Verbs in Vrkhazhian

Vrkhazhian verbs are called narībūm (singular narībum). Because Vrkhazhian is a triconsonantal root language, the fundamental part of the verb form is the transfix, a discontinuous affix inserted between a root, though they primarily only convey a verb's transitivity. There are only two tenses (future and non-future) with the future tense indicated by a prefix attached to the base form. Additionally, there are also two moods (indicative and imperative) although the indicative is unmarked. Lastly, verbs are also conjugated for person (first, second, and third) and number (singular and plural) which are indicated by suffixes.

When referring to a particular verb pattern, they are referred to by a derivation of the canonical (exemplary) verb root P-R-Ḫ (to speak, to say). For example, when referring to the verb pattern of the citation form of a verb, which is the first person nonfuture singular indicative, it is called paruḫna because that is the first person nonfuture singular indicative form of the verb.

Verb Patterns

Most verbs are typically conjugated in their full phonetic forms, known as "full verbs". However, many roots contain the radicals ⟨y⟩, ⟨w⟩, ⟨h⟩, and ⟨ḥ⟩ which lead to conjugations that are phonetically shortened or irregular. Such verbs are known as "weak verbs".

Thematic Vowels

(Triliteral Verbs)

Strong Verbs

u-class P-R-Ḫ (speak, say) nonfuture future 1cs paruḫ-na na-pruḫ-na 2fs paruḫ-mu na-pruḫ-mu 2ms paruḫ-mi na-pruḫ-mi 3fs paruḫ-tu na-pruḫ-tu 3ms paruḫ-ti na-pruḫ-ti 1cp paruḫ-ta na-pruḫ-ta 2fp paruḫ-mun na-pruḫ-mun 2mp paruḫ-min na-pruḫ-min 3fp paruḫ-tun na-pruḫ-tun 3mp paruḫ-tin na-pruḫ-tin

i-class N-M-R (be bad, be immoral) nonfuture future 1cs namir-na na-nmir-na 2fs namir-mu na-nmir-mu 2ms namir-mi na-nmir-mi 3fs namir-tu na-nmir-tu 3ms namir-ti na-nmir-ti 1cp namir-ta na-nmir-ta 2fp namir-mun na-nmir-mun 2mp namir-min na-nmir-min 3fp namir-tun na-nmir-tun 3mp namir-tin na-nmir-tin

a-class R-B-D (guard, protect) nonfuture future 1cs rabad-na na-rbad-na 2fs rabad-mu na-rbad-mu 2ms rabad-mi na-rbad-mi 3fs rabat-tu na-rbat-tu 3ms rabat-ti na-rbat-ti 1cp rabat-ta na-rbat-ta 2fp rabad-mun na-rbad-mun 2mp rabad-min na-rbad-min 3fp rabat-tun na-rbat-tun 3mp rabat-tin na-rbat-tin

u-class P-R-Ḫ (speak, say) nonfuture future 2ns parḫ-am na-parḫ-am 3ns parḫ-at na-parḫ-at 2np parḫ-ām na-parḫ-ām 3np parḫ-āt na-parḫ-āt

i-class N-M-R (be bad, be immoral) nonfuture future 2ns namr-am na-namr-am 3ns namr-at na-namr-at 2np namr-ām na-namr-ām 3np namr-āt na-namr-āt

a-class R-B-D (guard, protect) nonfuture future 2ns rabd-am na-rabd-am 3ns rabd-at na-rabd-at 2np rabd-ām na-rabd-ām 3np rabd-āt na-rabd-āt

Initial-Weak Verbs

The initial radical is either ⟨y⟩, ⟨w⟩, ⟨h⟩ or ⟨ḥ⟩ and becomes a long-vowel of a quality similar to its place of articulation in the future tense

I-y, u-class Y-B-L (smell) nonfuture future 1cs yabul-na nī-bul-na 2fs yabul-mu nī-bul-mu 2ms yabul-mi nī-bul-mi 3fs yabul-tu nī-bul-tu 3ms yabul-ti nī-bul-ti 1cp yabul-ta nī-bul-ta 2fp yabul-mun nī-bul-mun 2mp yabul-min nī-bul-min 3fp yabul-tun nī-bul-tun 3mp yabul-tin nī-bul-tin

I-w, i-class W-S-Ḫ (be faithful, be loyal) nonfuture future 1cs wasiḫ-na nū-siḫ-na 2fs wasiḫ-mu nū-siḫ-mu 2ms wasiḫ-mi nū-siḫ-mi 3fs wasiḫ-tu nū-siḫ-tu 3ms wasiḫ-ti nū-siḫ-ti 1cp wasiḫ-ta nū-siḫ-ta 2fp wasiḫ-mun nū-siḫ-mun 2mp wasiḫ-min nū-siḫ-min 3fp wasiḫ-tun nū-siḫ-tun 3mp wasiḫ-tin nū-siḫ-tin

I-h, a-class H-L-D (fight, battle, oppose) nonfuture future 1cs alad-na nā-lad-na 2fs alad-mu nā-lad-mu 2ms alad-mi nā-lad-mi 3fs alat-tu nā-lat-tu 3ms alat-ti nā-lat-ti 1cp alat-ta nā-lat-ta 2fp alad-mun nā-lad-mun 2mp alad-min nā-lad-min 3fp alat-tun nā-lat-tun 3mp alat-tin nā-lat-tin

I-ḥ, e-class Ḥ-L-R (???) nonfuture future 1cs eler-na nē-ler-na 2fs eler-mu nē-ler-mu 2ms eler-mi nē-ler-mi 3fs eler-tu nē-ler-tu 3ms eler-ti nē-ler-ti 1cp eler-ta nē-ler-ta 2fp eler-mun nē-ler-mun 2mp eler-min nē-ler-min 3fp eler-tun nē-ler-tun 3mp eler-tin nē-ler-tin

I-y, u-class Y-B-L (smell) nonfuture future 2ns yabl-ām n-abl-ām 3ns yabl-āt n-abl-āt 2np yabl-āman n-abl-āman 3np yabl-ātan n-abl-ātan

I-w, i-class W-S-Ḫ (be faithful, be loyal) nonfuture future 2ns wasḫ-am n-âsḫ-am 3ns wasḫ-at n-âsḫ-at 2np wasḫ-ām n-âsḫ-ām 3np wasḫ-āt n-âsḫ-āt

I-h, a-class H-L-D (fight, battle, oppose) nonfuture future 2ns ald-am n-âld-am 3ns ald-at n-âld-at 2np ald-ām n-âld-ām 3np ald-āt n-âld-āt

I-ḥ, e-class Ḥ-L-R (???) nonfuture future 2ns elr-am n-êlr-am 3ns elr-at n-êlr-at 2np elr-ām n-êlr-ām 3np elr-āt n-êlr-āt

Middle-Weak Verbs

The middle radical is either ⟨y⟩, ⟨w⟩, ⟨h⟩ or ⟨ḥ⟩ and becomes a long-vowel of a quality similar to its place of articulation. Because of this change, it is not possible to tell the theme vowel of the verb.

II-w D-W-L (dig, reveal) nonfuture future 1cs dūl-na na-dūl-na 2fs dūl-mu na-dūl-mu 2ms dūl-mi na-dūl-mi 3fs dūl-tu na-dūl-tu 3ms dūl-ti na-dūl-ti 1cp dūl-ta na-dūl-ta 2fp dūl-mun na-dūl-mun 2mp dūl-min na-dūl-min 3fp dūl-tun na-dūl-tun 3mp dūl-tin na-dūl-tin

II-y R-Y-B (plant [seeds], place) nonfuture future 1cs rīb-na na-rīb-na 2fs rīb-mu na-rīb-mu 2ms rīb-mi na-rīb-mi 3fs rīb-tu na-rīb-tu 3ms rīb-ti na-rīb-ti 1cp rīb-ta na-rīb-ta 2fp rīb-mun na-rīb-mun 2mp rīb-min na-rīb-min 3fp rīb-tun na-rīb-tun 3mp rīb-tin na-rīb-tin

II-h S-H-B (kill, slay) nonfuture future 1cs sāb-na na-sāb-na 2fs sāb-mu na-sāb-mu 2ms sāb-mi na-sāb-mi 3fs sāb-tu na-sāb-tu 3ms sāb-ti na-sāb-ti 1cp sāb-ta na-sāb-ta 2fp sāb-mun na-sāb-mun 2mp sāb-min na-sāb-min 3fp sāb-tun na-sāb-tun 3mp sāb-tin na-sāb-tin

II-ḥ L-Ḥ-B (have, possess) nonfuture future 1cs lēb-na ne-lēb-na 2fs lēb-mu ne-lēb-mu 2ms lēb-mi ne-lēb-mi 3fs lēb-tu ne-lēb-tu 3ms lēb-ti ne-lēb-ti 1cp lēb-ta ne-lēb-ta 2fp lēb-mun ne-lēb-mun 2mp lēb-min ne-lēb-min 3fp lēb-tun ne-lēb-tun 3mp lēb-tin ne-lēb-tin

II-w D-W-L (dig, reveal) nonfuture future 2ns dūl-ām na-dūl-ām 3ns dūl-āt na-dūl-āt 2np dūl-āman na-dūl-āman 3np dūl-ātan na-dūl-ātan

II-y R-Y-B (plant [seeds], place) nonfuture future 2ns rīb-ām na-rīb-ām 3ns rīb-āt na-rīb-āt 2np rīb-āman na-rīb-āman 3np rīb-ātan na-rīb-ātan

II-h S-H-B (kill, slay) nonfuture future 2ns sāb-ām na-sāb-ām 3ns sāb-āt na-sāb-āt 2np sāb-āman na-sāb-āman 3np sāb-ātan na-sāb-ātan

II-ḥ L-Ḥ-B (have, possess) nonfuture future 2ns lēb-ām ne-lēb-ām 3ns lēb-āt ne-lēb-āt 2np lēb-āman ne-lēb-āman 3np lēb-ātan ne-lēb-ātan

Final-Weak Verbs

The final radical is either ⟨y⟩, ⟨w⟩, ⟨h⟩ or ⟨ḥ⟩ and becomes a long-vowel of a quality similar to its place of articulation. The third person suffixes become -su(n) and -si(n) instead of -tu(n) and -ti(n). Like middle-weak verbs, it is not possible to tell the theme vowel of the verb.

III-w N-D-W (to begin) nonfuture future 1cs nadū-na na-ndū-na 2fs nadū-mu na-ndū-mu 2ms nadū-mi na-ndū-mi 3fs nadū-su na-ndū-su 3ms nadū-si na-ndū-si 1cp nadū-ta na-ndū-ta 2fp nadū-mun na-ndū-mun 2mp nadū-min na-ndū-min 3fp nadū-sun na-ndū-sun 3mp nadū-sin na-ndū-sin

III-y R-S-Y (be good, be moral) nonfuture future 1cs rasī-na na-rsī-na 2fs rasī-mu na-rsī-mu 2ms rasī-mi na-rsī-mi 3fs rasī-su na-rsī-su 3ms rasī-si na-rsī-si 1cp rasī-ta na-rsī-ta 2fp rasī-mun na-rsī-mun 2mp rasī-min na-rsī-min 3fp rasī-sun na-rsī-sun 3mp rasī-sin na-rsī-sin

III-h Ḫ-Ś-H (be correct, be true) nonfuture future 1cs ḫaśā-na na-ḫśā-na 2fs ḫaśā-mu na-ḫśā-mu 2ms ḫaśā-mi na-ḫśā-mi 3fs ḫaśā-su na-ḫśā-su 3ms ḫaśā-si na-ḫśā-si 1cp ḫaśā-ta na-ḫśā-ta 2fp ḫaśā-mun na-ḫśā-mun 2mp ḫaśā-min na-ḫśā-min 3fp ḫaśā-sun na-ḫśā-sun 3mp ḫaśā-sin na-ḫśā-sin

III-ḥ K-M-Ḥ (get up, stand up, rise, wake up) nonfuture future 1cs kemē-na ne-kmē-na 2fs kemē-mu ne-kmē-mu 2ms kemē-mi ne-kmē-mi 3fs kemē-su ne-kmē-su 3ms kemē-si ne-kmē-si 1cp kemē-ta ne-kmē-ta 2fp kemē-mun ne-kmē-mun 2mp kemē-min ne-kmē-min 3fp kemē-sun ne-kmē-sun 3mp kemē-sin ne-kmē-sin

III-w N-D-W (to begin) nonfuture future 2ns nad-âm na-nd-âm 3ns nad-ât na-nd-ât 2np nad-âman na-nd-âman 3np nad-âtan na-nd-âtan

III-y R-S-Y (be good, be moral) nonfuture future 2ns ras-âm na-rs-âm 3ns ras-ât na-rs-ât 2np ras-âman na-rs-âman 3np ras-âtan na-rs-âtan

III-h Ḫ-Ś-H (be correct, be true) nonfuture future 2ns ḫaś-âm na-ḫś-âm 3ns ḫaś-ât na-ḫś-ât 2np ḫaś-âman na-ḫś-âman 3np ḫaś-âtan na-ḫś-âtan

III-ḥ K-M-Ḥ (get up, stand up, rise, wake up) nonfuture future 2ns kem-êm ne-km-êm 3ns kem-êt ne-km-êt 2np kem-êman ne-km-êman 3np kem-êtan ne-km-êtan

Extensions To the Verb

Causative Voice

u-class T-P-R-Ḫ (speak to) nonfuture future 1cs tapraḫ-na na-tapraḫ-na 2fs tapraḫ-mu na-tapraḫ-mu 2ms tapraḫ-mi na-tapraḫ-mi 3fs tapraḫ-tu na-tapraḫ-tu 3ms tapraḫ-ti na-tapraḫ-ti 1cp tapraḫ-ta na-tapraḫ-ta 2fp tapraḫ-mun na-tapraḫ-mun 2mp tapraḫ-min na-tapraḫ-min 3fp tapraḫ-tun na-tapraḫ-tun 3mp tapraḫ-tin na-tapraḫ-tin

i-class T-N-M-R (spoil, corrupt) nonfuture future 1cs tanmar-na na-tanmar-na 2fs tanmar-mu na-tanmar-mu 2ms tanmar-mi na-tanmar-mi 3fs tanmar-tu na-tanmar-tu 3ms tanmar-ti na-tanmar-ti 1cp tanmar-ta na-tanmar-ta 2fp tanmar-mun na-tanmar-mun 2mp tanmar-min na-tanmar-min 3fp tanmar-tun na-tanmar-tun 3mp tanmar-tin na-tanmar-tin

a-class T-R-B-D (station, employ, assign) nonfuture future 1cs tarbad-na na-tarbad-na 2fs tarbad-mu na-tarbad-mu 2ms tarbad-mi na-tarbad-mi 3fs tarbat-tu na-tarbat-tu 3ms tarbat-ti na-tarbat-ti 1cp tarbat-ta na-tarbat-ta 2fp tarbad-mun na-tarbad-mun 2mp tarbad-min na-tarbad-min 3fp tarbat-tun na-tarbat-tun 3mp tarbat-tin na-tarbat-tin

Applicative Voice

Vrkhazhian as a secundative language

Unlike most languages, Vrkhazhian has a secundative alignment with regards to ditransitive verbs. This means that the recipient of a verb is treated like the patient of a transitive verb rather than the theme.

Below is an example, in the active voice:

Kumma bēdās lēbtu.

Ku-mma	bēd-ās	∅-lēb-tu
3fs-nom	book-acc.inan.pl	nfut-have\act-3fs

"She has some books."

In the applicative voice, an oblique (optional) element is promoted to primary object:

Kumma rēbis bēdās tēlebtu.

Ku-mma	rēb-is	bēd-ās	∅-tēleb-tu
3fs-nom	man-acc.masc.sg	book-acc.inan.pl	nfut-give\appl-3fs

"She gives a man some books."