diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 0626bc3..6e05333 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -110,6 +110,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "constant_time_eq",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "bytecount"
+version = "0.6.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "72feb31ffc86498dacdbd0fcebb56138e7177a8cc5cea4516031d15ae85a742e"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "byteorder"
 version = "1.3.2"
@@ -479,6 +485,17 @@ dependencies = [
  "version_check 0.9.3",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "nom_locate"
+version = "4.0.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "37794436ca3029a3089e0b95d42da1f0b565ad271e4d3bb4bad0c7bb70b10605"
+dependencies = [
+ "bytecount",
+ "memchr",
+ "nom 7.1.0",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "num"
 version = "0.1.42"
@@ -937,6 +954,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "failure",
  "itertools",
  "nom 7.1.0",
+ "nom_locate",
  "peg",
  "pretty_assertions",
  "radix_trie",
diff --git a/schala-lang/Cargo.toml b/schala-lang/Cargo.toml
index 943d586..0a9df4a 100644
--- a/schala-lang/Cargo.toml
+++ b/schala-lang/Cargo.toml
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ assert_matches = "1.5"
 #peg = "0.7.0"
 peg = { git = "https://github.com/kevinmehall/rust-peg", rev = "960222580c8da25b17d32c2aae6f52f902728b62" }
 nom = "7.1.0"
+nom_locate = "4.0.0"
 
 
 schala-repl = { path = "../schala-repl" }
diff --git a/schala-lang/src/parsing/combinator.rs b/schala-lang/src/parsing/combinator.rs
index a37c6db..d695dfd 100644
--- a/schala-lang/src/parsing/combinator.rs
+++ b/schala-lang/src/parsing/combinator.rs
@@ -9,9 +9,11 @@ use nom::{
     sequence::{pair, tuple, preceded},
     IResult, Parser,
 };
- use std::rc::Rc;
+use nom_locate::{position, LocatedSpan};
+use std::rc::Rc;
 
-type ParseResult<'a, O> = IResult<&'a str, O, VerboseError<&'a str>>;
+type Span<'a> = LocatedSpan<&'a str>;
+type ParseResult<'a, O> = IResult<Span<'a>, O, VerboseError<Span<'a>>>;
 
 use crate::ast::*;
 
@@ -19,22 +21,22 @@ fn rc_string(s: &str) -> Rc<String> {
     Rc::new(s.to_string())
 }
 
-fn tok<'a, O>(input_parser: impl Parser<&'a str, O, VerboseError<&'a str>>) -> impl FnMut(&'a str)
--> IResult<&'a str, O, VerboseError<&'a str>> { 
+fn tok<'a, O>(input_parser: impl Parser<Span<'a>, O, VerboseError<Span<'a>>>) -> impl FnMut(Span<'a>)
+-> IResult<Span<'a>, O, VerboseError<Span<'a>>> { 
 
     context("tok", 
     map(tuple((ws0, input_parser)), |(_, output)|
     output))
 }
 
-fn kw<'a>(keyword_str: &'static str) -> impl FnMut(&'a str) -> ParseResult<()> {
+fn kw<'a>(keyword_str: &'static str) -> impl FnMut(Span<'a>) -> ParseResult<()> {
     context("keyword",
     tok(value((), tag(keyword_str))))
 }
 
 
 // whitespace does consume at least one piece of whitespace - use ws0 for maybe none
-fn whitespace(input: &str) -> ParseResult<()> {
+fn whitespace(input: Span) -> ParseResult<()> {
     context("whitespace",
     alt((
     block_comment,
@@ -43,18 +45,18 @@ fn whitespace(input: &str) -> ParseResult<()> {
     )))(input)
 }
 
-fn ws0(input: &str) -> ParseResult<()> {
+fn ws0(input: Span) -> ParseResult<()> {
     context("WS0",
     value((), many0(whitespace)))(input)
 }
 
-fn line_comment(input: &str) -> ParseResult<()> {
+fn line_comment(input: Span) -> ParseResult<()> {
     value((),
     tuple((tag("//"), not_line_ending)),
     )(input)
 }
 
-fn block_comment(input: &str) -> ParseResult<()> {
+fn block_comment(input: Span) -> ParseResult<()> {
     context("Block-comment",
     value((),
     tuple((
@@ -68,7 +70,7 @@ fn block_comment(input: &str) -> ParseResult<()> {
     ))))(input)
 }
 
-fn statement_delimiter(input: &str) -> ParseResult<()> {
+fn statement_delimiter(input: Span) -> ParseResult<()> {
     tok(alt((
         value((), line_ending),
         value((), char(';'))
@@ -76,7 +78,7 @@ fn statement_delimiter(input: &str) -> ParseResult<()> {
     )(input)
 }
 
-fn block(input: &str) -> ParseResult<Block> {
+fn block(input: Span) -> ParseResult<Block> {
     context("block",
     map(
     tuple((
@@ -88,7 +90,7 @@ fn block(input: &str) -> ParseResult<Block> {
     )), |(_, _, items, _, _)| items.into()))(input)
 }
 
-fn statement(input: &str) -> ParseResult<Statement> {
+fn statement(input: Span) -> ParseResult<Statement> {
     context("Parsing-statement",
     map(expression, |expr| Statement {
         id: Default::default(),
@@ -97,17 +99,17 @@ fn statement(input: &str) -> ParseResult<Statement> {
     }))(input)
 }
 
-fn expression(input: &str) -> ParseResult<Expression> {
+fn expression(input: Span) -> ParseResult<Expression> {
     map(pair(expression_kind, opt(type_anno)), |(kind, maybe_anno)| {
         Expression::new(Default::default(), kind)
     })(input)
 }
 
-fn type_anno(input: &str) -> ParseResult<TypeIdentifier> {
+fn type_anno(input: Span) -> ParseResult<TypeIdentifier> {
     preceded(kw(":"), type_identifier)(input)
 }
 
-fn type_identifier(input: &str) -> ParseResult<TypeIdentifier> {
+fn type_identifier(input: Span) -> ParseResult<TypeIdentifier> {
     /*
     alt((
         tuple((kw("("), separated_list0(kw(","), type_identifier), kw(")"))),
@@ -117,16 +119,15 @@ fn type_identifier(input: &str) -> ParseResult<TypeIdentifier> {
     unimplemented!()
 }
 
-fn type_singleton_name(input: &str) -> ParseResult<TypeSingletonName> {
+fn type_singleton_name(input: Span) -> ParseResult<TypeSingletonName> {
     unimplemented!()
 }
 
-pub fn expression_kind(input: &str) -> ParseResult<ExpressionKind> {
+pub fn expression_kind(input: Span) -> ParseResult<ExpressionKind> {
     context("expression-kind", primary_expr)(input)
 }
 
-fn primary_expr(input: &str) -> ParseResult<ExpressionKind> {
-
+fn primary_expr(input: Span) -> ParseResult<ExpressionKind> {
     context("primary-expr",
     alt((
         number_literal,
@@ -136,19 +137,19 @@ fn primary_expr(input: &str) -> ParseResult<ExpressionKind> {
 
 }
 
-fn identifier_expr(input: &str) -> ParseResult<ExpressionKind> {
+fn identifier_expr(input: Span) -> ParseResult<ExpressionKind> {
     context("identifier-expr", map(qualified_identifier, ExpressionKind::Value))(input)
 }
 
-fn qualified_identifier(input: &str) -> ParseResult<QualifiedName> {
+fn qualified_identifier(input: Span) -> ParseResult<QualifiedName> {
     tok(
     map(
-    separated_list1(tag("::"), map(identifier, rc_string)),
+    separated_list1(tag("::"), map(identifier, |x| rc_string(x.fragment()))),
     |items| QualifiedName { id: Default::default(), components: items }
     ))(input)
 }
 
-fn identifier(input: &str) -> ParseResult<&str> {
+fn identifier(input: Span) -> ParseResult<Span> {
     recognize(
     tuple((
         alt((tag("_"), alpha1)),
@@ -156,7 +157,7 @@ fn identifier(input: &str) -> ParseResult<&str> {
     )))(input)
 }
 
-fn bool_literal(input: &str) -> ParseResult<ExpressionKind> {
+fn bool_literal(input: Span) -> ParseResult<ExpressionKind> {
     context("bool-literal",
     alt((
         map(kw("true"), |_| ExpressionKind::BoolLiteral(true)),
@@ -164,48 +165,48 @@ fn bool_literal(input: &str) -> ParseResult<ExpressionKind> {
     )))(input)
 }
 
-fn number_literal(input: &str) -> ParseResult<ExpressionKind> {
+fn number_literal(input: Span) -> ParseResult<ExpressionKind> {
     map(alt((tok(hex_literal), tok(bin_literal), tok(dec_literal))), ExpressionKind::NatLiteral)(input)
 }
 
-fn dec_literal(input: &str) -> ParseResult<u64> {
+fn dec_literal(input: Span) -> ParseResult<u64> {
     map(digits(digit_group_dec), |chars: Vec<char>| {
         let s: String = chars.into_iter().collect();
         s.parse().unwrap()
     })(input)
 }
 
-fn hex_literal(input: &str) -> ParseResult<u64> {
+fn hex_literal(input: Span) -> ParseResult<u64> {
     map(preceded(alt((tag("0x"), tag("0X"))), digits(digit_group_hex)), |chars: Vec<char>| {
         let s: String = chars.into_iter().collect();
         parse_hex(&s).unwrap()
     })(input)
 }
 
-fn bin_literal(input: &str) -> ParseResult<u64> {
+fn bin_literal(input: Span) -> ParseResult<u64> {
     map(preceded(alt((tag("0b"), tag("0B"))), digits(digit_group_bin)), |chars: Vec<char>| {
         let s: String = chars.into_iter().collect();
         parse_binary(&s).unwrap()
     })(input)
 }
 
-fn digits<'a, E: ParseError<&'a str>>(
-    digit_type: impl Parser<&'a str, Vec<char>, E>,
-) -> impl FnMut(&'a str) -> IResult<&'a str, Vec<char>, E> {
+fn digits<'a, E: ParseError<Span<'a>>>(
+    digit_type: impl Parser<Span<'a>, Vec<char>, E>,
+) -> impl FnMut(Span<'a>) -> IResult<Span<'a>, Vec<char>, E> {
     map(separated_list1(many1(char('_')), digit_type), |items: Vec<Vec<char>>| {
         items.into_iter().flatten().collect()
     })
 }
 
-fn digit_group_dec(input: &str) -> ParseResult<Vec<char>> {
+fn digit_group_dec(input: Span) -> ParseResult<Vec<char>> {
     many1(one_of("0123456789"))(input)
 }
 
-fn digit_group_hex(input: &str) -> ParseResult<Vec<char>> {
+fn digit_group_hex(input: Span) -> ParseResult<Vec<char>> {
     many1(one_of("0123456789abcdefABCDEF"))(input)
 }
 
-fn digit_group_bin(input: &str) -> ParseResult<Vec<char>> {
+fn digit_group_bin(input: Span) -> ParseResult<Vec<char>> {
     many1(one_of("01"))(input)
 }
 
@@ -252,57 +253,66 @@ mod test {
 
     use super::*;
 
-fn rc(s: &str) -> Rc<String> {
-    Rc::new(s.to_owned())
-}
-macro_rules! qn {
-  ( $( $component:ident),* ) => {
-    {
-        let mut components = vec![];
-        $(
-        components.push(rc(stringify!($component)));
-        )*
-        QualifiedName { components, id: Default::default() }
+    fn rc(s: &str) -> Rc<String> {
+        Rc::new(s.to_owned())
+    }
+    macro_rules! qn {
+        ( $( $component:ident),* ) => {
+            {
+                let mut components = vec![];
+                $(
+                    components.push(rc(stringify!($component)));
+                )*
+                    QualifiedName { components, id: Default::default() }
+            }
+        };
+    }
+
+    macro_rules! span {
+        ($func:expr, $input:expr) => {
+            $func(Span::new($input)).map(|(span, x)| (*span.fragment(), x))
+        };
     }
-  };
-}
 
     #[test]
     fn combinator_test1() {
-        assert_eq!(digits(digit_group_dec)("342").unwrap().1, vec!['3', '4', '2']);
-        assert_eq!(bin_literal("0b1111qsdf"), Ok(("qsdf", 15)));
+        assert_eq!(span!(digits(digit_group_dec), "342"), Ok(("", vec!['3', '4', '2'])));
+        assert_eq!(span!(bin_literal, "0b1111qsdf"), Ok(("qsdf", 15)));
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn combinator_test_ws0() {
-        assert_eq!(block_comment("/*yolo*/").unwrap(), ("", ()));
-        assert_eq!(block_comment("/*yolo*/ jumpy /*nah*/").unwrap(), (" jumpy /*nah*/", ()));
-        assert_eq!(ws0("/*    yolo  */ ").unwrap(), ("", ()));
-        assert_eq!(ws0("/*  /* no */   yolo  */ ").unwrap(), ("", ()));
+        assert_eq!(span!(block_comment, "/*yolo*/"), Ok(("", ())));
+        assert_eq!(span!(block_comment, "/*yolo*/ jumpy /*nah*/"), Ok((" jumpy /*nah*/", ())));
+        assert_eq!(span!(ws0, "/*    yolo  */ "), Ok(("", ())));
+        assert_eq!(span!(ws0, "/*  /* no */   yolo  */ "), Ok(("", ())));
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn combinator_test2() {
         for s in ["  15", "   0b1111", "   1_5_", "0XF__", "0Xf"].iter() {
-            assert_eq!(expression_kind(s).unwrap().1, ExpressionKind::NatLiteral(15));
+            assert_eq!(span!(expression_kind, s).unwrap().1, ExpressionKind::NatLiteral(15));
         }
 
-        assert_eq!(expression_kind(" /*gay*/  true").unwrap().1, ExpressionKind::BoolLiteral(true));
-        assert_eq!(expression_kind(" /*yolo*/  barnaby").unwrap().1, ExpressionKind::Value(qn!(barnaby)));
+        assert_eq!(span!(expression_kind, " /*gay*/  true").unwrap().1, ExpressionKind::BoolLiteral(true));
+        assert_eq!(span!(expression_kind, " /*yolo*/  barnaby").unwrap().1, ExpressionKind::Value(qn!(barnaby)));
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn combinator_test3() {
         let source = "{}";
-        assert_eq!(block(source).unwrap().1, vec![].into());
+        assert_eq!(span!(block, source).unwrap().1, vec![].into());
         let source = r#"{
 
             //hella
             4_5 //bog
             11; /*chutney*/0xf
             }"#;
-        let parsed = block(source).map_err(|err| match err {
-            Err::Error(err) | Err::Failure(err) => nom::error::convert_error(source, err),
+        let parsed = span!(block, source).map_err(|err| match err {
+            Err::Error(err) | Err::Failure(err) => {
+                let err = VerboseError { errors: err.errors.into_iter().map(|(sp, kind)| (*sp.fragment(), kind)).collect() };
+                nom::error::convert_error(source, err)
+            },
             _ => panic!()
         });