---
title: hm — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «hm» in the school dictionary: A sound people make when they are thinking, not sure, or doubting something, as in «Hm, let me think». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# hm

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** sound, people, you, Hm, answer, detective · **What happens:** make, think, doubt, let, show, not be · **To what, where:** something, people, you, bit, good question, homework · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«hm» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [hm in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/hm.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A sound people make when they are thinking, not sure, or doubting something, as in «Hm, let me think».

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hm:m1:1
# text = A sound people make when they are thinking, not sure, or doubting something, as in «Hm, let me think».
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	make	make	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	8	mark	_	_
6	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	thinking	think	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	sure	sure	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	doubting	doubt	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	11	parataxis	_	_
15	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
17	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	22	mark	_	_
18	in	in	ADP	IN	_	17	fixed	_	_
19	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	22	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	Hm	hm	INTJ	UH	_	22	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
22	let	let	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
23	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	22	obj	_	_
24	think	think	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	22	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	24	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present | a sound |  |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |
| 2 | **think** *speech: other* | present · progressive | people |  |  |  |  |  | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **doubt** | gerund |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Theme |
| 4 | **let** *in a quote* | infinitive | a sound *not said here* | people |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 5 | **think** *speech: other* *in a quote* | infinitive | people *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A sound that shows you are not convinced or a bit suspicious, as in «Hmm, are you sure?».

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hm:m2:1
# text = A sound that shows you are not convinced or a bit suspicious, as in «Hmm, are you sure?».
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	4	nsubj	_	_
4	shows	show	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	_
5	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	iobj	_	_
6	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	convinced	convinced	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	bit	bit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl:unmarked	_	_
12	suspicious	suspicious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
14	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	21	mark	_	_
15	in	in	SCONJ	IN	_	21	mark	_	_
16	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	Hmm	hmm	INTJ	UH	_	21	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
19	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	21	cop	_	_
20	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	21	nsubj	_	_
21	sure	sure	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | present | a sound |  | you |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent you=Recipient |
| 2 | **not** **is** | present | a sound |  |  |  |  | convinced *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **be** |  | a sound *not said here* | a bit |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **is** *in a quote* | present | you |  |  |  |  | sure *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hm, I'm not sure which answer is right.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hm:x1:1
# text = Hm, I'm not sure which answer is right.
1	Hm	hm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	'm	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
6	sure	sure	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
7	which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	8	det	_	_
8	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is** | present | Hm |  |  |  |  | sure *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | which answer |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Hmm,» said the detective, looking at the footprints.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hm:x2:1
# text = «Hmm,» said the detective, looking at the footprints.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Hmm	hmm	INTJ	UH	_	5	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
5	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	detective	detective	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	looking	look	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	advcl	_	_
10	at	at	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	footprints	footprint	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the detective |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **look** | gerund | the detective *not said here* |  |  |  |  | at the footprints | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at footprint=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hm, that's a good question.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hm:x3:1
# text = Hm, that's a good question.
1	Hm	hm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
3	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	question	question	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | that | a good question |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«I did my homework.» «Hmm, did you really?»

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* «I did my homework.»

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hm:x4:1
# text = «I did my homework.»
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	did	do	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	homework	homework	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** *in a quote* | past | I | my homework |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent homework=Eventuality |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* «Hmm, did you really?»

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hm:x4:2
# text = «Hmm, did you really?»
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Hmm	hmm	INTJ	UH	_	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	did	do	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	really	really	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** *in a quote* | past |  | you |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent you=Eventuality |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hmm, maybe we should try a different way.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hm:x5:1
# text = Hmm, maybe we should try a different way.
1	Hmm	hmm	INTJ	UH	_	6	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	maybe	maybe	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
4	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
5	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	try	try	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	different	different	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **try** | should | we | a different way |  |  |  | maybe *property* | vn try-61.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent way=Eventuality |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She looked at the sum and said, «Hm, let me check.»

<!-- fold The tree, 11 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hm:x6:1
# text = She looked at the sum and said, «Hm, let me check.»
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	sum	sum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	Hm	hm	INTJ	UH	_	12	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
12	let	let	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	ccomp	_	_
13	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	_
14	check	check	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | past | She |  |  |  |  | at the sum | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at sum=Theme |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | She *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **let** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | me |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **check** *in a quote* | infinitive | me *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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