Goal

Talk about what someone wants, can do, or should do.

New Grammar

• Common helper verbs: kan, vole, debe
• se introduces a condition.
• Use go for a predictive result and da for a contingent or counterfactual result.
• Beginner verbal order:
  • no
  • tense
  • aspect
  • modal or evidential helper
  • main verb

Core Vocabulary

Mini-ma	English
kan	can
vole	want
debe	should, must
bibe	drink
tea	tea
kafe	coffee
kamina	walk
labora	work
etudi	study
nese	need, necessary
proba	likely, probable
mebi	maybe, possibly
sure	certain, sure
se	if
da	contingent result marker

Model Examples

mi i vole a tea
I want tea.

tu i kan pale
You can speak.

si i debe etudi
He or she should study.

mi i de kan labora
I could work.

mi i no de kan labora
I could not work.

mi i go vole a kafe
I will want coffee.

si i proba veni
He or she is likely to come.

se tu i veni, mi i go pale kon tu
If you come, I will speak with you.

se mi i savi a di, mi i da make a si
If I knew that, I would do it.

Guided Notes

• Learn the small helper chain by pattern, not by abstract grammar terms.
• mi i no de kan labora is easier to read than a freer order.
• proba is stronger than mebi, but weaker than sure, and in si i proba veni it stands before the main verb.
• In conditionals, go gives a predicted result and da gives a more hypothetical one.
• nese is often useful in short statements:

vasa e nese
Water is necessary.

Practice

1. Translate into Mini-ma: “I can walk.”
2. Translate into Mini-ma: “She should drink water.”
3. Translate into English: mi i vole a kafe
4. Reorder: etudi / i / debe / tu
5. Translate into Mini-ma: “He is likely to come.”
6. Translate into Mini-ma: “If you come, I will speak with you.”
7. Translate into Mini-ma: “If I knew that, I would do it.”

Mini Recap

Helper chains let you speak about ability, desire, and obligation without changing the main verb.