Chapter 20. A Catalogue of selma'o

20.1.

The following paragraphs list all the selma'o of Lojban, with a brief explanation of what each one is about, and reference to the chapter number where each is explained more fully. As usual, all selma'o names are given in capital letters (with “h” serving as the capital of “'”) and are the names of a representative cmavo, often the most important or the first in alphabetical order. One example is given of each selma'o: for selma'o which have several uses, the most common use is shown.

selma'o A (Section 14.6)

Specifies a logical connection (e.g. “and”, “or”, “if”), usually between sumti.

la djan.	a	la djein.	klama	le	zarci
John	and/or	Jane	goes-to	the	store

Also used to create vowel lerfu words when followed with “bu”.

selma'o BAI (Section 9.6)

May be prefixed to a sumti to specify an additional place, not otherwise present in the place structure of the selbri, and derived from a single place of some other selbri.

mi	tavla	bau	la lojban.
I	speak	in-language	Lojban.

selma'o BAhE (Section 19.11)

Emphasizes the next single word, or marks it as a nonce word (one invented for the occasion).

la ba'e .djordj.	klama	le	zarci
George	goes-to	the	store.

It is George who goes to the store.

selma'o BE (Section 5.7)

Attaches sumti which fill the place structure of a single unit making up a tanru. Unless otherwise indicated, the sumti fill the x2, x3, and successive places in that order. BE is most useful in descriptions formed with LE. See BEI, BEhO.

mi		klama	be	ta		troci
I	am-a	(goer	to	that)	type-of	trier.

I try to go to that place.

selma'o BEI (Section 5.7)

Separates multiple sumti attached by BE to a tanru unit.

mi		klama	be	le	zarci	bei	le	zdani	be'o		troci
I	am-a	(goer	to	the	store	from	the	home	)	type-of	trier.

I try to go from the home to the market.

selma'o BEhO (Section 5.7)

Elidable terminator for BE. Terminates sumti that are attached to a tanru unit.

mi		klama	be	le	zarci	be'o		troci
I	am-a	(goer	to	the	market	)	type-of	trier.

I try to go to the market.

selma'o BIhE (Section 18.5)

Prefixed to a mathematical operator to mark it as higher priority than other mathematical operators, binding its operands more closely.

li	ci	bi'e	pi'i	vo	su'i	mu	du	li	paze
The-number	3	[priority]	times	4	plus	5	equals	the-number	17.

3 × 4 + 5 = 17

selma'o BIhI (Section 14.16)

Joins sumti or tanru units (as well as some other things) to form intervals. See GAhO.

mi	ca	sanli	la drezdn.	bi'i	la frankfurt.
I	[present]	stand-on-surface	Dresden	[interval]	Frankfurt.

I am standing between Dresden and Frankfurt.

selma'o BO (Section 5.3, Section 15.6, Section 18.17)

Joins tanru units, binding them together closely. Also used to bind logically or non-logically connected phrases, sentences, etc. BO is always high precedence and right-grouping.

ta	cmalu		nixli	bo	ckule
That	is-a-small	type-of	(girl	type-of	school).

That is a small school for girls.

selma'o BOI (Section 18.6)

Elidable terminator for PA or BY. Used to terminate a number (string of numeric cmavo) or lerfu string (string of letter words) when another string immediately follows.

li	re	du	li	vu'u	vo boi		re
The-number	two	equals	the-number	the-difference-of	four	and	two.

selma'o BU (Section 17.4)

A suffix which can be attached to any word, typically a word representing a letter of the alphabet or else a name, to make a word for a symbol or a different letter of the alphabet. In particular, attached to single-vowel cmavo to make words for vowel letters.

.abu	.ebu	.ibu	.obu	.ubu	.ybu
a,	e,	i,	o,	u,	y.

selma'o BY (Section 17.2)

Words representing the letters of the Lojban alphabet, plus various shift words which alter the interpretation of other letter words. Terminated by BOI.

.abu	tavla	by		le		la .ibymym.	skami
A	talks-to	B	about	the	of-	IBM	computers.

A talks to B about IBM computers.

selma'o CAI (Section 13.4)

Indicates the intensity of an emotion: maximum, strong, weak, or not at all. Typically follows another particle which specifies the emotion.

.ei	cai	mi	klama	le	zarci
[Obligation!]	[Intense!]	I	go-to	the	market.

I must go to the market.

selma'o CAhA (Section 10.19)

Specifies whether a bridi refers to an actual fact, a potential (achieved or not), or merely an innate capability.

ro	datka	ka'e	flulimna
All	ducks	[capability]	are-float-swimmers.

All ducks have the capability of swimming by floating.

selma'o CEI (Section 7.5)

Assigns a selbri definition to one of the five pro-bridi gismu: “broda”, “brode”, “brodi”, “brodo”, or “brodu”, for later use.

ti slasi je mlatu bo cidja lante gacri cei broda

This is a plastic cat-food can cover, or thingy.

.i le crino broda cu barda .i le xunre broda cu cmalu

The green thingy is large. The red thingy is small.

selma'o CEhE (Section 14.11, Section 16.7)

Joins multiple terms into a termset. Termsets are used to associate several terms for logical connectives, for equal quantifier scope, or for special constructs in tenses.

mi	ce'e	do	pe'e	je	la djan.	ce'e	la djeimyz.	cu	pendo
I	[,]	you	[joint]	and	John	[,]	James		are-friends-of.

I am a friend of you, and John is a friend of James.

selma'o CO (Section 5.8)

When inserted between the components of a tanru, inverts it, so that the following tanru unit modifies the previous one.

mi	troci	co	klama	le	zarci		le	zdani
I	am-a-trier	of-type	(goer-to	the	market	from	the	house).

I try to go to the market from the house.

selma'o COI (Section 6.11, Section 13.14)

When prefixed to a name, description, or sumti, produces a vocative: a phrase which indicates who is being spoken to (or who is speaking). Vocatives are used in conversational protocols, including greeting, farewell, and radio communication. Terminated by DOhU. See DOI.

coi	.djan.
Greetings,	John.

selma'o CU (Section 9.2)

Separates the selbri of a bridi from any sumti which precede it. Never strictly necessary, but often useful to eliminate various elidable terminators.

le	gerku	cu	klama	le	zarci
The	dog		goes-to	the	store.

selma'o CUhE (Section 10.24)

Forms a question which asks when, where, or in what mode the rest of the bridi is true. See PU, CAhA, TAhE, and BAI.

do	cu'e	klama	le	zarci
You	[When/Where?]	go-to	the	store?

When are you going to the store?

selma'o DAhO (Section 7.13)

Cancels the assigned significance of all sumti cmavo (of selma'o KOhA) and bridi cmavo (of selma'o GOhA).

selma'o DOI (Section 13.14)

The non-specific vocative indicator. May be used with or without COI. No pause is required between “doi” and a following name. See DOhU.

doi	frank.	mi	tavla	do
O	Frank,	I	speak-to	you.

Frank, I'm talking to you.

selma'o DOhU (Section 13.14)

Elidable terminator for COI or DOI. Signals the end of a vocative.

coi	do'u
Greetings	[terminator]

Greetings, O unspecified one!

selma'o FA (Section 9.3)

Prefix for a sumti, indicating which numbered place in the place structure the sumti belongs in; overrides word order.

fa	mi	cu	klama	fi	la .atlantas.
x1=	I		go	x3=	Atlanta

fe	la bastn.	fo	le	dargu	fu	le	karce
x2=	Boston	x4=	the	road	x5=	the	car.

I go from Atlanta to Boston via the road using the car.

selma'o FAhA (Section 10.2)

Specifies the direction in which, or toward which (when marked with MOhI) or along which (when prefixed by VEhA or VIhA) the action of the bridi takes place.

le	nanmu	zu'a	batci	le	gerku
The	man	[left]	bites	the	dog.

To my left, the man bites the dog.

selma'o FAhO (Section 19.15)

A mechanical signal, outside the grammar, indicating that there is no more text. Useful in talking to computers.

selma'o FEhE (Section 10.11)

Indicates that the following interval modifier (using TAhE, ROI, or ZAhO) refers to space rather than time.

ko	vi'i	fe'e	di'i	sombo	le	gurni
You-imperative	[1-dimensional]	[space]	[regularly]	sow	the	grain.

Sow the grain in a line and evenly!

selma'o FEhU (Section 9.5)

Elidable terminator for FIhO. Indicates the end of an ad hoc modal tag: the tagged sumti immediately follows.

mi	viska	do	fi'o	kanla	[fe'u]	le	zunle
I	see	you	[modal]	eye	:	the	left-thing

I see you with the left eye.

selma'o FIhO (Section 9.5)

When placed before a selbri, transforms the selbri into a modal tag, grammatically and semantically equivalent to a member of selma'o BAI. Terminated by FEhU.

mi	viska	do	fi'o	kanla	le	zunle
I	see	you	with	eye	the	left-thing

I see you with my left eye.

selma'o FOI (Section 17.6)

Signals the end of a compound alphabet letter word that begins with TEI. Not an elidable terminator.

tei	.ebu	.akut. bu	foi
(	“e”	“acute”	)

the letter “e” with an acute accent

selma'o FUhA (Section 18.16)

Indicates that the following mathematical expression is to be interpreted as reverse Polish (RP), a mode in which mathematical operators follow their operands.

li	fu'a	reboi	re[boi]	su'i	du	li	vo
the-number	[RP!]	two,	two,	plus	equals	the-number	four

2 + 2 = 4

selma'o FUhE (Section 19.8)

Indicates that the following indicator(s) of selma'o UI affect not the preceding word, as usual, but rather all following words until a FUhO.

mi	viska	le	fu'e	.ia	blanu	zdani	fu'o	ponse
I	see	the	[start]	[belief]	blue	house	[end]	possessor

I see the owner of a blue house, or what I believe to be one.

selma'o FUhO (Section 19.8)

Cancels all indicators of selma'o UI which are in effect.

mi	viska	le	fu'e	.ia	blanu	zdani	fu'o	ponse
I	see	the	[start]	[belief]	blue	house	[end]	possessor.

I see the owner of what I believe to be a blue house.

selma'o GA (Section 14.5)

Indicates the beginning of two logically connected sumti, bridi-tails, or various other things. Logical connections include “both ... and”, “either ... or”, “if ... then”, and so on. See GI.

ga la djan. nanmu gi la djeimyz. ninmu

Either John is a man or James is a woman (or both).

selma'o GAhO (Section 14.16)

Specifies whether an interval specified by BIhI includes or excludes its endpoints. Used in pairs before and after the BIhI cmavo, to specify the nature of both the left- and the right-hand endpoints.

mi	ca	sanli	la drezdn.
I	[present]	stand	Dresden

ga'o	bi'i	ga'o	la frankfurt.
[inclusive]	[interval]	[inclusive]	Frankfurt.

I am standing between Dresden and Frankfurt, inclusive of both.

selma'o GEhU (Section 8.3)

Elidable terminator for GOI. Marks the end of a relative phrase. See KUhO.

la djan.	goi	ko'a	ge'u	blanu
John	(referred to as	it-1	)	is-blue.

selma'o GI (Section 14.5)

Separates two logically or non-logically connected sumti, tanru units, bridi-tails, or other things, when the prefix is a forethought connective involving GA, GUhA, or JOI.

ge la djan. nanmu gi la djeimyz. ninmu

(It is true that) both John is a man and James is a woman.

selma'o GIhA (Section 14.3)

Specifies a logical connective (e.g. “and”, “or”, “if”) between two bridi-tails: a bridi-tail is a selbri with any associated following sumti, but not including any preceding sumti.

mi	klama	le	zarci	gi'e	nelci	la djan.
I	go-to	the	market	and	like	John.

selma'o GOI (Section 8.3)

Specifies the beginning of a relative phrase, which associates a subordinate sumti (following) to another sumti (preceding). Terminated by GEhU See NOI.

la djan.	goi	ko'a	cu	blanu
John	(referred to as	it-1)		is-blue.

selma'o GOhA (Section 7.6)

A general selma'o for all cmavo which can take the place of brivla. There are several groups of these.

A: mi klama le zarci

B: mi go'i

A: I'm going to the market.

B: Me, too.

selma'o GUhA (Section 14.3)

Indicates the beginning of two logically connected tanru units. Takes the place of GA when forming logically-connected tanru. See GI.

la .alis.	gu'e	ricfu	gi	blanu
Alice	is both	rich	and	blue.

selma'o I (Section 19.2)

Separates two sentences from each other.

mi	klama	le	zarci	.i	mi	klama	le	zdani
I	go-to	the	market	.	I	go-to	the	house.

selma'o JA (Section 14.3)

Specifies a logical connection (e.g. “and”, “or”, “if”) between two tanru units, mathematical operands, tenses, or abstractions.

ti	blanu	je	zdani
This	is-blue	and	a-house.

selma'o JAI (Section 9.12)

When followed by a tense or modal, creates a conversion operator attachable to a selbri which exchanges the modal place with the x1 place of the selbri. When alone, is a conversion operator exchanging the x1 place of the selbri (which should be an abstract sumti) with one of the places of the abstracted-over bridi.

mi	jai gau	galfi	le	bitmu	se skari
I	am-the-actor-in	modifying	the	wall	color.

I act so as to modify the wall color.

I change the color of the wall.

selma'o JOI (Section 14.14)

Specifies a non-logical connection (e.g. together-with-as-mass, -set, or -sequence) between two sumti, tanru units, or various other things. When immediately followed by GI, provides forethought non-logical connection analogous to GA.

la djan.	joi	la .alis.	cu	bevri	le	pipno
John	massed-with	Alice		carry	the	piano.

selma'o JOhI (Section 18.15)

Indicates that the following mathematical operands (a list terminated by TEhU) form a mathematical vector (one-dimensional array).

li	jo'i	paboi	reboi	te'u	su'i	jo'i	ciboi	voboi	du
The-number	array(	one,	two	)	plus	array(	three,	four)	equals

li	jo'i	voboi	xaboi
the-number	array(	four,	six).

(1,2) + (3,4) = (4,6)

selma'o KE (Section 5.5)

Groups everything between itself and a following KEhE for purposes of logical connection, tanru construction, or other purposes. KE and KEhE are not used for mathematical (see VEI and VEhO) or discursive (see TO and TOI) purposes.

ta	ke	melbi	cmalu	ke'e	nixli	ckule
That	is-a-(	pretty	little	)	girl	school.

That is a school for girls who are pretty in their littleness.

selma'o KEI (Section 11.1)

Elidable terminator for NU. Marks the end of an abstraction bridi.

la djan.	cu	nu	sonci	kei		djica
John		is-an-(event-of	being-a-soldier	)	type-of	desirer.

John wants to be a soldier.

selma'o KEhE (Section 5.5)

Elidable terminator for KE. Marks the end of a grouping.

ta	ke	melbi	cmalu	ke'e	nixli	ckule
That	is-a-(	pretty	little	)	girl	school.

That is a school for girls who are pretty in their littleness.

selma'o KI (Section 10.13)

When preceded by a tense or modal, makes it “sticky”, so that it applies to all further bridi until reset by another appearance of KI. When alone, eliminates all sticky tenses.

selma'o KOhA (Section 7.1)

A general selma'o which contains all cmavo which can substitute for sumti. These cmavo are divided into several groups.

le	blanu	zdani	goi	ko'a	cu	barda
The	blue	house	(referred to as	it-1)		is-big.

.i	ko'a	na	cmamau	ti
	It-1	is-not	smaller-than	this-thing.

selma'o KU (Section 6.2, Section 10.1)

Elidable terminator for LE and some uses of LA. Indicates the end of a description sumti. Also used after a tense or modal to indicate that no sumti follows, and in the compound NA+ KU to indicate natural language-style negation.

le	prenu	ku		le	zdani	ku	klama
The	person	,	to	the	house	,	goes.

The person goes to the house.

selma'o KUhE (Section 18.6)

Elidable terminator for PEhO: indicates the end of a forethought mathematical expression (one in which the operator precedes the operands).

li	pe'o	su'i	reboi	reboi	re[boi]	ku'e
The-number	[forethought]	the-sum-of	two	two	two	[end]

du	li	xa
equals	the-number	six.

selma'o KUhO (Section 8.1)

Elidable terminator for NOI. Indicates the end of a relative clause.

le	zdani	poi	blanu	ku'o	barda
The	house	that(	is-blue	)	is-big.

selma'o LA (Section 6.2)

Descriptors which change name words (or selbri) into sumti which identify people or things by name. Similar to LE. May be terminated with KU if followed by a description selbri.

la kikeros.	du	la tulis.
Cicero	is	Tully.

selma'o LAU (Section 17.14)

Combines with the following alphabetic letter to represent a single marker: change from lower to upper case, change of font, punctuation, etc.)

tau	sy	.ibu
[single-shift]	“s”	“i”

Si (chemical symbol for silicon)

selma'o LAhE (Section 6.10)

Qualifiers which, when prefixed to a sumti, change it into another sumti with related meaning. Qualifiers can also consist of a cmavo from selma'o NAhE plus BO. Terminated by LUhU.

mi	viska	la'e	zoi	.kuot.	A Tale of Two Cities	.kuot
I	see	that-represented-by	the-text	“	A Tale of Two Cities	”.

I see the book “A Tale of Two Cities”.

selma'o LE (Section 6.2)

Descriptors which make selbri into sumti which describe or specify things that fit into the x1 place of the selbri. Terminated by KU. See LA.

le	gerku	cu	klama	le	zdani
The	dog		goes-to	the	house.

selma'o LEhU (Section 19.9)

Indicates the end of a quotation begun with LOhU. Not an elidable terminator.

lo'u	mi du do du mi	le'u	cu	na	lojbo	drani
[quote]	mi du do du mi	[unquote]		is-not	Lojbanically	correct.

“mi du do du mi” is not correct Lojban.

selma'o LI (Section 18.5)

Descriptors which change numbers or other mathematical expressions into sumti which specify numbers or numerical expressions. Terminated by LOhO.

li	re	vu'u	re	na	du	li	vo	su'i	vo
The-number	2	minus	2	not	equals	the-number	4	plus	4.

2 - 2 ≠ 4 + 4

selma'o LIhU (Section 19.9)

Elidable terminator for LU. Indicates the end of a text quotation.

mi	cusku	lu	mi	klama	le	zarci	li'u
I	express	[quote]	I	go-to	the	market	[end-quote].

selma'o LOhO (Section 18.17)

Elidable terminator for LI. Indicates the end of a mathematical expression used in a LI description.

li	vo	lo'o	li	ci	lo'o	cu	zmadu
The-number	4	[end-number],	the-number	3	[end-number],		is-greater.

4 > 3

selma'o LOhU (Section 19.9)

Indicates the beginning of a quotation (a sumti) which is grammatical as long as the quoted material consists of Lojban words, whether they form a text or not. Terminated by LEhU.

do	cusku	lo'u	mi du do du ko'a	le'u
You	express	[quote]	mi du do du ko'a	[end-quote].

You said, “mi du do du ko'a”.

selma'o LU (Section 19.9)

Indicates the beginning of a quotation (a sumti) which is grammatical only if the quoted material also forms a grammatical Lojban text. Terminated by LIhU.

mi	cusku	lu	mi	klama	le	zarci	li'u
I	express	[quote]	I	go-to	the	market	[end-quote].

selma'o LUhU (Section 6.10)

Elidable terminator for LAhE and NAhE+ BO. Indicates the end of a qualified sumti.

mi	viska	la'e	lu	barda	gerku	li'u	lu'u
I	see	the-referent-of	[quote]	big	dog	[end-quote]	[end-ref]

I saw “Big Dog” [not the words, but a book or movie].

selma'o MAI (Section 18.19, Section 19.1)

When suffixed to a number or string of letter words, produces a free modifier which serves as an index number within a text.

pamai	mi	pu	klama	le	zarci
1-thly,	I	[past]	go-to	the	market.

First, I went to the market.

selma'o MAhO (Section 18.6)

Produces a mathematical operator from a letter or other operand. Terminated by TEhU. See VUhU.

ma'o	fy.	boi	xy.
[operator]	f		x

f(x)

selma'o ME (Section 5.10, Section 18.1)

Produces a tanru unit from a sumti, which is applicable to the things referenced by the sumti. Terminated by MEhU.

ta	me la ford.	karce
That	is-a-Ford-type	car

That's a Ford car.

selma'o MEhU (Section 5.11)

The elidable terminator for ME. Indicates the end of a sumti converted to a tanru unit.

ta me mi me'u zdani

That's a me type of house.

selma'o MOI (Section 5.11, Section 18.18)

Suffixes added to numbers or other quantifiers to make various numerically-based selbri.

la djan.	joi	la frank.	cu	bruna		remei
John	in-a-mass-with	Frank		are-a-brother	type-of	twosome.

John and Frank are two brothers.

selma'o MOhE (Section 18.18)

Produces a mathematical operand from a sumti; used to make dimensioned units. Terminated by TEhU.

li	mo'e	re	ratcu	su'i	mo'e	re	ractu
The-number	[operand]	two	rats	plus	[operand]	two	rabbits

cu	du	li	mo'e	vo	danlu
	equals	the-number	[operand]	four	animals.

2 rats + 2 rabbits = 4 animals.

selma'o MOhI (Section 10.8)

A tense flag indicating movement in space, in a direction specified by a following FAhA cmavo.

le	verba	mo'i	ri'u	cadzu	le	bisli
The	child	[movement]	[right]	walks-on	the	ice.

The child walks toward my right on the ice.

selma'o NA (Section 14.3, Section 15.7)

Contradictory negators, asserting that a whole bridi is false (or true).

mi na klama le zarci

It is not true that I go to the market.

Also used to construct logical connective compound cmavo.

selma'o NAI (Section 14.3, Section 15.7)

Negates the previous word, but can only be used with certain selma'o as specified by the grammar.

selma'o NAhE (Section 15.4)

Scalar negators, modifying a selbri or a sumti to a value other than the one stated, the opposite of the one stated, etc. Also used with following BO to construct a sumti qualifier; see LAhE.

ta	na'e	blanu	zdani
That	is-a-non-	blue	house.

That is a house which is other than blue.

selma'o NAhU (Section 18.18)

Creates a mathematical operator from a selbri. Terminated by TEhU. See VUhU.

li	na'u	tanjo	te'u
The-number	the-operator(	tangent	)

vei	pai	fe'i	re	[ve'o]	du	li	ci'i
(	π	/	2	)	=	the-number	infinity.

tan(π/2) = ∞

selma'o NIhE (Section 18.18)

Creates a mathematical operand from a selbri, usually a “ni” abstraction. Terminated by TEhU.

li	ni'e	ni	clani	[te'u]	pi'i
The-number		quantity-of	length		times

ni'e	ni	ganra	[te'u]	pi'i
	quantity-of	width		times

ni'e	ni	condi	te'u	du	li	ni'e	ni	canlu
	quantity-of	depth		equals	the-number		quantity-of	volume.

Length × Width × Depth = Volume

selma'o NIhO (Section 19.3)

Marks the beginning of a new paragraph, and indicates whether it contains old or new subject matter.

selma'o NOI (Section 8.1)

Introduces relative clauses. The following bridi modifies the preceding sumti. Terminated by KUhO. See GOI.

le	zdani	poi	blanu	cu	cmalu
The	house	which	is-blue		is-small.

selma'o NU (Section 11.1)

Abstractors which, when prefixed to a bridi, create abstraction selbri. Terminated by KEI.

la djan.	cu	djica	le	nu	sonci	[kei]
John		desires	the	event-of	being-a-soldier.

selma'o NUhA (Section 18.19)

Creates a selbri from a mathematical operator. See VUhU.

li	ni'umu	cu	nu'a va'a	li	ma'umu
The-number	-5		is-the-negation-of	the-number	+5

selma'o NUhI (Section 14.11, Section 16.7)

Marks the beginning of a termset, which is used to make simultaneous claims involving two or more different places of a selbri. Terminated by NUhU.

mi	klama	nu'i	ge		le	zarci		le	briju
I	go	[start]	both	to	the	market	from	the	office

nu'u	gi		le	zdani		le	ckule	[nu'u]
[joint]	and	to	the	house	from	the	school.

selma'o NUhU (Section 14.11)

Elidable terminator for NUhI. Marks the end of a termset.

mi	klama	nu'i	ge		le	zarci		le	briju
I	go	[start]	both	to	the	market	from	the	office

nu'u	gi		le	zdani		le	ckule	[nu'u]
[joint]	and	to	the	house	from	the	school.

selma'o PA (Section 18.2)

Digits and related quantifiers (some, all, many, etc.). Terminated by BOI.

mi	speni	re	ninmu
I	am-married-to	two	women.

selma'o PEhE (Section 14.11)

Precedes a logical or non-logical connective that joins two termsets. Termsets (see CEhE) are used to associate several terms for logical connectives, for equal quantifier scope, or for special constructs in tenses.

mi	ce'e	do	pe'e	je	la djan.	ce'e	la djeimyz.	cu	pendo
I	[,]	you	[joint]	and	John	[,]	James		are-friends-of.

I am a friend of you, and John is a friend of James.

selma'o PEhO (Section 18.6)

An optional signal of forethought mathematical operators, which precede their operands. Terminated by KUhE.

li	vo	du	li	pe'o	su'i	reboi	re
The-number	four	equals	the-number	[forethought]	sum-of	two	two.

selma'o PU (Section 10.4)

Specifies simple time directions (future, past, or neither).

mi	pu	klama	le	zarci
I	[past]	go-to	the	market.

I went to the market.

selma'o RAhO (Section 7.6)

The pro-bridi update flag: changes the meaning of sumti implicitly attached to a pro-bridi (see GOhA) to fit the current context rather than the original context.

A: mi ba lumci le mi karce

B: mi go'i

A: mi ba lumci le mi karce

B: mi go'i ra'o

A: I [future] wash my car.

B: I do-the-same-thing (i.e. wash A's car).

A: I [future] wash my car.

B: I do-the-corresponding-thing (i.e. wash B's car).

selma'o ROI (Section 10.9)

When suffixed to a number, makes an extensional tense (e.g. once, twice, many times).

mi	reroi	klama	le	zarci
I	twice	go-to	the	market.

selma'o SA (Section 19.13)

Erases the previous phrase or sentence.

mi	klama	sa	do	klama	le	zarci
I	go,	er,	you	go-to	the	market.

selma'o SE (Section 5.11, Section 9.4)

Converts a selbri, rearranging the order of places by exchanging the x1 place with a specified numbered place.

le	zarci	cu	se klama	mi
The	market		is-gone-to-by	me.

Also used in constructing connective and modal compound cmavo.

selma'o SEI (Section 19.12)

Marks the beginning of metalinguistic insertions which comment on the main bridi. Terminated by SEhU.

la frank.	prami	sei		gleki	[se'u]	la djein.
Frank	loves	(	[he]	is-happy	)	Jane.

selma'o SEhU (Section 19.12)

Elidable terminator for SEI and SOI. Ends metalinguistic insertions.

la frank.	prami	sei		gleki	se'u	la djein.
Frank	loves	(	[he]	is-happy	)	Jane.

selma'o SI (Section 19.13)

Erases the previous single word.

mi	si	do	klama	le	zarci
I,	er,	you	go-to	the	market.

selma'o SOI (Section 7.8)

Marks reciprocity between two sumti (like “vice versa” in English).

mi	prami	do	soi	mi
I	love	you	[reciprocally]	me.

I love you and vice versa.

selma'o SU (Section 19.13)

Closes and erases the entire previous discourse.

selma'o TAhE (Section 10.9)

A tense modifier specifying frequencies within an interval of time or space (regularly, habitually, etc.).

le	verba	ta'e	klama	le	ckule
The	child	habitually	goes-to	the	school.

selma'o TEI (Section 17.6)

Signals the beginning of a compound letter word, which acts grammatically like a single letter. Compound letter words end with the non-elidable selma'o FOI.

tei	.ebu	.akut. bu	foi
(	“e”	“acute”	)

the letter “e” with an acute accent

selma'o TEhU (Section 18.15)

Elidable terminator for JOhI, MAhO, MOhE, NAhU, or NIhE. Marks the end of a mathematical conversion construct.

li	jo'i	paboi	reboi	te'u	su'i	jo'i	ciboi	voboi	du
The-number	array(	one,	two	)	plus	array(	three,	four)	equals

li	jo'i	voboi	xaboi
the-number	array(	four,	six).

(1,2) + (3,4) = (4,6)

selma'o TO (Section 19.12)

Left discursive parenthesis: allows inserting a digression. Terminated by TOI.

doi	lisas.	mi	djica	le	nu
O	Lisa,	I	desire	the	event-of

to	doi	frank.	ko	sisti	toi	do	viska	le	mlatu
(	O	Frank,	[imperative]	stop!	)	you	see	the	cat.

Lisa, I want you to (Frank! Stop!) see the cat.

selma'o TOI (Section 19.12)

Elidable terminator for TO. The right discursive parenthesis.

doi	lisas.	mi	djica	le	nu
O	Lisa,	I	desire	the	event-of

to	doi	frank.	ko	sisti	toi	do	viska	le	mlatu
(	O	Frank,	[imperative]	stop!	)	you	see	the	cat.

Lisa, I want you to (Frank! Stop!) see the cat.

selma'o TUhE (Section 19.2)

Groups multiple sentences or paragraphs into a logical unit. Terminated by TUhU.

lo	xagmau	zo'u	tu'e	ganai	cidja	gi	citno
Some	best	:	[start]	If	food,	then	new.

.i	ganai	vanju	gi	tolci'o	[tu'u]
	If	wine,	then	old.

As for what is best: if food, then new [is best]; if wine, then old [is best].

selma'o TUhU (Section 19.2)

Elidable terminator for TUhE. Marks the end of a multiple sentence group.

selma'o UI (Section 13.1)

Particles which indicate the speaker's emotional state or source of knowledge, or the present stage of discourse.

.ui	la djan.	klama
[Happiness!]	John	is-coming.

Hurrah! John is coming!

selma'o VA (Section 10.2)

A tense indicating distance in space (near, far, or neither).

le	nanmu	va	batci	le	gerku
The	man	[medium-distance]	bites	the	dog.

Over there the man is biting the dog.

selma'o VAU (Section 14.9)

Elidable terminator for a simple bridi, or for each bridi-tail of a GIhA logical connection.

mi	dunda	le	cukta	[vau]	gi'e
I	(give	the	book	)	and

lebna	lo	rupnu	vau		do	[vau]
(take	some	currency-units	)	to/from	you.

selma'o VEI (Section 18.5)

Left mathematical parenthesis: groups mathematical operations. Terminated by VEhO.

li	vei	ny.	su'i	pa	ve'o
The-number	(	“n”	plus	one	)

pi'i	vei	ny.	su'i	pa	[ve'o]	du
times	(	“n”	plus	one	)	equals

li	ny.	[bi'e]	te'a	re
the-number	n	[priority]	power	two

su'i	re	bi'e	pi'i	ny.	su'i	pa
plus	two	[priority]	times	“n”	plus	1.

(n + 1)(n + 1) = n ² + 2n + 1

selma'o VEhA (Section 10.5)

A tense indicating the size of an interval in space (long, medium, or short).

selma'o VEhO (Section 19.5)

Elidable terminator for VEI: right mathematical parenthesis.

li	vei	ny.	su'i	pa	ve'o	pi'i
The-number	(	“n”	plus	one	)	times

vei	ny.	su'i	pa	[ve'o]	du
(	“n”	plus	one	)	equals

li	ny.	[bi'e]	te'a	re	su'i
the-number	n	[priority]	power	two	plus

re	bi'e	pi'i	ny.	su'i	pa
two	[priority]	times	“n”	plus	1.

(n + 1)(n + 1) = n ² + 2n + 1

selma'o VIhA (Section 10.7)

A tense indicating dimensionality in space (line, plane, volume, or space-time interval).

le	verba	ve'a
The	child	[medium-space-interval]

vi'a	cadzu	le	bisli
[2-dimensional]	walks-on	the	ice.

In a medium-sized area, the child walks on the ice.

selma'o VUhO (Section 8.8)

Attaches relative clauses or phrases to a whole (possibly connected) sumti, rather than simply to the leftmost portion of the sumti.

la frank.	ce	la djordj.	vu'o	noi	gidva	cu	zvati	le	kumfa
Frank	[in-set-with]	George	,	which	are-guides	,	are-in	the	room.

Frank and George, who are guides, are in the room.

selma'o VUhU (Section 18.5)

Mathematical operators (e.g. +, −). See MAhO.

li	mu	vu'u	re	du	li	ci
The-number	5	minus	2	equals	the-number	3.

5 − 2 = 3

selma'o XI (Section 18.13)

The subscript marker: the following number or lerfu string is a subscript for whatever precedes it.

xy.	xi	re
x	sub	2

x₂

selma'o Y (Section 19.14)

Hesitation noise: content-free, but holds the floor or continues the conversation. It is different from silence in that silence may be interpreted as having nothing more to say.

doi	.y.	.y.	.djan
O,	uh,	uh,	John!

selma'o ZAhO (Section 10.10)

A tense modifier specifying the contour of an event (e.g. beginning, ending, continuing).

mi	pu'o	damba
I	[inchoative]	fight.

I'm on the verge of fighting.

selma'o ZEI (Section 4.6)

A morphological glue word, which joins the two words it stands between into the equivalent of a lujvo.

ta	xy.	zei	kantu	kacma
That	is-an-(X		ray)	camera.

That is an X-ray camera.

selma'o ZEhA (Section 10.5)

A tense indicating the size of an interval in time (long, medium, or short).

mi	pu	ze'i	citka
I	[past]	[short-interval]	eat.

I ate for a little while.

selma'o ZI (Section 10.4)

A tense indicating distance in time (a long, medium or short time ago or in the future).

mi	pu	zi	citka
I	[past]	[short-distance]	eat.

I ate a little while ago.

selma'o ZIhE (Section 8.4)

Joins multiple relative phrases or clauses which apply to the same sumti. Although generally translated with “and”, it is not considered a logical connective.

mi	ponse	pa	gerku	ku	poi	blabi
I	own	one	dog		such-that	it-is-white

zi'e	noi	mi	prami	ke'a
and	such-that-incidentally	I	love	it.

I own a dog that is white and which, incidentally, I love.

I own a white dog, which I love.

selma'o ZO (Section 19.10)

Single-word quotation: quotes the following single Lojban word.

zo	si	cu	lojbo	valsi
The-word	“si”		is-a-Lojbanic	word.

selma'o ZOI (Section 19.10)

Non-Lojban quotation: quotes any text using a delimiting word (which can be any single Lojban word) placed before and after the text. The delimiting word must not appear in the text, and must be separated from the text by pauses.

zoi	.kuot.	Socrates is mortal	.kuot.	cu	glico	jufra
The-text	“	Socrates is mortal	”		is-an-English	sentence.

selma'o ZOhU (Section 16.2, Section 19.4)

Separates a logical prenex from a bridi or group of sentences to which it applies. Also separates a topic from a comment in topic/comment sentences.

su'o	da	poi	remna
For-at-least-one	X	which	is-a-human,

ro	de	poi	finpe	zo'u	da	prami	de
for-all	Ys	which	are-fish	:	X	loves	Y

There is someone who loves all fish.