The paradigmatic order in Symbaian is:

CErg-S[1]/(O)SP-Adj./<Sub. Sentence> [Adv.]-V-(Neg.)* CI/[Ben.]/[Dt.]

*The negation adverb bák is used only with realis moods. In the irrealis moods, the adverb bakái must be used for negation.

[1] In ergative languages, the subject is patient, which is identified with the direct object of accusative languages, while the agent is the object in ergative.

The order of the postpositional syntagme is

[Term] Postp.

gradariéktαζ řax (“across the seas”)

[gradariéktαζ]Term řax

Subordinates

Subordination in Symbaian can be introduced in two ways: syntactically, a) through a conjunction, or b) morphologically, through a subordinating suffix in the verbal core. In the case of the syntactic form, the conjunction or adverb usually comes after the first element of the subordinate clause.

gérkαr tárzañk elatáberat (“because the dog ate meat”)

gérkαr kónme tárzañk elatábera (“because the dog ate meat”)

Completives

For the completives there are two suffixes: a) one for the completives of the absolutive subject and appositions of the subject (-n) and b) another for the complement of the ergative (-k). These agree with the neutral. If the subject of the absolutive is from a verb of volition, doubt, question, the verb of the subordinate will be in the subjunctive. If it is a real proposition, it will be in the indicative. Completives can also be constructed with an infinitive. These can be done both c) with these endings and b) with substantive infinitives.

a) gérkαr tárzañk elatáberan kotóř (“I said the dog ate meat”)

b) gérkαr tárzañk elatáberak yφzárbero (“I was surprised that the dog ate meat”)

c) gérkαr tárzañk elagísamen nyrtóř (“I want the dog to eat meat”)

gérkαr tárzañk elagísañk yφzárgiro (“that the dog eats meat surprises me”)

d) gérkαr tárzañk elagisámω nyrtóř (“I want the dog to eat meat”)

gérkαr tárzañk elagisámωr yφzárgiro (“that the dog eats meat surprises me”)

Relatives

Relatives can be formed in two ways. a) Only with the subordinating suffix or b) with a relative pronoun, together with the subordinating suffix. In the first case, most of the time, the pronoun is unnecessary when in the relative it fulfills the function of subject or ergative or indirect complement, since the agreement with the antecedent can be seen in the verb.

gérkαr elatáberas tárzαs (“The meat that the dog ate”).

gérkαr más elatáberas tárzαs (“The meat that the dog ate”).

The endings and subordinating conjunctions are:

Of relatives, -(a)s[1]

Of causal adverbial, -(a)t[2] and kónme

Of modal adverbial, -(a)v[3]

Of conditional adverbial, -(i)l[4] and lýme

Of concessive adverbial, -(a)dé and týme

Of final adverbial, -(a)x[5]

Of posterior temporal adverbial (of the main, “before x”), -(a)tzi

Of anterior temporal adverbial (of the main, “after x”), -(a)k[6]

Of temporal adverbial simultaneous (of the main), -(a)n[7]

Of temporal adverbial ablative (“since”), -dý

Of temporal adverbial terminative (“until”), -(a)kt[8][9]

Of subject completive, subjective predicative or appositional, -(a)n[10]

Of completive of ergative, predicative of ergative or appositional, -(a)k[11]

Of subject completive with “if” [12], ylôys

Particle of partial interrogatives, nyn[13]

Particle of total interrogatives, nak[14]

[1] The epenthesis in Targathian -s(a)

[2] The epenthesis in Targathian -t(a)

[3] The epenthesis in Targathian -v(a)

[4] The epenthesis in Targathian -v(i)

[5] The epenthesis in Targathian -x(a)

[6] The epenthesis in Targathian -k(a)

[7] The epenthesis in Targathian -n(a)

[8] The epenthesis in Targathian -kt(a)

[9] The nuclear verb of ablative and terminative temporal adverbials will always be oxytone.

[10] The epenthesis in Targathian -n(a)

[11] The epenthesis in Targathian -k(a)

[12] The conjunction ylóys is equivalent to the “if” of the completives: “I would like to know if…” It is placed before the nuclear verb, with a relative (not after it so as not to clash with the coordinating conjunctions).

[13] It is enclitic and has a partitive value: for example: gádax nyn (ezté) (“What person was it?” or “Who was it?”)

[14] It is postverbal enclitic and comes before the conjunction pa or the adverb bák.

Symbaian is an ergative language, so the inverse voice that is historically characteristic of it is the antipassive, in which the agentive subject is in the absolutive. This can be constructed in three ways: b) through a morphologically inflected verb in an antipassive voice, c) with an antipassive participle or d) with a periphrasis of a copulative and an antipassive participle. The passive complement is marked with instrumental.

a) gérkαr tárzañk elatágira (“The dog eats meat”)

b) gérkαs elatá tárzaz (“the dog is the meat eater”)

c) gérkαs tárzaz elapékαs eitá (“the dog is the meat eater”)

d) gérkαs tárzaz elapékαs (“the dog is the meat eater”)

Due to the influence of Tharcaian, which is an accusative language, the Targathian dialect, close to the border with Tharcay, has developed a passive structure, which is constructed with the 'active' participle and an agent complement, introduced by the postposition ys (from the Tharcaian preposition us). b) When is an agent complement, the postposition governs the genitive case. c) When it is a complement of cause, it rules ablative.

a) tárzαs gerkᾶ ys elagipémαs eitá (“the meat is eaten by the dog”)

b) tárzαs gerkᾶ ys elagipémαs (“the meat is eaten by the dog”)

c) tárzαs drómαζ ys fernagipémαs eitá (“the meat is burned by fire”)