SitPsblV: Situational possibility is expressed through the use of verb constructions.

(1) wɔ̄jək kənč-čə jɔ̄ɣ ār ʌāŋki qɔ̄ʌəmtə-tə kīm toj-ət.

game search-ptc.prs people lot squirrel kill-prs.ptc possibility possess-pst.3pl

‘The hunters may have caught a lot of squirrels (because they had their ability and permission).’ (L. N. K.)

(2) wēra ʌoŋət-tə qol wū-ʌ.

Vera count-prs.ptc knowledge know-prs.3sg

‘Vera can count.’ (L. N. K.)

(3) wēra ʌoŋət-tə kīm taja-ʌ.

Vera count-prs.ptc possibility possess-prs.3sg

‘Vera may count.’  (L. N. K.)

(4) tēm ʌɔ̄r-nə päwət-tə kīm waʌ-ʌ.

det lake-loc swim-prs.ptc possibility be-prs.3sg

‘It is possible to swim in this lake.’ (L. N. K.)

(5) tēm ʌɔ̄r-nə päwət-taɣə mūstə-ʌ.

det lake-loc swim-inf allowed-prs.3sg

‘It is allowed to swim in this lake.’

In Surgut Khanty, situational possibility is expressed by present participles and words with modal meaning. The word kīm indicates ability, objective possibility (1), (3), (4) and it appears as the object of a possessive clause. The qol element denotes learned ability, knowledge (2) and it is used with the verb wū- ‘know, see’. The possibility enabled by permission is expressed by the auxiliary mūstə- ‘allowed’ and the infinitive of the main verb (5).