Af Mexee/Verbs
Verb Classes
There are three main classes of verbs: the suffix, prefix, and adjectival conjugations.
Class I: Suffix Conjugation
The suffix conjugation is the most common and productive verb class. It can be divided into 5 conjugation groups:
- Conjugation 1: Root verbs
- Conjugation 2: -(a)m- (anticausative) verbs
- Conjugation 3 (A, B, C): -ish- (causative) verbs
- Conjugation 4 (A, B, C): -at- (middle) verbs
- Conjugation 5 (A, B): -p- verbs
- Note: Affixes can be combined - e.g. cunsiismid "to be made to eat" (stem: cun-siish-am-). When any derivational affix is added to -ish- (or derivatives such as -siish-), the -sh- always becomes -s-. Affixes combine in the order -oo/aa- + -p- + -(si)ish- + -at/o- + -(a)m-.
Conjugation 1
Root verbs with no extra affixes. e.g. keeni "to bring" (stem: keen-)
(Note: –́ = penultimate high tone, or final if monomoraic)
Infinitive | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Verbal Noun (f.) | ||||||||||||
Present Affirmative | Present Subjunctive | Past Affirmative | Past Negative | Imperative Affirmative | Imperative Negative | |||||||
Conjugation 2
Verbs derived from lexically causative verbs with the passive/anticausative affix -(a)m-. When derived from a Conjugation 3 verb, the -sh- becomes a -s-, giving the combined affix -(i)s(a)m- Note that in dropping environments, either the -i- or -a- of -(i)s(a)m- may be dropped - e.g. karisma or karsama "it cooks" (the latter is more common). -(a)m- can also combine with -at- (though more rarely) to form -am-, where the -a- is NOT dropped. There are two competing paradigms for Conjugation 2 verbs: the first treats them as a Conjugation 1 verb, with the -(a)m affix behaving as a part of the stem, while the second is a hybrid of Conjugations 1 and 4. The hybrid paradigm cannot be used when the -a- of -(a)m- is preserved in a combined affix such as -am- or -sam-.
e.g. xirmi "to close (INTR), get closed" (stem: xir-(a)m-)
Infinitive | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Verbal Noun (f.) | ||||||||||||
Present Affirmative | Present Subjunctive | Past Affirmative | Past Negative | Imperative Affirmative | Imperative Negative | |||||||
Infinitive | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Verbal Noun (f.) | ||||||||||||
Present Affirmative | Present Subjunctive | Past Affirmative | Past Negative | Imperative Affirmative | Imperative Negative | |||||||
Conjugation 3A
Verbs derived from root verbs with the causisive affix -ish-. The sh combines with t and n to form s and nn respectively. e.g. karín "to cook" (stem: kar-ish-).
Infinitive | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Verbal Noun (f.) | ||||||||||||
Present Affirmative | Present Subjunctive | Past Affirmative | Past Negative | Imperative Affirmative | Imperative Negative | |||||||
Conjugation 3B
Verbs derived with the causative affix -siish- (from -ish- + -ish-). e.g. gaarsiin "to make reach".
Infinitive | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Verbal Noun (f.) | ||||||||||||
Present Affirmative | Present Subjunctive | Past Affirmative | Past Negative | Imperative Affirmative | Imperative Negative | |||||||
Conjugation 3C
Verbs derived from nouns/adjectives with the causative affix -aash- (from -aa- + -(i)sh-). e.g. bishaayn "to water, pour water (in/on)".
Infinitive | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Verbal Noun (f.) | ||||||||||||
Present Affirmative | Present Subjunctive | Past Affirmative | Past Negative | Imperative Affirmative | Imperative Negative | |||||||
Conjugation 4A
Verbs with the middle/autobenefactive affix -o/at-. When derived from Conjugation 3 verbs, the -sh- becomes -s-, giving the combined affix -so/sat-. Depending on the stem, there may or may not be reductions. e.g. xirán "to put on" (stem: xir-at-), karsán "to cook for oneself" (stem: kar-s-at-).
Infinitive | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Verbal Noun (f.) | ||||||||||||
Present Affirmative | Present Subjunctive | Past Affirmative | Past Negative | Imperative Affirmative | Imperative Negative | |||||||
Infinitive | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Verbal Noun (f.) | ||||||||||||
Present Affirmtive | Present Subjunctive | Past Affirmtive | Past Negtive | Impertive Affirmtive | Impertive Negtive | |||||||
Conjugation 4B
Verbs derived from nouns/adjectives (generally adjectives) with the affix -oo/aath- (from -aa- + -o/at-). Class III verbs all have a Conjugation 4B counterpart, which is used inchoatively and/or continuatively. They share infinitive and imperative forms. e.g. ahaan "to be" (Class III) or "to become/remain" (Conjugation 4B, stem: eh-aath-).
Infinitive | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Verbal Noun (f.) | ||||||||||||
Present Affirmative | Present Subjunctive | Past Affirmative | Past Negative | Imperaative Affirmative | Imperative Negative | |||||||
Conjugation 4C
Verbs derived from nouns/adjectives (generally nouns ending in -o) with the affix -oo/ooth- (from -oo- + -o/at-). e.g. caroón "to become angry" (stem car-ooth-, from caro "anger").
Infinitive | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Verbal Noun (f.) | ||||||||||||
Present Affirmative | Present Subjunctive | Past Affirmative | Past Negative | Imperative Affirmative | Imperative Negative | |||||||
Conjugation 5A
Verbs derived from nouns/adjectives (generally nouns) with the affix -oop- (=-oo- + -p-). e.g. duqoopi "to get old" (stem: duq-oop-)
Infinitive | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Verbal Noun (f.) | ||||||||||||
Present Affirmative | Present Subjunctive | Past Affirmative | Past Negative | Imperative Affirmative | Imperative Negative | |||||||
Conjugation 5B
Verbs derived from nouns/adjectives (generally nouns) with the affix -aap- (=-aa- + -p-). e.g. maghacaápi "to name" (stem: maghac-aap-).
Infinitive | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Verbal Noun (f.) | ||||||||||||
Present Affirmative | Present Subjunctive | Past Affirmative | Past Negative | Imperative Affirmative | Imperative Negative | |||||||
Class II: Prefix Conjugation
The prefix conjugation is a small, closed class of verbs that conjugate by means of prefixes and vowel changes. It includes the verbs aqoon "to know", ool "to be available", oran "to say/tell", and iman "to come". They have various forms due to analogy with each other and the suffix conjugation.
Infinitive | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Verbal Noun (f.) | ||||||||||||
Present Affirmative | Present Subjunctive | Past Affirmative | Past Negative | Imperative Affirmative | Imperative Negative | |||||||
- ool is conjugated similarly to aqoon.
Infinitive | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Verbal Noun (f.) | ||||||||||||
Present Affirmative | Present Subjunctive | Past Affirmative | Past Negative | Imperative Affirmative | Imperative Negative | |||||||
Infinitive | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Verbal Noun (f.) | ||||||||||||
Present Affirmative | Present Subjunctive | Past Affirmative | Past Negative | Imperative Affirmative | Imperative Negative | |||||||
Class III: Adjectival Conjugation
The adjectival conjugation is used for adjectives and a few stative verbs such as love and hate (which in Somali are adjectives). All Class III verbs are stative, but not all stative verbs are class 3. The citation form for Class III verbs is the third person singular short present indicative. The most basic Class III verb is eh "being" (stem: eh-). The present has two forms which are used differently.
Infinitive | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Verbal Noun (f.) | ||||||||||||||
Present Affirmative | Present Negative | Past Affirmative | Past Negative | Imperative Affirmative | Imperative Negative | |||||||||
Other Class III verbs are based off of this. e.g. cas "red" (stem: cas-).
Infinitive | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Verbal Noun (f.) | ||||||||||||||
Present Affirmative | Present Negative | Past Affirmative | Past Negative | Imperative Affirmative | Imperative Negative | |||||||||
- An important (and slightly irregular) Class III verb is leh "having, owning". It is conjugated regular except for the long present, where the stem becomes lee-. An epithetic y is inserted in the first person singular. e.g. leénaha "we have/own" (instead of *léhnaha), leéyaha "I have, he has" (instead of *léhaha, *léhyaha).
Tense, Aspect, Mood, and Voice
Notes:
- Impersonal passive (with la) is used as the regular passive as well as pseudo-passive.
- Subjunctive forms can be used adjectivally. In this usage, gender and number marking is optional (hence why adjectives need not be marked for plurality).
Simple Forms
These are forms that do not use auxiliary verbs.
Simple Present
- Used similarly to English simple present and past perfect continuous. Generally refers to a habitual action for dynamic verbs, or an ongoing action for stative verbs.
- Indicative:
- Affirmative: "Present Indicative" forms - e.g. us tagha "he goes"
- Negative: má + "Present Subjunctive/Negative" - e.g. máwsan taghó "he does not go"
- Subjunctive:
- Affirmative: "Present Subjunctive" - e.g. nin taghó "a man who goes"
- For Class III, the present subjunctive forms are the same as the present negative except in 3S, where it is equivalent to the present indicative.
- Negative: (an) + "Past Negative" - e.g. nin an taghín "a man who does not go"
- Affirmative: "Present Subjunctive" - e.g. nin taghó "a man who goes"
Simple Past
- Used for a simple action in the past.
- Indicative:
- Affirmative: "Past Affirmative" - e.g. us taghi "he went"
- Negative: má + "Past Negative" - e.g. máwsan taghín "he did not go"
- Subjunctive:
- Affirmative: "Past Affirmative" with final high tone - e.g. nin taghí "a man who went"
- Negative: (an) + "Past Negative" - e.g. nin an taghín "a man who did not go" (note that this is identical to the present equivalent; for d=isambiguation, a compound form may be used instead)
Jussive
- Affirmative:
- First and second person: Clitic subject + "Present Subjunctive" with penultimate high tone - e.g. an tágno "let us go"
- In the second person plural, -tiin may be replaced by -teen.
- Third person: há + "Present Subjunctive" - e.g. há taghó "let him go"
- In the plural, the ending -aán can be -eén instead.
- First and second person: Clitic subject + "Present Subjunctive" with penultimate high tone - e.g. an tágno "let us go"
- Negative:
- yáa + "2S Imperative Negative" - e.g. yóosan tághin "let him not go"
Imperative
- Only occurs in the second person.
- Affirmative: "Imperative Affirmative" - e.g. tág "go!"
- Negative: há + "Imperative Negative" - e.g. há tághin "do not go!"
Potential
- Used for an action/state that might occur in the future. It is optionally preceded or followed by the assumptive particle shoẃ.
- Classes I & II: Past affirmative with -i replaced by -e - e.g. (shoẃ) us taghe / us taghi shoẃ "he might go"
- Class III: Identical to the corresponding Conjugation 4B form - e.g. us ahaathe "he might become"
Assumptive
- Used for an action/state that is assumed to have probably occurred in the past. It is equivalent to the simple past preceded or followed by the assumptive particle shoẃ.
- e.g. shoẃ us taghi / us taghi shoẃ "he must have gone"
Compound Forms
These are forms that use the infinitive with auxiliary verbs.
Present Progressive
- Used for an ongoing action. Can also be used for near future.
- Formed from: Infinitive (minus -i if present) + Conjugation 3C present endings (actually an abbreviated form of haashi "to have/hold") - e.g. us tágaasha "he is leaving", máwsan tághaashó "he is not leaving"
Past Progressive
- Used for an ongoing action in the past.
- Formed from: Infinitive (minus -i if present) + Conjugation 3C past endings - e.g. us tágaashi "he was leaving", máwsan tághaaynín "he was not leaving"
Near Future
- Used for action in the near future.
- Formed from: Infinitive + Present tense of rapi "to want" - e.g. us tághi rapa "he is about to go", máwsan tághi rapó "he is not about to go"
Near Future in Past
- Past equivalent of the above.
- Formed from: Infinitive + Past tense of rapi "to want" - e.g. us tághi rapi "he was going to go", máwsan tághi rapín "he was not going to go"
Distant Future
- Used for action in the future that is more distant or less certain. For example, something in the distant future or that you will eventually do but are procrastinating.
- Formed from: Infinitive + Present tense of dooni "to seek" - e.g. us tághi doona "he will go (eventually)", máwsan tághi doonó "he will not go"
Distant Future in Past
- Past equivalent of the above.
- Formed from: Infinitive + Past tense of dooni "to seek" - e.g. us tághi dooni "he was going to go", máwsan tághi doonín "he was not going to go"
Conditional
- Formed from: Infinitive + Past tense of leh "having/owning" - e.g. us tághi lahaay "he would go", máwsan tághi lahaáyn "he would not go"
Present Habitual
- Used for habitual actions in the present. For dynamic verbs this is similar in meaning to the simple present, but places emphasis on the repeated nature of the action.
- Formed from: Infinitive + Present tense of jiri "to exist" - e.g. us tághi jira "he goes regularly", máwsan tághi jiró "he does not go regularly"
Past Habitual
- Used for habitual actions in the past. In the subjunctive, it can also mean a single action in the distant past.
- Formed from: Infinitive + Past tense of jiri "to exist" - e.g. us tághi jiri "he used to go", máwsan tághi jirín "he did not used to go", goórtíi us tághi jirí "back when he used to go" or "back when he went"
Other Compound Forms
- kari "to be able" (present, past) → "to be able to" - e.g. us tághi kara "he can go"
- waayi "to not find" (present, past) → "to fail to" - e.g. us tághi waayi "he failed to go"
- In the simple present indicative, it indicates habituality (i.e. "regularly fails to").
- In the subjunctive, it can be used instead of the simple negative subjunctive. e.g. hadíi us tághi waayó "if he does not go", ninki tághi waayí "the man who did not go"
- la' "to lack" (present) → "to fail to" - e.g. us tághi lá'yaha "he is failing to go"
- This is used for an ongoing action (i.e. "is failing to").
- qapi "to have" (present, past) → "to have to" - e.g. us tághi qapa "he has to go"
- gaari "to reach" (past) → "to almost" - e.g. us tághi gaari "he almost went"