Verbs in Vrkhazhian

Vrkhazhian verbs are called narīban (singular narība). 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 the grammatical voices (active and passive). There are only two tenses (future and non-future) and these are indicated by prefixes attached to the base form. Additionally, there are also two moods (indicative and subjunctive) although the indicative is unmarked. Lastly, verbs are also conjugated for number, singular and plural, with the plural indicated by the suffix -am.

When referring to a particular verb pattern, they are referred to by a derivation of the canonical (exemplary) verb ṣ-r-s (to throw, to say). For example, when referring to the verb pattern of the citation form of a verb, which is the active present singular indicative, it is called ṣaras because that is the active present singular 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⟩ and ⟨w⟩ which lead to conjugations that are phonetically shortened or irregular. Such verbs are known as the "fused verbs", the "short verbs", or the "cut verbs", depending on the position of the radical within the root.

(Triliteral Verbs)

Strong Verbs

u-class p-r-ḫ (speak, say) Realis Irrealis 1cs paruḫ-na na-praḫ-na 2fs paruḫ-mu na-praḫ-mu 2ms paruḫ-mi na-praḫ-mi 3fs paruḫ-tu na-praḫ-tu 3ms paruḫ-ti na-praḫ-ti 4fs paruḫ-tūwa na-praḫ-tūwa 4ms paruḫ-tīya na-praḫ-tīya 1cp paruḫ-ta na-praḫ-ta 2fp paruḫ-mun na-praḫ-mun 2mp paruḫ-min na-praḫ-min 3fp paruḫ-tun na-praḫ-tun 3mp paruḫ-tin na-praḫ-tin 4fp paruḫ-tūwan na-praḫ-tūwan 4mp paruḫ-tīyan na-praḫ-tīyan

i-class n-m-r (be bad, be immoral) Realis Irrealis 1cs namir-na na-nmar-na 2fs namir-mu na-nmar-mu 2ms namir-mi na-nmar-mi 3fs namir-tu na-nmar-tu 3ms namir-ti na-nmar-ti 4fs namir-tūwa na-nmar-tūwa 4ms namir-tīya na-nmar-tīya 1cp namir-ta na-nmar-ta 2fp namir-mun na-nmar-mun 2mp namir-min na-nmar-min 3fp namir-tun na-nmar-tun 3mp namir-tin na-nmar-tin 4fp namir-tūwan na-nmar-tūwan 4mp namir-tīyan na-nmar-tīyan

a-class r-b-d (guard, protect) Realis Irrealis 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 4fs rabat-tūwa na-rbat-tūwa 4ms rabat-tīya na-rbat-tīya 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 4fp rabat-tūwan na-rbat-tūwan 4mp rabat-tīyan na-rbat-tīyan

Initial-Weak Verbs

The initial radical is either a ⟨y⟩ or ⟨w⟩ and ???

I-y, u-class y-b-l (smell) Realis Irrealis 1cs yabul-na nē-bel-na 2fs yabul-mu nē-bel-mu 2ms yabul-mi nē-bel-mi 3fs yabul-tu nē-bel-tu 3ms yabul-ti nē-bel-ti 4fs yabul-tūwa nē-bel-tūwa 4ms yabul-tīya nē-bel-tīya 1cp yabul-ta nē-bel-ta 2fp yabul-mun nē-bel-mun 2mp yabul-min nē-bel-min 3fp yabul-tun nē-bel-tun 3mp yabul-tin nē-bel-tin 4fp yabul-tūwan nē-bel-tūwan 4mp yabul-tīyan nē-bel-tīyan

I-w, i-class w-ṣ-ḫ (be faithful, be loyal) Realis Irrealis 1cs waṣiḫ-na nā-ṣaḫ-na 2fs waṣiḫ-mu nā-ṣaḫ-mu 2ms waṣiḫ-mi nā-ṣaḫ-mi 3fs waṣiḫ-tu nā-ṣaḫ-tu 3ms waṣiḫ-ti nā-ṣaḫ-ti 4fs waṣiḫ-tūwa nā-ṣaḫ-tūwa 4ms waṣiḫ-tīya nā-ṣaḫ-tīya 1cp waṣiḫ-ta nā-ṣaḫ-ta 2fp waṣiḫ-mun nā-ṣaḫ-mun 2mp waṣiḫ-min nā-ṣaḫ-min 3fp waṣiḫ-tun nā-ṣaḫ-tun 3mp waṣiḫ-tin nā-ṣaḫ-tin 4fp waṣiḫ-tūwan nā-ṣaḫ-tūwan 4mp waṣiḫ-tīyan nā-ṣaḫ-tīyan

I-ʾ, a-class ʾ-l-d (fight, battle, oppose) Realis Irrealis 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 4fs alat-tūwa nā-lat-tūwa 4ms alat-tīya nā-lat-tīya 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 4fp alat-tūwan nā-lat-tūwan 4mp alat-tīyan nā-lat-tīyan

I-ʾ, e-class ʾ-p-d (be young, be new) Realis Irrealis 1cs eped-na nē-ped-na 2fs eped-mu nē-ped-mu 2ms eped-mi nē-ped-mi 3fs epet-tu nē-pet-tu 3ms epet-ti nē-pet-ti 4fs epet-tūwa nē-pet-tūwa 4ms epet-tīya nē-pet-tīya 1cp epet-ta nē-pet-ta 2fp eped-mun nē-ped-mun 2mp eped-min nē-ped-min 3fp epet-tun nē-pet-tun 3mp epet-tin nē-pet-tin 4fp epet-tūwan nē-pet-tūwan 4mp epet-tīyan nē-pet-tīyan

Middle-Weak Verbs

The middle radical is either a ⟨y⟩ or ⟨w⟩ and ???.

II-w d-w-l (dig, reveal) Realis Irrealis 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 4fs dūl-tūwa na-dūl-tūwa 4ms dūl-tīya na-dūl-tīya 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 4fp dūl-tūwan na-dūl-tūwan 4mp dūl-tīyan na-dūl-tīyan

II-y r-y-b (???) Realis Irrealis 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 4fs rīb-tūwa na-rīb-tūwa 4ms rīb-tīya na-rīb-tīya 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 4fp rīb-tūwan na-rīb-tūwan 4mp rīb-tīyan na-rīb-tīyan

II-ʾ, a-class ṣ-ʾ-b (kill, slay) Realis Irrealis 1cs ṣāb-na na-ṣāb-na 2fs ṣāb-mu na-ṣāb-mu 2ms ṣāb-mi na-ṣāb-mi 3fs ṣāb-tu na-ṣāb-tu 3ms ṣāb-ti na-ṣāb-ti 4fs ṣāb-tūwa na-ṣāb-tūwa 4ms ṣāb-tīya na-ṣāb-tīya 1cp ṣāb-ta na-ṣāb-ta 2fp ṣāb-mun na-ṣāb-mun 2mp ṣāb-min na-ṣāb-min 3fp ṣāb-tun na-ṣāb-tun 3mp ṣāb-tin na-ṣāb-tin 4fp ṣāb-tūwan na-ṣāb-tūwan 4mp ṣāb-tīyan na-ṣāb-tīyan

II-ʾ, e-class l-ʾ-b (yield, give up) Realis Irrealis 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 4fs lēb-tūwa ne-lēb-tūwa 4ms lēb-tīya ne-lēb-tīya 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 4fp lēb-tūwan ne-lēb-tūwan 4mp lēb-tīyan ne-lēb-tīyan

Final-Weak Verbs

The final radical is either ⟨y⟩ or ⟨w⟩ and becomes elided while lengthening the preceding vowel.

III-w n-d-w (???) Realis Irrealis 1cs nadū-na na-ndā-na 2fs nadū-mu na-ndā-mu 2ms nadū-mi na-ndā-mi 3fs nadū-su na-ndā-su 3ms nadū-si na-ndā-si 4fs nadū-sūwa na-ndā-sūwa 4ms nadū-sīya na-ndā-sīya 1cp nadū-ta na-ndā-ta 2fp nadū-mun na-ndā-mun 2mp nadū-min na-ndā-min 3fp nadū-sun na-ndā-sun 3mp nadū-sin na-ndā-sin 4fp nadū-sūwan na-ndā-sūwan 4mp nadū-sīyan na-ndā-sīyan

III-y m-l-y (give) Realis Irrealis 1cs malī-na na-mlā-na 2fs malī-mu na-mlā-mu 2ms malī-mi na-mlā-mi 3fs malī-su na-mlā-su 3ms malī-si na-mlā-si 4fs malī-sūwa na-mlā-sūwa 4ms malī-sīya na-mlā-sīya 1cp malī-ta na-mlā-ta 2fp malī-mun na-mlā-mun 2mp malī-min na-mlā-min 3fp malī-sun na-mlā-sun 3mp malī-sin na-mlā-sin 4fp malī-sūwan na-mlā-sūwan 4mp malī-sīyan na-mlā-sīyan

III-ʾ, a-class ḫ-ṣ́-ʾ (be correct, be true) Realis Irrealis 1cs ḫaṣ́ā-na na-ḫṣ́ā-na 2fs ḫaṣ́ā-mu na-ḫṣ́ā-mu 2ms ḫaṣ́ā-mi na-ḫṣ́ā-mi 3fs ḫaṣ́ā-su na-ḫṣ́ā-su 3ms ḫaṣ́ā-si na-ḫṣ́ā-si 4fs ḫaṣ́ā-sūwa na-ḫṣ́ā-sūwa 4ms ḫaṣ́ā-sīya na-ḫṣ́ā-sīya 1cp ḫaṣ́ā-ta na-ḫṣ́ā-ta 2fp ḫaṣ́ā-mun na-ḫṣ́ā-mun 2mp ḫaṣ́ā-min na-ḫṣ́ā-min 3fp ḫaṣ́ā-sun na-ḫṣ́ā-sun 3mp ḫaṣ́ā-sin na-ḫṣ́ā-sin 4fp ḫaṣ́ā-sūwan na-ḫṣ́ā-sūwan 4mp ḫaṣ́ā-sīyan na-ḫṣ́ā-sīyan

III-ʾ, e-class k-m-ʾ (???) Realis Irrealis 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 4fs kemē-sūwa ne-kmē-sūwa 4ms kemē-sīya ne-kmē-sīya 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 4fp kemē-sūwan ne-kmē-sūwan 4mp kemē-sīyan ne-kmē-sīyan

Extensions To the Verb

The Instrumental-Causative Applicative

u-class t-p-r-ḫ (coerce) Realis Irrealis 1cs tapruḫ-na na-tapraḫ-na 2fs tapruḫ-mu na-tapraḫ-mu 2ms tapruḫ-mi na-tapraḫ-mi 3fs tapruḫ-tu na-tapraḫ-tu 3ms tapruḫ-ti na-tapraḫ-ti 4fs tapruḫ-tūwa na-tapraḫ-tūwa 4ms tapruḫ-tīya na-tapraḫ-tīya 1cp tapruḫ-ta na-tapraḫ-ta 2fp tapruḫ-mun na-tapraḫ-mun 2mp tapruḫ-min na-tapraḫ-min 3fp tapruḫ-tun na-tapraḫ-tun 3mp tapruḫ-tin na-tapraḫ-tin 4fp tapruḫ-tūwan na-tapraḫ-tūwan 4mp tapruḫ-tīyan na-tapraḫ-tīyan

i-class t-n-m-r (spoil, corrupt) Realis Irrealis 1cs tanmir-na na-tanmar-na 2fs tanmir-mu na-tanmar-mu 2ms tanmir-mi na-tanmar-mi 3fs tanmir-tu na-tanmar-tu 3ms tanmir-ti na-tanmar-ti 4fs tanmir-tūwa na-tanmar-tūwa 4ms tanmir-tīya na-tanmar-tīya 1cp tanmir-ta na-tanmar-ta 2fp tanmir-mun na-tanmar-mun 2mp tanmir-min na-tanmar-min 3fp tanmir-tun na-nmar-tun 3mp tanmir-tin na-tanmar-tin 4fp tanmir-tūwan na-tanmar-tūwan 4mp tanmir-tīyan na-tanmar-tīyan

a-class t-r-b-d (station, employ) Realis Irrealis 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 4fs tarbat-tūwa na-tarbat-tūwa 4ms tarbat-tīya na-tarbat-tīya 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 4fp tarbat-tūwan na-tarbat-tūwan 4mp tarbat-tīyan na-tarbat-tīyan

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:

Kū rēbam bēdam pāltu.

Kū	rēb-am	bēd-am	pāl-tu
3fs.NOM	man-OBL.MASC.SG	book-OBL.FEM.SG	give\ACT-3fs

"She gives a man a book."

In the passive voice, the recipient is promoted to subject, rather than the theme:

Rēbim bēdam pīlti.

Rēb-im	bēd-am	pīl-ti
man-NOM.MASC.SG	book-OBL.FEM.SG	give\PASS-3ms

"A man is given a book."