Seuna verbs
In finite form, the verb has always three slots after the main word. These slots are for subject, mood and tense.
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 ths -oi- is used for singular and -eu- is used for plural.
The mood slot is filled as follows ;-
indicative | -r- | negative indicative | -rt- |
subjunctive | -s- | negative subjuctive | -st- |
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 |
R indicative RT negative indicative S dubitative, evidential ... "I guess" presumed from evidence ST negative dubitative F dubitative, hearsay ... "they say" FT negative dubitative Y imperative
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.
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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
- Introduction to Seuna
- Seuna : Chapter 1
- Seuna word shape
- The script of Seuna
- Seuna sentence structure
- Seuna pronouns
- Seuna nouns
- Seuna verbs (1)
- Seuna adjectives
- Seuna demonstratives
- Seuna verbs (2)
- Asking a question in Seuna
- Seuna relative clauses
- Seuna verbs (3)
- Methods for deriving words in Seuna
- List of all Seuna derivational affixes
- Numbers in Seuna
- Naming people in Seuna
- The Seuna calendar
- Seuna units