Leson par (4)

The infinitive of verbs.  The infinitive expresses a state or an action without reference to persons or time.  It can be subject, object, or predicate of a verb, yet it can have a direct object.  It is modified by adverbs.  In Govores, the infinitive ends in "-a".  Mova - to speak;  beba - to drink;

Ni nu kerar panamoga vien (or:  panamoga-vo).  We don't wish to hinder you.
Ci vi kerar fade xaja?  Do you wish to answer at length?
Ima kanen esar ima kimen.  To have a dog is to have a friend.

The present tense ends in -ar: mi movar - I speak.
The past tense ends in -er;  mi mover- I spoke
The future tense ends in -or: li movor- He will speak
The conditional ends in -ir:  ni movir- we would speak
The purpose mode/imperative ends in -u: Movu!  Speak!;  Ni movu. - Let's speak.  Mi kerar, ke li movu - I wish that he would speak.

1.  The present tense is used for the "timeless" sense: mi movar ispane/ispanesen.  I speak Spanish.  This is also the form usually used to denote action that is ongoing at the time of speaking.  If particular emphasis is placed on the fact that the action of the verb is going at the time of speaking, one can use the present of esa (to be) with the present participle (see #2 below) or less commonly,  the imperfective suffix (see #5 below)

 

2.  The past participles of a verb end in -enti (active) and -eti (passive):  mova - to speak; moveti- spoken.  moventi - (having) spoken, as in Sa moventi covek idanar.  The person who spoke is coming.

The present participles end in -anti (active) and -ati (passive).  movanti- speaking.  movati - being spoken.

Future participles exist in Govores with the meaning of "about to X": movonti; "about to be spoken" movoti about to be spoken.

 

3.  The so-called "perfect tenses" can be formed in two ways.  The first way, which is used most often with transitive verbs and is more conversational, uses the auxiliary verb "ava" with the past participle.  Mi avar videti - I have seen.  Mi aver kometi - I had eaten.  Ti avor imeti  - you will have had.  Ni avir dumeti tuten- We would have thought that.

 

4.  The second method, the only method used with intransitive verbs, is to insert the perfective ending -ek- between the root and the tense ending. No auxiliary verb is used.  Mi videkar - I have seen.  Mi eseker - I had been.    Ti imekor - you will have had.  Ni dumekir - We would have thought.  This form is almost never used on transitive verbs in any but the most formal speech (oratory) or in formulaic phrases:  Kristo alsiveker!  Istine alsiveker!  Christ has risen!  Indeed, He has risen!  However, there are speakers who use this form on all verbs in conversation, both informal and formal.  In practice, the perfect tenses are not in usual use in conversation, the "regular" tenses with adverbs such as "jam" already, and "uske" up till now, being used instead:  Mi uske eser, I have been.  Mi jam komer, kutam li enider.  I had (already) eaten, when he came in.

 

 

5.  The suffix -ad can be added between the root and the suffixes -ar, -er, -or, and -u to create an imperfective aspect.  This is primarily used with the past tense to express an "imperfective" aspect, much like the Spanish imperfect, Russian imperfective past, or the Greek continuous past tense.  Without the -ad suffix, the past is equivalent to the Greek aorist; denoting the idea of completion of the action or else simple reporting of the action happening in the past, as in the Spanish preterit.

Used with the present, this suffix denotes the progressive tense.  The progressive sense can also be given to the verb with the future suffix.  Technically, the -ad should be added in the infinitive to denote action that is meant as continuous or repetitive (as in Russian or Greek) but only some speakers will do this.  It is never wrong to put in the infix for this continuous/repeated meaning.

 

Again, a conjugated verb (in a form ending in -ar, -er, -ir, or -or) with no subject pronoun is to be interpreted as a kind of "middle voice", i.e. where, in English we use a nebulous "they":  Kutel to zovar?  What is your name? (literally:  How do they call you?)  Mo zovar ______. My name is (literally, "they call me")  ______.   This is usually to be found only in set phrases.

Lini tigar xe sa dadik.  She lives with the grandfather.
Lui patik esar juni.  Her father is young.
Lui pato eser junis.  Her parents were young.
Ajuni dadin.  An old grandmother. Ajuni dado. Old grandparents.
Anu, ni kurer ja sa sidun.  Yes, we ran thru the parlor.
Kutu sidar su atutu sidil?  Who is sitting on this chair?
Ejdene zi pedider.  Yesterday, they walked.

1.  Kutu tigar xe ti?  Xe ni tigar mui tadik ku mui tadin.
2.  Kute esar tui patik kaj tui patin?  Mui pato esar xe mui velin, en lui hus.
3.  Ci mui velo zanecar en tui sidun?  Nu, her, tui velik kurar en sa kip kaj tui du velino nu esar xe mi.
4.  Ci tui patiko esar ajunis?  Anu, zi esar ajunis.
5.  Kutu sidar en sa sidun?  Mui patin esar atute ku juni herin kaj du ajuni hero.
6.  Ci ti zanecer ejdene ku tui velo?  Anu, mi kurer ja sa kip ku mui juni velik kaj zanecer en sa sidun ku mui ce velino.
7.  Ci tui tado zanecar ku xato?  Anu, en zui hus esar ce xato.
8.  Ci esar xato en tui hus?  Anu, esar du xato, kaj zi kurar ja sa domato, pedidar su sa tabo kaj sa sidilo.
9.  Ci esar fosilo isu tui tabo?  Nu, herin, mui fosilo nu esar en sa domato, kute kurar sa xato.
10.  Kutu tiger xe tui velik?  Xe mui velik tiger mui tado kaj sa her, kutu eser ku ti ejdene.
11.  Ci atutu her esar en mui domat?  Nu, li sidar en sa domat, kutu esar engus ta sidun.
12.  Kuto esar atute?  Atute esar unu tab kaj du sidilo, kutus esar abonis.
13.  Kutu tigar en tutu jandi hus?  Tute tigar sa hero, kutus eser ku ni ejdene.
14.  Ci tui tadin tigar xe ti?  Nu, li tigar xe mui dadik ku sa du ajuni herino, kutus sider engus ti en sa sidun.
15.  Kutu sider su sa sidil engus ta tui?  Tute sider juni her, kutu tigar ku mui velik xe nui dadik.
16.  Ci tui velik sidar engus ti xe sa tab?  Nu, xe sa tab mui velik sidar engus mui juni velin.