Appendix:Coptic verbs
Coptic verb conjugation differs between each dialect. This guide is tailored to the Bohairic dialect.
Infinitive forms
[edit]Each verb in Bohairic has an infinitive marked with "̀ⲉ", "to". Every verb also has a negative infinitive "ⲉϣⲧⲉⲙ", "to not".
- Infinitive: ̀ⲉⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (̀esōtem, “To hear”)
- Negative Infinitive: ⲉϣⲧⲉⲙⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (eštemsōtem, “To not hear”)
Imperative forms
[edit]Pronouns
[edit]Bohairic has 8 pronouns.
Ⲁⲛⲟⲕ(I), Ⲁⲛⲟⲛ(We)
Ⲛⲑⲟⲕ(You m.), Ⲛⲑⲟ(You f.), Ⲛⲑⲱⲧⲉⲛ(You pl.)
Ⲛⲑⲟϥ(He), Ⲛⲑⲟⲥ(She), Ⲛⲑⲱⲟⲩ(They)
Pronouns can and usually are omitted when constructing sentences. For example, English "We read the books" could be "Ⲁⲛⲟⲛ ⲧⲉⲛⲱϣ ̀ⲛⲛⲓϫⲱⲙ"; the phrase would more simply and commonly be written "Ⲧⲉⲛⲱϣ ̀ⲛⲓⲛⲓϫⲱⲙ".
Durative sentences
[edit]Durative sentences are sentences that continue over a period of time have two parts: Present and future
Present:
- Simple Present, e.g.: ϯⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (tisōtem, “I hear, I am hearing”)
- Circumstantial, e.g.: ⲉⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (eisōtem, “I, hearing”)
- Focalising, e.g.: ⲁⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (aisōtem, “It is... that I am hearing”) (The focalised present resembles the past perfect tense)
- Preterite, e.g.: ⲛⲁⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (naisōtem, “I was hearing”)
- Relative, e.g.: ⲉϯⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (etisōtem, “That/who/which I am hearing”)
Future:
- Simple Future, e.g.: ϯⲛⲁⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (tinasōtem, “I will hear”)
- Circumstantial, e.g.: ⲉⲓⲛⲁⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (einasōtem, “I am about to be hearing”)
- Focalising, e.g.: ⲁⲓⲛⲁⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (ainasōtem, “It is... that I will hear”)
- Preterite, e.g.: ⲛⲁⲓⲛⲁⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (nainasōtem, “I would hear, I would be hearing”)
- Unreal Conditional, e.g.: ⲉⲛⲁⲓⲛⲁⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (enainasōtem, “If I hear/When I hear”)
- Relative, e.g.: ⲉϯⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (etisōtem, “That/who/which I will hear”)
Non-Durative sentences
[edit]Non-durative sentences are sentences that have a specific ending.
Past:
- Affirmative Perfect, e.g.: ⲁⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (aisōtem, “I heard”)
- Negative Perfect, e.g.: ⲙⲡⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (mpisōtem, “I did not hear”)
- Affirmative Preterite, e.g.: ⲛⲉⲁⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (neaisōtem, “I had seen”)
- Negative Preterite, e.g.: ⲛⲉⲙⲡⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (nempisōtem, “I had not seen”)
- Circumstantial, e.g.: ⲉⲁⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (eaisōtem, “having heard”)
- Focalising, Relative, Precursive e.g.: ⲉⲧⲁⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (etaisōtem, “That/who/which I heard; When I heard”)
Aorist:
- Affirmative Perfect, e.g.: ϣⲁⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (šaisōtem, “I usually hear”)
- Negative Perfect, e.g.: ⲙⲡⲁⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (mpaisōtem, “I do not usually hear”)
Optative:
- Affirmative Perfect, e.g.: ⲉⲓⲉⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (eiesōtem, “I will hear”)
- Negative Perfect, e.g.: ̀ⲛⲛⲁⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (̀nnasōtem, “I will not hear”)
Jussive/Causative:
- Affirmative Jussive, e.g.: ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (marisōtem, “Let me hear”)
- Affirmative Causative, e.g.: ⲑⲣⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (thrisōtem, “Cause me to hear”)
- Negative Jussive/Causative, e.g.: ⲙⲡⲉⲛⲑⲣⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (mpenthrisōtem, “Do not let me hear/Do not cause me to hear”)
Subordinate Clause
[edit]Real Conditional:
- Affirmative Conditional, e.g.: ⲁⲓϣⲁⲛⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (aišansōtem, “If I hear/When I hear”)
- Negative Conditional, e.g.: ⲁⲓϣⲧⲉⲙⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (aištemsōtem, “If I do not hear”)
Conjunctive:
- Affirmative Conjunctive, e.g.: ̀ⲛⲧⲁⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (̀ntasōtem, “So I hear”)
- Negative Conjunctive, e.g.: ̀ⲛⲧⲁϣⲧⲉⲙⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (̀ntaštemsōtem, “So I do not hear”)
Limitative, Expectative:
- Limitative, e.g.: ϣⲁϯⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (šatisōtem, “Until I hear”)
- Expectative, e.g.: ̀ⲙⲡⲁϯⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (̀mpatisōtem, “I have not yet heard, Before I hear”)
Accusative & Dative Qualifier
[edit]Transitive verbs must include an accusative ̀ⲛ-/̀ⲙ or dative ̀ⲉ- qualifier for affected nouns.
E.g. Ϯⲱϣ ̀ⲙⲡⲓⲱϣ I am reading the lesson. Ϯⲙⲟⲩϯ ̀ⲉϯϣⲁⲩ. I call the cat.
Forms of the verb
[edit]There are four forms of a verb in Bohairic Coptic:
1. Absolute
Absolute is the default form of Bohairic verbs, it is used with prefixes:
ⲥϧⲁⲓ ̀ⲙⲡⲓϫⲱⲙ - write the book
2. Construct/Nominal
This is an unstressed form used when a noun object follows immediately with no prefix. The stress is moved from the verb to the noun. Only transitive verbs have a construct form.
ⲥϧⲁⲓ -> ⲥϧⲉ ⲡⲓϫⲱⲙ - write the book
3. Pronominal
This is the form taken when a suffix is attached. Only transitive verbs have a pronominal form.
ⲥϧⲁⲓ -> ⲥϧⲉ -> ⲥϧⲏⲧϥ - write it
4. Qualitative/Stative
The qualitative expresses a state serving the function of a past participle.
ⲥϧⲁⲓ -> ⲥϧⲉ -> ⲥϧⲏⲧ -> ⲥϧⲏⲟⲩⲧ, ⲡⲓϫⲱⲙ ⲉⲧⲥϧⲏⲟⲩⲧ - the written book
Suffix Verbs
[edit]Some verbs only exist with a suffix attached:
Ⲟⲩⲟⲛⲧⲁⲕ ̀ⲙⲙⲁⲩ, Ⲟⲩⲟⲛⲧⲁϥ ̀ⲙⲙⲁⲩ You(m.) have, He has
Ⲡⲉϫⲁⲕ, Ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ You(m.) said, He said
Object pronouns
[edit]Object pronouns are pronouns attached to the end of verbs. -ⲓ me -ⲕ you(m.) -ⲧⲉ you(f.) -ϥ he/it -ⲥ she/it -ⲧⲉⲧⲉⲛ you(pl.) -ⲧⲉⲛ we -ⲟⲩ them
Consonant Changes
[edit]Bohairic has consonantal changes following these letters: ⲃ, ⲕ, ⲗ, ⲓ, ⲙ, ⲛ, ⲟⲩ, ⲣ
Ⲕ turns into Ⲭ e.g. Ⲕⲥⲁϫⲓ, Ⲭⲟⲩⲱⲙ You speak, You eat