Verbs in Vrkhazhian

Vrkhazhian verbs are called madsiṟud (singular madsiṟu). Because Vrkhazhian is a triconsonantal root language, the fundamental part of the verb form is the transfix, a discontinuous affix inserted between a root (which is collectively called masčišu and translated as "pattern"), though they primarily only convey the grammatical voices (active, passive, causative, and reflexive). There are five tenses (past, past progressive, present, present progressive, and future) and these are indicated by prefixes attached to the base form. There is only one aspect: the perfect, called saẕkeru, which is indicated by reduplicating the entire verb. Additionally, there are also five moods (indicative, jussive, subjunctive, commissive, and propositive) and these are also indicated by prefix, placed closer to the base form than the tense prefixes. 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 d-s-ṟ (to do, to perform, to execute, to act). 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 dusaṟ because that is the active present singular form of the verb.

Verb Patterns

Madsirən (Indicative)

This is the simplest basic form of a verb, it gives the general idea of its root.

ṣ-r-h (to throw, to say)

	Active Singular	Active Plural	Translation	Passive Singular	Passive Plural	Translation
Past Realis	nuṣrah	nuṣrahəm	threw, said	niṣrəh	niṣərhəm	was thrown, was said
Present Realis	ṣarah	ṣarhəm	throws, says	ṣarəh	ṣərhəm	is thrown, is said
Future	ṣaruh	ṣurhəm	will throw, will say	ṣarih	ṣirhəm	will be thrown, will be said

Madsirən (Causative)

This stem is formed by gemminating the middle root. The meaning this stem imparts is either causative.

d-s-r (to do, to act, to finish)

	Active Singular	Active Plural	Translation	Passive Singular	Passive Plural	Translation
Infinitive	dassarru		to activate	dassarri		to be activated
Past Realis	nudassur	nudassurəm	activated	nidassir	nidassirəm	was activated
Past Irrealis	yodassur	yodassurəm	might have activated	yedassir	yedassirəm	might have been activated
Present Realis	dassur	dassurəm	activates	dassir	dassirəm	is activated
Present Irrealis	hudassur	hudassurəm	might activate	hidassir	hidassirəm	might be activated
Future	ʾadassur	ʾadassurəm	will activate	ʾedassir	ʾedassirəm	will be activated

Madsirən (Applicative)

This stem is formed by infixing -əh- after the second consonant of the root. The meaning this stem imparts is applicative, where an oblique object is promoted to direct object.

d-s-r (to do, to act, to finish)

	Active Singular	Active Plural	Translation	Passive Singular	Passive Plural	Translation
Infinitive	dsaharru		to outdo	dsaharri		to be outdone
Past Realis	nudsəhur	nudsəhurəm	outdid	nidsəhir	nidsəhirəm	was outdone
Past Irrealis	yodsəhur	yodsəhuram	might have outdone	yedsəhir	yedsəhirəm	might have been outdone
Present Realis	dasəhur	dasəhurəm	outdoes	dasəhir	dasəhirəm	is outdone
Present Irrealis	hudsəhur	hudsəhurəm	might outdo	hidsəhir	hidsəhirəm	might be outdone
Future	ʾadsəhur	ʾadsəhurəm	will outdo	ʾedsəhir	ʾedsəhirəm	will be outdone

Verb moods

Vrkhazhian has five moods, which are indicated by prefixed placed closer to the base form than the tense prefixes. These are the indicative, the jussive, the subjunctive, the commissive, and the propositive.

The indicative mood is the default mood of verbs and indicates what the speakers believes to be a statement of fact. The jussive mood is mainly used for expressing obligation or duty, but when there are no subject pronouns or nouns, it functions as the imperative mood, expressing direct commands to the adressee(s). The subjunctive mood expresses hypothetical actions or situations, primarily in that-clauses. Additionally, it can function as the optative mood, expressing a wish or desire. The commissive mood expresses a commitment to do something, like a promise or threat, and the propositive mood simply expresses suggestions or propositions.

d-s-r (to do, to act, to finish)

	Active Singular	Active Plural	Translation	Passive Singular	Passive Plural	Translation
Directive	widsur	widasram	must do	widsir	widasram	must be done
Subjunctive	bidsur	bidasram	may do	bidsir	bidasram	may be done
Commissive	šədsur	šədasram	shall do	šədsir	šədasram	shall be done

Weak Verbs

Verbs are considered weak if the root contains a weak radical, which are called called haẏwan. These weak radicals are ⟨y⟩, ⟨w⟩, and ⟨h⟩. Weak verbs have different morphophonological properties depending on the position of the radical with respect to the other radicals. Verbs where the first radical is weak are called madsiran ??? ("??? verbs")... Verbs where the second radical is weak are called madsiran mṛḵapan ("hollow verbs")... An exception to this is in the case of gemination whereby they are simply fortified. Lastly, verbs where the third radical is weak are called madsiran ṗṛšašan ("cut verbs")...

??? Verbs

w-d-d (to cover) (Uzerian)

	Active Singular	Active Plural	Translation	Passive Singular	Passive Plural	Translation
Infinitive	wdaddu		to cover	wdaddi		to be covered
Past Realis	nawdud	nuwaddəm	covered	nawdid	niwaddəm	was covered
Past Irrealis	yawdud	yowaddəm	might have covered	yawdid	yewaddəm	might have been covered
Present Realis	wadud	waddəm	cover	wadid	waddəm	is covered
Present Irrealis	hawdud	huwaddəm	might cover	hawdid	hiwaddəm	might be covered
Future	ʾawdud	ʾawaddəm	will cover	ʾawdid	ʾewaddəm	will be covered

w-d-d (to cover) (Mukhebic)

	Active Singular	Active Plural	Translation	Passive Singular	Passive Plural	Translation
Infinitive	wdaddu		to cover	wdaddi		to be covered
Past Realis	nūdud	nuwaddəm	covered	nīdid	niwaddəm	was covered
Past Irrealis	yūdud	yowaddəm	might have covered	yīdid	yewaddəm	might have been covered
Present Realis	wadud	waddəm	cover	wadid	waddəm	is covered
Present Irrealis	hūdud	huwaddəm	might cover	hīdid	hiwaddəm	might be covered
Future	ʾōdud	ʾawaddəm	will cover	ʾīdid	ʾewaddəm	will be covered

Hollow Verbs (Mukhebic only)

t-y-l (to destroy)

	Active Singular	Active Plural	Translation	Passive Singular	Passive Plural	Translation
Infinitive	ʾetyallu		to destroy	ʾetyalli		to be destroyed
Past Realis	nutūl	nutūləm	destroyed	nitīl	nitīləm	was destroyed
Past Irrealis	yotūl	yotūləm	might have destroyed	yetīl	yetīləm	might have been destroyed
Present Realis	tayul	tēləm	destroy	tayil	tēləm	is destroyed
Present Irrealis	hutūl	hutūləm	might destroy	hitīl	hitīləm	might be destroyed
Future	ʾatūl	ʾatūləm	will destroy	ʾetīl	ʾetīləm	will be destroyed

Cut Verbs

n-š-y (to want, to desire) (Uzerian)

	Active Singular	Active Plural	Translation	Passive Singular	Passive Plural	Translation
Infinitive	ʾenšayyu		to want	ʾenšayyi		to be wanted
Past Realis	nunšay	nunašyəm	wanted	ninšay	ninašyəm	was wanted
Past Irrealis	yonšay	yonašyəm	might have wanted	yenšay	yenašyəm	might have been wanted
Present Realis	našay	našyəm	want	našay	našyəm	is wanted
Present Irrealis	hunšay	hunašyəm	might want	hinšay	hinašyəm	might be wanted
Future	ʾanšay	ʾanašyəm	will want	ʾenšay	ʾenašyəm	will be wanted

n-š-y (to want, to desire) (Mukhebic)

	Active Singular	Active Plural	Translation	Passive Singular	Passive Plural	Translation
Infinitive	ʾenšayyu		to want	ʾenšayyi		to be wanted
Past Realis	nunšū	nunašyəm	wanted	ninšī	ninašyəm	was wanted
Past Irrealis	yonšū	yonašyəm	might have wanted	yenšī	yenašyəm	might have been wanted
Present Realis	našū	našyəm	want	našī	našyəm	is wanted
Present Irrealis	hunšū	hunašyəm	might want	hinšī	hinašyəm	might be wanted
Future	ʾanšū	ʾanašyəm	will want	ʾenšī	ʾenašyəm	will be wanted

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. The theme is indicated with the instrumental prefix sa-.

Below is an example, in the active voice:

ṛ-ʾUlda ṛ-tuhazi palul sabeda.

ṛ-ʾUlda	ṛ-tuhazi	palul	sabeda
DEF-soldier-NOM.FEM.SG	DEF-man-ACC.MASC.SG	give\ACT.PRES.SG	book-INS-FEM.SG

"The guard gives the man a book."

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

Palil sabeda ṛ-hazi ʾim ṛ-ʾulda.

Palil	sabeda	ṛ-hazi	ʾim	ṛ-ʾulda
give\PASS.PRES.SG	book-INS-FEM.SG	DEF-man-NOM.MASC.SG	by	DEF-soldier-FEM.SG

"The man is given a book by the guard."