Seuna verbs

In finite form, the verb has always three slots after the main word. These slots are for subject, mood and tense. A forth slot, which gives evidential information is also often tagged on.

Subject suffix

The subject slot is filled as follows ;-

I	-a-	we(exc.)	-au-
		we(inc.)	-ai-
you	-i-	you(pl.)	-e-
he/she	-o-	they	-u-

There is also an impersonal passive form of the verb. For this -oi- is used for the singular and -eu- is used for the plural.

Mood suffix

The mood slot is filled as follows ;-

indicative	-r-	negative indicative	-rt-
subjunctive	-s-	negative subjuctive	-st-
imperitive	-ya

The imperative has no tense suffix. Also it is used only with the two second person subject suffixes. So for example;-

timpiya na = Hit him/her/it. timpeya na = Hit him/her/it(spoken to more than one person).

For the negative imperative, a particle is used plus the verb in its infinitive form. For example;-

timpa = to hit/strike kya timpa na = Don't hit him/her.

Notice that in the negative form, the single/plural distinction is lost.

Tense suffix

The tense slot is filled as follows ;-

past	-i
future	-u
perfect	-a
past perfect	-ua
future perfect	-ia
general/habitual	-o
present	-e
simultaneous	-ai
consequential	-au

Evidential suffix

reported	-n
inferred	-s
seen	-o

Evidentials are only used in main(independent clauses), with the indicative mood. The "seen" evidential is only used with the past tense suffix. None of the evidentials are obligatory. The reported and inferred seem to bring into doubt the reliability of the information somewhat.

-n means inferred from evidence and is used in the situations in which we prefix or tag on "I guess" or "I think" to a clause in English.

-s means and information asserted is got from some third party and is used where we might prefix "they say" to a clause in English.

RW passive SW passive evidential FW passive hearsay

U future ................. NAU = "this" as when applied to a undivulged sequence of events......... UWA future particle i.e. the book that must be read ??? I past ................. NAI = "that" as when applied to a sequence of events ......... IYA past or passive particle ???

The active verb is formed by first taking off the final vowl. Then suffixing the person to the verb, followed by the mood and then the tense. Foe example

TIMPA = to hit, hitting

TIMPIRE(TIMP + I + R + E) = You are hitting

Also N can be added to the end of all that to give reciprocal voice, and S for reflexive.

Verbs to nouns

SOLBE = to drink

SOLBELA = a drinker SOLBEMA = a machine that drinks

SOLBO = a drink, a beverage(verbal noun representing a substancive) 

The copula

This is exactly the same as the person mood tense verb tag

ARE = I am (I am being) AURE = we are IRE = you are ERE = you are, you lot are, you'll is AIRE = we (inc.) are RE = he, she, it is ……. Note that the 'U' is left out. ORE = they are

• … The 'O' is also left out if the noun that 'they' represent is inclused in the sentence

The copula has all the person, mood and tense tags that a regular verb has. Note the difference in meaning between the to tenses “E”, and “O”. They roughly correspond in function to the to verbs “estar” and “ser”. i.e.

ARE ill = I am sick ARO ill = I am an invalid

Negatives

OMBE = to eat OMBARE = I am eating

Any verb is negated by putting a T after the R.

OMBARTE = I am not eating

There is also a more emphatic negative. This involves putting a KA in front of the verb.

KA OMBARTE = I am not eating ... Notice that the T is retained.

This KA is used in two other verbal situations with a non-emphatic sense (see below)

RO HAGADI = She is beautiful KA RO HAGADI = She is not beatiful

KA OMBE = not to eat

And it also turns up sentence finally as one way to ask a question.

Imperative

The imperative forms are SOLBIYA = drink, SOLBEYA = drink (to two or more people) Now the way to negate a verb is to stick KI in front of it ie. KI SOLBARE = I am not drinking The way to negate an imperative is to stick KYA in front of the verb. Ie KYA SOLBE = don't drink, KYA SOLBE = don't drink (to two or more people) KYA IRO SOLBESI = don't be inclined to drink KYA IRO SOLBEDA = don't be drunk

Index

1. Introduction to Seuna
2. Seuna : Chapter 1
3. Seuna word shape
4. The script of Seuna
5. Seuna sentence structure
6. Seuna pronouns
7. Seuna nouns
8. Seuna verbs (1)
9. Seuna adjectives
10. Seuna demonstratives
11. Seuna verbs (2)
12. Asking a question in Seuna
13. Seuna relative clauses
14. Seuna verbs (3)
15. Methods for deriving words in Seuna
16. List of all Seuna derivational affixes
17. Numbers in Seuna
18. Naming people in Seuna
19. The Seuna calendar
20. Seuna units