Appendix:Coptic verbs

Main category: Coptic verbs

Coptic verb conjugation differs between each dialect. This guide is tailored to the Bohairic dialect.

Infinitive forms

Each verb in Bohairic has an infinitive marked with "̀ⲉ", "to". Every verb also has a negative infinitive "ⲉϣⲧⲉⲙ", "to not".

• Infinitive: ̀ⲉⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (̀esōtem, “To hear”)
• Negative Infinitive: ⲉϣⲧⲉⲙⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (eštemsōtem, “To not hear”)

Imperative forms

• Imperative: ⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (sōtem, “Hear”)
• Negative Imperative: ⲙⲡⲉⲣⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (mpersōtem, “Do not hear”)

Pronouns

Bohairic has 8 pronouns.

Ⲁⲛⲟⲕ(I), Ⲁⲛⲟⲛ(We)

Ⲛⲑⲟⲕ(You m.), Ⲛⲑⲟ(You f.), Ⲛⲑⲱⲧⲉⲛ(You pl.)

Ⲛⲑⲟϥ(He), Ⲛⲑⲟⲥ(She), Ⲛⲑⲱⲟⲩ(They)

Pronouns can and usually are omitted when constructing sentences. For example, English "We read the books" could be "Ⲁⲛⲟⲛ ⲧⲉⲛⲱϣ ̀ⲛⲛⲓϫⲱⲙ"; the phrase would more simply and commonly be written "Ⲧⲉⲛⲱϣ ̀ⲛⲓⲛⲓϫⲱⲙ".

Durative sentences

Durative sentences are sentences that continue over a period of time have two parts: Present and future

Present:

• Simple Present, e.g.: ϯⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (tisōtem, “I hear, I am hearing”)
• Circumstantial, e.g.: ⲉⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (eisōtem, “I, hearing”)
• Focalising, e.g.: ⲁⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (aisōtem, “It is... that I am hearing”) (The focalised present resembles the past perfect tense)
• Preterite, e.g.: ⲛⲁⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (naisōtem, “I was hearing”)
• Relative, e.g.: ⲉϯⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (etisōtem, “That/who/which I am hearing”)

Future:

• Simple Future, e.g.: ϯⲛⲁⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (tinasōtem, “I will hear”)
• Circumstantial, e.g.: ⲉⲓⲛⲁⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (einasōtem, “I am about to be hearing”)
• Focalising, e.g.: ⲁⲓⲛⲁⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (ainasōtem, “It is... that I will hear”)
• Preterite, e.g.: ⲛⲁⲓⲛⲁⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (nainasōtem, “I would hear, I would be hearing”)
• Unreal Conditional, e.g.: ⲉⲛⲁⲓⲛⲁⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (enainasōtem, “If I hear/When I hear”)
• Relative, e.g.: ⲉϯⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (etisōtem, “That/who/which I will hear”)

Non-Durative sentences

Non-durative sentences are sentences that have a specific ending.

Past:

• Affirmative Perfect, e.g.: ⲁⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (aisōtem, “I heard”)
• Negative Perfect, e.g.: ⲙⲡⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (mpisōtem, “I did not hear”)
• Affirmative Preterite, e.g.: ⲛⲉⲁⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (neaisōtem, “I had seen”)
• Negative Preterite, e.g.: ⲛⲉⲙⲡⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (nempisōtem, “I had not seen”)
• Circumstantial, e.g.: ⲉⲁⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (eaisōtem, “having heard”)
• Focalising, Relative, Precursive e.g.: ⲉⲧⲁⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (etaisōtem, “That/who/which I heard; When I heard”)

Aorist:

• Affirmative Perfect, e.g.: ϣⲁⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (šaisōtem, “I usually hear”)
• Negative Perfect, e.g.: ⲙⲡⲁⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (mpaisōtem, “I do not usually hear”)

Optative:

• Affirmative Perfect, e.g.: ⲉⲓⲉⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (eiesōtem, “I will hear”)
• Negative Perfect, e.g.: ̀ⲛⲛⲁⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (̀nnasōtem, “I will not hear”)

Jussive/Causative:

• Affirmative Jussive, e.g.: ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (marisōtem, “Let me hear”)
• Affirmative Causative, e.g.: ⲑⲣⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (thrisōtem, “Cause me to hear”)
• Negative Jussive/Causative, e.g.: ⲙⲡⲉⲛⲑⲣⲓⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (mpenthrisōtem, “Do not let me hear/Do not cause me to hear”)

Subordinate Clause

Real Conditional:

• Affirmative Conditional, e.g.: ⲁⲓϣⲁⲛⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (aišansōtem, “If I hear/When I hear”)
• Negative Conditional, e.g.: ⲁⲓϣⲧⲉⲙⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (aištemsōtem, “If I do not hear”)

Conjunctive:

• Affirmative Conjunctive, e.g.: ̀ⲛⲧⲁⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (̀ntasōtem, “So I hear”)
• Negative Conjunctive, e.g.: ̀ⲛⲧⲁϣⲧⲉⲙⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (̀ntaštemsōtem, “So I do not hear”)

Limitative, Expectative:

• Limitative, e.g.: ϣⲁϯⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (šatisōtem, “Until I hear”)
• Expectative, e.g.: ̀ⲙⲡⲁϯⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (̀mpatisōtem, “I have not yet heard, Before I hear”)

Accusative & Dative Qualifier

Transitive verbs must include an accusative ̀ⲛ-/̀ⲙ or dative ̀ⲉ- qualifier for affected nouns.

E.g. Ϯⲱϣ ̀ⲙⲡⲓⲱϣ I am reading the lesson. Ϯⲙⲟⲩϯ ̀ⲉϯϣⲁⲩ. I call the cat.

Forms of the verb

There are four forms of a verb in Bohairic Coptic:

1. Absolute

Absolute is the default form of Bohairic verbs, it is used with prefixes:

ⲥϧⲁⲓ ̀ⲙⲡⲓϫⲱⲙ - write the book

2. Construct/Nominal

This is an unstressed form used when a noun object follows immediately with no prefix. The the stress is moved from the verb to the noun. Only transitive verbs have a construct form.

ⲥϧⲁⲓ -> ⲥϧⲉ ⲡⲓϫⲱⲙ - write the book

3. Pronominal

This is the form taken when a suffix is attached. Only transitive verbs have a pronominal form.

ⲥϧⲁⲓ -> ⲥϧⲉ -> ⲥϧⲏⲧϥ - write it

4. Qualitative/Stative

The qualitative expresses a state serving the function of a past participle.

ⲥϧⲁⲓ -> ⲥϧⲉ -> ⲥϧⲏⲧ -> ⲥϧⲏⲟⲩⲧ, ⲡⲓϫⲱⲙ ⲉⲧⲥϧⲏⲟⲩⲧ - the written book

Suffix Verbs

Some verbs only exist with a suffix attached:

Ⲟⲩⲟⲛⲧⲁⲕ ̀ⲙⲙⲁⲩ, Ⲟⲩⲟⲛⲧⲁϥ ̀ⲙⲙⲁⲩ You(m.) have, He has

Ⲡⲉϫⲁⲕ, Ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ You(m.) said, He said

Object pronouns

Object pronouns are pronouns attached to the end of verbs. -ⲓ me -ⲕ you(m.) -ⲧⲉ you(f.) -ϥ he/it -ⲥ she/it -ⲧⲉⲧⲉⲛ you(pl.) -ⲧⲉⲛ we -ⲟⲩ them

Consonant Changes

Bohairic has consonantal changes following these letters: ⲃ, ⲕ, ⲗ, ⲓ, ⲙ, ⲛ, ⲟⲩ, ⲣ

Ⲕ turns into Ⲭ e.g. Ⲕⲥⲁϫⲓ, Ⲭⲟⲩⲱⲙ You speak, You eat

Ⲡ turns into Ⲫ e.g. Ⲡⲓϫⲱⲙ, Ⲫⲛⲟⲩϯ The book, (The) God

Ⲧ,Ϯ turns into Ⲑ e.g. Ϯⲓϣⲉⲣⲓ, Ⲑⲙⲁⲩ The girl, The mother