Verbs
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The conjugations of verbs.
This private article was written by [Deactivated User], and last updated on 14 Feb 2021, 00:27.
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Alfeme's verbs can be somewhat complicated at times. This may be in part because Alfeme is, as mentioned in the Nouns and Determiners lesson, active-stative.
One way to tell which words are verbs is that they all end in the letter "i."
Every verb is conjugated for two tenses: present (PRS) and past (PAS); in three moods: indicative (IND), subjunctive (SJV), and deotonic (DEO); and two aspects, only in the indicative: imperfective (IPFV) and perfective (PFV). They are also conjugated by person (1, 2, 3) and number (SG, PL); 3rd person does not distinguish number.
| verbal conjugations | IND | SJV | DEO | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Person | PRS.IPFV | PAS.IPFV | PRS.PFV | PAS.PFV | PRS | PAS | PRS | PAS |
| SG | 1 | lipad | lipadu | lipadis | lipadus | lipade | lipado | lipades | lipados |
| 2 | nipad | nipadu | nipadis | nipadus | nipade | nipado | nipades | nipados | |
| 3 | padi | padis | padic | padix | padify | padifys | padin | padins | |
| PL | 1 | vipad | vipadu | vipadis | vipadus | vipade | vipado | vipades | vipados |
| 2 | fipad | fipadu | fipadis | fipadus | fipade | fipado | fipades | fipados | |
The present is always imperfect or habitual; completed actions always fall into the perfect. The same goes for the imperfect, where once completed the action becomes a pluperfect.
While Alfeme is a pro-drop, an intransitive verb will imply the sole argument is experiencing things (ABS) instead of making them happen (NOM). For example, in the word "xan," which means "to know" or "to think," the meaning changes depending on whether it is stative or active.
| knowing vs. teaching | Alfeme | English | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PRS | NOM | lo lixan | I think |
| ABS | (lol) lixan | I know | |
| PERF | NOM | lo lixanis | I remembered |
| ABS | (lol) lixanu | I recalled | |
| IPF | NOM | lo lixanic | I thought |
| ABS | (lol) lixanic | I knew | |
| PLUP | NOM | lo lixanus | I forgot |
| ABS | (lol) lixanus | I found out | |
There are no true ways to actually state the future, permissibility, necessity, passivity, or causativity (e.g. will, can/may, must, being xed, or making to x). However, there are auxiliaries to suggest this.
These auxiliaries always come after the verb and take their conjugations, leaving the bare verb as an infinitive. When more than one needs to be used, they always come in this order: PASS, CAUS, NEC, PERM/ABIL. FUT can go anywhere in there and will modify the verb it postcedes.
- Padi pui vi ni xani lif = "I will be able to have to be made to have seen"
- Padi pui vi ni fi lixan = "I can be going to have to be made to be seen"
- Padi pui fi vi ni lixan = "I can have to be made to be going to be seen"
- Padi fi pui vi ni lixan = "I can have to be made to be going to see"
When placed in the perfect, imperfect, and pluperfect, these are used as they typically would; these constructions in the perfect will become "will have done," "must have done," "can/may have done," "had done to me," and "have made to be."
Alfeme verbs are also polypersonal, but there are important things to note. With only one marker--or no marker at all--it is assumed to be the subject. However, verbs in the 3rd-person object form are always interpreted as passive. ✎ Edit Article ✖ Delete Article
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