Description:

The term 'minna' is used to refer to requests, and is regarded as inherently polite. As such, expressions which in English would use the word 'please' often are expressed with 'minna' as a verb in Common.

Verb:

As a verb, 'minna' is a happat verb meaning 'to make a request'. It is a typical happt verb of communication. It takes three arguments: an ergative subject, which is the requester, a dative indirect object, which is the person to which the request is made, and an absolutive direct object which is the thing requested (if the request is to perform an action as opposed to be given some object, a dependent clause introduced with 'si' might be used).

It is extremely common to omit the dative requestee, especially if that person is also the addressee. A disintentive skurun form using nox is also common, and means that the request is made to no one in particular.

'Minna' is inherently courteous, and expressions using minna often take the place that the word 'please' holds in English. An example of using minna to request an object:

Je hap minna y kaffe.
I(ERG) give(NP.IM) request a(ABS) coffee.

'I would like a coffee, please.'

An example of using minna to request an action:

Je hap minna si a laske ti pirap.
I(ERG) give(NP.IM) request that(DAT) the(ABS) door hit(IR.NP.IM) close.

'Please close the door.'

In these sorts of constructions, you could omit the 'je', as in 'hap minna si a laske te pirap'.

Noun:

As a noun, 'minna' means a request. You can also use the noun form of 'minna' to tag a imperative statement to perform an action as a polite request by tagging 'na minna' to the front or end of the statement. Example:

Te pirap a laske, na minna.
Hit(NP.IM) close the(ABS) door, the(NOM) request.

'Close the door, please.'

The set phrase in Common meaning 'you're welcome' is also based on minna - 'na zra minna', roughly 'the good request' is used as a set phrase meaning 'you're welcome.

Modifier:

As a modifier, 'minnas' idiomatically means 'requested'. Here is an example of the usage:

A minnas kaffe se an spet.
The(ABS) request-MOD coffee stand(NP.IM) be here.

'Here is the coffee you ordered.'