Advanced Verb Conjugation
A deep dive into the phonological and grammatical behavior of Oromo verbs based on their infinitive endings.
Advanced Oromo Verb Elements
In the second person, singular, imperative, the Afaan Oromo verb sometimes ends in "-u," and sometimes in "-i". For example: Ammaaf deemi. Bor asumatti dhiyaadhu. (Go for now. Report here tomorrow.) A native speaker, though may not be able to explain it, unconsciously knows when an im- perative ends in "-u" or in "-i." But to non-native speakers, the rule that explains this gram- matical fact may not be so obvious. This lesson provides a summary of findings from a detailed study of Oromo verbs.
Verb Ending Analysis
The findings are based on the analysis of the endings of some 2000 verbs.
| Verb Ending | No. of Verbs | % | Example | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -achu | 405 | 20.25 | dubbachu | speak |
| -bu | 47 | 2.35 | dhabu/jibbu | lack/hate |
| -chu | 40 | 2.00 | bulchu/duuchu | govern/be blunt |
| -cu | 17 | 0.85 | wacu/miiccu | shout/wash |
| -dhu | 11 | 0.55 | fedhu/hodhdhu | want/sew |
| -du | 43 | 2.15 | badu/sardu | be lost/hurry |
| -fu | 42 | 2.10 | rafu/kolfu | sleep/laugh |
| -gu | 38 | 1.90 | gogu/ergu | dry/send |
| -ju | 11 | 0.55 | jaju/ejju | praise/stand |
| -ku | 18 | 0.90 | hiiku/dhorku | untie/ban |
| -lu | 75 | 3.75 | lolu/galu | fight/enter |
| -mu | 146 | 7.30 | tumu/elmu | hit/milk |
| -nu | 35 | 1.75 | banu/kennu | open/give |
| -phu | 6 | 0.30 | riphu/suphphu | hide/patch |
| -qu | 65 | 3.25 | maqu/dafqu | deviate/sweat |
| -ru | 81 | 4.05 | muru/qorru | cut/be cold |
| -shu | 6 | 0.30 | shishu/tolshu | fear/make |
| -su | 645 | 32.25 | raasu/cabsu | stir/break |
| -tu | 28 | 1.40 | hatu/buttu | steal/snatch |
| -’u | 112 | 5.60 | ka’u/rom’u | get up/shake |
| -wu | 111 | 5.55 | buwu/dhowwu | pick/forbid |
| -xu | 16 | 0.80 | fixu/mixu | finish/mix |
| -yu | 2 | 0.10 | fayyu/iyyu | recover/shout |
| TOTAL | 2000 | 100.00 |
As can be seen in the table, the infinitive endings "-chu" and "-yu" are never preceded by a vowel. On the other hand, the infinitive endings "-lu," "-tu," and "-xu" are never receded by a consonant. A careful observation of infinitive endings and what precedes them is very essential for predicting certain phonological and grammatical behavior of the language as discussed below.
1. Verbs with "-achu" ending
Verbs that take the form "-achu" are subject to the following rules:
1.1. 2nd Person Imperative
- Singular positive: "-chu" changes to geminated "-dhu".
- Plural/honorific positive: "-chu" changes to geminated "-dhaa".
- Singular negative: "-chu" changes to "-tin".
- Plural/honorific negative: "-chu" changes to "-tinaa".
Example: taphachu (to play)
| Positive | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | Ati taphadhu! (You, play!) | Ati hin taphatin! (You, don't play!) |
| Plural/Hon. | Isin taphadhaa! (You, play!) | Isin hin taphatinaa! (You, don't play!) |
1.2. 1st Person Singular Declarative
The "-chu" changes to geminated "-dh-" in all tenses except in the present progressive and past progressive.
- An nan/nin taphadha (I play/will play)
- An taphadhe (I played)
- An taphadheen jira/ture (I have/had played)
- An taphadheera (I have played)
- An taphachaan jira/ture OR An taphachuuttan/taphachuuttin jira/ture (I am/was playing)
1.3. 2nd Person & 3rd Person Singular Feminine
In any 2nd person (singular & plural/honorific) and 3rd person singular feminine pronoun/noun, the "-chu" changes to geminated "-tt-" in all tenses except in the progressive tenses.
Example: taphachu (to play)
| Ati (you, sing.) | Isin (you, pl./hon.) | Iseen/Caaltuun (She/Caaltuu) |
|---|---|---|
| ni taphatta (play/will play) | ni taphattan (play/will play) | ni taphatti (plays/will play) |
| ni taphatte (played) | ni taphattan (played) | ni taphatte (played) |
| taphatte jirta/turte (have/had played) | taphattani jirtu/turtan (have/had played) | taphatte jirti/turte (has/had played) |
| taphateetta (have played) | taphattanittu (have played) | taphatteetti (has played) |
| taphachaa jirta/turte (are/were playing) | taphachaa jirtu/turtan (are/were playing) | taphachaa jirti/turte (is/was playing) |
2. Verbs with other endings
These can be divided into three types:
- Type A: End in "-bu, -cu, -du, -gu, -ju, -phu, -qu, -tu, -xu"
- Type B: End in "-chu, -dhu, -fu, -ku, -lu, -mu, -nu, -ru, -shu, -su, -yu"
- Type C: End in "-'u, -wu"
Type A Verbs
When the ending is preceded by a vowel, in the 2nd person (sing./pl./hon.) and 3rd person singular feminine, the ending consonant is modified. For example, for "-bu", it adds a "d" and becomes "-bd-".
Example: sobu (to lie)
| Ati (you, sing.) | Isin (you, pl./hon.) | Iseen/Caaltuun (She/Mary) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Declarative | ni sobda/sobde (lie/will lie/lied) | ni sobdu/sobdan (lie/will lie/lied) | ni sobdi/sobde (lies/will lie/lied) |
| Negative | hin sobdu/hin sobne (don't/won't/didn't lie) | hin sobdanu/hin sobne (don't/won't/didn't lie) | hin sobdu/hin sobne (doesn't/won't/didn't lie) |
Other Type A changes: -cu → -cc, -du → -dd, -gu → -gd, -ju → -jj, -phu → -phx, -qu → -qx, -tu → -tt, -xu → -xx.
Type B Verbs
If preceded by a vowel, they take "-t-" in the 2nd person and 3rd person singular feminine. If preceded by a consonant, they take "-it-".
Examples: rafu (to sleep - preceded by vowel) & kolfu (to laugh - preceded by consonant)
| Ati (you, sing.) | Isin (you, pl./hon.) | Iseen/Caaltuun (She/Mary) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Declarative | ni rafta/kolfita (sleep/laugh) | ni raftu/kolfitu (sleep/laugh) | ni rafti/kolfiti (sleeps/laughs) |
| Negative | hin raftu/hin kolfu (don't sleep/laugh) | hin raftanu/hin kolfitanu (don't sleep/laugh) | hin raftu/hin kolfitu (doesn't sleep/laugh) |
Type C Verbs
Verbs with "-'u" and "-wu" endings are often irregular. However, for verbs ending in "-aawu", the "-aa-" changes to "-of-" or "-oy-".
Example: dhibaawu (drag one's feet)
- Ati ni dhiboofta / dhiboofte
- Isin ni dhibooftu / dhibooftan
- Iseen ni dhiboofti / dhiboofte
- Nuyi ni dhiboofna / dhiboofne