Poswa verbs
Poswa verbs have 8 conjugation classes corresponding to the final letter of the stem of the verb. The commonest final vowel is /a/, so -a is considered the first conjugation class. Each verb also conjugates for three persons (1st, 2nd, 3rd) and three tenses: past, present, and imperative. The "plain" future tense is derived from the imperative. Verbal moods are handled by inflecting the conjugated verb (which always ends in a vowel) with consonants that resemble noun inflections. It could thus be said that verbs in Poswa are merely a subset of nouns. Lastly, each verb can be inflected for transitivity, so from each verb stem can be formed 54 forms. [1]
Conjugation tables
-a
The verb luba "to change color, repaint" is used here as an example of an -a verb.
VERB | Past | Present | Imperative | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Intransitive | 1st person | lubi | lubo | lubub |
2nd person | lube | lubae | lubi | |
3rd person | lubel | luba | lubob | |
Transitive | 1st person | lubabi | lubabo | lubabub |
2nd person | lubabe | lubabae | lubabi | |
3rd person | lubabel | lubaba | lubabob |
Thus one can say Blebbloblop lippipa lubabi, "I painted the wall green", but Lusafampi lubi žužum "I turned pink from embarrassment" after discovering you've painted over the windows as well.
Notes
- ↑ This seems low?