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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) | no channel named | bare verb (this stretch), unless an earlier channel is still carried |
| walked | you remember it | MEMORY thevom |
| walked | going by clues or cases | CLUES thunem / PATTERN thobam plus a - offset |
| walked | they told you, or you read it | REPORTED thewam plus a - offset |
| walked (telling what happened) | one ground for the whole story | the channel and offset on the first sentence; bare verbs after it keep them (carry forward) |
| walked (a made-up story) | it is fiction | NOTIONAL thavom on the first sentence; bare verbs after it stay in the story (carry forward) |
| 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 walking | they are in the middle of it | the event root on /ɡ/: zazawan gowogal (in progress) |
| 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 CLUES + 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 MEMORY. Add a - amount to say how long ago.
zazawan thevom vowogal.z-Azawan | th-MEMORY | v-walk
"Azawan walked (I remember it)."
zazawan thevom bazazam gruwol vowogal.z-Azawan | [th-MEMORY | [b-day | g-minus-one]] | v-walk
"I saw Azawan walk yesterday."
Reports and reasoning need their own - amount, because those channels do not fix the time.
zazawan thewam bazazam gruwol vowogal.z-Azawan | [th-REPORTED | [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: mid-way, in view, or still
Needs: In progress · Live vs memory · Already, still, not yet
English is walking usually means one of three things. Put the event root on /ɡ/ when you say they are in the middle of it. Say thodom when the walking is in view now. Say hagem when you stress that it goes on.
zazawan gowogal.z-Azawan | g-walk
"Azawan is walking."
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-REPORTED | [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 har zehon hoham vowogal |
| 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 | hanom + /b/: hanom 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-CLUES | [b-day | g-zero]] | v-walk
"Azawan must be walking today."
yol har zehon hoham vowogal.y-question | h-when | z-listener | h-already | v-walk
"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 vowogal zehon.y-request | v-walk | z-listener
"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, thuboxal |
| afford (can pay) | zazawan vamoxal dugul |
| 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 zehon 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.
zehon thuhum brul thegathem vezebel. zehon 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 |
| if only …, I wish … | WANT with the speaker in /b/: thohum bamun |
| let's | request yem with aha as subject |
zalahen thohum vowogal.z-Alahen | th-WANT-unstated | v-walk
"Alahen wants to walk."
zazawan thohum bamun vowogal.z-Azawan | [th-WANT-unstated | b-speaker] | v-walk
"If only Azawan would 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-MEMORY | v-walk
2. I hear Azawan walks tomorrow.
Show answer
zazawan thewam bazazam grawol vowogal.
z-Azawan | [th-REPORTED | [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