Verb Tenses
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This public article was written by [Deactivated User], and last updated on 28 Jan 2017, 03:14.
[comments] zaxverbs
3. Impersonal verbs
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4. Verb Tenses
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This article is a work in progress! Check back later in case any changes have occurred.
This article is a work in progress! Check back later in case any changes have occurred.
Verbs in Zaxon can be conjugated into 10 different verb tenses: Infinitive, Present, Past, Future, Subjunctive Present, Subjunctive Past, Conditional, Imperative, Gerund, and Participle.
This is the main form of the verb. The particle "su" (to) is not considered to be part of the infinitive, unlike English, even though some auxiliar verbs require it to be used in front of the main verb.
Examples:
gien (to go)
zind (to be)
eze (to eat)
Used to express some action in the present.
Examples:
Je eze øn apfel yieder dag.
I eat an apple every day.
Zi ezais oranjen yieder wek.
She eats oranges every week.
Used to talk about something that happened in the past.
Examples:
Je ezt øn apfel gestern.
I ate an apple yesterday.
Hi get su das supermarket.
He went to the supermarket.
This verb tense is commonly replaced by the Present Perfect construction "hab + (participle of the main verb)" which is equivalent to the simple past in Zaxon. Both forms are widely used.
Used to talk about something that will happen in the future.
Examples:
Je ezewil pizza dag nicht.
I will eat pizza tonight.
Wi plegwil basketball morag.
We will play basketball tomorrow.
There are other ways of expressing the future, though, such as using the auxiliary verbs will, gien, and werd. Will is used to give emphasis to the sentence, to reinforce that the action will be done indeed, except in questions where it's equivalent to the future tense. Gien is used to talk about a future action that is already planned, similar to the construction "to be going to" in English. Werd is used to talk about uncertain future (to plan to do something).
Examples:
Je ezewil pizza dag nicht.
I will eat pizza tonight.
Je will eze pizza dag nicht.
I will eat pizza tonight. (emphasis on will)
Je gien eze pizza dag nicht.
I'm going to eat pizza tonight.
Je werd eze pizza dag nicht.
I plan to eat pizza tonight.
Ezewilst du pizza dag nicht? = Willst du eze pizza dag nicht?
Will you eat pizza tonight?
Used to talk about something that would happen if a certain condition were fulfilled.
Examples:
Je kaufwot øn nuw computer, het je mehr gelt.
I would buy a new computer if I had more money.
Des madter zindwot mad nichtet, het hi waesht den dishen.
His mother wouldn't be angry if he had washed the dishes.
Similarly, the auxiliary verb will can be used to give emphasis or instead of the subjunctive present when asking questions.
Example:
Je kaufwot øn nuw computer, het je mehr gelt.
I would buy a new computer if I had more money.
Je wollt kauf øn nuw computer, het je mehr gelt.
I would buy a new computer if I had more money. (emphasis on would)
Kaufwest du øn nuw computer? = Wollst du kauf øn nuw computer?
Would you buy a new computer?
The subjunctive present can also be used with the verb mag (to like) to express a wish more politely.
Example:
Je want øn cøp on waser.
I want a glass of water. (less polite)
Je magwot øn cøp on waser.
I would like a glass of water. (more polite)
Wantst du øn sliss von cachk?
Do you want a slice of cake? (less polite)
Magwest du øn sliss von cachk?
Would you like a slice of cake? (more polite)
Used to talk about something that would have been done if a certain condition had been fulfilled.
Examples:
Het je mehr gelt, je øn computer kaufet.
If I had more money, I would have bought a computer.
Het je cot, je dich helfet.
If I could, I would have helped you.
The verb conjugated in the subjunctive past always comes in the end of the sentence and the stress is always in the last syllable (kaufet is pronounced [kaʊ.'fet] not ['kaʊ.fɪt]).
This verb tense can be replaced by the equivalent structure "habwot + (participle of the main verb)", although it's less common.
Examples:
Het je mehr gelt, je habwot kauft øn computer.
If I had more money, I would have bought a computer.
Het je cot, je habwot helft dich.
If I could, I would have helped you.
Used to express a condition. It corresponds to "if + (verb in the past)" in English.
Examples:
Je kaufwot øn nuw computer, het je mehr gelt.
I would buy a new computer if I had more money.
Des madter zindwot happy, waesht hi den dishen.
His mother would be happy if he washed the dishes.
It always comes before the subject.
Used to give commands or requests.
Examples:
Wash(e) (du) den dishen!
Wash the dishes! (you - singular)
Washan (ye) den dishen!
Wash the dishes! (you - plural)
It can only be conjugated in the second person singular and plural. For other grammatical people (such as first person plural), gien (in the present) + (subject) + (main verb in the infinitive) must be used. Additionally, gien can also be used with the second person as an alternative to the imperative.
Examples:
Gien wi wash den dishen!
Let's wash the dishes! (we)
Gist du wash den dishen!
Go wash the dishes! (you - singular)
Gien ye wash den dishen!
Go wash the dishes! (you - plural)
The gerund (or present participle) is used to express a progressive action, to express state as an adjective, or to express a condition in the present (equivalent to "if + (verb in the present)" in English).
Examples:
Je zind kochend dinner.
I am cooking dinner. (progressive - at this exact moment)
Je im werkend at daze company.
I am working at that company. (progressive - not necessarily at this exact moment)
Di fallend liefen zind shɯn.
The falling leaves are beautiful. (state)
Washend hi den dishen, des madter zindwil happy.
If he washes the dishes, his mother will be happy. (condition in the present)
Used along with hab to form perfect tenses (present perfect, past perfect, etc.), in causative constructions, with zind to express passive voice, or to form adjectives.
Examples:
Je hab kocht dinner.
I have cooked dinner. (present perfect)
Je hat main haer dun.
I had my hair done. (causative)
Hi wert killt by daze man.
He was killed by that man. (passive voice)
Di waesht auto luchs nuw.
The washed car looks new. (adjective)
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