Kala Verbs

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  • A typical verb denotes the occurrence or abandonment of an action (run, stop), a relationship (have, lose), or a state (stand, melt). Kala does not distinguish perfect and imperfect aspects of the verb (e.g. "I ate", "I used to eat", "I have eaten", "I had eaten"). Almost any verb can be reused without change as a noun.

tense

present tense

The present tense is unmarked in Kala.

  • nam ina
1pl eat
We are eating. / We eat.
  • ha moku
3sg sleep
She is sleeping. / He sleeps.

past tense

Past tense is marked by -ye from aye.

  • kam hinaye
3pl here.pst
They were here.
  • etla tanyaye
p4sg damage.pst
It was damaged.

future tense

Future tense is marked by -tli from atli.

  • na'am tsala inatli
1pl.excl sauce eat.fut
We (but not you) will eat the sauce.
  • tametla tanyatli
2sg-p-4sg damage.fut
You (all) will damage it.

modifiers

ability

  • -pa from pala is used to signify ability or possibility. This does not indicate the permissive.

-

  • na yalapa
1sg go-able
I am able to go. / I can go.

attempt

  • -pya from upya is used to signify an attempt.

-

  • na inapya
1sg eat-attempt
I am trying to eat.

negation

  • -k from nke is used to signify negation.

-

  • na yalak
1sg go.neg
I am not going. / I do not go.

initiate

  • -mu from mula is used to signify beginning an action.

-

  • na yalamu
1sg go-begin
I begin to go.

permissive

  • -myo from myonta is used to signify permission or allowance.

-

  • na yalamyo
1sg go-perm
I am allowed to go.

suggestive

  • -ne from neya is used to signify something that should or ought to be done.

-

  • ta yalamyo
2sg go-sug
You should go.

necessity

  • -he from heya is used to signify something needed or required.

-

  • na inahe
1sg eat-nec
I need to eat. / I need food.

diminutive

  • -hi from ahi is used to signify the diminutive.

-

  • na inahi
1sg eat-dim
I am snacking.

apparent

  • -tse from tse'e is used to signify the appearance of an action.

-

  • ha yalatse
3sg go-seem
He seems to be going.

desire

  • -ue from ueha is used to signify desire or wanting.

-

  • na inaue
1sg go-want
I want to eat.

intention

  • -ue from ueyo is used to signify intention.

-

  • na yalaue
1sg go-intend
I intend to go.

conditional

  • They would be happy if the sun were shining.
sama a yatli kam noya
sun be if-X-then-Y 3pl happy
  • We doubted he would go.
na'am iya ha yala ketsaye
1pl.excl cond 3sg go doubt-pst
  • she would have been a good musician


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