Language/Kabyle/Grammar/Future-tense
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In the Kabyle language, actions occurring in the future are expressed using the future tense. This tense is constructed by appending a specific suffix to the verb's base form. The choice of suffix relies on whether the verb concludes with a vowel or a consonant.
For verbs that end in a vowel, the future tense is formed by adding the suffix -ε (pronounced /ɛ/) to the verb stem. For example:
- afus (to sleep) -> afulε (I will sleep)
- iyi-s (to drink) -> iyi-sε (he/she/it will drink)
- werεε (to come back) -> werεεlε (we will come back)
For verbs that end in a consonant, the future tense is formed by adding the suffix -i (pronounced /i/) to the verb stem. For example:
- ara (to see) -> ara-i (I will see)
- ccetwa (to talk) -> ccetwa-i (you will talk)
- tettkem (to work) -> tettkem-i (he/she/it will work)
It's important to note that there are some irregular verbs that have their own unique future tense forms. Here are a few examples:
- yella (to go) -> yelli (he/she/it will go)
- yewwi (to say) -> yewwi (he/she/it will say)
- yejri (to run) -> yejri (he/she/it will run)
To make a negative sentence in the future tense, the word "ur" (meaning "not") is placed before the verb. For example:
- Ur yefkaγ (he/she/it will not find)
- Ur tettidir (we will not succeed)
- Ur tettkem-i (he/she/it will not work)
To form a question in the future tense, the word "yiwen" (meaning "will") is placed at the beginning of the sentence. For example:
- Yiwen tettγa-d si lehna? (Will you come to the party?)
- Yiwen yellaγ-t-id? (Will they go?)
- Yiwen tekka-yasen-t? (Will he/she/it call you?)
It's also important to note that in Kabyle, the future tense is sometimes used to express a command or a request in a polite manner. For example:
- Nεellaγ (Let's go)
- Tett-id-γ (Please come)
- Yellaγ-d (Go ahead)
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Past tense
- Negation
- Exam 2 Kabyle Noun Correction
- How to Use Have
- Kabyle verb
- Noun Gender
- Plural
- Prepositions
- Future Tense
| ◀️ Past tense — Previous Lesson | Next Lesson — Family members ▶️ |