The case system of Lezgi

There are altogether 18 cases in Lezgi, which means that Lezgi nouns have 18 different forms, each coming with its own meaning. Quite intimidating, no ? This page is designed to serve as a guide to all this forms and their usage. Here you will learn what any given case form can express. There are also some hints on how to build them (for more detailed explanations and templates see the paradigms page).

The Lezgian cases come in two groups. The first four (Absolutive, Ergative, Genitive and Dative) are so called grammatical cases (meaning that they have important functions in the sentence forming), all the rest is labelled as "locative cases".

The 14 so-called locative cases can be divided into five sets, each of them expressing certain location, which is pointed out by the first element of the case's name. "Ad-" means "by, near"; "Post-" means "behind"; "Sub-" means "under"; "In-" means "in, at" and "Super-" means "on". The second elements of the case names are: "-essive" ie. "staying at the location", "-elative" ie. "moving from the location" and "-directive" ie. "moving towards the location". Therefore e.g. Inessive means "inside something", Postelative means "out from behind" and Superdirective - "onto something". This neat system of naming was invented by prof. Martin Haspelmath in his "A grammar of Lezgian". From the same book come some of the examples (in particular those illustrating rare usages).

The Absolutive case (basic form of the word, no ending). 

• expresses the subject (the doer) in an intransitive sentence (ie. when the action has no object, is not focused on someone/something)
  _Зун_ кIвализ фида  [_zun_ k'waliz fida] - _I_ will go home.

• expresses the object in a transitive sentence (ie. when something is done to someone/something)
  Мумината заз _чар_ кхьена [Muminata zaz _char_ kxhena] - Muminat wrote me _a letter_.

• expresses the nominal predicate (ie. is used to tell who or what someone or something is or becomes)
  Зун _студент_ я [zun _student_ ja] - I am _a student_.

• is used as a vocative (ie. to directly address people)
  Ша кIвализ, чан _стха_ ! [sha k'waliz chan _stxa_] - Come home, dear _brother_ !

The Ergative case (ending: various endings; the most common: -ди /-а/ -е; [-di; -a; -e] added to Absolutive)

• expresses the subject (the doer) in a transitive sentence
  _За_ рак акьайна [_za_ rak aq'ajna] - _I_ opened the door.

• also expresses the doer in intransitive sentences with -awun compound verbs
  _Гъалиди_ заводда кIвалахзава [_g'alidi_ zawodda k'walaxzava] - _Ali_ works in a factory.

The Genitive case (ending: -н [-n] added to Ergative)

• expresses posession both in literal and figurative meanings
  _Цуькверан_ ван [_Cykweran_ van] - _Cykver's_ voice (Cykver - a Lezgi feminine name, meaning lit.'flowers')
  Ярмет гьамиша и _рушан_ рикIел къведа [Jarmet hamisha i _rushan_ rik'el qweda]
  - lit. Jarmet will always come to the heart _of this girl_ (ie. she will remember him)
  Вун сикI ятIа, зун _сикIрен_ тум я [vun sik' jat'a zun _sik'ren_ ttum ja] - If you are a fox, I am the _fox's_ tail.

• expresses material and quality
  _къизилдин_ тупIал [qizildin tup'al] - ring _of gold_

The Dative case (ending: -з [-z] added to Ergative)

• expresses the recipent (receiver) of some actions (eg. the one something is given to)
  Гадади _рушаз_ цуьк гана [gadadi _ruszaz_ cyk gana]- The boy gave _girl_ a flower.

• expresses the subject (the doer) with some verbs (mostly related to senses and emotions)
  _Замирадиз_ Пери акуна. [_Zamiradiz_ Peri akuna] - _Zamira_ saw Peri (Peri - a feminine name, meaning lit. 'faerie').
  _Заз_ вун гзаф кIанда. [_zaz_ vun gzaf k'anda] - _I_ love you very much.

• expresses the direction (esp. towards people)
  Пака _Яр-Гъалидиз_ мугьманар къведа [paka _jar-g'alidiz_ muhmanar qweda]- Tomorrow guests will come _to Jar-Ali_.

• forms the verb "to have" with the word ава [ava] - "there is"
  _Адаз_ пул авач [_adaz_ pul avach] - _He_ doesn't have money. (lit. there's no money _to him_)
  _Ваз_ вахт авани ? [_vaz_ vaxt avani] - Do _you_ have time ? (lit. is there time _to you_?)

• expresses a point in time
  Бязи _чIавариз_ зи гьебе буш жеда, бязи _чIавариз_ - жедач. [baezi _ch'avariz_ zi hebe bush zheda, baezi _ch'avariz_ - zhedach]
  - Some_times_ my bag is empty, some_times_ it isn't
  са _югъуз_ [sa _jughuz_] - one _day_

The Adessive case (ending: -в [-v] added to Ergative)

• expresses the location "near, by" especially with the noun рак [rak] "door"
  Надир _ракIарив_ акъвазна [Nadir _rak'ariv_ aqwazna] - Nadir stopped _by the door_.

• is used with some verbs (esp those starting with the Ag- prefix)
  Машинар _хуьруьв_ агакьна [mashinar _xyryv_ agaqna] - The cars reached _the village_
  Гада, _рушав_ раханни тавуна, хъфена [gada _rushav_ raxanni tavuna qhfena] - The boy went away, without even talking _to the girl_.

The Adelative case (ending: -вай [-vaj] added to Ergative)

• expresses movement away from the location "near, by"
  Ина, _ватандивай_ яргъаз, чи уьмуьр гзаф четин я [ina _vatandivaj_ jarghaz chi ymyr gzaf chetin ja]
  - Here, far away _from the homeland_, our life is very difficult.

• is also used in general meaning "from"
  За _Гъалидивай_ пул къачуна [za _G'alidivaj_ pul qachuna] - I took the money _from Ali_
  Ваз _завай_ вуч кIанзава ? [vaz _zavaj_ vuch k'anzava] - What do you want _from me_ ?

• forms the modal verb "be able to" "can" with an aid of the verb хьана [xhana] "to become"
  _Вавай_ заз куьмек гуз жедани ? [_vavaj_ zaz kymek guz zhedani] - Can _you_ help me ?

• expresses accidental or involuntary action
  _Дидевай_ нек алахьна [_didevaj_ nek alaqhna] - _Mother_ accidentally allowed the milk to boil over.
  _Завай_ уьмуьрда тек садра тапарар авун хьана - _I_ (involuntarily) lied only once in my life

The Addirective case (ending: -вди [-vdi] added to Ergative)

• is rarely used in its original meaning of "in the direction of near/by"
  СикI _маркунивди_ фена [sik' _markunivdi_ fena] - The fox came to the stack.

• expresses an instrument or a manner
  Ада вилин накъвар гъвечи _ягълухдивди_ михьна [ada vilin naqwar ghwechi _jaghluxdivdi_ mixhna]
  - She wiped the tears from her eyes _with a little handkerchief_.
  Яр-гъалиди _гьуьрметдивди_ жаваб гана [Jar-G'ali _hyrmetdivdi zhavab gana] - Jar-Ali answered _respectfully_.

The Postessive case (ending: -хъ [-qh] added to Ergative)

• is rarely used in its original meaning of "behind", mostly with the noun стол [stol] "table"
  Вири _столдихъ_ ацукьнава [viri _stoldiqh_ acuqnava] - Everyone is sitting _at (lit. behind) the table_.

• expresses the possesor with the word ава [ava] "there is". However in this meaning, the dative construction (see above) is more widely used.
  _Вахъ_ вахт авани ? [_vaqh_ vaxt avani] - Do _you_ have time ? (lit. Is there time _behind you_?)
  _Захъ_ маса теклиф ава [_zaqh_ masa teklif ava] - _I_ have a different offer.

• can have the meaning "in exchange for"
  За зи балкIан _цIуд хипехъ_ гана [za zi balk'an _c'ud xipeqh_ gana] - I gave my horse _in exchange for ten sheep_.

• combines with the word галаз [galaz] to mean "with"
  За ви _стхадихъ галаз_ кIвалахзавай [za vi _stxadiqh_ galaz k'walaxzavaj] - I used to work _with your brother_.

The Postelative case (ending: -хъай [-qhaj] added to Ergative)

• with nouns like пад [pad] "side" or рак [rak] "door" takes the meaning of "from"
  Маса _патарихъай_ атай инсанар [masa _patariqhaj_ ataj insanar] - People who came _from different places_

• expresses the cause of fear or shame
  Аялдиз вичин _бубадихъай_ кичIе жеда [ajaldiz vichin bubadiqhaj kich'e zheda] - The child fears his own _father_.

The Postdirective case (ending: -хъди [-qhdi] added to Ergative)

• used only occassionally, expresses the notion "toward"
  За _кIвалихъди_ зверна [za _k'waliqhdi_  zwerna] - I ran _toward the house_

The Subessive case (ending: -к [-k] added to Ergative)

• expresses the original notion of "below"
  Зун тарцин _сериндик_ ацукьна [zun tarcin _serindik_ acuq'na] - I sat _under the shade_ of a tree.

• is used with the verbs like "mix" or "participate"
  Заз жуван _шадвилик_ вирибур шерик хьана кIанзава [zaz zhuvan _shadvilik_ viribur sherik xhana k'anzava]
  - I want everyone to participate _in my happiness_.

The Subelative case (ending: -кай [-kaj] added to Ergative)

• occassionally expresses the original notion of "from below"
  Палту _михиникай_ куьрсарнава [paltu _mixinikaj_ kyrsarnava] - The coat hangs _from the nail_

• means "from" in many abstract senses such as "free from"
  Гила чи ватан _душманрикай_ азад я [gila chi vatan _dushmanrikaj_ azad ja] - Now our homeland is free _from the enemies_.

• can also mean "against" with verbs like "protect" and "save"
  Анжах дуствиливай чун _душмандикай_ хуьз жеда [anzhax dustvilivaj chun _dushmandikaj_ xyz zheda]
  - Only friendship can protect us _against the enemy_.

• with groups of people expresses the notion "out of"
  _Гадайрикай_ гзафбуру рушарихъ галаз кьуьлерзавай [_gadajrikaj_ gzafburu rushariqh galaz q'ylerzavaj]
  - Many _of the boys_ danced with the girls.

• in construction "X becomes Y" (literally "X becomes out-of-Y") marks the Y (ie. starting point of the change)
  _Вакай_ хъсан устIар жеда [_vakaj_ qhsan ust'ar zheda] - _You_ will become a master. (lit. a master will become _out of you_)

• expresses the topic of speech or thought ("about")
  За _вакай_ фагьумзавай [za _vakaj_ fahumzavaj] - I was thinking _about you_

• expresses the cause of emotions
  Гъалидиз вичин _бубадикай_ хъел атана [g'alidiz vichin _bubadikaj_ qhel atana] - Ali got angry _with his father_.

The Subdirective case (ending: -кди [-kdi] added to Ergative)

• used very rarely, expresses cause
  Жанавур _кашакди_ гиликьна [zhanavur _kashakdi_ giliq'na] - The wolf died _of hunger_.

The Inessive case (ending: -а/ -е [-a / -e] added to Absolutive)

• expresses the general location "in" "at", also in some abstract senses
  Зи _кIвале_ мугьманар ава [zi _k'wale_ muhmanar ava] - There're guests _in my house_.
  _Школада_ чаз Лезги чIалан тарсар ганач [_shkolada_ chaz Lezgi ch'alan tarsar ganach]
  - _In school_ they didn't teach us Lezgi language.

• expresses duration or a period of time
  Тамам _вацра_ адаз чими хуьрек аквантийиз [_tamam vacra_ adaz chimi xyrek akwantijiz]
  - _For a whole month_ he didn't see a warm meal.

The Inelative case (ending: -ай/ -ей [-aj / -ej] added to Inessive)

• expresses the notion "from inside" (ie. "out of")
  _Варшавадай_ Тегьрандиз саки вад югъ рехъ ава [_Varshavadaj_ Tehrandiz saki vad jugh reqh ava]
  - There's almost five days of travel _from Warsaw_ to Tehran

• expresses the notion "(in return) for"
  Заз гайи _куьмекдай_ ваз сагърай лугьузва [zaz gaji _kymekdaj_ vaz saghraj luhuzwa]
  - I thank you _for the help_ you have given me.

The Superessive case (ending: -л [-l] added to Inessive)

• expresses the location "on"
  Гъали векьел ацукьнава [G'ali _veq'el_ acuq'nava] - Ali is sitting _on grass_.

• expresses the cause of some emotions
  Зун ви _гафунал_ гзаф шад хьана [zun vi _gafunal_ gzaf shad xhana] - I became very happy _at your words_.

The Superelative case (ending: -лай [-laj] added to Inessive)

• expresses the notion "off / from on"
  Буба _балкIандилай_ эвичIна [buba _balk'andilaj_ evich'na] - Father got _off the horse_.

• is used to mark the begining of time periods (ie. means "after" "starting from")
  Са _сятдилай_ зун жуван кIвализ хтана [sa _saetdilaj_ zun zhuvan k'waliz xtana] - _After one hour_ I returned home.

• marks the person or object being compared to
  Руша _гададилай_ иердиз кьуьл ийида [rusha _gadadilaj_ ijerdiz q'yl ijida] - The girl dances better _than the boy_.

The Superdirective case (ending: -лди [-ldi] added to Inessive)

• quite rarely expresses its original meaning of "onto"
  Гъалиди рушан дикъет _вичелди_ чIугваз алахъзавай [G'alidi rushan diqet _vicheldi_ ch'ugwaz alaqhzavaj]
  - Ali was trying to bring the girl's attention _to himself_.

• expresses the manner or instrument of action
  Ада _кIеви ванцелди_ жаваб гана [ada _k'evi vanceldi_ zhavab gana] - He answered _in a firm voice_

• expresses the language being used
  Вун _Лезгидалди_ рахазвани ? [vun _Lezgidaldi_ raxazani] - Do you speak _ in Lezgi_ ?

• marks the end of time periods (ie. means "until" "by")
  Вун _и чIавалди_ гьина авай ? [vun _i ch'avaldi_ hina avaj] - Where have you been _until now_?

The complete declension paradigms (tables of all case forms) are here
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