From NSwiki, the NationStates encyclopedia.
The Dushtoo language is is an Indo-European language which has existed for over three thousand years in one form or another. Originally spoken by the Daytar tribes of ancient Daytanistan, it was heavily influenced by the corrupted Greek dialect spoken by the Ashtoo tribes which settled Daytanistan in the second century AD, and subsequently by Farsi and Arabic, brought to Daytanistan a thousand years later by the Zirkshe tribes.
Alphabet
Dushtoo has no native alphabet, although since the Straw Hat Revolution the government of Daytanistan has standardised the use of the Latin alphabet for writing Dushtoo, for the simple expedient that it was cheaper to import typewriters which used the Latin alphabet. Prior to that time, the Greek alphabet and Arabic alphabet were both used almost equally as much for writing in Dushtoo. In these alphabets, Dushtoo is spelt Δυϸτω (Greek), and ذوستو (Arabic).
Dushtoo Alphabets and Sounds
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IPA Transcription
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Latin Letter
|
Greek Letter
|
Arabic Letter
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[a]
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A a
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Α α
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ا
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[b]
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B b
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Β β
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ب
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[d]
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D d
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Δ δ
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د
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[e]
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E e
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Ε ε
|
ع
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[f] / [pʰ]
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F f
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Φ φ
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ف
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[g]
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G g
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Γ γ
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غ
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[i]
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I i
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Ι ι
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ي
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[j]
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J j
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Ι ι
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ي
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[k]
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K k
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Κ κ
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ك
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[kʰ]
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Kh kh
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Χ χ
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خ
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[l]
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L l
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Λ λ
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ل
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[m]
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M m
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Μ μ
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م
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[n]
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N n
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Ν ν
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ن
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[o]
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O o
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Ο ο
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ه
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[ɔː]
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Oo oo
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Ω ω
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و
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[p]
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P p
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Π π
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پ
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[q] / [kʷ]
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Q q
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Ϙ ϙ
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ق
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[r]
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R r
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Ρ ρ
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ر
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[s]
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S s
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Σ σ,ς (final)
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س
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[ʃ]
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Sh sh
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Ϸ ϸ
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ش
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[t]
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T t
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Τ τ
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ت
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[tʰ]
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Th th
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Θ θ
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ث
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[u]
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U u
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Υ υ
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و
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[w]
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W w
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Ϝ ϝ
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و
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[x]
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X x
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Χ χ
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خ
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[y] / [yː]
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Y y
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Υ υ
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ي
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[z]
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Z z
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Ζ ζ
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ز
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Grammar
Nouns, adjectives and pronouns
Number and Gender
In Dushtoo nouns have number (i.e. singular or plural) just as English nouns do. They also have gender like English nouns, maculine, feminine and neuter, but whereas most non-personal nouns have a neuter gender in English, in Dushtoo they have two genders - neuter and either masculine or feminine. The only nouns which truly have a neuter gender, as opposed to those which can simply be referred to in the neuter gender, refer to body parts, clothing, intangibles, and inanimate possessions. These nouns can take the gender of their owner in sentences in which their owner is present, but are otherwise neuter.
Cases and Declensions
Dushtoo is a largely uninflected language. There is a base case, and an accusative case (for direct object forms of nouns). The ends of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives vary according to the case they are in as well as according to their number and gender according to a number of declensions. There are four standard singular base case endings which the vast majority of nouns, pronouns and adjectives have - nouns with other endings are called irregular nouns. To decline a noun, this singular base case ending is removed from the stem and replaced with the appropriate ending for the desired case. The tables below show the four regular declensions with an example noun. Adjectives and pronouns are declined according to the same pattern.
First Declension
Masculine Nouns ending in -an
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diman (people)
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Singular base case
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Plural base case
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Singular accusative case
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Plural accusative case
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diman
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dimai
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dimas
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dimaun
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Neuter Nouns ending in -an
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kerkan (tail)
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Singular base case
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Plural base case
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Singular accusative case
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Plural accusative case
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kerkan
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kerka
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kerkas
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kerka
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Feminine Nouns ending in -an
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paidan (girl)
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Singular base case
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Plural base case
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Singular accusative case
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Plural accusative case
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paidan
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paidoi
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paidas
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paidoun
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Second Declension
Masculine Nouns ending in -a
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peira (trial)
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Singular base case
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Plural base case
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Singular accusative case
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Plural accusative case
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peira
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peirai
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peiren
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peires
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Neuter Nouns ending in -a
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sofa (wisdom)
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Singular base case
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Plural base case
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Singular accusative case
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Plural accusative case
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sofa
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sofai
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sofoon
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sofoos
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Feminine Nouns ending in -a
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purda (curtain - see purdah)
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Singular base case
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Plural base case
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Singular accusative case
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Plural accusative case
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purda
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purdai
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purdan
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purdas
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Third Declension
Masculine Nouns ending in -r, -nt, -at, -k or -d
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aner (man)
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Singular base case
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Plural base case
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Singular accusative case
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Plural accusative case
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aner
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andren
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andra
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andran
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Neuter Nouns ending in -r, -nt, -at, -k or -d
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soomat (body)
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Singular base case
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Plural base case
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Singular accusative case
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Plural accusative case
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soomat
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soomata
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sooma
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soomata
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Feminine Nouns ending in -r, -nt, -at, -k or -d
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elpid (hope)
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Singular base case
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Plural base case
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Singular accusative case
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Plural accusative case
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elpid
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elpides
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elpida
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elpidas
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Fourth Declension
Masculine Nouns ending in -w, -o, -oo
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neoo (temple/mosque/church/building of worship)
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Singular base case
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Plural base case
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Singular accusative case
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Plural accusative case
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neoo
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nean
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neoon
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neoos
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Neuter Nouns ending in -w, -o, -oo
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doopo (gift)
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Singular base case
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Plural base case
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Singular accusative case
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Plural accusative case
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doopo
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doopoon
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doopon
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doopa
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Feminine Nouns ending in -w, -o, -oo
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fetaw (petal)
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Singular base case
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Plural base case
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Singular accusative case
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Plural accusative case
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fetaw
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fetai
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fetawi
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feta
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The Definite Article
The form the definite article takes is dependent on the case and gender of the noun in question:
Masculine Nouns
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o (the)
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Singular base case
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Plural base case
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Singular accusative case
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Plural accusative case
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o
|
oi
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ton
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toyn
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Neuter Nouns
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to (the)
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Singular base case
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Plural base case
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Singular accusative case
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Plural accusative case
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to
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ta
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to
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ta
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Feminine Nouns
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ee (the)
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Singular base case
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Plural base case
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Singular accusative case
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Plural accusative case
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ee
|
ai
|
teen
|
tan
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