Structure

The main rule

Anything before a word applies to the word. In case of a verb, the object comes after too.

• ma a-lo-vo sa — I / max-attraction-do / you
• ta o-tu-du-vo sa — she / zero-sound + communication-do / you (she whispers to you)
• ma no ve-vo — I / not / movement-do (I not go)

Words can be omitted when obvious from context. a-lo! (love!) is a valid sentence.

Verbs: domain + vo

Any non-verb can become a verb by appending vo. The domain carries the full meaning; vo marks it as action.

• lo-vo — attraction-do (like, be attracted to)
• ve-vo — movement-do (move, go)
• du-vo — communicate-do (say, tell)
• ge-vo — sense-do (feel, sense)

Add a (max) or o (zero) to set intensity:

• a-lo-vo — all-attraction-do = love
• o-ki-vo — zero-energy-do = sleep
• te-ve-vo — mid-movement-do = drive
• a-ge-vo — all-sense-do = feel deeply

Bare domain (no vo) = state, not action:

• ma ni-fu — I (am) opposite-calm = I'm angry
• ma a-mu — I (am) all-joy = I'm elated
• ma ni-fu-vo — I do opposite-calm = I rage (active, intentional)

Tense: expressed through domains, not structure

Dupi has no strict tense particles. Time is expressed using domain compounds or omitted when obvious from context. Ti = past, niti = future.

• Present (default): ma ve-vo — I go
• Future: ma ni-ti-ve-vo — I opposite of past-go, (arriving time)
• Past: ma ti-ve-vo — I past-go (departed time)

Word structure

All domains are connected with a hyphen to form compound words. a and o are just domains like any other.

• Hyphen — compound concept: po-ba = house (hard + container)
• Space — separate words: so a-li = lake (big, water)

Modifier domains are optional

• a-mu — all + joy = specific point: "all joy, elation"
• mu — bare domain = general reference (context fills in)

Wh-questions: domain + jo

• jo — what?
• ko jo — who? (life, question)
• da jo — where? (distance, question)
• ti jo — when? (time, question)
• me jo — why? (because, question)
• wa jo — how? (path, question)

Negation: no

• ma no ve-vo — I not go
• no a-mu — not happy (different from o-mu = zero joy)

Connectors

• jo — if (conditional)
• vi — or (alternatives)
• vu — but / however
• me — because (factual)
• ja — and (all true)

Comparison: bu

• bu — more / greater than
• ni-bu — less / less than
• te-bu — equal
• no te-bu — not equal

Example: ma so bu sa = I'm bigger than you (I, size, more, you).

Variables: la

la works like any other domain. Add vo to make it a verb (define).

• po la-vo [describe complex concept] — "po" means that thing now
• ti la-vo ti-o-pi — any following conversation describes the past now