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Tense, aspect and modals
Recipes for English walked / has walked / will walk / used to walk, and for can / may / must / should. Verbs in Agazan carry no tense. Every form here is taught on a grammar page; each recipe links what it needs.
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Tense and aspect
One English tense, several jobs
Needs: Evidentiality · Forecasts · Dated channel · RESIDUE and FORMER · Already, still, not yet · as-of
An English tense bundles up to three questions: when the event sits, how you know it, and whether it still counts now. Agazan asks them separately. Pick the row for the English form, then the job you mean.
| English | You mean | Agazan |
|---|---|---|
| walks (now) | you are watching it | LIVE thodom |
| walks (now) | just a report | bare verb (this stretch) |
| walked | you remember it | WITNESSED thevom |
| walked | it is on record | RECORDED therem plus a - offset |
| walked | going by clues or cases | INFERRED thunem / PATTERN thobam plus a - offset |
| walked | they told you | TOLD thewam plus a - offset |
| walked (telling a story) | it is a tale | TALE thozem on the first sentence; bare verbs after it go on telling the tale (evidentiality) |
| walked yesterday / three hours ago | a measured time back | channel + signed amount (dated channel) |
| has walked | the outcome still counts | RESIDUE thamom |
| has already walked | the change has come | hoham |
| has walked before / has never walked | at least once / not once | hoham + har / hal (ever / never) |
| had walked | as of a past moment | as-of plus the same stance |
| is walking | it is in view | LIVE thodom |
| is still walking | the state goes on | hagem |
| has stopped walking | the state ended | hewem |
| will walk | a plan | PLAN thamam |
| will walk | a forecast | channel + bral (forecast) |
| is going to walk | a plan, or clues say so | PLAN, or INFERRED + bral |
| is about to walk / will walk soon | a hair / a short while after now | brabul / brabum on a channel |
| just walked | a hair before now | brubul on a channel |
| was going to walk | intention as of a past moment | PLAN + as-of |
| used to walk | a pattern that is not today's | FORMER thenom + hual |
| would walk (if …) | a long shot | thoyem barl + thrul |
| would have walked (if …) | known false | bookmark as-of + thavor |
Every offset counts from now, or from the as-of now when one is set. No row needs a tense letter on the verb.
Simple past: pick how you know
Needs: Live vs memory · Dated channel
English Azawan walked hides whether you saw it, read it, or were told. Choose the channel. A remembered sighting is WITNESSED. Add a - amount to say how long ago.
zazawan thevom vowogal.z-Azawan | th-WITNESSED | v-walk
"Azawan walked (I remember it)."
zazawan thevom bazazam gruwol vowogal.z-Azawan | [th-WITNESSED | [b-day | g-minus-one]] | v-walk
"I saw Azawan walk yesterday."
Hearsay, records, and inference need their own - amount, because those channels do not fix the time.
zazawan thewam bazazam gruwol vowogal.z-Azawan | [th-TOLD | [b-day | g-minus-one]] | v-walk
"I hear Azawan walked yesterday."
Compare with: a clock or date (h_#22,7) dates the event with no channel. thevom with a + amount is not a sentence.
Present perfect: leftover, done, or ever
Needs: RESIDUE · Already, still, not yet
English has left mixes three ideas. Choose the one you mean.
zalahen thamom vedabal.z-Alahen | th-RESIDUE | v-departure
"Alahen has left, and it still counts." — the outcome is on the books
zalahen hoham vedabal.z-Alahen | h-already | v-departure
"Alahen has already left." — the change has come
zazawan hoham vezewel har.z-Azawan | h-already | v-swim | h-sometimes
"Azawan has swum at some point."
Compare with: RESIDUE does not say the leaving was earlier. hoham compares now with the change and dates nothing.
Past perfect: as of a past moment
Needs: As-of · RESIDUE · Plan and forecast against a snapshot
English had left means the leaving counted as of an earlier moment. Write the same stance and add as-of with that moment in /b/.
zalahen thamom huhum b_#22,7 vedabal.z-Alahen | th-RESIDUE | [h-as-of.ledger | b-_22,7] | v-departure
"As of 22 July, Alahen had left, and it still counted."
Was going to is PLAN with the same as-of:
zazawan thamam vowogal huhum b_#22,7.z-Azawan | th-plan-itinerary | v-walk | [h-as-of.ledger | b-_22,7]
"As of 22 July, Azawan was going to walk."
Progressive: in view, still, or nothing
Needs: Live vs memory · Already, still, not yet
Agazan has no -ing form. English is walking usually means one of two things. Say thodom when the walking is in view now. Say hagem when you stress that it goes on.
zazawan thodom vowogal.z-Azawan | th-LIVE | v-walk
"Azawan is walking (I am watching)."
zazawan hagem vowogal.z-Azawan | h-still | v-walk
"Azawan is still walking."
For was walking when …, keep the ordinary verb and hang the other event on huwem barl (while).
Future: plan, forecast, promise
Needs: Plan · Plan or forecast · Forecasts · Consent
English will is three different claims.
| English will | Agazan |
|---|---|
| I mean to | PLAN thamam (endings show how much is drawn) |
| the world will | channel + bral |
| I promise | consent thuxegol (promise) |
zazawan thamam vowogal.z-Azawan | th-plan-itinerary | v-walk
"Azawan will walk (that is the plan)."
thobam bral verehel.[th-PATTERN | b-later] | v-rain
"It will rain (going by the pattern)."
zazawan thewam bazazam grawol vowogal.z-Azawan | [th-TOLD | [b-day | g-one]] | v-walk
"I hear Azawan walks tomorrow."
Compare with: a forecast always names how you know, so it will rain has no bare form. For I hope it will, see hoping.
Everyday time words
Needs: Dated channel · Now and today · RESIDUE and FORMER · Already, still, not yet · Forecasts · Dependent clauses
English time words (today, previously, continue) mostly ride on the same channels and offsets as tense. Each row says which one.
| English | Agazan |
|---|---|
| today / now | a channel with an offset of zero: thunem bazazam grazol (zero days); with bagazem it is right now |
| yesterday / tomorrow | a channel with one day back or ahead: bazazam gruwol / bazazam grawol |
| tonight | today plus at night: thunem bazazam grazol and huwem banadal |
| recently / recent | a channel + brubum (a short while before now; brubul is just now) |
| forever / permanent | a measure phrase with an unbounded amount: bavawem grabal (for permanent, add hagem) |
| eventually / ultimately | xrebal opens the last point (Finally, …) |
| whenever | huwem bual + the occasion as a quality: huwem bual gerehel |
| currently / nowadays / at present / modern / contemporary | LIVE thodom when it is in view; otherwise the bare verb, which reports this stretch |
| previously / formerly / originally / once (once walked) | FORMER thenom |
| past / in the past | FORMER thenom, or a channel with a - offset |
| future / in the future | a channel + bral |
| once (one time) | h+1 before the verb |
| ever (Have you walked at all?) | hoham + har under yol: yol zehodon hoham vowogal har |
| during (during the storm) | huwem + /b/: huwem bavodel |
| immediately / immediate / right away / at once (about to) | a channel + brabul (a hair after now) |
| initially / at first / firstly | hogodam (first, as a manner adverb) |
| continue / keep doing | hagem (still) |
| subsequently / after | henum + /b/: henum balahen |
| prior to | habam + /b/: habam balahen |
| in March / in 1962 / on the 12th | huwem + a month or year in /b/ (huwem bumuham grerel, huwem bavawem g_1962); a day alone is h_#12 (time) |
zazawan thunem bazazam grazol vowogal.z-Azawan | [th-INFERRED | [b-day | g-zero]] | v-walk
"Azawan must be walking today."
yol zehodon hoham vowogal har.y-question | z-listener | h-already | v-walk | h-when
"Have you ever walked?"
Used to and would (habit)
English used to walk is a pattern that is no longer today's report: hual with FORMER after the verb.
zazawan hual vezebel thenom.z-Azawan | h-always | v-tell | th-FORMER
"Azawan used to tell." — a former pattern, not today's
For would in a condition (if Alahen swam, Azawan would walk), see remote and unreal conditions.
Modals
Can, could, may, might
Needs: Ability · MAY · Permission · FORMER
English can and may each carry several meanings. Pick the meaning.
| English | You mean | Agazan |
|---|---|---|
| can | able | verb + xa (can) |
| can't | not now / not yet / never | xe / xo / xu |
| could | used to be able | xa + FORMER thenom |
| could, might, may | it could be | MAY thovum |
| may, is allowed to | a rule / a person / no objection | thegol / thegom / thegor |
| may not | forbidden | thedel / thedem / theder |
| Can I …? | asking permission | yom + thegom |
| Could you …? (polite) | a request | yem (speech act) |
zazawan vezehexal.z-Azawan | v-sing-able
"Azawan can sing."
zalahen thovum vedabal.z-Alahen | th-MAY | v-departure
"Alahen may leave." — could be
zazawan vowogal thegom.z-Azawan | v-walk | th-PERMIT-granted
"Azawan may walk (I'm allowing it)."
yem zehodon vowogal.y-request | z-listener | v-walk
"Would you walk?"
Compare with: ability says someone can; permission says whether they may; MAY says it could be.
Ability, possibility and permission words
Needs: Ability · Can be · MAY · Permission · Forecasts · Requirement
English adjectives and verbs built on can and may take the same forms as the modals.
| English | Agazan |
|---|---|
| capable / ability / capability | the verb or quality with xa: zazawan gezehexal (able to sing); with no single verb, thezexal |
| afford (can pay) | zazawan vamoxal dubugal |
| visible / invisible | the undergoer with ability: zodogal guxahahaxal / zodogal guxahahaxul |
| blind | zazawan gahahaxul (can never see) |
| possible / potentially | MAY thovum |
| acceptable / privilege | permission thegol |
| expect / anticipate | a forecast: a channel + bral; when custom expects it, thumer |
| shall | PLAN thamam |
| have to | thumem |
| do / does / did (helper: Do you walk?) | no word: the verb under yol |
zodogal guxahahaxal.z-dog | g-patient-x-eye-able
"The dog is visible."
yol zehodon vowogal.y-question | z-listener | v-walk
"Do you walk?"
Must, have to, should
Needs: Requirement · Prescription · Motive · Permission · Speech act · Stance as-of
English must and should differ in what stands behind the demand. Choose the source.
| English | You mean | Agazan |
|---|---|---|
| must, is required to | a rule requires it | thumel |
| has to, I need you to | a person demands it | thumem |
| is supposed to | custom expects it | thumer |
| do it! | you tell the listener now | command yel |
| should, ought to | it serves a named sake | sake + the |
| shouldn't, ought not to | the ought, with the act denied | sake + the before the act, vul after the verb |
| should have, ought to have | the ought held at a past moment | stance as-of thuhum + sake + the |
| has to (for a reason) | why they do it | sake + tho |
| should (it will pay off) | a forecast | channel + bral |
| mustn't | you forbid it now | prohibition yul |
| don't have to, needn't | not doing it is allowed | permission thegom (thegol when a rule allows it) before the act + vul |
zazawan vowogal thumel.z-Azawan | v-walk | th-REQUIRE-rule
"Azawan must walk (the rules say so)."
zazawan vezebel thanathem.z-Azawan | v-tell | th-relatedness-ought-offered
"Azawan should tell, to serve relatedness (offered)."
zazawan thanathem vezebel vul.z-Azawan | th-relatedness-ought-offered | [v-tell | v-not]
"Azawan shouldn't tell, to serve relatedness (offered)."
For should have, date the ought with stance as-of thuhum; thuhum brul is back then. The ought then reads from that past moment. English also implies the act did not happen; if that matters, say it in its own sentence.
zehodon thuhum brul thegathem vezebel. zehodon vezebel vul.z-listener | [th-as-of.ledger | b-earlier] | th-sake-ought-offered | v-tell . z-listener | [v-tell | v-not]
"You should have told. You did not tell."
Don't have to lifts a demand: skipping the act is allowed. Put permission before the verb and deny the act.
zazawan thegom vowogal vul.z-Azawan | th-PERMIT-granted | [v-walk | v-not]
"Azawan doesn't have to walk." — not walking is allowed
Compare with: requirement reports a demand, which may be someone else's; yel is you telling the listener. Requirement with a denied act (zazawan thumem vowogal vul) is Azawan is required not to walk, which is mustn't, not doesn't have to.
Will, want, try, let's
Needs: Plan · Want · Try · Hopefully · Speech act
| English | Agazan |
|---|---|
| will (willing) | PLAN thamam, or consent thuxegom (I'll do it, you can back out) |
| wants to, feels like | WANT thohum (thohul lasting, thohur passing) |
| thinking of | PLAN sketch thamar |
| hopefully | thevegem |
| tries to | thudum |
| let's | request yem with aha as subject |
zalahen thohum vowogal.z-Alahen | th-WANT-unstated | v-walk
"Alahen wants to walk."
zalahen thamar vowogal.z-Alahen | th-plan-sketch | v-walk
"Alahen is thinking of a walk (a sketch is plenty)."
zalahen thudur vezehel.z-Alahen | th-ATTEMPT-trial | v-sing
"Alahen gives singing a try."
Practice
Tense and modals
Short drills for these recipes. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a train station
Roots used here:
| English | Agazan |
|---|---|
| Azawan | azawan |
| Alahen | alahen |
| walk | vowogal |
| leave | vedabal |
| tell | vezebel |
| rain | verehel |
English → Agazan
1. Azawan walked (I remember it).
Show answer
zazawan thevom vowogal.
z-Azawan | th-WITNESSED | v-walk
2. I hear Azawan walks tomorrow.
Show answer
zazawan thewam bazazam grawol vowogal.
z-Azawan | [th-TOLD | [b-day | g-one]] | v-walk
3. Alahen has already left.
Show answer
zalahen hoham vedabal.
z-Alahen | h-already | v-departure
4. Azawan is still walking.
Show answer
zazawan hagem vowogal.
z-Azawan | h-still | v-walk
5. It will rain (going by the pattern).
Show answer
thobam bral verehel.
[th-PATTERN | b-later] | v-rain
6. Azawan used to tell.
Show answer
zazawan hual vezebel thenom.
z-Azawan | h-always | v-tell | th-FORMER
7. Azawan may walk (I'm allowing it).
Show answer
zazawan vowogal thegom.
z-Azawan | v-walk | th-PERMIT-granted
8. Azawan must walk (the rules say so).
Show answer
zazawan vowogal thumel.
z-Azawan | v-walk | th-REQUIRE-rule