Sylheti language/Verbs
Sylheti Bengali verbs can be conjugated according to three tenses : Present, Past and Future
Within each tense, verbs can be conjugated differently according to their aspects : simple, progressive, perfect, habitual, near, distant, etc.
Verb conjugation in Present tense
[edit | edit source]First category of conjugation : Verbs ending in consonant+-aa
[edit | edit source]An example verb of this category is :
ma•ta
to speak
This is the dictionary form or the infinitive form of the verb.
At the end of this verb we have ta, which matches the pattern consonant + -aa
To conjugate this kind of verb in the present tense, you
1. remove the -aa in the end.
2. add the following endings depending on Person. (Who is doing the action matters).
3. Note that Number (Singular or Plural) of the Subject doesn't matter. (How many persons are doing the action has no influence on the verb ending.)
| Singular | Plural | |||
| 1st Person | Ami (I) | -i | Amra (We) | -i |
| 2nd Person (informal) |
Tumi (You) | -o | Tumra (You) | -o |
| 2nd Person (familiar / derogatory) |
Tui (You) | -is | ||
| 2nd Person (formal) |
Afne (You) | -oin | Afnara (You) | -oukka |
| 3rd Person (informal) |
He/Tai (He/She) | -e | Tara (They) | -e |
| 3rd Person (formal) |
Tain (He/She) | -oin | ||
Mata (to speak)
| ||||
| Singular | Plural | |||
| 1st Person | Ami (I) | mati (speak) | Amra (We) | mati (speak) |
| 2nd Person (informal) |
Tumi (You) | mato (speak) | Tumra (You) | mato (speak) |
| 2nd Person (familiar / derogatory) |
Tui (You) | matis/mat (speak) | ||
| 2nd Person (formal) |
Afne (You) | matoin (speak) | Afnara (You) | matoukka (speak) |
| 3rd Person (informal) |
He/Tai (He/She) | mate (speaks) | Tara (They) | mate (speaks) |
| 3rd Person (formal) |
Tain (He/She) | matoin (speaks) | ||
progressive/continuous present
[edit | edit source]This tense describes a present action which is still going on at this moment and not finished.
perfect present
[edit | edit source]This tense describes an action which was completed in a near past.
habitual present
[edit | edit source]This tense describes an action which is a currently existing habit.