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

ṣ-r-s (to throw, to say)

		Active Singular	Active Plural	Translation	Passive Singular	Passive Plural	Translation
Nonfuture	Feminine	ṣars-um	ṣars-ū	threw, said	ṣars-um	ṣars-ū	was thrown, was said
	Masculine	ṣars-im	ṣars-ī	threw, said	ṣars-im	ṣars-ī	was thrown, was said
Future	Feminine	na-ṣras-um	na-ṣras-ū	will throw, will say	na-ṣris-um	na-ṣris-ū	will be thrown, will be said
	Masculine	na-ṣras-im	na-ṣras-ī	will throw, will say	na-ṣris-im	na-ṣris-ī	will be thrown, will be said

Initial-Weak Verbs

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

y-b-l (to smell, to taste)

		Active Singular	Active Plural	Translation	Passive Singular	Passive Plural	Translation
Nonfuture	Feminine	yabl-um	yabl-ū	smelled, tasted	yabl-um	yabl-ū	was smelled, was tasted
	Masculine	yabl-im	yabl-ī	smelled, tasted	yabl-im	yabl-ī	was smelled, was tasted
Future	Feminine	nē-bal-um	nē-bal-ū	will smell, will taste	nē-bil-um	nē-bil-ū	will be smelled, will be tasted
	Masculine	nē-bal-im	nē-bal-ī	will smell, will taste	nē-bil-im	nē-bil-ī	will be smelled, will be tasted

Middle-Weak Verbs

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

d-w-l (to dig out, to remove, to reveal, to uncover)

		Active Singular	Active Plural	Translation	Passive Singular	Passive Plural	Translation
Nonfuture	Feminine	dūl-um	dūl-ū	dug out, revealed	dīl-um	dīl-ū	was dug out, was revealed
	Masculine	dūl-im	dūl-ī	dug out, revealed	dīl-im	dīl-ī	was dug out, was revealed
Future	Feminine	na-dūl-um	na-dūl-ū	will dig out, will reveal	na-dīl-um	na-dīl-ū	will be dug out, will be revealed
	Masculine	na-dūl-im	na-dūl-ī	will dig out, will reveal	na-dīl-im	na-dīl-ī	will be dug out, will be revealed

Final-Weak Verbs

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

n-ś-y (to want, to desire)

		Active Singular	Active Plural	Translation	Passive Singular	Passive Plural	Translation
Nonfuture	Feminine	naś-ûm	naś-û	wanted, desired	naś-ûm	naś-û	was wanted, was desired
	Masculine	naś-îm	naś-î	wanted, desired	naś-îm	naś-î	was wanted, was desired
Future	Feminine	na-nś-ûm	na-nś-û	will want, will desire	na-nś-ûm	na-nś-û	will be wanted, will be desired
	Masculine	na-nś-îm	na-nś-î	will want, will desire	na-nś-îm	na-nś-î	will be wanted, will be desired

Extensions To the Verb

The Instrumental-Causative Applicative

ṣ-r-s (to throw, to say)

		Active Singular	Active Plural	Translation	Passive Singular	Passive Plural	Translation
Nonfuture	Feminine	ṣars-um-śa	ṣars-ū-śa	made throw, made say	ṣars-um-śa	ṣars-ū-śa	was made to throw, was made to say
	Masculine	ṣars-im-śa	ṣars-ī-śa	made throw, made say	ṣars-im-śa	ṣars-ī-śa	was made to throw, was made to say
Future	Feminine	na-ṣras-um-śa	na-ṣras-ū-śa	will make throw, will make say	na-ṣris-um-śa	na-ṣris-ū-śa	will be made to throw, will be made to say
	Masculine	na-ṣras-im-śa	na-ṣras-ī-śa	will make throw, will make say	na-ṣris-im-śa	na-ṣris-ī-śa	will be made to throw, will be made to say

The Dative-Locative Applicative

ṣ-r-s (to throw, to say)

		Active Singular	Active Plural	Translation	Passive Singular	Passive Plural	Translation
Nonfuture	Feminine	ṣars-um-ku	ṣars-ū-ku	threw to, spoke to	ṣars-um-ku	ṣars-ū-ku	was thrown to, was spoken to
	Masculine	ṣars-im-ku	ṣars-ī-ku	threw to, spoke to	ṣars-im-ku	ṣars-ī-ku	was thrown to, was spoken to
Future	Feminine	na-ṣras-um-ku	na-ṣras-ū-ku	will throw to, will speak to	na-ṣris-um-ku	na-ṣris-ū-ku	will be thrown to, will be spoken to
	Masculine	na-ṣras-im-ku	na-ṣras-ī-ku	will throw to, will speak to	na-ṣris-im-ku	na-ṣris-ī-ku	will be thrown to, will be spoken to

The Benefactive-Purposive Applicative

ṣ-r-s (to throw, to say)

		Active Singular	Active Plural	Translation	Passive Singular	Passive Plural	Translation
Nonfuture	Feminine	ṣars-um-be	ṣars-ū-bi	threw for, spoke for	ṣars-um-be	ṣars-ū-bi	was thrown for, was spoken for
	Masculine	ṣars-im-be	ṣars-ī-bi	threw for, spoke for	ṣars-im-be	ṣars-ī-bi	was thrown for, was spoken for
Future	Feminine	na-ṣras-um-be	na-ṣras-ū-bi	will throw for, will speak for	na-ṣris-um-be	na-ṣris-ū-bi	will be thrown for, will be spoken for
	Masculine	na-ṣras-im-be	na-ṣras-ī-bi	will throw for, will speak for	na-ṣris-im-be	na-ṣris-ī-bi	will be thrown for, will be spoken for

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) reba bēda pāluku.

Kū	reb-a	bēd-a	∅-pāl-u-ku
3fs.NOM	man-OBL.MASC.SG	book-OBL.FEM.SG	NFUT-give\ACT-EPENTH-3fs

"She gives the man a book."

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

Rebi bēda pīliki.

Reb-i	bēd-a	∅-pīl-i-ki
man-NOM.MASC.SG	book-OBL.FEM.SG	NFUT-give\PASS-EPENTH-3ms

"The man is given a book."