Zhuang language Part 9: Syntax (2)

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Imperative sentences

１．Tonal: “vei, nw, ho, bw, ha, balo, lubw, dwk” etc. is added to the end of the sentence to form the imperative.

Mwngz vaiq di naeuz de nyi nw. Tell him immediately.  (Tell him and make him   listen)  あなたは早く彼に言って聞かせてあげなさい。
vaiq di = immediately　　naeuz = tell, announce  nyi = listen

２．”gaej” added to the beginning of a verb forms a negative imperative.

Gaej gwn raen saw bw.　  Don’t drink tap water.
gwn = to drink　　raen saw = tap water (raw water)

Conjunctive Sentences

１．Ordered conjunctive sentences. It uses conjunctions such as the adverb “sien = first < 先” and “gaenlaeng = after that/and then”  and tells about the following passage of time.

Daxboh sien cawj haeux, gaenlaeng caiq cawj byaek.
お父さんはまずご飯を炊いて、それから料理を作る。 My father starts the rice first, and then cooks.

daxboh = father (familiar).　　cawj = boil, simmer, stew, braise. 　haeux = rice.               caiq < 再　　byaek = cuisine, cooking, dish, food.

２．Reverse conjunctive sentences. Use the conjunction “hoeng = but, however” and indicates a different condition that does not follow the preceding phrase.

Gaxgonq daxboh gou siengj bae hag, hoeng mbouj miz ngaenz.
父はそれまで私を学びに行かせたかったが、しかしお金がなかった。My father wanted me to go and study at that time; however, he had no money.
gaxgonq = それまでは／以前は, until then/before;　　siengj = ～したい < 想/want, desire;　　hag < 学/study.

Yienznaeuz bineix mbwn rengx, hoeng mbanj raeuz lij ndaej fungsou.
今年は旱魃があったにもかかわらず、私たちの村では豊作だった。 Despite the drought this year, our village had a good harvest.
yienznaeuz = ～にもかかわらず/dispite;　　bineix = 今年（bi = 年　neix = この） /this year;
mbwn rengx = 旱魃;/drought;　　mbanj = 村/village;　　raeuz = 私たち/we;　　                lij = まだ/not yet, still;　　ndaej = 得る /gain, achieve;
fungsou = 豊作（fung < 豊　sou < 収） /good harvest

３．Selective conjunctive sentences. Uses the conjunction “roxnaeuz = or” (as previously mentioned in Part 8).

Mwngz ok bae, roxnaeuz youq ranz ?　　あなたは出かけますか、それとも家にいますか？ Will you go out? or will you stay home?
ok = 出る/go out, leave;　　youq = 居る/exist, present;　　ranz = 家/home, house.

４．Conditional conjunctive sentences

The preceding  phrase indicates the condition and is followed by the phrase that is the result.

Mbouj mwngz bae, couh gou bae.　あなたが行かないのなら、私が行きます。 If you don’t go, I will go.
couh = それならば < 就/if,  if that’s the case

Danghnaeuz raeuz mbouj roengzrengz hag, couh doeklaeng vunz lo.
もし私たちがしっかり勉強しなければ、他の人に遅れてしまいます。 If we don’t study hard, it will slow the others down.
danghnaeuz = もし/if;　　roengzrengz = 努力する/effort;　　doeklaeng = 遅れる/slow, late;　　lo =（完了を表す語気詞=Indicates completion of the emphatic ）

Gou baenzlawz gangj, de cungj mbouj saenq.　　私がどのように話しても、彼は信じない。 However way I say it, he doesn’t believe it.
baenzlawz = どのように/in what way;　　gangj = 話す < 講/speak;　　cungj = すべて/all;　　saenq < 信/believe.

５．Cause and Effect conjunctive sentences. The future phrase indicates the cause/origin and is followed by the phrase that is the result.
“aenvih = why < 因為” is added to the beginning of the phrase that indicates the cause and “sojyij = therefore, thus, hence, accordingly < 所以” is added to the beginning of the phrase that indicates the result.

Aenvih ngoenzneix fwn doek, gou mbouj bae hag. = Ngoenzneix fwn doek, sojyij gou mbouj bae hag.
今日は雨が降るので私は学校に行かない。 It’s raining today therefore, I will not goto school.
fwn = 雨/rain;　　doek = 降る/come down, fall (rain, snow).

Notes: There is no greeting that can be directly translated as “hello” in Zhuang. The expression that is the closest to daily life is “Gwn ngaiz gvaq lwi ? = Have you had (eaten) rice? When you just have to say “hello”, you could use the Mandarin “nihao”.