bruna = "do you have a brother?" (literally "is there a brother of you?").

Practice dialogue

Linto chimes in with questions — and Mentu shares a detail about his daughter.

LojbanEnglish
la linto
la linto
xu le bersa be do cu gleki
Is your son happy?
la mentu
la mentu
go'i .i le bersa be mi cu gleki
Yes. My son is happy.
la linto
la linto
xu le tixnu be do cu zvati le zdani
Is your daughter at home?
la mentu
la mentu
na go'i .i le tixnu be mi cu zvati le panka
No. My daughter is at the park.
la linto
la linto
.ui .i xu le tixnu be do cu klama le panka ca ro jeftu
Oh — does your daughter go to the park every week?
la mentu
la mentu
go'i .i le lanzu be mi cu nelci le panka
Yes. My family likes the park.

Anticipation prompts

PromptLojban
My son is happy.le bersa be mi cu gleki
My daughter is at home.le tixnu be mi cu zvati le zdani
I have a boy and a girl.mi se panzi le pa nanla .e le pa nixli
Do you have a brother?xu do se bruna
Is your son happy?xu le bersa be do cu gleki

Spaced recall — Lessons 13–15

LojbanEnglish
.ai mi te vecnu lo titnanba .e lo jisraI'm going to buy cookies and juice.
ca ro jeftu mi klama le pankaEvery week I go to the park.
xu do se panziDo you have children?
le speni be mi cu glekiMy spouse is happy.
do se panzi xo daHow many children do you have?
xu do nelci su'o jdiniDo you like some money?
ca ro djedi mi glekiEvery day I'm happy.
ca ro detma'i mi klamaEvery month I come.

Challenge

PromptLojban
My daughter likes the park. My son wants to go to the shop.le tixnu be mi cu nelci le panka .i le bersa be mi cu .au klama lo zarci