Beginner's Grammar

This is the Beginner's Grammar, a Sajem Tan course aimed at beginners. The course is made mainly for people with no knowledge of linguistics, but some linguistic elements are retained.

Alphabet
Sajem Tan has two alphabets: the Original Orthography and the Reformed Orthography. The alphabet in the Reformed Orthography is shown below.


 * Dd Gg Xx Jj Ff Vv Ţţ Ss Zz Šš Žž Ll Rr Mm Nn Aa Ëë Ee Öö Ii Yy Ûû Üü Cc Tt Kk Ââ Êê Oo Uu

Pronunciation

 * {|class="wikitable"

!Original !Reformed !Pronunciation !IPA
 * colspan=2|d
 * d as in day
 * /d/
 * colspan=2|g
 * g as in got
 * /g/
 * colspan=2|x
 * similar to the "gh" in "ugh"
 * /x/
 * colspan=2|j
 * y as in yard
 * /j/
 * colspan=2|f
 * f as in far
 * /f/
 * colspan=2|v
 * v as in vest
 * /v/
 * th
 * ţ
 * th as in thing
 * /θ/
 * colspan=2|s
 * s as in sing
 * /s/
 * colspan=2|z
 * z as in zebra
 * /z/
 * sh
 * š
 * sh as in sharp
 * /ʃ/
 * zh
 * ž
 * s as in vision
 * /ʒ/
 * sl
 * l
 * try to pronounce "s" while the tongue is in an "l" shape
 * /ɬ/
 * zl
 * r
 * try to pronounce "z" while the tongue is in an "l" shape
 * /ɮ/
 * colspan=2|m
 * m as in mall
 * /m/
 * colspan=2|n
 * n as in nothing
 * /n/
 * colspan=2|a
 * a as in at
 * /æ/
 * el
 * ë
 * e as in met but with the lips rounded like the oo in boot
 * /œ/
 * colspan=2|e
 * a as in may
 * /e/
 * ol
 * ö
 * a as in say but with the lips rounded like the oo in boot
 * /ø/
 * colspan=2|i
 * ee as in meet
 * /i/
 * colspan=2|y
 * ee as in meet but with the lips rounded like the oo in boot
 * /y/
 * uh
 * û
 * u as in cut
 * /ʌ/
 * ul
 * ü
 * u as in put
 * /ʊ/
 * colspan=2|c
 * ts as in fits
 * /t͡s/
 * colspan=2|t
 * t as in talk
 * /t/
 * colspan=2|k
 * k as in kick
 * /k/
 * ah
 * â
 * o as in lot (American) or path (British)
 * /ɑ/
 * eh
 * ê
 * e as in met
 * /ɛ/
 * colspan=2|o
 * o as in vote
 * /o/
 * colspan=2|u
 * oo as in boot
 * /u/
 * }
 * colspan=2|c
 * ts as in fits
 * /t͡s/
 * colspan=2|t
 * t as in talk
 * /t/
 * colspan=2|k
 * k as in kick
 * /k/
 * ah
 * â
 * o as in lot (American) or path (British)
 * /ɑ/
 * eh
 * ê
 * e as in met
 * /ɛ/
 * colspan=2|o
 * o as in vote
 * /o/
 * colspan=2|u
 * oo as in boot
 * /u/
 * }
 * /o/
 * colspan=2|u
 * oo as in boot
 * /u/
 * }
 * }

Present Tense
-šo is used to mark an ongoing action.

-êt is used to mark an action that someone has a habit of doing.

Adjectives
Adjectives go before nouns.