diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index df91ef7..1aa9a6f 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -1,144 +1,24 @@
 mod literals;
+mod parser;
+mod rtlil;
 
-use nom::{
-    self,
-    branch::alt,
-    bytes::complete::tag,
-    character::complete::{alpha1, alphanumeric1, char, multispace0},
-    combinator::{map, opt, recognize},
-    error::ParseError,
-    error::{context, convert_error, VerboseError},
-    multi::{many0, separated_list1},
-    sequence::{delimited, pair, preceded, terminated, tuple},
-};
-
-use crate::literals::{decimal, hexadecimal};
-
-const REG_EXAMPLE: &'static str = "reg [0:15] msg = 16'hAAAA;";
+use nom::error::{convert_error, VerboseError};
 
 // custom IResult type for verboseerror
 pub type IResult<I, O, E = VerboseError<I>> = nom::IResult<I, O, E>;
 
-fn ws0<'a, F: 'a, O, E: ParseError<&'a str>>(
-    inner: F,
-) -> impl FnMut(&'a str) -> IResult<&'a str, O, E>
-where
-    F: FnMut(&'a str) -> IResult<&'a str, O, E>,
-{
-    delimited(multispace0, inner, multispace0)
-}
-fn identifier(input: &str) -> IResult<&str, &str> {
-    recognize(pair(
-        alt((alpha1, tag("_"))),
-        many0(alt((alphanumeric1, tag("_")))),
-    ))(input)
-}
-
-fn widthspec(input: &str) -> IResult<&str, u64> {
-    delimited(char('['), ws0(decimal), char(']'))(input)
-}
-
-fn intliteral(input: &str) -> IResult<&str, (u64, u64)> {
-    tuple((terminated(decimal, char('\'')), alt((decimal, hexadecimal))))(input)
-}
-
-#[derive(Debug)]
-struct NetDecl {
-    name: String,
-    width: Option<u64>,
-    value: Option<(u64, u64)>,
-}
-
-#[derive(Debug)]
-enum PortDirection {
-    Input,
-    Output,
-}
-
-#[derive(Debug)]
-struct PortDecl {
-    direction: PortDirection,
-    net: NetDecl,
-}
-
-#[derive(Debug)]
-struct Module {
-    name: String,
-    ports: Vec<PortDecl>,
-}
-
-fn declaration(i: &str) -> IResult<&str, NetDecl> {
-    let (i, (_, width, ident, value)) = tuple((
-        ws0(alt((tag("reg"), tag("wire")))),
-        opt(ws0(widthspec)),
-        identifier,
-        opt(preceded(ws0(char('=')), intliteral)),
-    ))(i)?;
-    Ok((
-        i,
-        NetDecl {
-            name: ident.into(),
-            width,
-            value,
-        },
-    ))
-}
-
-fn port_decl(i: &str) -> IResult<&str, PortDecl> {
-    map(
-        tuple((
-            alt((
-                map(tag("input"), |_| PortDirection::Input),
-                map(tag("output"), |_| PortDirection::Output),
-            )),
-            declaration,
-        )),
-        |(direction, net)| PortDecl { direction, net },
-    )(i)
-}
-
-fn ports_list(input: &str) -> IResult<&str, Vec<PortDecl>> {
-    context(
-        "port declaration",
-        separated_list1(ws0(char(',')), ws0(port_decl)),
-    )(input)
-}
-
-fn module(input: &str) -> IResult<&str, Module> {
-    context(
-        "module",
-        map(
-            tuple((
-                tag("module"),
-                ws0(identifier),
-                ws0(delimited(char('('), ws0(ports_list), char(')'))),
-            )),
-            |(_, name, ports)| Module {
-                name: name.into(),
-                ports,
-            },
-        ),
-    )(input)
-}
-
 fn main() {
     let input = include_str!("../identity.fut");
-    let parsed = module(input);
+    let parsed = parser::module(input);
     match parsed {
         Err(nom::Err::Error(err) | nom::Err::Failure(err)) => {
             print!("{}", convert_error(input, err))
         }
         Err(_) => (),
-        Ok(res) => println!("{:#?}", res),
-    }
-}
-
-#[cfg(test)]
-mod test {
-    use super::*;
-
-    #[test]
-    fn test_decl() {
-        declaration("input reg abcd").unwrap();
+        Ok(res) => {
+            println!("{:#?}", res);
+            let lowered = crate::rtlil::lower_module(res.1);
+            println!("{}", lowered);
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/parser.rs b/src/parser.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b735613
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/parser.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,232 @@
+use nom::{
+    branch::alt,
+    bytes::complete::tag,
+    character::complete::{alpha1, alphanumeric1, char, multispace0, multispace1},
+    combinator::{map, opt, recognize},
+    error::ParseError,
+    error::{context, convert_error, VerboseError},
+    multi::{many0, many1, separated_list0},
+    sequence::{delimited, pair, preceded, separated_pair, terminated, tuple},
+};
+
+use crate::literals::{decimal, hexadecimal};
+use crate::IResult;
+
+fn ws0<'a, F: 'a, O, E: ParseError<&'a str>>(
+    inner: F,
+) -> impl FnMut(&'a str) -> IResult<&'a str, O, E>
+where
+    F: FnMut(&'a str) -> IResult<&'a str, O, E>,
+{
+    delimited(multispace0, inner, multispace0)
+}
+fn identifier(input: &str) -> IResult<&str, &str> {
+    recognize(pair(
+        alt((alpha1, tag("_"))),
+        many0(alt((alphanumeric1, tag("_")))),
+    ))(input)
+}
+
+fn widthspec(input: &str) -> IResult<&str, u64> {
+    delimited(char('['), ws0(decimal), char(']'))(input)
+}
+
+fn intliteral(input: &str) -> IResult<&str, (u64, u64)> {
+    tuple((terminated(decimal, char('\'')), alt((decimal, hexadecimal))))(input)
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct NetDecl {
+    pub name: String,
+    pub width: Option<u64>,
+    pub value: Option<(u64, u64)>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub enum PortDirection {
+    Input,
+    Output,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct PortDecl {
+    pub direction: PortDirection,
+    pub net: NetDecl,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct Module {
+    pub name: String,
+    pub ports: Vec<PortDecl>,
+    pub statements: Vec<Assign>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub enum Statement {
+    Assign(Assign),
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct Assign {
+    pub lhs: String,
+    pub expr: Expression,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub enum Operation {
+    And { a: String, b: Expression },
+    Or { a: String, b: Expression },
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct Call {
+    name: String,
+    params: Vec<Expression>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub enum Expression {
+    Ident(String),
+    Call(Box<Call>),
+    Operation(Box<Operation>),
+}
+
+fn declaration(i: &str) -> IResult<&str, NetDecl> {
+    map(
+        tuple((
+            ws0(alt((tag("reg"), tag("wire")))),
+            opt(ws0(widthspec)),
+            identifier,
+            opt(preceded(ws0(char('=')), intliteral)),
+        )),
+        |(_, width, ident, value)| NetDecl {
+            name: ident.into(),
+            width,
+            value,
+        },
+    )(i)
+}
+
+fn port_decl(i: &str) -> IResult<&str, PortDecl> {
+    map(
+        tuple((
+            alt((
+                map(tag("input"), |_| PortDirection::Input),
+                map(tag("output"), |_| PortDirection::Output),
+            )),
+            declaration,
+        )),
+        |(direction, net)| PortDecl { direction, net },
+    )(i)
+}
+
+fn ports_list(input: &str) -> IResult<&str, Vec<PortDecl>> {
+    separated_list0(ws0(char(',')), ws0(port_decl))(input)
+}
+
+fn operation(input: &str) -> IResult<&str, Operation> {
+    // temporarily given up on before I learn the shunting yard algorithm
+    alt((
+        map(
+            separated_pair(ws0(identifier), char('&'), ws0(expression)),
+            |(a, b)| Operation::And { a: a.into(), b },
+        ),
+        map(
+            separated_pair(ws0(identifier), char('|'), ws0(expression)),
+            |(a, b)| Operation::Or { a: a.into(), b },
+        ),
+    ))(input)
+}
+
+fn call_item(input: &str) -> IResult<&str, Call> {
+    map(
+        tuple((
+            ws0(identifier),
+            delimited(char('('), ws0(separated_list0(char(','), expression)), char(')'))
+        )),
+        |(name, params)| Call { name: name.into(), params }
+        )(input)
+}
+
+fn expression(input: &str) -> IResult<&str, Expression> {
+    alt((
+        map(ws0(operation), |op| Expression::Operation(Box::new(op))),
+        map(ws0(call_item), |call| Expression::Call(Box::new(call))),
+        map(ws0(identifier), |ident| Expression::Ident(ident.into())),
+    ))(input)
+}
+
+fn assign_statement(input: &str) -> IResult<&str, Assign> {
+    context(
+        "assignment",
+        delimited(
+            ws0(terminated(tag("assign"), multispace1)),
+            map(
+                separated_pair(ws0(identifier), char('='), ws0(expression)),
+                |(lhs, expr)| Assign {
+                    lhs: lhs.into(),
+                    expr: expr.into(),
+                },
+            ),
+            ws0(char(';')),
+        ),
+    )(input)
+}
+
+pub fn module(input: &str) -> IResult<&str, Module> {
+    context(
+        "module",
+        map(
+            tuple((
+                tag("module"),
+                ws0(identifier),
+                ws0(delimited(char('('), ws0(ports_list), char(')'))),
+                ws0(delimited(
+                    char('{'),
+                    many1(ws0(assign_statement)),
+                    char('}'),
+                )),
+            )),
+            |(_, name, ports, statements)| Module {
+                name: name.into(),
+                ports,
+                statements,
+            },
+        ),
+    )(input)
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_decl() {
+        declaration("reg abcd").unwrap();
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_operation() {
+        operation(" a | b ").unwrap();
+        operation(" a & b ").unwrap();
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_expression() {
+        expression(" a ").unwrap();
+        expression(" a | b ").unwrap();
+        expression(" a | b | c ").unwrap();
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_assignment() {
+        assign_statement(" assign a = b ; ").unwrap();
+        assign_statement(" assign a = b | c ; ").unwrap();
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_call() {
+        call_item("thing ( )").unwrap();
+        call_item("thing ( a , b , c )").unwrap();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/rtlil.rs b/src/rtlil.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6a46a22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/rtlil.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+use crate::parser;
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+
+#[derive(Debug, Default)]
+pub struct ILWriter {
+    data: String,
+    indent: usize,
+}
+
+// this would be much nicer if indent gave you a new writer
+// which would indent things
+impl ILWriter {
+    fn new() -> Self {
+        Default::default()
+    }
+
+    fn write_line(&mut self, line: &str) {
+        self.data += &"\t".repeat(self.indent);
+        self.data += line;
+        self.data += "\n";
+    }
+
+    fn indent(&mut self) {
+        self.indent += 1
+    }
+
+    fn dedent(&mut self) {
+        self.indent = self
+            .indent
+            .checked_sub(1)
+            .expect("tried to dedent negative amount")
+    }
+
+    fn finish(self) -> String {
+        self.data
+    }
+}
+
+// the proper way
+pub enum WireOption {
+    Input(i32),
+    Output(i32),
+}
+
+pub struct Wire {
+    id: String,
+    options: Vec<()>,
+}
+
+struct Module {}
+
+struct Cell {
+    id: String,
+    celltype: String,
+    parameters: Vec<(String, String)>,
+    connections: Vec<(String, String)>,
+}
+
+impl Cell {
+    fn new(id: &str, celltype: &str) -> Self {
+        Cell {
+            id: id.into(),
+            celltype: celltype.into(),
+            parameters: Vec::new(),
+            connections: Vec::new(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn add_param(&mut self, name: &str, value: &str) {
+        self.parameters.push((name.into(), value.into()))
+    }
+
+    fn add_connection(&mut self, from: &str, to: &str) {
+        self.connections.push((from.into(), to.into()))
+    }
+
+    fn write_rtlil(&self, writer: &mut ILWriter) {
+        writer.write_line(&format!("cell {} {}", self.celltype, self.id));
+        writer.indent();
+        for param in &self.parameters {
+            writer.write_line(&format!("parameter {} {}", param.0, param.1))
+        }
+        for conn in &self.connections {
+            writer.write_line(&format!("connect {} {}", conn.0, conn.1))
+        }
+        writer.dedent();
+        writer.write_line("end");
+    }
+}
+
+fn adder_cell(id: &str, a: &str, b: &str, y: &str) -> Cell {
+    let mut cell = Cell::new(id, "$and");
+    cell.add_param("\\A_SIGNED", "0");
+    cell.add_param("\\A_WIDTH", "1");
+    cell.add_param("\\B_SIGNED", "0");
+    cell.add_param("\\B_WIDTH", "1");
+    cell.add_param("\\Y_WIDTH", "1");
+    cell.add_connection("\\A", a);
+    cell.add_connection("\\B", b);
+    cell.add_connection("\\Y", y);
+    cell
+}
+
+// the hacky way
+
+pub fn lower_module(module: parser::Module) -> String {
+    let mut writer = ILWriter::new();
+    writer.write_line("autoidx 1");
+    writer.write_line(&format!("module \\{}", module.name));
+    writer.indent();
+    for (num, port) in module.ports.iter().enumerate() {
+        writer.write_line(&format!(
+            "wire {} {} \\{}",
+            "output",
+            (num + 1),
+            port.net.name
+        ))
+    }
+    for stmt in module.statements {
+        // writer.write_line(&format!("connect \\{} \\{}", stmt.lhs, stmt.expr));
+    }
+    adder_cell("\\my_and", "\\a", "\\b", "\\y").write_rtlil(&mut writer);
+    writer.dedent();
+    writer.write_line("end");
+    writer.finish()
+}