fjalia

Fjalia, in Albanian grammar, is the term for a sentence. It is a unit of language that expresses a complete thought and is typically built around a finite verb that marks tense. The core of a fjali is usually the predicate, which makes a claim, asks a question, or issues a command; the subject of the action is often explicit, though Albanian allows subject omission when it is understood from the verb’s inflection. A fjali may also include objects, adverbials, and other complements, and it can occur in different word orders thanks to inflectional endings.

Fjalia can be categorized by purpose: declarative (thënë), which states a fact; interrogative (pyetëse), which asks a question; and imperative (urdhër), which gives a command. By structure it can be simple, containing a single clause, or complex, containing multiple clauses linked with conjunctions. Subordinate clauses can function as parts of a larger fjali, adding detail or conditions.

In practice, Albanian fjalia often follows a subject–predicate–object tendency, but word order is flexible due to rich morphology. Punctuation marks help indicate sentence type: a period for declaratives, a question mark for interrogatives, and an exclamation mark for commands or emphatic statements.

Examples illustrate the range: “Unë shkoj në shkollë.” (I go to school.) “A shkon ti në shkollë?” (Do you go to school?) “Vij këtu!” (Come here.) Fjalia is a fundamental unit in both written and spoken Albanian, shaping how ideas are conveyed and connected.