Modes Exactly five modes: indicative, interrogative, negative, optative, conditional.
Mode Suffix Formation Indicative -∅ / -|- STEM + TENSE + ∅ + PERSON Interrogative -h / -uh|-ih STEM + TENSE + -h/-uh|-ih + PERSON Negative -x / -ux|-ix STEM + TENSE + -x/-ux|-ix + PERSON | na + [other mode] Optative / Desiderative -w / -uw|-iw STEM + TENSE + -w/-uw|-iw + PERSON Conditional -y / -uy|-iy STEM + TENSE + -y/-uy|-iy + PERSON; ke… (if) + conditional
Indicative What is it? Neutral factual statements. Zero mode marker.
STEM + TENSE + ∅ + PERSON
Ma tomok lemam.
I live in the house. Sa berot edad.
He/she ate bread. Man laborabumin.
We will work. Interrogative What is it? Yes/no questions use -h / -uh|-ih. Question words stay in place; no stem change.
STEM + TENSE + -h/-uh|-ih + PERSON
Kalahum?
Do I walk? kala-h-um
Ca edahuc?
Do you eat? Sa venaduh?
Did he/she come? vena-d-uh (after past -d, C-final → -uh)
Kiu tomop irab?
Who will go into the house? Kio ca volac?
What do you want? Negative What is it? Simple verbal negation uses -x / -ux|-ix. To negate another mode, place particle na before the verb.
STEM + TENSE + -x/-ux|-ix + PERSON | na + [other mode]
Kalaxum.
I do not walk. Edaxum.
I do not eat. Sa vidadux.
He/she did not see. vida-d-ux
Na irawum!
If only I would not go! / May I not go! Ne, ma volaxum.
No, I do not want it. Optative / Desiderative What is it? Wishes and soft requests: “may…”, “let…”, “I wish…”. Distinct from conditional.
STEM + TENSE + -w/-uw|-iw + PERSON
Paco venaw!
May peace come! Ma edawum.
I wish I would eat. / I would like to eat. San lemawunin.
May they live. / Let them live. Ca vidawuc!
If only you would see! Morga sola brilabuw.
May the sun shine tomorrow. brila-b-uw
Conditional What is it? Hypothetical and “if… then…” situations. Combine with the three tenses — no extra tenses.
STEM + TENSE + -y/-uy|-iy + PERSON; ke… (if) + conditional
Ke ma tempo havayum, ma irayum.
If I had time, I would go. Ke ca venaduyuc, ma gajaduyum.
If you had come, I would have been glad. vena-d-uy-uc · gaja-d-uy-um
Ke pluva, man restayumin.
If it rains, we would stay. Ma edayum.
I would eat. Ke sa laborabuy, sa mono havabuy.
If he/she would work (later), he/she would have money. Question words Aigramma English Magyar kiu who ki kio what mi kie where hol kiam when mikor kial why miért kiel how hogyan kifel which melyik kiom how many / how much hány / mennyi kies whose kié
Optative vs conditional Optative (-w) expresses wish or hope.
Conditional (-y) expresses hypothesis or “if… then…”.
“May he come!” → optative. “If he came, I would be glad.” → conditional.
Verb conjugator STEM + TENSE + MODE + PERSON. Harmony: back (a/o/u)
Verb stemkala (walk / jár) eda (eat / eszik) vida (see / lát) labora (work / dolgozik) flu (flow / folyik) — C-final kompren (understand / ért) — C-final TensePresent (-∅ / -|-) Past (-d / -ud|-id) Future (-b / -ub|-ib) ModeIndicative (-∅ / -|-) Interrogative (-h / -uh|-ih) Negative (-x / -ux|-ix) Optative / Desiderative (-w / -uw|-iw) Conditional (-y / -uy|-iy) Person1SG — I 2SG — you (sg) 3SG — he / she 1PL — we 2PL — you (pl) 3PL — they
STEM kala→ TENSE ∅→ MODE ∅→ PERSON m=
kalam
Remember Simple negation uses mode marker -x/-ux|-ix. To negate another mode, put particle na before the verb.