Chapter 4: Verbs & Conjugation / Boqonnaa 4: Gochima & Rukkina
Learn how to use English verbs correctly based on the subject. / Akkaataa itti matima irratti hundaa'uun gochimoota Ingiliffaa sirriitti fayyadamtu baradhu.
Regular Verbs / Gochimoota Idilee
For most verbs, add 's' when the subject is He, She, or It.
Goosima hedduuf, yoo qaamni (subject) He, She, ykn It ta'e, 's' dabali.
Verb | Example (I, You, We, They) | Example (He, She, It) | More Examples |
---|---|---|---|
to answer | "I answer him." Ani isaaf nan deebisa. | "He answers right away." Inni yeruma sana deebisa. | "She answers correctly." Isheen sirriitti deebisti. |
to arrive | "I arrive on time." Ani yeroon ga'a. | "He arrives late." Inni turee dhufa. | "He arrives with me." Inni ana wajjin dhufa. |
to ask | "I ask for a lot." Ani baay'ee gaafadha. | "He asks a question." Inni gaaffii gaafata. | "We ask him again." Nuti irra deebiin isa gaafanna. |
to begin | "I begin today." Ani har'a jalqaba. | "He begins late." Inni turee jalqaba. | "He begins class this week." Inni torban kana daree jalqaba. |
to believe | "I believe him." Ani isan amana. | "He believes you." Inni sin amana. | "She believes it." Isheen isatti amanti. |
to bring | "I bring food." Ani nyaata fida. | "He brings books." Inni kitaabota fida. | "She brings a friend." Isheen hiriyaa ishee fidde. |
to call | "I call regularly." Ani yeroo hunda nan bilbila. | "He calls every night." Inni galgala hunda bilbila. | "We call him on the phone." Nuti bilbilaan isaaf bilbilna. |
to come | "I come later." Ani booda dhufa. | "He comes tonight." Inni edana dhufa. | "We come home." Nuti gara manaatti dhufna. |
to drink | "I drink water." Ani bishaan nan dhuga. | "He drinks milk." Inni anaan dhuga. | "We drink the soda." Nuti laassana dhugna. |
to eat | "I eat a lot." Ani baay'ee nyaadha. | "He eats well." Inni gaarii nyaata. | "He eats everything." Inni waan hunda nyaata. |
to leave | "I leave late." Ani turee deema. | "He leaves early." Inni ganamaan deema. | "They leave at noon." Isaan sa'aatii ja'atti deemu. |
to read | "I read books." Ani kitaabota dubbisa. | "He reads all night." Inni halkan guutuu dubbisa. | "He reads the book." Inni kitaaba dubbisa. |
to speak | "I speak English." Ani Afaan Ingiliffaa dubbadha. | "He speaks Spanish." Inni Afaan Ispeen dubbata. | "He speaks at Church." Inni waldaa keessatti dubbata. |
to work | "I work every day." Ani guyyaa hunda hojjedha. | "He works too hard." Inni baay'ee jabaatee hojjeta. | "She works on Saturday." Isheen Sanbata hojjetti. |
to write | "I write books." Ani kitaabota barreessa. | "He writes a letter." Inni xalayaa barreessa. | "She writes well." Isheen sirriitti barreessiti. |
Verbs Ending in o, s, sh, ch, or x / Gochimoota Qubeewwan kanaan Xumuraman
For verbs ending in these letters, add 'es' for He, She, or It.
Goosima qubeewwan kanaan xumuramuuf, 'es' dabali.
Verb | Example (I, You, We, They) | Example (He, She, It) | More Examples |
---|---|---|---|
to do | "I do their work." Ani hojii isaanii hojjedha. | "He does their assignment." Inni hojii mana isaanii hojjeta. | "They do well." Isaan gaarii hojjetu. |
to go | "I go early today." Ani har'a ganamaan deema. | "He goes until 5:00 p.m." Inni hanga sa'aatii 11tti deema. | "She goes home." Isheen gara manaatti deemti. |
to finish | "I finish late." Ani turee xumura. | "He finishes early." Inni ganamaan xumura. | "You finish on time." Ati yeroon xumurta. |
to teach | "I teach English." Ani Afaan Ingiliffaa barsiisa. | "He teaches classes." Inni daree barsiisa. | "You teach well." Ati gaarii barsiifta. |
to watch | "I watch baseball." Ani baseball ilaala. | "He watches TV." Inni TV ilaala. | "We watch the game." Nuti tapha ilaalla. |
Verbs Ending in y / Gochimoota 'y'tti Xumuraman
For verbs ending in 'y', change 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'.
Goosima 'y'tti xumuramuuf, 'y' gara 'i'tti jijjiiriitii 'es' dabali.
Verb | Example (I, You, We, They) | Example (He, She, It) | More Examples |
---|---|---|---|
to cry | "I cry for help." Ani gargaarsaaf iyyita. | "He cries a lot." Inni baay'ee boo'a. | "I cry at night." Ani halkan nan boo'a. |
to fly | "I fly here today." Ani har'a as balali'a. | "He flies a kite." Inni kaaytii balaliisa. | "We fly to New York." Nuti gara New York balaliina. |
to study | "I study every day." Ani guyyaa hunda qu'adha. | "He studies for each test." Inni qormaata hundaaf qu'ata. | "They study all weekend." Isaan dhuma torbanii guutuu qu'atu. |
to try | "I try every day." Ani guyyaa hunda yaala. | "He tries hard." Inni jabaatee yaala. | "You try to learn Spanish." Ati Afaan Ispeen barachuu yaalta. |
Irregular Verbs / Gochimoota Idilee Hin Taane
These verbs have unique forms that must be memorized.
Goosimonni kun bifa addaa qabu kan sammuutti qabamuu qaban.
Verb | Example (I) | Example (He, She, It) | Example (We, You, They) |
---|---|---|---|
to be | "I am busy." Ani hojiin na qaba. | "He is a good learner." Inni barataa gaariidha. | "We are good learners." Nuti barattoota gaariidha. |
to be able to | "I am able to eat." Ani nyaachuu nan danda'a. | "He is able to read." Inni dubbisuu danda'a. | "They are able to speak well." Isaan sirriitti dubbachuu danda'u. |