On the whole, one can regard this suffix as an equivalent of "kosa" (thing) or "koysa" (something). Thus the suffix -(i)ka is polysemantic, the exact meaning of a word following from the context. In order to be more precise, one can use the suffixes -er (tool, device), -tura (stresses the result, product of action), or -wat (indicates the object of action).
The suffix -tura denotes an end result/product of action:
produkti — to produce
produktura — produce, output
mixi — to mix
mixitura — mixture
solvi — to dissolve
solvitura — solution
texi — to weave
texitura — fabric, tissue
sekwi — to follow
sekwitura — consequence
derivi — to derive
derivitura — derivative
shwo — to say
shwotura — saying
Derivation: just added to a verb, however -titura=> -tura, -ditura=> -dura. NB: In some words like ‘temperatura’, ‘natura’ ‘tura’ is not a suffix.
The suffix -wat denotes object of action:
pi — to drink
piwat — beverage
chi — to eat
chiwat — food, eaten things
rosti — to roast
rostiwat — roast (meat)
sendi — to send
sendiwat — something sent
konteni — to contain
konteniwat — contents
Derivation: just added to a verb.
One can distinguish between mixiwat (something mixed, an ingredient) and mixitura (mixture, a result of mixing), solviwat (dissolved thing) and solvitura (resulting solution). The suffixes of doer and tool
The suffix -er means both doer (person) and tool/ device/appliance.
When added to a verb, the final -i of the verb is dropped (except for the monosyllabic verbs ending in -i). When added to a noun, the final -a of the noun is dropped. In other cases -er is just added:
kapti — to capture, catch
kapter — trap or trapper/catcher
lekti — to read
lekter — reader (person or device)
vendi — to sell
vender — seller
kondukti — to conduct (heat etc.)
kondukter — conductor
zwo — to do
zwoer — doer
shwo — to speak
shwoer — speaker
ofni — to open
ofner — opener
banka — bank
banker — banker
ski — to ski
skier — skier
politika — politics
politiker — politician
milka — milk
milki — to milk
milker — milker (person or device)
astronomia — astronomy
astronomier — astronomer
historia — history
historier — historian
plei — play
pleier — player (person or device)
milion — million
milioner — millionaire
yuwel — jewel
yuweler — jeweller
To specify the meaning of doer, the suffix -sha may be used which is derived from the active participle marker
milki — to milk
milki-sha — milker (person)
plei — to play
plei-sha — player (person)
lekti — to read
lekti-sha — reader (person)
kapti — to catch
kapti-sha — catcher
To specify the meaning of tool/ device/appliance, one may use the suffixes -(i)ka (see above) or compound words with tul (
ofni — to open
ofnika — opener
plei — play
pleika — toy, plaything
vinti — to screw
vintitul — screwdriver
komuniki — to communicate
komunikitul — means of communication
The suffix -ista denotes a person in relation to a certain doctrine (‘ism’) or profession:
komunista — communist
metodista — methodist
dentista — dentist
artista — artist
spesialista — specialist
This suffix is basically applied to other nouns.
The words ending in -or, -ator.
LdP also imports common European words ending in -or, -ator which mean either doer or tool:
kalkulator — calculator
ventilator — ventilator
aktor — actor
direktor — director
profesor — professor
NB: Not every word meaning a tool must have a suffix. Many verbs are derived from tool-nouns: 'hamri'
Abstract nouns meaning quality (as such) are formed with the suffixes -nesa and -(i)taa:
feble — weak
feblenesa — weakness
dule — tender
dulenesa — tenderness (-nesa is simply added)
diverse — diverse
diversitaa — diversity
probable — probable
probablitaa — probability
amiga — friend
amigitaa — friendship
If a word ends in the vowel e/a, it is transformed into -itaa. For adjectives like ‘gao, lao’ and those ending in a consonant the suffix has the form -taa:
shao — little (in quantity)
shaotaa — scarcity
karim — kind, good
karimtaa — kindness
donishil — generous
donishiltaa — generosity
• The suffix -(i)taa differs in that the nouns formed with it have a broader meaning: not only that of quality but also that of a particular phenomenon connected with this quality:
reale — real
realenesa — realness
realitaa — reality (world)
gao — high
gaonesa — highness
gaotaa — height
vere — true
verenesa — trueness
veritaa — truth
• The suffix -nesa also derives from verbs nouns with the meaning of the state which results from the action (-edness) or is otherwise connected with action:
adapti — to adapt
adaptinesa — adaptedness
koni — be acquainted with
koninesa — acquaintance
godi — be fitted/suited (for)
godinesa — suitability, fitness
• A special case.