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Verb roots are generally monosyllabic, most of them ending in a consonant, but some ending in a vowel or rising diphthong.
The basic stem of the verb is the root form. All verbs also have an augmented perfect stem, which forms perfect tenses. The perfect stem derives from the basic stem by a regular process, which may better explained in diachronical terms: first, the suffix /is/ is added to the basic stem; then i-Umlaut is applied (if the root vowel is /a/, it changes to /e/), and then the /i/ in /is/ may be elided, as in dac- > dec-s-e.
The /i/ in /is/ is preserved when it may form a falling dipththong with the root vowel (as in ila- > ila-is-e), and in all instances where a cluster of consonant + /s/ is not allowed.
Some intransitive verbs have a second augmented stem that is transitive. This stem is formed by adding /k/ to the basic stem. The k-stem allows for the oblique complement of the basic verb to be promoted to the direct object position. For example: fere iteni "he goes away from the river" vs. ferke eni "he leaves the river". The k-stem verb allows for the verb to be used in participial form: inic wo ferkiade "this street is deserted" (fer- 'leave, go away' is intransitive and thus cannot have a passive participle).
The k-stem mark changes to an echo vowel + -k when the root is such that a consonant is not allowed, as in abr- 'tremble' > abrak- '(cause to) shake'. The k-stem is not always a causative, though it used to be; in modern Yivokuchi its use is rather idiosyncratic.
Verbs inflect for tense, which is either past or present.
The present tense is used for actual present actions and for habitual actions, as well as hypothetical actions or those to be performed in the future (in this case usually supplementing the verb tense with temporal adverbs or phrases). The present tense uses the bare stem (basic or perfect) and adds the prefix -e.
The past tense is used for actual or habitual actions performed in the past. Morphologically, it uses either form of the bare stem and adds a prefix, s-, and a suffix, -u.
The past tense prefix s- produces fricative mutation on roots starting with a consonant, and is deleted in the same process, as in *s-tia-u > sia-u. On vowel-initial roots, s- is preserved.
Moreover, the past tense suffix -u also produces Umlaut, which changes /a/ to /o/ if found in the verb stem (u-Umlaut of diphthongs has also been attested).
The fricative mutation triggered by the s- prefix may produce non-allowed clusters, which are broken, as usual, with echo vowels: bris- 'finish', virisu 'he finished'.
Verbs may also inflect for aspect, which may be perfect, imperfect or continuous.
Perfect aspect shows an action that has been completed up to the time of speaking. Perfect tenses use the perfect stem, as described above.
The imperfect aspect is the unmarked form of the verb. It is used for habitual actions, for actions that are not complete, or when emphasis is not needed on the state of completeness. It uses the basic stem.
The continuous aspect is used for actual ongoing actions, emphasizing this dynamic nature. It is marked by using the prefix ar- over the basic stem (forming what is arguably a new stem).
The combination of the prefixes ar- and s- (past tense mark) on consonant-initial roots produces the usual fricative mutation (when applicable) and a reduction of the consonant cluster /rs/ with a simultaneous compensatory lengthening/diphthongization of the /a/ in ar-, as in *ar-s-pid-u > eo-fid-u or *ar-s-mat-u > oe-vot-u.
A number of ambiguities and homophonies arise due to the processes of ellision and Umlaut which occur in the marking of tense and aspect on verbs. These are resolved in part by context, periphrasis and overspecification, and in part also by further marking of tense as a suffix (-e for present, -u for past). The mutation of voiced stops into voiced fricatives presents less problems, since the latter are relatively new in the development of the language, and tend to be present only as a result of this mutation. (That means, for example, that there are almost no words starting with /z/ besides finite verb forms with a root starting in /d/.)
Verbs are negated by the use of the prefix al-, which has an allomorph ala- for roots beginning with a vowel or /l/.
Imperative mood uses the verb without personal inflections and prefixes it with di- or j-.
There are two or three participles for each verb. Transitive verbs always have at least two, a passive one and an active one. Intransitive verbs have at least an active participle. Most verbs of both kinds also have an absolute participle which stands for the action performed. The absolute participle thus functions as a kind of infinitive (or deverbal noun) in certain contexts.
dac- 'ask for' dac-ia- '(the thing) asked for' dac-en- '(the person) asking for (something)' dac-r- '(the act of) asking for (something)' fer- 'leave, go away' fer-en- '(the person) leaving' fae-r- '(the act of) leaving'
The perfective suffix -is- can be used on participles for perfect forms, though the difference can be practically null.
dac-ia- '(the thing that is being) asked for' dac-ia- '(the thing that was) asked for' dac-ia-is- '(the thing that was) asked for'
The suffix -dr- may be applied last, indicating purpose or obligation.
dac-ia-dr- '(the thing) to be asked for' dac-en-dr- '(the person) to do the asking for (something)' fer-en-dr- '(the person) to do the leaving' fae-r-dr- 'the will of leaving' (not exactly; difficult to translate)
All the participles function as noun/adjective stems.
Verbs and their arguments do not agree. However, some arguments may be marked on the verb. In particular, a transitive verb may appear without a explicit direct object, if it refers to a noun phrase already mentioned, by adding the inseparable object mark -n after the tense suffix. Combined with pronoun deletion, this allows for impersonal sentences. With the object in pre-verbal position, it mimics the emphasis given by passive sentences in other languages.
Braomai me zokalun. "That agreement, (they) wrote it." OR "That agreement was written down." Misinoren. "(She) gives birth to it." OR "It is born."
A reciprocal action between the members of a (generally dual) subject may be marked on the verb with the prefix kada-. This prefix is not incorporated to the stem, so the mutations that may apply do not affect it.
Kadavotu liyetie didele. "They told each other to be silent." Kheni woch kadaiken. "The earth and the sky support each other." (saying)
A conjunctive mark may be added to an inflected verb form. This mark is used to concatenate verbs (or sentences through their main verbs), like the English conjunction 'and'. The conjunctive-marked verb form may also show opposition (like the English conjunction 'but'), depending on the context.
The conjunctive mark is -s, which changes to -z if the object mark is present (underlyingly, since it is deleted).
Vejhu ferus. '(He) stood up and left.' E ukuen tupez. 'I choose it and I impose it.' Siau mech kadasorus. 'They fought and hurt each other.' Siaisu ime sibus gamva. '(They) (had) fought but got back together.'
The conjunctive mark also joins some modal phrases (see below).
Since Yivokuchi does not have a complex aspectual system, most aspects are rendered analytically, using periphrases that involve other verbs, like naz 'start', ciaz 'stop', and bris 'finish'.
There are two ways to make a phrase like these. One way involves nominalizing the verb, which is done using the absolute participle, and then using it as the subject of the auxiliary verb. The arguments of the main verb may be referenced obliquely using (generally) the genitive case.
The other way consists in coordinating the verbs using the conjunctive form, while leaving them inflected (similar to English 'try and do X'). This is most often done with naz 'start'. One can also use a predicate-copula phrase as the second term. When the semantics of the main verb requires it, the negative form will be used with the copula.
Yin tiari chiozu. 'Their fighting stopped.' Diciazak tiar jhae! 'Stop your fighting!' Diciaz tiarendialdes! 'Stop and don't be fighting!' 'Stop fighting!' Fairi arnaze. '(His) leaving is starting.' '(He) is starting/about to leave.' Dinazak potrin. 'Start drinking it.' Dinazak potri iton wo. 'Start drinking this water.' Zozu fotus itoni. '(He) started and drank the water.' '(He) started drinking the water.'
Yivokuchi handles modal phrases using plain adjectives and joining them to the verb phrase with the conjunctive form. Some of these modal adjectives are ul 'able', ca 'possible', and tuip 'obligatory', which pattern very closely with English 'can', 'may' and 'must'. The hypothetical marks may be combined with these, too. There's a lot of room to play with word order and deletion of context-assumed pronouns, as well as alternative renderings.
1. Cade e gamses.
ca =de e gams -e =s
possible=COP 1s return-PRS=CNJ
"I may return."
1b. Ye gamsara cade.
"My return[ing] is possible."
2. Ul jode tazez?
ul jo=de taz-e =z
able 2s=COP do -PRS=OBJ+CNJ
"Can you do it?
2b. Ul [jo] tazez de?
"Can [you] do it?"
3. Tuipade kai ukues.
tuip -a =de kai uku -e =s
obligatory-NDF=COP 1sX choose-PRS=CNJ
"We must choose." ("It is compulsory that we choose.")
3b. Khaisade kai ukues.
"We must choose." ("It is necessary that we choose.")
3c. Khai ukura khaisade.
"Our choosing is necessary."
4. Cabu e gamses...
ca =bu e gams -e =s
possible=HYP 1s return-PRS=CNJ
"I may return..." / "If I return..."
There are three special forms of the verb (one for the active participle, other for the passive participle, and a third used on the basic stem) called suspensive forms, that among other uses transform the verb phrase into an adverbial phrase, or modifier; in general they set up a contextual frame for the rest of the sentence or the following utterances.
The basic suspensive mark is -im. This one is used with the basic stem. The verb arguments are changed from their absolute form: the subject is marked with the commitative case, and the object, if any, is marked with the genitive.
Liyuech zurim... "As the night continued..." "Continuing the night..." Liboch yolim iteskach... "As the people assessed the signs..."
The suspensive form of the active participle is -nim or -enim. The subject stays as is (in absolute form), but the object is made genitive:
Eki garimenim yivimi... "As the woman opened the book..."
The suspensive form of the passive participle is -iyam. As with the active participle, the subject stays as is and the object is made genitive:
Kach ukuiyam... "As the man was chosen..."
In all case, note how all temporal information is lost; despite the glosses (which are only approximate) there is no tense on any of these verb forms. Some temporal words may be used to clarify the context.
Root: pid- Augmented root: pid-is- Present: pid-e Present perfect: pid-s-e Present continuous: ar-pid-e Past: s-pid-u > fid-u Past imperfect: ar-s-pid-u > eo-fid-u Past perfect: s-pid-is-u > pid-s-u Passive participle: pid-ia- Active participle: pid-en- Absolute participle: pid-r- Imperative: di-pid- Root: dac- Augmented root: dac-is- > dec-s- Present: dac-e Present perfect: dec-s-e Present continuous: ar-dac-e Past: s-dac-u > zoc-u Past imperfect: ar-s-dac-u > oe-zoc-u Past perfect: s-dac-is-u > zec-s-u Passive participle: dac-ia- Active participle: dac-en- Absolute participle: dac-r- Imperative: di-dac- Root: mat- Augmented root: mat-is- > met-s- Present: mat-e Present perfect: met-s-e Present continuous: ar-mat-e Past: s-mat-u > vot-u Past imperfect: ar-s-mat-u > oe-vot-u Past perfect: s-mat-is-u > vet-s-u Passive participle: mat-ia- Active participle: mat-en- Absolute participle: mat-r- Imperative: di-mat- Root: fer- Augmented root: fer-is-, fer-s- Present: fer-e Present perfect: fer-s-e Present continuous: ar-fer-e Past: s-fer-u > fer-u Past imperfect: ar-s-fer-u > eo-fer-u Past perfect: s-fer-is-u > fer-s-u Passive participle: fer-ia- Active participle: fer-en- Absolute participle: fer-r- > fae-r- Imperative: di-fer- Root: ok- Augmented root: ok-is-, ok-s- Present: ok-e Present perfect: ok-s-e Present continuous: ar-ok-e Past: s-ok-u Past imperfect: ar-s-ok-u Past perfect: s-ok-is-u > s-ok-s-u Passive participle: ok-ia- Active participle: ok-en- Absolute participle: ok-r- Imperative: j-ok- Root: ila- Augmented root: ila-is- Present: ila-e Present perfect: ila-is-e Present continuous: ar-ila-e Past: s-ila-u Past imperfect: ar-s-ila-u Past perfect: s-ila-is-u Passive participle: ila-ia- > ila-ya- Active participle: ila-en- > ila-n- Absolute participle: ila-r- Imperative: j-ila- Root: tia- Augmented root: tia-is- Present: tia-e Present perfect: tia-is-e Present continuous: ar-tia-e Past: s-tia-u > sia-u Past imperfect: ar-s-tia-u > eo-sia-u Past perfect: s-tia-is-u > sia-is-u Passive participle: tia-ia- > tia-ya- Active participle: tia-en- > tia-n- Absolute participle: tia-r- Imperative: di-tia- Root: wey- Augmented root: wey-s- Present: wey-e Present perfect: wey-s-e Present continuous: ar-wey-e Past: s-wey-u > vey-u Past imperfect: ar-s-wey-u > ar-vey-u Past perfect: s-wey-s-u > vey-s-u Passive participle: wey-ia- > we-ya- Active participle: wey-en- Absolute participle: wey-r- Imperative: di-wey-