Prepositions regularly govern the kimfal. Thus, we express "near me" by „nilü ob,“ not „nilü obi“ nor „nilü obe;“ "out of the house," „se dom,“ not „se doma“ nor „se domi.“
Occasionally, the kimifal will be found after a preposition instead of i at the end of the preposition itself, as will be explained hereafter.
A word used elliptically, like "good-morning," "thanks," "my compliments," is usually in the kimifal, a verb being understood as, [I wish you] good-morning, [I return] thanks, [I present] my compliments.
Directions for translating into Volapük:
- 1. A word in the nominativ is put in the kimfal. If the nominativ is
independent put o before the kimfal.
2. The possessiv is rendered by the kimafal.
3. A word preceded by "of" is generally put in the kimafal.
4. A word (other than a verb in the infinitiv) preceded by "to" is generally put in the kimefal, but not if "to" signifies motion. "I say to you," „sagob olse“; "I go to you," „golob al olsi,“ or „ols.“
5. A word preceded by any other preposition is usually in the kimfal.
6. A word in the objectiv governed by a verb is put in the kimifal.
The adjectiv has ordinarily no case-ending ; but occasionally it takes the case-endings of the noun which it qualifies. This is only done when the adjectiv, being out of its regular place, might be supposed to qualify some other word. Thus, dönan, meaning servant ; blod, brother, and fiedik, faithful.
Dünane fiedik bloda; or,
fiedike dünane bloda; or,
dünane bloda fiedike; to the faithful servant of the brother.
Dünane bloda fiedik; or,
dünane fiedika bloda; to the servant of the faithful brother.
But it is better to leave the adjectiv in its usual place, which is after the noun.
