Verb Tense and Aspect
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Verb Tense and Aspect
High Qhālan preserves much of the inherited Qebaric verbal system. Most dictionary verbs end in -hen or -en, and tense or aspect is marked through suffixes attached to the working stem.
Verb forms are highly conservative in ritual speech.
Verb Formula
[NEGATION] + [VERB STEM] + [TENSE / ASPECT]
Present Habitual
The present habitual commonly uses the dictionary form.
Examples:
sahhen = travels / to travel
sunhen = speaks / to speak
ramhen = thinks / to think
Present Continuous
Continuous action uses:
-ak
Examples:
sahak = is traveling
sunhak = is speaking
ramhak = is thinking
Past / Perfective
Completed action uses:
-ud
Examples:
sahud = traveled
sunhud = spoke
ramhud = thought
Future / Prospective
Expected or future action uses:
-en
Examples:
sahen = will travel
sunhen = will speak
ramhen = will think
Negation
Negation uses the particle:
nu
Examples:
nu sahhen = does not travel
nu sunhen = does not speak
nu ramhen = does not think