English Translation
You waited? Thank you!
Let’s break down the Lojban sentence “do pu denpa xu .i ki’e sai” into its components to explain it to someone learning the language.
"do" = you (singular); it is the second person singular pronoun.
"pu" = past tense marker; it indicates that the action happened before the present moment.
"denpa" = to wait (verb); it comes from the gismu (root word) "denpa," which means wait or pause.
"xu" = interrogative particle used to ask yes-or-no questions.
".i" = separates sentences. It is similar to a period (.) in English but can also be used where we would use conjunctions like "and" or "but."
"ki'e" = thank you (expression); it's a short form of gratitude or appreciation.
"sai" = intensifier; expresses strong emotion or emphasis to the preceding word.
Now, let’s put this together to understand the grammar and overall meaning. This sentence comprises two parts. The first is a question, and the second is a statement expressing strong gratitude.
“Do pu denpa xu” translates to “Did you wait?” The use of “xu” turns the statement “You waited” into a yes-no question.
“.i ki’e sai” shifts to a new sentence, expressing deep thanks with “.i” marking the new sentence and “sai” emphasizing the intensity of the thanks.
So, the sentence “do pu denpa xu .i ki’e sai” can be understood in English as “Did you wait? Thank you very much!” or “Did you wait? I’m very grateful!” The speaker is asking the listener if they waited and is expressing strong gratitude, presumably for the waiting