diff --git a/cpp/src/ast.hpp b/cpp/src/ast.hpp
index 9a853fe..e627efe 100644
--- a/cpp/src/ast.hpp
+++ b/cpp/src/ast.hpp
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ struct ast
 		}
 		bool operator==(const bool_literal& rhs) const = default;
 	};
+
 	struct identifier
 	{
 		std::string iden;
@@ -51,6 +52,17 @@ struct ast
 		bool operator==(const identifier& rhs) const = default;
 	};
 
+	struct member_access
+	{
+		boxed_expression lhs;
+		std::string rhs;
+		std::string to_string() const
+		{
+			return std::format("member_access({}.{})", lhs->to_string(), rhs);
+		}
+		bool operator==(const member_access& rhs) const = default;
+	};
+
 	struct unary_operator
 	{
 		lex::token op;
@@ -145,6 +157,7 @@ struct ast
 			ast::decimal_literal,
 			ast::bool_literal,
 			ast::identifier,
+			ast::member_access,
 			ast::variable_declaration,
 			ast::function_call,
 			ast::return_statement,
@@ -216,7 +229,7 @@ struct ast
 
 	struct node
 	{
-		using payload_t = std::variant<std::monostate, integer_literal, decimal_literal, bool_literal, identifier, function_call, if_statement, for_statement, expression, return_statement, variable_declaration, function_definition, struct_definition, block, meta_region>;
+		using payload_t = std::variant<std::monostate, integer_literal, decimal_literal, bool_literal, identifier, member_access, function_call, if_statement, for_statement, expression, return_statement, variable_declaration, function_definition, struct_definition, block, meta_region>;
 		payload_t payload = std::monostate{};
 		srcloc meta = {};
 		std::vector<node> children = {};
diff --git a/cpp/src/parse.cpp b/cpp/src/parse.cpp
index e94b586..7baa91d 100644
--- a/cpp/src/parse.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/parse.cpp
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ namespace parse
 		bool reduce_from_bool_literal(std::size_t offset);
 		// given an ast::identifier subtree at the offset, try to reduce its surrounding tokens/atoms into something bigger. returns true on success, false otherwise.
 		bool reduce_from_identifier(std::size_t offset);
+		// given an ast::member_access subtree at the offset, try to reduce its surrounding tokens/atoms into something bigger. returns true on success, false otherwise.
+		bool reduce_from_member_access(std::size_t offset);
 		// given an ast::variable_declaration subtree at the offset, try to reduce its surrounding tokens/atoms into something bigger. returns true on success, false otherwise.
 		bool reduce_from_variable_declaration(std::size_t offset);
 		// given an ast::function_call subtree at the offset, try to reduce its surrounding tokens/atoms into something bigger. returns true on success, false otherwise.
@@ -517,6 +519,19 @@ namespace parse
 			return true;
 		}
 		retr.undo();
+		auto dot = retr.retrieve<lex::token>();
+		if(dot.has_value() && dot->t == lex::type::dot)
+		{
+			if(!retr.avail()){return false;}
+			auto rhs_iden = retr.retrieve<ast::identifier>();
+			if(!rhs_iden.has_value())
+			{
+				return false;
+			}
+			retr.reduce_to(ast::member_access{.lhs = ast::expression{.expr =value, .capped = false}, .rhs = rhs_iden->iden}, meta);
+			return true;
+		}
+		retr.undo();
 
 		// getting difficult here...
 		// at some point we need to know whether an identifier should remain an identifier or become an expression
@@ -570,6 +585,26 @@ namespace parse
 		return false;
 	}
 
+	bool parser_state::reduce_from_member_access(std::size_t offset)
+	{
+		retriever retr{*this, offset};
+		srcloc meta;
+		auto value = retr.must_retrieve<ast::member_access>(&meta);
+
+		if(!retr.avail()){return false;}
+		bool capped = false;
+
+		auto semicolon = retr.retrieve<lex::token>();
+		capped = (semicolon.has_value() && semicolon->t == lex::type::semicolon);
+		if(!capped)
+		{
+			retr.undo();
+		}
+
+		retr.reduce_to(ast::expression{.expr = value, .capped = capped}, meta);
+		return true;
+	}
+
 	bool parser_state::reduce_from_variable_declaration(std::size_t offset)
 	{
 		retriever retr{*this, offset};
@@ -644,6 +679,18 @@ namespace parse
 						return true;
 					}
 				}
+				else if(tok->t == lex::type::dot)
+				{
+					// could be a member access.
+					if(!retr.avail()){return false;}
+					auto iden = retr.retrieve<ast::identifier>();
+					if(!iden.has_value())
+					{
+						return false;
+					}
+					retr.reduce_to(ast::member_access{.lhs = value, .rhs = iden->iden}, meta);
+					return true;
+				}
 			}
 		}
 		// as expressions can either be within a block or standalone, the only way we know for sure its standalone is if its the very first subtree.
@@ -1125,6 +1172,10 @@ namespace parse
 					{
 						ret = this->reduce_from_identifier(i);
 					},
+					[&](ast::member_access arg)
+					{
+						ret = this->reduce_from_member_access(i);
+					},
 					[&](ast::variable_declaration arg)
 					{
 						ret = this->reduce_from_variable_declaration(i);
diff --git a/cpp/src/semal.cpp b/cpp/src/semal.cpp
index ba4c7de..aecfb38 100644
--- a/cpp/src/semal.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/semal.cpp
@@ -605,6 +605,23 @@ namespace semal
 		return maybe_function->return_ty;
 	}
 
+	type member_access(const data& d, const ast::member_access& payload)
+	{
+		type lhs_ty = expression(d, *payload.lhs);
+		d.assert_that(lhs_ty.is_struct(), std::format("detected use of member-access token `.`. the left-hand-side of the token must be a struct type, which \"{}\" is not.", lhs_ty.name()));
+		struct_type struct_ty = lhs_ty.as_struct();
+		for(std::size_t i = 0; i < struct_ty.data_members.size(); i++)
+		{
+			const auto& member = struct_ty.data_members[i];
+			if(member.member_name == payload.rhs)
+			{
+				return *member.ty;
+			}
+		}
+		d.fatal_error(std::format("struct \"{}\" has no data member named \"{}\"", struct_ty.name, payload.rhs));
+		return type::undefined();
+	}
+
 	type return_statement(const data& d, const ast::return_statement& payload)
 	{
 		const function_t* maybe_parent = d.state.try_find_parent_function(d.tree, d.path);
@@ -744,12 +761,10 @@ namespace semal
 			{
 				ret = function_call(d, call);
 			},
-			/*
 			[&](ast::member_access mem)
 			{
 				ret = member_access(d, mem);
 			},
-			*/
 			[&](ast::expression expr)
 			{
 				ret = expression(d, expr);
diff --git a/samples/scratchpad.psy b/samples/scratchpad.psy
index c2a0420..330fb48 100644
--- a/samples/scratchpad.psy
+++ b/samples/scratchpad.psy
@@ -3,21 +3,38 @@
 
 hio : i64 := 64;
 
+nesteddata :: struct
+{
+	flak : i64;
+}
+
 mydata :: struct
 {
 	member : i64 := 5;
+	member2 : i64 := 69;
+	nested : nesteddata;
+}
+xyz : mydata;
+xyz.member;
+
+get_data :: () -> mydata
+{
+	ret : mydata;
+	(ret.nested.flak) = 9;
+	return ret;
 }
 //class :: typedef := mydata;
 
 putchar :: (ch : i64) -> u0 := extern;
 dub :: (val : i64) -> i64
 {
+	get_data().member = 5;
 	//ptr : i8& := __builtin_malloc(123);
 	//defer __builtin_free(ptr);
 
 	is_cringe : bool := (true == false);
 	val = deref ref val;
-	val = (val + val);
+	val = (val + (get_data().member));
 	v : i64&;
 	val = (val * val * val * (deref v));
 	deref v = 862;
@@ -44,7 +61,7 @@ morb :: (par0 : i64) -> f64
 	poggers2 : i64;
 	poggers3 : i64;
 	//morb2 :: (par0 : i64) -> u0 := extern;
-	complicated(poggers, dub(5), 3);
+	complicated(poggers, dub(5), get_data().member2);
 	complicated(--complicated(1, 2, 3), dub(5), 690);
 
 	if poggers1 == 59