The verb is the head of the verb phrase and the central element of the clause. It expresses the action, state, or process, and determines how many arguments (subject, object, etc.) are required.
Verbs can appear as simple forms (a single word) or as periphrastic forms. Typically, the components of the periphrasis appear together:
Kōrim innutu yaru. — The dog wants to sleep.
Sām innurok yaru. — The dog is sleeping.
However, it is increasingly common for the subject to appear between the auxiliary and the main verb:
Kōrim yaru innutu. — The dog wants to sleep.
Sām yaru innurok. — The dog is sleeping.
This flexibility does not change the basic meaning, but it can shift the focus or emphasis within the clause.
The verb is the central element of the clause and determines the number and type of required arguments. Depending on their valency, verbs can be classified as follows:
Impersonal verbs (valency 0): they take no subject.
Example: Uranam — It is raining.
Intransitive verbs (valency 1): they require only a subject.
Example: Dizum yaru. — The dog runs.
Transitive verbs (valency 2): they require a subject and a direct object.
Example: Yuntum yaru abōrkē. — The dog eats the apple.
Ditransitive verbs (valency 3): they require a subject, a direct object, and an indirect object.
Example: Zitum tapi abōrkē ku yarun. — The boy gives the apple to the dog.
Tritransitive verbs (valency 4): in addition to subject, direct, and indirect objects, they include an oblique argument introduced by another preposition.
Example: Tayem tapi abōrkē ku kūzarekēn dur urmin run. — The boy buys the apple from the vendor for two coins.
The core arguments appear with the following case markers:
Subject: appears in the subjective case (the basic form of the noun).
Direct object: appears in the oblique case (e.g., tapik).
Indirect object: typically introduced by the preposition ku + prepositional case (e.g., ku tapin).
→ Indirect pronouns may appear directly in the oblique case, without a preposition.
Oblique complement: introduced by a preposition and marked with the prepositional case.
Attribute and predicative: appear in the subjective case.
An adjunct is an optional element in a sentence that adds information such as time, place, manner, or reason, but is not required by the verb. In Naucan, adjuncts can take various forms:
Adverbial phrases (e.g., expressions of time or manner)
Prepositional phrases (e.g., indicating location, cause, or instrument)
Word order and position
Adjuncts show considerable flexibility in position. While they may appear at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis, their default and most common position is at the end of the sentence.
Kōrim yaru innutu no tommin yethen.
“The dog wants to sleep in its house.”
The adjunct no tommin yethen (“in its house”) adds locative information but can be omitted without affecting grammaticality:
Kōrim yaru innutu.
“The dog wants to sleep.”
Simple adverbs, in particular, tend to appear immediately after the verb. This position is preferred when the adverb modifies the verb directly, especially in neutral or unmarked statements.
Innum dingisse so.
“He sleeps quietly.”