NCopDep: Depending on certain grammatical circumstances, the copula does occur with nominal predicates.

(1) mā pirš imi.

I old woman

‘I’m an old woman.’ (S. O.)

(2) mā pirš imi ū-s-ǝm.

I old woman cop-pst-1sg

‘I was an old woman.’ (S. O.)

(3) luw pirš imi.

she old woman

‘She is an old woman.’ (S. O.)

In Synja Khanty, nominal predicate constructions in the present tense do not have copulas. In the past tense, however, the copula always appears (no matter which number or person the subject is).  (S. O., F. L.).