Editing Khasi language (section)

===Sentences===

====Word order====
Word order in simple sentences is subject–verb–object (SVO):

{{interlinear|lang=kha|indent=3
|U ksew u bam doh.
|MASC dog MASC eat flesh
|'The dog eats meat.'}}

However, VSO order is also found, especially after certain initial particles, like hangta 'then' (Rabel 1961).

{{interlinear|lang=kha|indent=3
|hangta la ong i khnai ïa ka Naam
|then PAST say dimin mouse ACC FEM Naam
|'Then said the (little) mouse to Naam ... '}}

====Case marking====
Sometimes the object is preceded by a particle ya (spelled ia in Roberts 1891).  Roberts says "ia, 'to', 'for', 'against' implies direct and immediate relation.  Hence its being the sign of the dative and of the [[accusative case]] as well"

{{interlinear|lang=kha|indent=3
|U la ái ïa ka kitab ïa nga.
|MASC PAST give ACC FEM book ACC me
|'He gave the book to me.'}}

It appears from Roberts (1891) that Khasi has [[differential object marking]], since only some objects are marked accusative.  Roberts notes that nouns that are definite usually have the accusative and those that are indefinite often do not.

Rabel (1961) says "the use of ïa is optional in the case of one object.  In the case of two objects one of them must have ïa preceding.... If one of the objects is expressed by a pronoun, it must be preceded by ïa."

Broadly speaking, Khasi marks for eight cases, with the [[nominative case]] remaining unmarked, for a total of nine cases.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Case markers in Khasi
|-
! Case !! Marker
|-
|  [[Nominative case|Nominative]] || (unmarked)
|-
|  [[Accusative case|Accusative]]-[[Dative case|dative]] || {{lang|kha|ïa}}
|-
|  [[Ablative case|Ablative]] || {{lang|kha|na}}
|-
|  [[Locative case|Locative]] || {{lang|kha|ha}}
|-
|  [[Allative case|Allative]] || {{lang|kha|sha}}
|-
|  [[Genitive case|Genitive]] || {{lang|kha|jong}}
|-
|  [[Instrumental case|Instrumental]] || {{lang|kha|da}}
|-
|  [[Comitative case|Comitative]] || {{lang|kha|bad}}
|-
|  [[Vocative case|Vocative]] || {{lang|kha|ko}}
|}

All case markers can appear with or without the prenominal markers/articles {{lang|kha|u}}, {{lang|kha|ka}}, {{lang|kha|i}} and {{lang|kha|ki}}, and are placed before the prenominal markers.

====Passive====
Khasi has a passive, but it involves removing the agent of the sentence without putting the patient in subject position.  (A type called the 'non-ascensional passive').  Compare the following active-passive pair (Roberts 1891) where the patient continues to have accusative case and remains in the object position:

{{interlinear|lang=kha|indent=3
|Ki dang tháw ïa ka ïing da ki dieng..
|PL contin build ACC FEM house with PL wood
|'They are building the house with wood.'}}

{{interlinear|lang=kha|indent=3
|Dang tháw ïa ka ïing.
|contin build ACC FEM house
|'The house is being built.'}}

This type of passive is used, even when the passive agent is present in a prepositional phrase:

{{interlinear|lang=kha|indent=3
|La lah pyniap ïa ka masi da {U Míet}.
|PAST PFV kill ACC FEM cow by {{{no gloss|U}} Miet}
|'The cow was killed by U Miet.'}}

====Questions====
Yes–no questions seem to be distinguished from statements only by intonation:

{{interlinear|lang=kha|indent=3
|Phi kit khoh Til?
|you {are carrying} {a basket} Til?
|'Will you take a basket, Til? Phin shim ka khoh, Til?}}

Wh-questions don't involve moving the wh-element:

{{interlinear|lang=kha|indent=3
|u leit shaei?
|MASC go where
|Where is he going?'}}

====Embedded clauses====
Subordinate clauses follow the main verb that selects them (Roberts 1891:169):

{{interlinear|lang=kha|indent=3
|Nga tip ba phi la leh ia kata.
|I know that you PAST do ACC that
|'I know that you have done that'}}

Relative clauses follow the nouns that they modify and agree in gender:

{{interlinear|lang=kha|indent=3
|Ka {samla kynthei} ka-ba wan mynhynnin ka la iáp.
|FEM girl FEM-relative come yesterday FEM PAST die
|'The girl who came yesterday has died.'}}