Dhməhyēn verbs are inflected for mood, voice, tense, and aspect, and they agree with the subject in person and number. Verbs may have either a thematic (ending in -e~o) or athematic (ending in a consonant) stem. Which is modified according to the tense or mood, as listed below:
- Base Stem: Indicative Imperfect & Imperative
- Lengthened Stem vowel + s: Indicative Aorist
- Reduplicated stem: Stative (alternation is (e)-(ó)- ~ (e)-Ø-´)
- Stem + e (assimilated into stem vowel): Subjunctive
- Zero-grade Stem + -yeʔ-: Optative
There are also four sets of endings which may be affixed to the stems, varying based on person, number, and voice. These sets are listed below:
- Primary Endings: Present Imperfect Indicative & Subjunctive
- Secondary Endings: Past Imperfect Indicative & Aorist Indicative & Optative
- Stative Endings: Stative Indicative
- Imperative Endings: Imperative
| Active | Primary | Secondary | Imperative | |
| Singular | First | -mi | -m | — |
| Second | -si | -s | -dhi | |
| Third | -ti | -t | -tu | |
| Plural | First | -mos | -me | — |
| Second | -te | -te | -te | |
| Third | -nti | -nt | -ntu | |
| Participle | -nt- | |||
| Passive | ||||
| Singular | First | -ħer | -ħe | — |
| Second | -tħer | -tħe | -so | |
| Plural | Third | -or | -o | -to |
| Plural | First | -mosdəħ | -medəħ | — |
| Second | -dəħwer | -dəħwe | -dwo | |
| Third | -ntor | -nto | -nto | |
| Participle | -məʔno- | |||
| Stative | ||||
| Singular | First | -ħe | ||
| Second | -təħe | |||
| Third | -e | |||
| Plural | First | -me | ||
| Second | -e | |||
| Third | -ēr | |||
| Participle | -wos- |
Mood
Dhməhyēn verbs can be conjugated in four moods, the indicative, subjunctive, optative, or imperative. The uses of each of these moods is described below:
- Indicative: The indicative is used for simple statements of fact. This is the defautl mood and is unmarked. It is also the only mood that marks for tense and aspect. It is also used to indicate potential, as well as a real condition.
- Subjunctive: The subjunctive mood is used ot indicate hypothetical events. In the first person it can have either a hortatory or deliberative function. It is also commonly used as a future tense. It can be used to indicate purpose or result, as well as fears. It has a permissive and volitive modality. And it is used for typical conditionals.
- Optative: The Optative mood is used to indicate wishes or hopes. It may also be used for a polite command, adversative, and unreal conditions.
- Imperative: The imperative is used for commands. In the third person, it is also used as a jussive.
Tense-Aspect
Indicative verbs can be conjugated in four tense-aspect combinations, the present, imperfect, aorist, and stative. The uses of each of these tenses is givne below:
- Present: The present tense describes action that is currently in progress, as well as indicating planned actions for the future. It also is used in the gnomic sense to indicate a generla truth.
- Imperfect: The imperfect tense describes action viewed as ongoing in the past. It is often used for action occuring as a backdrop to the main action of a discourse. It is also used in an inceptive sense.
- Aorist: The aorist tense is used for past events viewed as a complete event. It is most ocmmon for the main action of a discourse describing past action.
- Stative: The stative tense is used to indicate action indicative of a state of being, as well as for describing results of a certain action. This is most similar to the perfect tense in English.
Verb Conjugations
There are four different conjugation patterns that a verb may take, which is indicated in the lexical entry to the word. Each conjugation exhibits a different ablaut/stress pattern, the strong form used for Active Indicative Singular, Imperative Singular, and all Subjunctive Forms; and the weak form used for Active Indicative Plural, Imperative Plural, all Passive Indicative, and all Optative forms. The conjugations are listed below:
- First Conjugation Verbs follow the pattern é-Ø ~ Ø~é
- Second Conjugation Verbs are reduplicated and have no stative form. They follow the pattern (é)-(e)-Ø ~ (é)-Ø-Ø
- Third Conjugation Verbs follow the pattern (é)-(e)-Ø ~ (é)-(o)-Ø, if it is reduplicated (with no stative form), the pattern is modified to (í)-Ø-(e)-Ø ~ (í)-Ø-(o)-Ø
- Fourth Conjugation Verbs either follow the pattern Ø-(é)-Ø ~ Ø-(ó)-Ø, if the stem is an open syllable, but exhibits no variation for a closed syllable or the causative suffix -éye-.
Copula
There are four copular verbs, which are used in specific circumstances. In all cases, the construction is the same subject nominative phrase – predicate nominative phrase – copula. The predicate nominative phrase may either be nominal or adjectival. The four copulas and their uses are listed below:
- *seshebhti – used for mental states or emotions e.g. to be happy
- *stemyeti – used of states and ontological being e.g. to be a person
- *weryeti – used of becoming or for a change of state e.g. to become an adult
- *wiwryeti – used of conditions and temporary states e.g. to be sick
Negation
There are two negators, which are used following the verbal phrase. ne is used to negate indicative sentences or phrases. mħe is used to negate non-indicative sentences as well as negating a specific word.
- Indicative Negation: Pelghwis reɣdhum hengti ne.
“The horse does not eat wool.”
- Imperative Negation: Pelghwis reɣdhum hengtu mħe.
“Do not let the horse eat wool!”
- Word Negation: Mhe pelghwis reɣdhum hengti.
“No horse eats wool.”
Participles
Participles are inflected for mood, aspect, and voice, and are declined as adjectives, agreeing with the noun they modify. When there is no grammatical antecedent in the sentence, the participle takes the genitive inflection with a genitive subject. Imperfect participles indicate action occurring simultaneously with the main verb, aorist participles indicate action occurring before the main verb, stative participles indicate a continuing state with respect to the main verb.
Infinitives
Infinitives inflect only for aspect and are declined like nouns, with the nominal endings attached to the bare stem, functioning as nouns in a sentence. They only occur in the imperfect, aorist, and stative, with the action relative to the main verb as participles above.
Sample Verbal Inflections
| Active | Indicative | Subjunctive | Optative | |||
| Present | Imperfect | Aorist | ||||
| Singular | First | kyelgmi | kyelgəm | kyelgesəm | kyelgemi | kyəlgyēm |
| Second | kyelgsi | kyelgs | kyelgēs | kyelgesi | kyəlgyeʔs | |
| Third | kyelgti | kyelgot | kyelgest | kyelgeti | kyəlgyeʔt | |
| Plural | First | kyəlgemos | kyəlgeme | kyəlgeseme | kyelgemos | kyəlgyēme |
| Second | kyəlgete | kyəlgete | kyəlgesete | kyelgete | kyəlgyeʔte | |
| Third | kyəlgenti | kyəlgent | kyəlgesent | kyelgenti | kyəlgyēnt | |
| Participle | kyelgents, -m | kyelgesents, -m | kyelgēnts, -m | kyəlgyēnts, -m | ||
| Passive | Indicative | Subjunctive | Optative | |||
| Present | Imperfect | Aorist | ||||
| Singular | First | kyəlgher | kyəlghe | kyəlgeshe | kyelgeher | kyəlgyeʔhe |
| Second | kyəlgtəher | kyəlgtəhe | kyəlgesthe | kyelgether | kyəlgyeʔthe | |
| Third | kyəlgor | kyəlgo | kyəlgeso | kyelgōr | kyəlgyeʔo | |
| Plural | First | kyəlgmosdəh | kyəlgmedəh | kyəlgesmedəħ | kyelgemosdəh | kyəlgyēmedh |
| Second | kyəlgdəhwer | kyəlgdəhwe | kyəlgesdəhwe | kyelgedəhwer | kyəlgyeʔdəhwe | |
| Third | kyəlgəntor | kyəlgənto | kyəlgesənto | kyelgentor | kyəlgyēnto | |
| Participle | kyəlgməʔnos, -eħ, -om | kyəlgesməʔnos, -eħ, -om | kyelgeməʔnos, -eħ, -om | kyəlgyēmnos, -eħ, -om | ||
| Perfect | Indicative | Imperative | ||||
| Perfect | Active | Passive | ||||
| Singular | First | kyekyolghe | — | — | ||
| Second | kyekyolgtəhe | kyelgdhi | kyelgso | |||
| Third | kyekyolge | kyelgtu | kyelgto | |||
| Plural | First | kyekyəlgeme | — | — | ||
| Second | kyekyəlgē | kyəlgete | kyəlgedwo | |||
| Third | kyekyəlgēr | kyəlgentu | kyəlgento | |||
| Participle | kyekyəlgwōs, -m | |||||
| Infinitive | Present | Aorist | Perfect | |||
| kyolgəm, kyelgs | kyolgesəm, kyelgēs | kyekyolgəm, kyekyelgs |
| Active | Indicative | Subjunctive | Optative | |||
| Present | Imperfect | Aorist | ||||
| Singular | First | məɣnewmi | məɣnewəm | məɣnūsəm | məɣnūmi | məɣnuyēm |
| Second | məɣnewsi | məɣnews | məɣnūs | məɣnūsi | məɣnuyeʔs | |
| Third | məɣnewti | məɣnewt | məɣnūst | məɣnūti | məɣnuyeʔt | |
| Plural | First | məɣnwemos | məɣnweme | məɣnūsmos | məɣnūmos | məɣnuyēme |
| Second | məɣnwete | məɣnwete | məɣnūste | məɣnūte | məɣnuyeʔte | |
| Third | məɣnwenti | məɣnwent | məɣnūsənti | məɣnūnti | məɣnuyēnt | |
| Participle | mǵəɣnewents, -m | məɣnūsənts, -m | məɣnūnts, -m | məɣnuyēnts, -m | ||
| Passive | Indicative | Subjunctive | Optative | |||
| Present | Imperfect | Aorist | ||||
| Singular | First | məɣnuher | məɣnuhe | məɣnūshe | məɣnūher | məɣnuyeʔhe |
| Second | məɣnuther | məɣnuthe | məɣnūsthe | məɣnūther | məɣnuyeʔtəhe | |
| Third | məɣnwor | məɣnwo | məɣnūso | məɣnwōr | məɣnuyeʔo | |
| Plural | First | məɣnumosdəh | məɣnumedh | mǵəɣnūsmedh | məɣnūmosdəh | məɣnuyēmedh |
| Second | məɣnudəhwer | məɣnudəhwe | məɣnūsdəhwe | məɣnūdəhwer | məɣnuyeʔdəhwe | |
| Third | məɣnuntor | məɣnunto | məɣnūsənto | məɣnūntor | məɣnuyēnto | |
| Participle | məɣnuməʔnos, -eħ, -om | məɣnūsməʔnos, -eħ, -om | məɣnūməʔnos, -eħ, -om | məɣnuyēməʔnos, -eħ, -om | ||
| Perfect | Indicative | Imperative | ||||
| Perfect | Active | Passive | ||||
| Singular | First | memoɣnuhe | — | — | ||
| Second | memoɣnuthe | məɣnewdhi | məɣnewso | |||
| Third | memoɣnwe | məɣnewtu | məɣnewto | |||
| Plural | First | meməɣnweme | — | — | ||
| Second | meməɣnwē | məɣnwete | məɣnwedwo | |||
| Third | meməɣnwēr | məɣnwentu | məɣnwento | |||
| Participle | memoɣnuwōs, -m | |||||
| Infinitive | Present | Aorist | Perfect | |||
| məɣnowm, məɣnēw | moɣnusəm, meɣnūs | memoɣnum, memeɣnus |
| Active | Indicative | Subjunctive | Optative | |||
| Present | Imperfect | Aorist | ||||
| Singular | First | stemyemi | stemyem | stemyēsəm | stemyēmi | stemiyēm |
| Second | stemyesi | stemyes | stemyēs | stemyēsi | stemiyeʔs | |
| Third | stemyeti | stemyet | stemyēst | stemyēti | stemiyeʔt | |
| Plural | First | stemyomos | stemyome | stemyōsme | stemyōmos | stemiyēme |
| Second | stemyote | stemyete | stemyōste | stemyōte | stemiyeʔte | |
| Third | stemyonti | stemyent | stemyōsənt | stemyōnti | stemiyēnt | |
| Participle | stemyents, -m | stemyēsənts, -m | stemyēnts, -m | stemiyēnts, -m | ||
| Passive | Indicative | Subjunctive | Optative | |||
| Present | Imperfect | Aorist | ||||
| Singular | First | stemyoher | stemyohe | stemyōshe | stemyēher | stemiyeʔhe |
| Second | stemyother | stemyothe | stemyōsthe | stemyēther | stemiyeʔthe | |
| Third | stemyōr | stemyō | stemyōso | stemyōr | stemiyeʔo | |
| Plural | First | stemyomosdəh | stemyomedəh | stemyōsmedəh | stemyēmosdəh | stemiyēmedəh |
| Second | stemyodhwer | stemyodhwe | stemyōsdhwe | stemyēdhwer | stemiyeʔdhwe | |
| Third | stemyontor | stemyonto | stemyōsnto | stemyēntor | stemiyēnto | |
| Participle | stemyoməʔnos, -eh, -om | stemyōsməʔnos, -eh, -om | stemyēməʔnos, -eh, -om | stemiyēməʔnos, -eh, -om | ||
| Perfect | Indicative | Imperative | ||||
| Perfect | Active | Passive | ||||
| Singular | First | testomyehe | — | — | ||
| Second | testomyethe | stemyedhi | stemyeso | |||
| Third | testomyē | stemyeto | stemyeto | |||
| Plural | First | testomyome | — | — | ||
| Second | testomyē | stemyote | stemyodwo | |||
| Third | testmyēr | stemyontu | stemyonto | |||
| Participle | testomyewos, -eh, -om | |||||
| Infinitive | Present | Aorist | Perfect | |||
| stemyom, stemyes | stemyosəm, stemyēs | testomyom, testomyes |
| Active | Indicative | Subjunctive | Optative | |||
| Present | Imperfect | Aorist | ||||
| Singular | First | dhməħsyemi | dhməħsyem | dhməħsyēsəm | dhməħsyēmi | dhməħsiyēm |
| Second | dhməħsyesi | dhməħsyes | dhməħsyēs | dhməħsyēsi | dhməħsiyeʔs | |
| Third | dhməħsyeti | dhməħsyet | dhməħsyēst | dhməħsyēti | dhməħsiyeʔt | |
| Plural | First | dhməħsyomos | dhməħsyome | dhməħsyōsme | dhməħsyēmos | dhməħsiyēme |
| Second | dhməħsyote | dhməħsyote | dhməħsyōste | dhməħsyēte | dhməħsiyeʔte | |
| Third | dhməħsyonti | dhməħsyont | dhməħsyōsənt | dhməħsyēnti | dhməħsiyēnt | |
| Participle | dhməħsyents, -m | dhməħsyēsənts, -m | dhməħsyēnts, -m | dhməħsiyēnts, -m | ||
| Passive | Indicative | Subjunctive | Optative | |||
| Present | Imperfect | Aorist | ||||
| Singular | First | dhməħsyoħer | dhməħsyoħe | dhməħsyōsħe | dhməħsyēħer | dhməħsiyeʔħe |
| Second | dhməħsyotħer | dhməħsyotħe | dhməħsyōstħe | dhməħsyētħer | dhməħsiyeʔtħe | |
| Third | dhməħsyōr | dhməħsyō | dhməħsyōso | dhməħsyōr | dhməħsiyeʔo | |
| Plural | First | dhməħsyomosdəħ | dhməħsyomedəħ | dhməħsyōsmedəħ | dhməħsyēmosdəħ | dhməħsiyēmedəħ |
| Second | dhməħsyodħwer | dhməħsyodħwe | dhməħsyōsdħwer | dhməħsyēdħwer | dhməħsiyeʔdħwe | |
| Third | dhməħsyontor | dhməħsyonto | dhməħsyōsnto | dhməħsyēntor | dhməħsiyēnto | |
| Participle | dhməħsyoməʔnos, -eħ, -om | dhməħsyōsməʔnos, -eħ, -om | dhməħsyēməʔnos, -eħ, -om | dhməħsiyēməʔnos, -eħ, -om | ||
| Perfect | Indicative | Imperative | ||||
| Perfect | Active | Passive | ||||
| Singular | First | dhedhomħsyeħe | — | — | ||
| Second | dhedhomħsyetħe | dhməħsyedhi | dhməħsyeso | |||
| Third | dhedhomħsyē | dhməħsyetu | dhməħsyeto | |||
| Plural | First | dhedhməħsyeme | — | — | ||
| Second | dhedhməħsyē | dhməħsyote | dhməħsyodwo | |||
| Third | dhedhməħsyēr | dhməħsyontu | dhməħsyonto | |||
| Participle | dhedhomħsyewos, -eħ, -om | |||||
| Infinitive | Present | Aorist | Perfect | |||
| dhməħsyom, dhməħsyes | dhməħsyosəm, dhməħsyēs | dhedhomħsyom, dhedhomħsyes |