Sgaw Karen · Building Words

Here's something that surprises English speakers learning Sgaw Karen.

You learn the word for "eat":

ʔɔ̂ˀ
eat

You learn the word for "rice":

mè
cooked rice

So you try to say "I eat rice":

jə-ʔɔ̂ˀ mè
I-eat rice
"I eat rice"

Perfect. That works.

But then you hear someone say this:

jə-lɛ̀ pɣè-ʔɔ̂ˀ ɲâˀ
I-go buy-eat fish
"I'm going to buy fish to eat."

Wait—buy-eat? They just stuck two verbs together?

And then you see this:

tâ-ʔɔ̂ˀ
thing-eat
"food"

pɣà-mà-tâ-pʰō
person-do-thing-child
"worker"

And suddenly you realize:

Sgaw Karen builds new words by sticking existing words together, like Lego blocks.

Once you see the patterns, you can understand—and even create—words you've never heard before.

The core idea: compounding

Most Sgaw Karen words are one syllable. But many are two or more syllables made by combining simpler words.

This is called compounding, and it's how Sgaw Karen keeps growing new vocabulary without borrowing from other languages.

The beauty is that the pieces keep their meaning, so you can often guess what a new word means just by looking at its parts.

Part 1: Building nouns

Noun + Noun = New Noun

The simplest way to build a noun is to put two nouns together.

The second noun is usually the head—the main thing—and the first noun tells you what kind or what part.

tʰī-θəpə̀ water‑pot = water jar

mɛ̀ˀ-tʰī eye‑water = tear

kənɛ̄-sɔ̄ bee‑juice = honey

kʰɔ̂ˀ-pʰīˀ foot‑leather = shoe

tʰōˀ-mɛ̄ pig‑tooth = pig's tusk

θêˀ-lâˀ tree‑leaf = tree leaf

Notice the pattern: [What kind] + [Thing]

tʰī-θəpə̀
water pot
"water jar" (a pot for water)

The head can come first too

Sometimes the head comes first, especially for names and categories.

wê-təkûˀ city‑Yangon = Yangon city

pɣà-kəɲɔ̄ person‑Karen = Karen person

lêˀ-mêˀ.ʔū cart‑fire = train

plì-tʰāˀ string‑iron = wire

Pattern: [Category] + [Specific name/material]

The magic word: tâ (thing)

The word tâ (thing) is extremely useful for building nouns.

Put it before a verb, and you get the thing that verbs or the action of verbing.

tâ-ʔɔ̂ˀ thing‑eat = food

tâ-θāˀ.wîˀ thing‑sing = song

tâ-kwɛ̄ˀ thing‑write = writing

tâ-mī thing‑sleep = sleep (n.)

tâ-kô thing‑be.hot = heat

tâ-kʰīˀ thing‑be.dark = darkness

tâ-ʔɔ̂ˀ ɣè
thing-eat be.good
"The food is good."

jə-θāˀ.wîˀ tâ
I-sing thing
"I'm singing."

Notice that tâ lets you turn almost any verb into a noun.

The diminutive: pʰō (child)

The word pʰō (child) attaches to nouns to mean small or cute, or to show membership in a group.

Small things:

kʰlī-pʰō boat‑child = small boat

tʰwîˀ-pʰō dog‑child = puppy

nɔ̂ˀ.tə̀-pʰō spoon‑child = teaspoon

tə-sɛ̄ˀ-pʰō one‑bit‑child = a little bit

Members of a group:

pɣà-būˀ.dāˀ-pʰō person‑Buddha‑child = Buddhist

θɨ̄ˀ-pʰō military‑child = soldier

kərə̄-pʰō group‑child = member

kərə̄-pʰō ʔā ɣà hɛ̄ lɔ̀
group-child many CLF come FACT
"Many members came."

Making agent nouns: pɣà (person)

Want to say someone who does something? Use pɣà (person) + verb phrase + pʰō (child).

pɣà-mà-tâ-pʰō person‑do‑thing‑child = worker

pɣà-kwɛ̄ˀ-lìˀ-pʰō person‑write‑book‑child = writer

pɣà-θāˀ.wîˀ-tâ-pʰō person‑sing‑thing‑child = singer

pɣà-xɨ̄.tʰîˀ-θêˀ.ɲā-tâ-pʰō person‑search‑know‑thing‑child = researcher

This pattern is completely productive. If you can describe an action, you can make a word for the person who does it.

ʔəwɛ̄ mê pɣà-kwɛ̄ˀ-lìˀ-pʰō
he COP person-write-book-child
"He is a writer."

Making tool nouns

For tools and instruments, use nɔ̂ˀ (an old word for "tool" that doesn't exist by itself anymore).

nɔ̂-wìˀ tool‑twist = key

nɔ̂ˀ-ɣî tool‑count = number

nɔ̂-tìˀ tool‑pinch = tongs, clothes peg

nɔ̂-kʰɛ̄ˀ-mɛ̄ tool‑pick.out‑tooth = toothpick

nɔ̂-wìˀ ʔôˀ lə̄ pɛ̄.trɔ̄ ʔə-lò
key exist at door its-surface
"The key is on the door."

Part 2: Building verbs

Noun + Verb = Descriptive Verb

Many descriptive verbs (like adjectives in English) are made from a body part + a verb.

The body part tells you where the quality is felt or shown.

With nâ (ear):

nâ-hū ear‑heard = hear

nâ-pə̂ ear‑come.through = understand

nâ-kêˀ ear‑crooked = be disobedient

With mɛ̀ˀ (eye/face):

mɛ̀ˀ-sʰɣāˀ eye‑avoid = be shy

mɛ̀ˀ-kʰīˀ-θū eye‑dark‑black = be dizzy

jə-nâ-pə̂
I-ear-come.through
"I understand."

pʰō.θâˀ nêˀ nâ-kêˀ
child that ear-crooked
"That child is disobedient."

The psycho-nouns: θāˀ (heart) and θûˀ (liver)

These two nouns are used constantly to describe emotions, personality, and inner states.

With θāˀ (heart):

θāˀ-sâ heart‑tender = be young

θāˀ-pɣâ heart‑mature = be old

θāˀ-dôˀ heart‑big = be angry

θāˀ-kô heart‑hot = be worried

θāˀ-kʰɨ̄ heart‑elated = be happy

With θûˀ (liver):

θûˀ-sʰīˀ liver‑small = be timid

θûˀ-dôˀ liver‑big = be brave

jə-θāˀ-kʰɨ̄ dôˀ.māˀ
I-heart-elated very
"I'm very happy."

təbâˀ θāˀ-dôˀ təɣè
PROH heart-big NEG.OPT
"Don't be angry."

These compounds are so common that they're often treated as single words. You can even make nouns from them using tâ:

tâ-θāˀ.kʰɨ̄
thing-heart.elated
"happiness"

Verb + Generic Noun = Activity

Many common activities are expressed as verb + generic noun.

The noun is often non-specific—it's not referring to a particular thing, just completing the action.

ʔɔ̂ˀ mè eat rice = have a meal

pʰāˀ lìˀ read book = read, study

θāˀ.wîˀ tâ sing thing = sing

mà.lō tâ learn thing = study

pʰlō tʃō go.through school = graduate

jə-θāˀ.wîˀ tâ tʰɔ̄.bō
I-sing thing always
"I sing all the time."

The generic noun tâ (thing) is especially common here. Many verbs require an object, and tâ fills that role when there's no specific thing to mention.

Verb + Verb = New Verb (you already know this!)

Here's the exciting part: you've already been learning verb + verb compounds.

The directional verbs from the last section are exactly this:

lɛ̀-tʰɔ̂ˀ go‑ascend = go up

hāˀ-tʰɔ̂ˀ walk‑ascend = go out

sòˀ-kè carry‑return = carry back

pɣè-ʔɔ̂ˀ buy‑eat = buy to eat

kʰāˀ-θī shoot‑die = shoot to kill

tɛ̄-lòˀ.kwɛ̄ tell‑play = joke

The pattern is the same:

First verb = main action
Second verb = purpose, result, or direction

Once you see this, you'll notice verb compounds everywhere.

The most productive patterns

Here are the patterns you'll use most often to build new words.

Noun building

Pattern	Example	Meaning
[Kind] + [Thing]	tʰī-θəpə̀	water jar
[Thing] + [Part]	mɛ̀ˀ-tʰī	tear (eye-water)
tâ + [Verb]	tâ-ʔɔ̂ˀ	food
pɣà + [Verb Phrase] + pʰō	pɣà-mà-tâ-pʰō	worker
nɔ̂ˀ + [Verb]	nɔ̂-wìˀ	key
[Body Part] + [Verb]	nâ-kêˀ	disobedient
[Noun] + pʰō	kʰlī-pʰō	small boat

Verb building

Pattern	Example	Meaning
[Verb] + [Verb]	lɛ̀-tʰɔ̂ˀ	go up
[Verb] + ʔɔ̂ˀ	pɣè-ʔɔ̂ˀ	buy to eat
[Verb] + kwìˀ	xê-kwìˀ	run away
[Descriptive Verb] + tʰɔ̂ˀ / lɔ̀	dôˀ-tʰɔ̂ˀ	get bigger

Why this matters

Once you understand compounding, several things become easier:

1. You can guess new words. See tâ-ɲâˀ? "thing‑meat" = meat. See pɣà-kwɛ̄ˀ-lìˀ-pʰō? "person‑write‑book‑child" = writer.

2. You can create words when you need them. Don't know the word for "cookbook"? Try lìˀ-pʰɔ̄ (book‑cook). A Karen speaker will understand.

3. You see the logic behind the grammar. The same building-block principle that gives you lɛ̀-tʰɔ̂ˀ also gives you tâ-ʔɔ̂ˀ. It's all just putting pieces together.

4. You start thinking in Sgaw Karen. Instead of translating "happiness" as a single concept, you think tâ-θāˀ.kʰɨ̄—"the thing of being heart‑happy."

Summary: what to remember

1. Sgaw Karen builds new words by compounding existing ones.

2. Noun patterns: [Kind] + [Thing], tâ + [Verb], pɣà + [Verb Phrase] + pʰō, [Body Part] + [Verb], θāˀ/θûˀ + [Verb].

3. Verb patterns: [Verb] + [Directional], [Verb] + [Purpose], [Verb] + kwìˀ, [Descriptive Verb] + tʰɔ̂ˀ/lɔ̀.

4. The same logic applies everywhere. Once you see the building blocks, you'll recognize them in nouns, verbs, and even grammar patterns.