diff --git a/src/engine/parser.test.ts b/src/engine/parser.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5cba6e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/engine/parser.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest'
+import { parse } from './parser'
+import type { ParserContext } from './parser'
+
+const emptyCtx: ParserContext = {
+  knownItems: [],
+  knownEncounters: [],
+  visibleNouns: [],
+  inventoryItemIds: [],
+  lastNoun: null,
+  awaitingDisambiguation: null,
+}
+
+describe('parser — verb-only commands', () => {
+  it('recognizes bare "look"', () => {
+    expect(parse('look', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'verb-only', verb: 'look' })
+  })
+
+  it('recognizes bare "inventory" and short forms', () => {
+    expect(parse('inventory', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'verb-only', verb: 'inventory' })
+    expect(parse('inv', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'verb-only', verb: 'inventory' })
+    expect(parse('i', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'verb-only', verb: 'inventory' })
+  })
+
+  it('is case-insensitive', () => {
+    expect(parse('LOOK', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'verb-only', verb: 'look' })
+    expect(parse('Inv', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'verb-only', verb: 'inventory' })
+  })
+
+  it('trims whitespace', () => {
+    expect(parse('  look  ', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'verb-only', verb: 'look' })
+  })
+})
+
+describe('parser — direction shortcuts', () => {
+  it('maps single-letter directions', () => {
+    expect(parse('n', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'go', direction: 'n' })
+    expect(parse('s', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'go', direction: 's' })
+    expect(parse('e', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'go', direction: 'e' })
+    expect(parse('w', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'go', direction: 'w' })
+    expect(parse('u', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'go', direction: 'u' })
+    expect(parse('d', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'go', direction: 'd' })
+  })
+
+  it('maps full direction words', () => {
+    expect(parse('north', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'go', direction: 'n' })
+    expect(parse('south', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'go', direction: 's' })
+    expect(parse('go north', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'go', direction: 'n' })
+    expect(parse('go up', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'go', direction: 'u' })
+  })
+})
+
+describe('parser — meta-commands', () => {
+  it('recognizes restart, undo, hint, quit, save, theme', () => {
+    expect(parse('restart', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'meta', verb: 'restart' })
+    expect(parse('undo', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'meta', verb: 'undo' })
+    expect(parse('hint', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'meta', verb: 'hint' })
+    expect(parse('quit', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'meta', verb: 'quit' })
+    expect(parse('save', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'meta', verb: 'save' })
+    expect(parse('theme', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'meta', verb: 'theme' })
+  })
+})
+
+describe('parser — unknown input', () => {
+  it('returns unknown for empty input', () => {
+    expect(parse('', emptyCtx)).toEqual({ kind: 'unknown', raw: '', reason: 'malformed' })
+  })
+
+  it('returns unknown-verb for nonsense', () => {
+    expect(parse('flibbertigibbet', emptyCtx)).toEqual({
+      kind: 'unknown',
+      raw: 'flibbertigibbet',
+      reason: 'unknown-verb',
+    })
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/engine/parser.ts b/src/engine/parser.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9a96fd7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/engine/parser.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+import type { ParsedCommand, NounRef, Verb, MetaVerb, Direction, PendingDisambiguation } from './types'
+
+export interface ParserContext {
+  /** All item ids that exist in the world (for noun matching). */
+  knownItems: string[]
+  /** All encounter ids that exist in the world. */
+  knownEncounters: string[]
+  /** Nouns currently visible in this room (items + encounter targets). */
+  visibleNouns: { id: string; aliases: string[] }[]
+  /** Inventory item ids. */
+  inventoryItemIds: string[]
+  lastNoun: NounRef | null
+  awaitingDisambiguation: PendingDisambiguation | null
+}
+
+/** Verb synonym table: each entry maps an alias to the canonical Verb. */
+const VERB_SYNONYMS: Record<string, Verb> = {
+  // movement
+  go: 'go', walk: 'go', move: 'go',
+  // perception
+  look: 'look', l: 'look',
+  examine: 'examine', x: 'examine', inspect: 'examine',
+  // inventory
+  inventory: 'inventory', inv: 'inventory', i: 'inventory',
+  // manipulation
+  take: 'take', get: 'take', grab: 'take', 'pick up': 'take',
+  drop: 'drop', put: 'drop', leave: 'drop',
+  use: 'use', combine: 'use',
+  open: 'open', close: 'close',
+  read: 'read', light: 'light', extinguish: 'extinguish', douse: 'extinguish',
+  attack: 'attack', kill: 'attack', fight: 'attack', strike: 'attack',
+  hold: 'hold', show: 'hold',
+  push: 'push', press: 'push',
+  pull: 'pull',
+  wait: 'wait', z: 'wait',
+}
+
+const DIRECTION_WORDS: Record<string, Direction> = {
+  n: 'n', north: 'n',
+  s: 's', south: 's',
+  e: 'e', east: 'e',
+  w: 'w', west: 'w',
+  u: 'u', up: 'u',
+  d: 'd', down: 'd',
+}
+
+const META_VERBS: Record<string, MetaVerb> = {
+  restart: 'restart',
+  undo: 'undo',
+  hint: 'hint',
+  save: 'save',
+  quit: 'quit',
+  theme: 'theme',
+}
+
+/** Verbs that legally take no target. */
+const VERB_ONLY_VERBS = new Set<string>(['look', 'inventory', 'wait'])
+
+/** Two-word verb prefixes (e.g. "pick up X"). */
+const TWO_WORD_VERBS = ['pick up']
+
+function tokenize(input: string): string[] {
+  return input.trim().toLowerCase().split(/\s+/).filter(Boolean)
+}
+
+function matchTwoWordVerb(tokens: string[]): { verb: Verb; rest: string[] } | null {
+  if (tokens.length < 2) return null
+  const head = tokens.slice(0, 2).join(' ')
+  for (const phrase of TWO_WORD_VERBS) {
+    if (phrase === head) {
+      const verb = VERB_SYNONYMS[phrase]
+      if (verb) return { verb, rest: tokens.slice(2) }
+    }
+  }
+  return null
+}
+
+export function parse(rawInput: string, ctx: ParserContext): ParsedCommand {
+  const trimmed = rawInput.trim()
+  if (!trimmed) return { kind: 'unknown', raw: '', reason: 'malformed' }
+
+  const tokens = tokenize(trimmed)
+  const head = tokens[0]!
+
+  // Meta-commands take precedence (single-word).
+  if (META_VERBS[head] && tokens.length === 1) {
+    return { kind: 'meta', verb: META_VERBS[head]! }
+  }
+
+  // Direction shortcuts: "n", "north", "go n", "go north".
+  if (DIRECTION_WORDS[head] && tokens.length === 1) {
+    return { kind: 'go', direction: DIRECTION_WORDS[head]! }
+  }
+  if (head === 'go' && tokens.length === 2) {
+    const dir = DIRECTION_WORDS[tokens[1]!]
+    if (dir) return { kind: 'go', direction: dir }
+  }
+
+  // Two-word verb (e.g. "pick up X").
+  const twoWord = matchTwoWordVerb(tokens)
+  let verb: Verb | undefined
+  let rest: string[]
+  if (twoWord) {
+    verb = twoWord.verb
+    rest = twoWord.rest
+  } else {
+    verb = VERB_SYNONYMS[head]
+    rest = tokens.slice(1)
+  }
+
+  if (!verb) {
+    return { kind: 'unknown', raw: trimmed, reason: 'unknown-verb' }
+  }
+
+  if (rest.length === 0) {
+    if (VERB_ONLY_VERBS.has(verb)) {
+      return { kind: 'verb-only', verb: verb as 'look' | 'inventory' | 'wait' }
+    }
+    return { kind: 'unknown', raw: trimmed, reason: 'malformed' }
+  }
+
+  // Verb + target — noun resolution comes in Task 3. For now, return unknown.
+  // This will be replaced when noun resolution lands.
+  return { kind: 'unknown', raw: trimmed, reason: 'unknown-noun' }
+}