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Verb System Part One

       Version 2.2
 [Page updated to use new definite article and third person pronouns]
        As might be expected from a conlang, the verbs in Diinlang are regular. Some conlangs use totally uninflected verbs, others are highly inflected. Diinlang generally uses a bare infinitive but also uses regularly derived perfect and progressive forms.
        A word used as a verb in Diinlang may have three possible forms. These are the bare infinitive form, the continuous/progressive form and the perfect form. The two latter forms are regularly constructed by the addition of the prefixes "is-" and "dun-". This replaces the older version which used bi-" and "av-". Some later pages may still use these prefixes. The use of a prefix allows these forms to be used as nouns or adjectives/adverbs when required. This gives us greater potential for information and flexibility. Consider the English phrases:

The open door.

The opened door.

The opening door.

For convenience the continuous/progressive form in English is hereafter called the "-ing form".
Verb tense is indicated with the markers "gon" and "pre" for future or past.
If a full infinitive is needed "du" prefixes the verb. Therefore "to go" is "
du go
".
The Diinlang verbs for "to be", "to have" and "to do" are "
bi", "av" and "du
".
This section details how the verb forms are constructed. How they are actually used will probably evolve over time. For example, the simple present is seldom used for dynamic verbs in English, the continuous form being used instead. In Dutch, the simple present sees more use and is often used in meanings that might not be regarded as present tense in other languages.

Simple Present, Past and Future
        These are formed with the bare infinitive and a tense marker if necessary. When a verb in future or past tense is being used as a copula the infinitive may be dropped if the meaning remains clear.

Mi du I do
Zo du He does
Zo pre du He did
Zo gon du He will do/ He is going to do.
Za zou du She would do


Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
        Transitivity is flexible. If an object is added after an intransitive verb, the verb becomes transitive. This may alter the meaning of the verb so that it has a meaning similar to "causes (the object) to ~"

        Compare the English "I burn". with "I burn it"."

Progressive/Continuous Aspect
        The progressive/continuous aspect is formed using the "is-" prefix. In English this verb aspect is accompanied by some form of the auxiliary/copular verb "to be". In Diinlang the addition of the auxiliary is not necessary.

Mi isdu I am doing
Zo isdu He is doing
Zo pre isdu He was doing
Zo gon isdu He will be doing/ He is going to be doing.
Za zou isdu She would be doing


Perfect Aspect.
        The perfect aspect is formed using the "av-
" prefix. (This has been updated to "dun") In English this verb aspect is accompanied by some form of the auxiliary verb "to have". In Diinlang the addition of the auxiliary is not necessary. Perfect aspect in regular English verbs takes an -ed ending. Many irregular verbs take -en as an ending (eaten, riden, beaten etc).

Mi dundu I have done
Zo dundu He has done
Zo pre dundu He had done
Zo gon dundu He will have done/ He going to have done.
Za zou dundu She would have done


Perfect Progressive.
        The perfect and progressive (continuous) aspects can be combined, usually in referring to the completed portion of a continuing action or temporary state: "I have been doing…" it" is formed in Diinlang by combination of the verb "to have" ("av") before a continuous form of the main verb.

Mi av isdu I have been doing
Zo av isdu He has been doing
Zo pre av isdu He had been doing
Zo gon av isdu He will have been doing/ He going to have been doing
Za zou av isdu She would have been doing.


Passive Voice.
        To form the passive voice (where the subject denotes the undergoer, or patient, of the action) the auxiliary verb "ge" is used, often with the perfect form. In English passive voice is formed either with the verb "to be" or "to get" and a past participle verb form. "get" is used in the meaning of "becoming" or "becomes". (Remember perfect tense uses "have" with the past participle form in English) If "to be" can be replaced with "to get" or "to become" without a loss of meaning the sentence is passive voice and requires the "ge
" verb in Diinlang. Note that the auxillary can be modified for tense and aspect. Some perfect construction clauses are inherently passive. "It ge du" and "It dundu" have the same meaning.
In many languages the passive voice is formed by a combination of the perfect form of the verb used with the verb for "to be". This construction can also be used in Diinlang. Often in Diinlang there will be more than one correct way to do something!

Tense Subject Auxiliary Past Participle/ Infinitive.
Present passive It

It

is/ gets/becomes

ge

done

du

Past passive It

It

were/ got/ became

pre ge

done

du

Future passive It

It

will be/ get/ become

gon ge

done

du

Present perfect passive It

It

has been/ has got/ has become

dunge

done

du

Past perfect passive It

It

had been/ had got/ had became

pre dunge

done

du

Future perfect passive It

It

will have been/ will have got/ will have became

gon dunge

done

du.

Present progressive passive It

It

is being/ is getting/ is becoming

isge

done

du

Past progressive passive It

It

was being/ was getting/ was becoming

pre isge

done

du

        Alternately, the prefixes is- and dun- might be added to the main verb, so "It was being done" would be written as "it pre ge isdu", literally "it was get doing".