diff --git a/bshell/parse/lex.h b/bshell/parse/lex.h
index e05232e..7e77021 100644
--- a/bshell/parse/lex.h
+++ b/bshell/parse/lex.h
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 #include <fx/string.h>
 #include <fx/stringstream.h>
 
+#define LEX_STATE_MAX_TERMINATORS 16
+
 struct line_source;
 
 enum lex_flags {
@@ -22,6 +24,12 @@ enum lex_token_flags {
 	 * expression. a statement that encounters this token as its first char
 	 * will switch to arithmetic mode */
 	LEX_TOKEN_UNARY_ARITHMETIC = 0x02u,
+	/* if a token has this flag defined, the lexer will
+	 * switch to command mode after encountering it. */
+	LEX_TOKEN_COMMAND_MODE = 0x08u,
+	/* if a token has this flag defined, the lexer will
+	 * switch to statement mode after encountering it. */
+	LEX_TOKEN_STATEMENT_MODE = 0x10u,
 };
 
 enum lex_state_type_id {
@@ -30,6 +38,7 @@ enum lex_state_type_id {
 	LEX_STATE_ARITHMETIC = 0x04u,
 	LEX_STATE_STRING = 0x08u,
 	LEX_STATE_WORD = 0x10u,
+	LEX_STATE_HASHTABLE = 0x20u,
 };
 
 struct lex_token_def {
@@ -50,6 +59,8 @@ struct lex_symbol_node {
 
 struct lex_state {
 	const struct lex_state_type *s_type;
+	unsigned int s_terminators[LEX_STATE_MAX_TERMINATORS];
+	unsigned int s_nr_terminators;
 	unsigned int s_paren_depth;
 	fx_queue_entry s_entry;
 	fx_string *s_tempstr;
@@ -64,6 +75,7 @@ struct lex_ctx {
 	fx_string *lex_tmp;
 	fx_wchar lex_ch;
 	fx_queue lex_state;
+	enum token_type lex_prev_token;
 	struct char_cell lex_cursor, lex_start, lex_end;
 	struct lex_symbol_node *lex_sym_tree;
 	enum bshell_status lex_status;