NoDepTense: The tense of the dependent predicate does not depend on the tense of the main predicate; it appears in the same tense as it would in an independent clause (natural tense).

(1) xūl-s-em, lāŋki xūxal-əl.

hear-pst-obj.1sg squirrel run_away-prs.3sg

‘I have heard that the squirrel was running away.’ (S. O.)

(2) xūl-s-em, lāŋki xūxalm-əs.

hear-pst-obj.1sg squirrel run_away-pst.3sg

‘I have heard that the squirrel had run away.’ (S. O.)

In Synja Khanty, the tense of the subordinate predicate is not influenced by the tense of the matrix clause (S. O.).