| . | Jé | jayí | rä | jó. |
| Cabecar | d.med | man | cop | undertaker |
| That man is an undertaker. |
| . | Jé | duláklë́i | kjä́bit-ä́ | rä | yakéi. |
| Cabecar | [d.med | boy | flirt-ipfv] | cop | bad |
| That boy’s flirting is bad. |
| . | Kalwá | kia-r=ké̱ | rä | dalí | ts-a̱-klä. |
| Cabecar | [horse | want-mid(ipfv)=ipfv2] | cop | [load | transport-vsn-fin] |
| The horse is needed to carry loads. |
| Lit.: | What the horse is needed for is to carry loads. |
Reanalysis of the copula as Thematic Structure Articulator
| example | Kalwá kia-r=ké̱ | rä | dalí ts-a̱-klä. |
| input | [ [ oriented open clause ]S | COP | [ focal component ] ]S |
| output | [ predicate phrase | TSA | purpose adjunct ]S |
| . | Jímá̱k | te | rä | óshkoro | jé̠r | jé=bä | ñ-é̠. |
| Cabecar | weasel | erg | tsa | chicken | liver | d.med=lim | eat2-ipfv |
| The long-tailed weasel only eats chickens’ livers. |