Laefêvëši/Verbs
Laefêvëši verbs are highly inflected.
Characteristics
Types
Lexical verbs (full meaning)
- verbs of movement
Auxiliary verbs:
- phaseal verbs
- modal verbs
- the verb álaj (to be)
Classes
Three classes:
- verbs on -vij
- verbs on -laj
- verbs on -vaj
Number
Numbers:
- singular
- dual
- plural
Aspect
- Perfective aspect
- Imperfective aspect
Mood
Realis moods:
- Indicative
- Generic
Irrealis moods:
- Conditional
- Subjunctive
- Optative
- Jussive
- Reputative
- Presumptive
- Potential
- Hypothetical
- Admirative
- Imperative
- Inferencial/renarrative
Tenses
Simple tenses:
- simple present
- simple past
- remote past
- nonpast
- pluperfect
- simple future
- future anterior
- nonfuture
- future-in-the-past
Conjugation
Stem lengthening
Stem lengthening | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Class | Type I | Type II | Type III | Type IV | Type V |
-VIJ | -Vvij → -Vtt- | -[V]Jvij → -[V]Jat- | -[V]Kvij → -[V]KKat- | -CCvij → -CCi- | -[V]GGëvij → -[V]GGi- |
-LAJ | -Vlaj → -Vll- | -[V]Jlaj → -[V]Jal- | -[V]Klaj → -[V]KKal- | -CClaj → -CCu- | -[V]GGëlaj → -[V]GGu- |
-VAJ | -Vvaj → -Vnn- | -[V]Jvaj → -[V]Jan- | -[V]Kvaj → -[V]KKan- | -CCvaj → -CCi- | -[V]GGëvaj → -[V]GGi- |
Example | |||||
-VIJ | návij → nátt- | nášvij → nášat- | nánvij → nánnat- | nándvij → nándi- | nánnëvij → nánni- |
-LAJ | nálaj → náll- | nášlaj → nášal- | nánlaj → nánnal- | nándlaj → nándu- | nánnëlaj → nnánnu- |
-VAJ | návaj → nánn- | nášvaj → nášan- | nánvaj → nánnan- | nándvaj → nándi- | nánnëvaj → nánni- |
Tenses
Conjugation according to tense | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Person | Simple present | |||||||
Singular | Dual | Plural | ||||||
affirm. | negat. | affirm. | negat. | affirm. | negat. | |||
1st | -a | -ake | -e | -eke | -o | -oke | ||
2nd | -an | -aŋe | -en | -eŋe | -on | -oŋe | ||
3rd | -as | -aksi | -es | -eksi | -os | -oksi | ||
Simple past | ||||||||
1st | -ai | -aike | -ei | -eike | -oi | -oike | ||
2nd | -ain | -aiŋe | -ein | -eiŋe | -oin | -oiŋe | ||
3rd | -ais | -aiksi | -eis | -eiksi | -ois | -oiksi | ||
Nonpast | ||||||||
1st | -ao | -aoke | -eo | -eoke | -oo | -ooke | ||
2nd | -aon | -aoŋe | -eon | -eoŋe | -oon | -ooŋe | ||
3rd | -aos | -aoksi | -eos | -eoksi | -oos | -ooksi | ||
Pluperfect | ||||||||
1st | -ø | -øke | -øi | -øike | -iø | -iøke | ||
2nd | -øn | -øŋe | -øin | -øiŋe | -iøn | -iøŋe | ||
3rd | -øs | -øksi | -øis | -øiksi | -iøs | -iøksi | ||
Remote past | ||||||||
1st | -ae | -aeke | -ee | -eeke | -oe | -oeke | ||
2nd | -aen | -aeŋe | -een | -eeŋe | -oen | -oeŋe | ||
3rd | -aes | -aeksi | -ees | -eeksi | -oes | -oeksi | ||
Simple future | ||||||||
1st | -au | -auke | -eu | -euke | -ou | -ouke | ||
2nd | -aun | -auŋe | -eun | -euŋe | -oun | -ouŋe | ||
3rd | -aus | -auksi | -eus | -euksi | -ous | -ouksi | ||
Nonfuture | ||||||||
1st | -ë | -ëke | -ëi | -ëike | -ië | -iëke | ||
2nd | -ën | -ëŋe | -ëin | -ëiŋe | -iën | -iëŋe | ||
3rd | -ës | -ëksi | -ëis | -ëiksi | -iës | -iëksi | ||
Future anterior | ||||||||
1st | -y | -yke | -yi | -yike | -iy | -iyke | ||
2nd | -yn | -yŋe | -yin | -yiŋe | -iyn | -iyŋe | ||
3rd | -ys | -yksi | -yis | -yiksi | -iys | -iyksi | ||
Future-in-the-past | ||||||||
1st | -aa | -aake | -ea | -eake | -oa | -oake | ||
2nd | -aan | -aaŋe | -ean | -eaŋe | -oan | -oaŋe | ||
3rd | -aas | -aaksi | -eas | -eaksi | -oas | -oaksi |
Compound tenses
Compound tenses are formed with the auxilliary verb álaj (to be) and past active participle.
Compound tenses are rarely used, and when they are, usually there's a clause inserted between the auxilliary and the past active participle.
Moods
Mood suffixes | ||
---|---|---|
Mood | Long form | Short form |
Indicative | -/ | -/ |
Generic | -an | -n |
Conditional | -am | -m |
Subjunctive | -al | -l |
Optative | -ak | -k |
Jussive | -ah | -h |
Reputative | -ar | -r |
Presumptive | -ag | -g |
Potential | -as | -s |
If-potential | -av | -v |
Admirative | -at | -t |
Imperative
Imperative conjugation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Person | Imperative | |||||
Singular | Dual | Plural | ||||
affirm. | negat. | affirm. | negat. | affirm. | negat. | |
1st | -/ | -/ | -et(e) | -ekt(e) | -ot(o) | -okt(e) |
2nd | -ar(a) | -ark(e) | -er(e) | -erk(e) | -or(o) | -ork(e) |
3rd | -/ | -/ | -/ | -/ | -/ | -/ |
Causative
The causative is a verbal form with the meaning of "to make/cause someone/something do something". It is formed with an infixiated verb between the stem of the lexical verb and the inflection of the lexical verb, much like modal and phaseal verbs. Both the lexical verb and the causative infix can be inflected.
The bare causative infix is: -ajsk-
There are three types of causative derived from the original causative above:
- -ajsk- is the default or neuter causative that means both "make" and "cause"
- -ejst- is the volitional causative: to make on purpose, to force
- -ojst- is the non-volitional causatve: to cause by accident
Inflextion of the causative (the agent of the verb) immediately follows the causative infix, and the inflection of the lexical verb is then added to the inflected causative. When negating, the position of the negation depends on what is negated, the lexical verb or the causative infix.
The formation paradigm is as follows: (agent) + (object 1) + [lexical verb]-ajsk-[agent inflection]-[object 1 inflection] + (object 1) + (object 2)
Examples without expressed agents and objects 1 | ||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Example 1 | Example 2 | Example 3 | ||||||||||||||
ávaj | ánnan | -ajsk- | -ajskah- | šânvaj | šânnanan | -ajsk- | -ajskaih- | winádo | káulaj | káullan | -ajsk- | -ajskais- | -ajskaiksi- | ýttafa | ||
to go | you go | make | I make | to rule | you rule | make | I made | country | draw | you draw | make | he made | he made not | lines | ||
Ánnajskahan. | Šânnanajskaihan winádo. | Káullajskaiksian ýttafa | ||||||||||||||
go-make-I-you | rule-make-I-ed-you country | draw-make-he-ed-not-you lines | ||||||||||||||
I make you go. | I made you rule the country. | He didn't make you draw the lines. |
Examples with agents and objects 1 expressed | ||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Example 4 | Example 5 | Example 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||
ó | se | ávaj | ánnan | -ajsk- | -ajskah- | ó | se | šânvaj | šânnanan | -ajsk- | -ajskaih- | winádo | â | sa | káulaj | káullan | -ajsk- | -ajskais- | -ajskaiksi- | ýttafa. | ||
I | you | to go | you go | make | I make | I | you | to rule | you rule | make | I made | country | he | you | draw | you draw | make | he made | he made not | lines | ||
Ó se ánnajskahan. / Ó ánnajskahan se. |
Ó se šânnanajskaihan winádo. / Ó šânnanajskaihan se winádo. |
 sa káullajskaiksian ýttafa. /  káullajskaiksian sa ýttafa. | ||||||||||||||||||||
I you go-make-I-you / I go-make-I-you you |
I you rule-make-I-ed-you country / I rule-make-I-ed-you you country |
he you draw-make-he-ed-not-you lines / he draw-make-he-ed-not-you you lines | ||||||||||||||||||||
I make you go. | I made you rule the country. | He didn't make you draw the lines. |
Other examples:
- Ánnajskaihaŋe.
- I made you not go.
- Ánnajskaikeaŋe. / Ánnajskaikehaŋe.
- I didn't make you not go.
- Ánnajskalléhan. / Ánnajskalléhahan.
- I can make you go.
- Ánnajskallékehan.
- I can't make you go.
- Ánnajskallékehaŋe.
- I can't make you not go.
- Ánnajskalléketeŋe.
- I can't not make you not go.
Álaj (to be)
Auxiliary verbs
Several verbs have clitic forms, sometimes they act as infixes, too. In first person, they're simply added to the conjugational suffix; in second and third person, they're inserted between the vowel(s) and the final consonant of the conjugational suffix.
Three main types of auxiliary verbs are:
- modal verbs
- phaseal verbs
- verbs of movement
Examples:
- Vétta. → Véttanné.
- I give. → I have to give.
- Véttos. → Véttonnés.
- They give. → They have to give.
- Nótta.→ Nóttanój.
- I work. → I start to work.
- Nóttos.→ Nóttonójs.
- They work. → They start to work.
Auxiliary verbs | ||
---|---|---|
Full form | Clitic | English |
álvaj | -nnó | to wish |
élvaj | -nní | to wish |
évivaj | -nné | have to, must |
vírvij | -ttí | can, to be allowed to |
óvlaj | -lló | can be done, to be possible |
vélaj | -llé | can |
újelaj | -llú | to want |
- | -ttý | to like |
- | -ttǿ | would like |
ávivaj | -nná | should |
ǿlvaj | -nnǿ | to wish (to oneself) |
ýlvaj | -nný | to wish (to oneself) |
nášlaj | -llá | to manage, to be able to |
-ttá | to go |
Phaseal verbs | ||
---|---|---|
Full form | Clitic | English |
onóvaj | -nój | to begin |
mâivij | -máj | to finish |
nâivij | -náj | to finish/complete |
hélaj | -héj | to stop |
Auxilliary verb álaj (to be)
The verb to be is used as an ausxilliary verb in compound tenses. The auxilliary is fully inflected and the past active participle is inflected only by number. The auxilliary is somewhat special as it has stress on the actual inflection, which is marked. For moods other than the indicative, the indicative m- is replaced with the appropriate stem.
Auxilliary álaj in the indicative | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Person | Simple present | |||||
Singular | Dual | Plural | ||||
affirm. | negat. | affirm. | negat. | affirm. | negat. | |
1st | má | máke | mé | méke | mó | móke |
2nd | mán | máŋe | mén | méŋe | món | móŋe |
3rd | más | máksi | més | méksi | mós | móksi |
Simple past | ||||||
1st | mái | máike | méi | méike | mói | móike |
2nd | máin | máiŋe | méin | méiŋe | móin | móiŋe |
3rd | máis | máiksi | méis | méiksi | móis | móiksi |
Nonpast | ||||||
1st | máo | máoke | méo | méoke | móo | móoke |
2nd | máon | máoŋe | méon | méoŋe | móon | móoŋe |
3rd | máos | máoksi | méos | méoksi | móos | móoksi |
Pluperfect | ||||||
1st | mǿ | mǿke | mǿi | mǿike | míø | míøke |
2nd | mǿn | mǿŋe | mǿin | mǿiŋe | míøn | míøŋe |
3rd | mǿs | mǿksi | mǿis | mǿiksi | míøs | míøksi |
Remote past | ||||||
1st | máe | máeke | mée | méeke | móe | móeke |
2nd | máen | máeŋe | méen | méeŋe | -oen | -oeŋe |
3rd | máes | máeksi | mées | méeksi | -oes | -oeksi |
Simple future | ||||||
1st | máu | máuke | méu | méuke | móu | móuke |
2nd | máun | máuŋe | méun | méuŋe | móun | móouŋe |
3rd | máus | máuksi | méus | méuksi | móus | móuksi |
Nonfuture | ||||||
1st | mĕ | mĕke | mĕi | mĕike | míë | míëke |
2nd | mĕn | mĕŋe | mĕin | mĕiŋe | míën | míëŋe |
3rd | mĕs | mĕksi | mĕis | mĕiksi | míës | míëksi |
Future anterior | ||||||
1st | mý | mýke | mýi | mýike | míy | míyke |
2nd | mýn | mýŋe | mýin | mýiŋe | míyn | míyŋe |
3rd | mýs | mýksi | mýis | mýiksi | míys | míyksi |
Future-in-the-past | ||||||
1st | máa | máake | méa | méake | móa | móake |
2nd | máan | máaŋe | méan | méaŋe | móan | móaŋe |
3rd | máas | máaksi | méas | méaksi | móas | móaksi |
Mood stems | ||
---|---|---|
Mood | Formation | Example |
Generic | enn- | enná |
Conditional | enm- | enmá |
Subjunctive | enl- | enlá |
Optative | enk- | enká |
Jussive | enh- | enhá |
Reputative | enr- | enrá |
Presumptive | eng- | engá |
Potential | ens- | ensá |
If-potential | env- | envá |
Admirative | ent- | entá |
Non-finite forms
Infinitives
First infinitive
The first infinitive is the basic form of verbs. It is a marked form, the suffixes are -vaj, -laj and -vij. Each suffix corresponds to one verbal class and each class undergoes a different change when conjugating.
Second infinitive
The second infinitive is a form derived from the first infititive. It can be used with one case, the benefactive, although it is mainly omitted; it usually indicates intention. Stem lenghtening does not apply. When combined with reflexive verbs, the forms are slightly changed (shown in brackets).
The forms are:
- -vij → -vyyn (-vyen)
- -laj → -laan (-laen)
- -vaj → -vøøn (-vøen)
Third infinitive
The third infititive is a form of the verb meaning "to be just about to ..." . It is different from other infinitives because it is formed from two parts. One part is always attached to the verb while the other is the actual infinitival suffix which is removed when conjugated. Stem lenghtening applies.
The forms are:
- -vij → -(t)einviaj
- -laj → -(l)ainlaaj
- -vaj → -(n)oinvaaj
Example:
Example:
- vévij → vétteinviaj → vétteina
- to give → to be about to give → I'm about to give
- névvaj → névvannoinvaaj → névvannoina
- to teach → to be about to teach → I'm about to teach
Progressive infinitive
The progressive infinitive (or the fourth infinitive) is the basic form of verb indicating progressiveness. Both imperfective and perfective verbs can become progressive. The progressive form expresses an action taking place at the moment of speaking. The progressive infinitive is similar to the third infinitive because it's formed from two parts. One part is always attached to the verb while the other is the actual infinitival suffix which is removed when conjugated. Stem lenghtening applies.
The forms are:
- -vij → -(t)eusvinj
- -laj → -(l)auslanj
- -vaj → -(n)ousvanj
Example:
- vévij → vétteusvinj → vétteusa
- to give → to be giving → I'm giving [at this moment]
- névvaj → névvannousvanj → névvannousa
- to teach → to be teaching → I'm teaching [at this moment]
Reflexive infinitive
The reflexive infinitive (or the fifth infinitive) is the basic form of reflexive verbs. There are two types, one ending in -ej and one ending in -ij. Stem lenghtening does not apply.
The forms are:
- -vij → -viej, -viij
- -laj → -laej, -laij
- -vaj → -vaej, -vaij
Supines
First supine
The first supine is a form of verbs used after modal verbs (when they are used in their full form instead of the clitic form). Stem lenghtening applies.
The forms are:
- -vij → -tia (type I, II and III verbs), -ia (type IV and V verbs)
- -laj → -tie (type I, II and III verbs), -ie (type IV and V verbs)
- -vaj → -tio (type I, II and III verbs), -io (type IV and V verbs)
NOTE: Verbs of the type I shorten the geminate consonant of the lenghtened stem:
- -tt- → -t-
- -ll- → -l-
- -nn- → -n-
Second supine
The second supine is a form of verbs used after phaseal verbs and verbs of movement. Stem lenghtening applies.
The forms are:
- -vij → -tiau (type I, II and III verbs), -iau (type IV and V verbs)
- -laj → -tieu (type I, II and III verbs), -ieu (type IV and V verbs)
- -vaj → -tiou (type I, II and III verbs), -iou (type IV and V verbs)
NOTE: Verbs of the type I shorten the geminate consonant of the lenghtened stem:
- -tt- → -t-
- -ll- → -l-
- -nn- → -n-
Gerunds and participles
Overview of gerunds and participles | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
-VIJ forms | -LAJ forms | -VAJ forms | Stem | Meaning | |
Gerund I (verbal noun) | -voi | -loi | -noi | no, C1 | Nominalised verb. |
Present Active Gerund I | -(i)tat | -(i)lat | -(i)nat | yes | Simultaneous events. |
Present Active Gerund II | -(i)taot | -(i)laot | -(i)naot | yes | An adverb of manner. |
Past Active Gerund | -(i)tait | -(i)lait | -(i)nait | yes | An action completed prior to the action of the main verb. |
Present Active Participle | -(i)ti / -iei- | -(i)di / -iei- | -(i)ni / -iei- | yes | Adjectvies, replace certain relative clauses. |
Past Active Participle II | -(i)tui / -iyi- | -(i)dui / -iyi- | -(i)nui / -iyi- | yes | Adjectvies, a quality acquired through action in the past. |
Past Passive Participle | -isi | -isi | -isi | no | Adjectives. |
Past Active Participle I | -rii (sg) -rie (du) -ria (pl) |
-nii (sg) -nie (du) -nia (pl) |
-gii (sg) -gie (du) -gia (pl) |
yes* | Participles used to form compound tenses. |
NOTE: Verbs of the type I shorten the geminate consonant of the lenghtened stem:
- -tt- → -t-
- -ll- → -l-
- -nn- → -n-
Reflexive verbs
There are two types of reflexive verbs, the -ej verbs and the -ij verbs (indicated as -viej, -viij, -laej, -laij, -vaej, -vaij). Their forms change depending on the person and number; and are attached to the verb.
Reflexive suffixes | |||
---|---|---|---|
Number | Person | -EJ | -IJ |
clitic | clitic | ||
Singular | 1st | -re | -ro |
2nd | -ne | -no | |
3rd | -se | -so | |
Dual | 1st | -ri | -ru |
2nd | -ni | -nu | |
3rd | -si | -su | |
Plural | 1st | -ra | -rë |
2nd | -na | -në | |
3rd | -sa | -së |