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17

Lojban Through Dialogues

Lesson 17. Where Do You Live?

Lifri invites Mentu to visit her city. He's keen — but first he wants to know how close everything is.

LojbanEnglish
la lifri
la lifri
.e'u do klama le zdani be mi
Come to my home!
la mentu
la mentu
.ui .i do xabju ma
Great — where do you live?
la lifri
la lifri
mi xabju lo barda tcadu
I live in a big city.
la mentu
la mentu
xu le tcadu cu darno
Is the city far?
la lifri
la lifri
go'i .i ku'i le panka cu jibni le zdani be mi
Yes. But the park is near my home.
la mentu
la mentu
le zdani be mi cu cmalu .i mi xabju lo cmalu tcadu
My home is small. I live in a small city.
la lifri
la lifri
le zdani be mi cu barda .i .e'u do klama
My home is big. Come!
la mentu
la mentu
mi ba klama .i mi birti
I'll come — I'm certain!

New words

LojbanMeaning
xabjux₁ inhabits / lives in x₂
tcaducity
bardabig, large
cmalusmall
jibnix₁ is near x₂ — le panka cu jibni le zdani be mi = "the park is near my home"
darnox₁ is far from x₂
detydeicalendar day — ma detydei = "what day?"

Grammar note:

When two predicate words appear side by side — barda tcadu — the left one modifies the right. This is called a tanru (compound predicate). barda tcadu = "big city." lo barda tcadu = "a big city." The right-hand word is always the head.

jibni and darno can each take a second sumti specifying what they're near or far from: le panka cu jibni le zdani be mi = "the park is near my home." Without x₂, the reference point stays implicit: le panka cu jibni = "the park is near."

Practice dialogue

Linto and Mentu compare notes on their cities.

LojbanEnglish
la linto
la linto
do xabju ma
Where do you live?
la mentu
la mentu
mi xabju lo barda tcadu
I live in a big city.
la linto
la linto
xu le tcadu cu darno
Is the city far?
la mentu
la mentu
go'i .i ku'i le panka cu jibni
Yes. But the park is near.
la linto
la linto
xu le zdani be do cu barda
Is your home big?
la mentu
la mentu
na go'i .i le zdani be mi cu cmalu
No. My home is small.
la linto
la linto
le zdani be mi cu barda .i mi nelci lo barda zdani
My home is big. I like big homes.
la mentu
la mentu
.ui
Nice!

Anticipation prompts

PromptLojban
Where do you live?do xabju ma
I live in a big city.mi xabju lo barda tcadu
My home is small.le zdani be mi cu cmalu
The park is near.le panka cu jibni
The city is far.le tcadu cu darno
Come to my home!.e'u do klama le zdani be mi

Spaced recall — Lessons 14–16

LojbanEnglish
ca ro jeftu mi ba klama le pankaEvery week I'll go to the park.
xu do se panziDo you have children?
le speni be mi cu glekiMy spouse is happy.
le tixnu be mi cu zvati le zdaniMy daughter is at home.
mi se panzi le pa nanla .e le pa nixliI have a boy and a girl.
le bersa be mi cu nanlaMy son is a boy.
le mensi be mi cu nixliMy sister is a girl.
le bruna be mi cu glekiMy brother is happy.
do se panzi xo daHow many children do you have?
ma detma'iWhat month?

Challenge

PromptLojban
My big family lives in a small home. The park is near. The city is far.le barda lanzu be mi cu xabju lo cmalu zdani .i le panka cu jibni .i le tcadu cu darno