Sentential Syntax
| This section requires expansion. |
Coptic typically shows subject–verb–object (SVO) word order, as in the following examples:
| A | tə-kʲamaule | mise | ən-u-ʃeːre | ən-shime |
| perfective | def:fem:sg-camel | deliver.abs | prep-indef:sg-girl | link-woman |
| 'The she-camel delivered a daughter.' | ||||
| Pə-tʲoeis | na-krine | ən-nə-laos |
| def:m:sg-lord | fut-judge | prep-def:pl-people |
| 'The Lord will judge the people.' | ||
| A-i-kʲine | əm-p-a-eioːt | |
| perfective-1sg-find.abs | prep-def:masc:sg-1sg-father | |
| 'I found my father.' | ||
The verbs in these sentences are in the absolute state grade (Reintges 2010:208), which requires that its direct object be introduced with the preposition /ən, əm/. This preposition functions like accusative case.
There is also an alternative nominal state grade of the verb in which the direct object of the verb follows with no preposition:
| a-i-kʲən | p-a-eioːt | |
| perfective-1sg-find.nom | def:masc:sg-1sg-father | |
| 'I found my father.' | ||
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