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Grammar 23
a) The imperative of weak and irregular verbs

The imperative forms of weak verbs generally follow the same pattern as strong verbs (G.16d) sg. graš! ܓܪܰܫ pl. grašu! ܓܪܰܫܘ.

1. Initial weak verbs

The imperative of the main initial weak verbs starts with /i-/ ܐܝ instead of /y-/ ܝـ:

ʾbc ܐܒܥ I ibac! ܐܝܒܰܥ desire! ibacu! ܐܝܒܰܥܘ desire (pl.)!
ʾḏc ܐܕ݂ܥ I iḏac! ܐܝܕ݂ܰܥ know! iḏacu! ܐܝܕ݂ܰܥܘ know (pl.)!
ylf ܝܠܦ I ilaf! ܐܝܠܰܦ learn! ilafu! ܐܝܠܰܦܘ learn (pl.)!
ytw ܝܬܘ I itaw! ܐܝܬܰܘ sit! itawu! ܐܝܬܰܘܘ sit (pl.)!

Other verbs with Olaf /ܐ/ as first radical are formed without the initial weak radical, showing only the two remaining radicals like medial weak (i.e. hollow) verbs:

ʾmr ܐܡܪ I mar! ܡܰܪ say! maru! ܡܰܪܘ say (pl.)!
ʾby/hwy ܐܒܝ/ܗܘܝ I haw! ܗܰܘ give! hawu! ܗܰܘܘ give (pl.)!
ʾxl ܐܟ݂ܠ I xul! ܟ݂ܘܠ eat! xulu! ܟ݂ܘܠܘ eat (pl.)!

2. Imperatives ofto come“ und „to go

The verbsto come“ (ʾṯy ܐܬ݂ܝ) and „to go“ (ʾzl ܐܙܠ) are irregular. They have exceptional imperative forms and distinguish between feminine and masculine gender in the singular:

ʾṯy ܐܬ݂ܝ I tux! ܬܘܟ݂ come (m.sg.)! tax! ܬܰܟ݂ come (f.sg.)! toxu! ܬܳܟ݂ܘ come (pl.)!
ʾzl ܐܙܠ I zux! ܙܘܟ݂ go (m.sg.)! zax! ܙܰܟ݂ go (f.sg.)! zoxu! ܙܳܟ݂ܘ go (pl.)!

3. Verbs with /y/ ܝ as second radical

Medial /y/ ܝ verbs are formed without the weak radical, showing only two radicals:

sym ܣܝܡ I sёm! ܣܷܡ make! do!(sg.) sumu! ܣܘܡܘ make! do! (pl.)
ḥyr ܚܝܪ I ḥur! ܚܘܪ look (sg.)! ḥuru! ܚܘܪܘ look (pl.)!
byz ܒܝܙ I bёz! ܒܷܙ pour (sg.)! buzu! ܒܘܙܘ (pour) (pl.)!

The imperative of medial /wܘ verbs, however, is inflected like strong verbs:

twr ܬܘܪ I twar! ܬܘܰܪ break! (sg.) twaru! ܬܘܰܪܘ break! (pl.)
nwḥ ܢܘܚ I nwaḥ! ܢܘܰܚ bark! (sg.) nwaḥu! ܢܘܰܚܘ bark! (pl.)
gwr ܓܘܪ I gwar! ܓܘܰܪ get married! (sg.) gwaru! ܓܘܰܪܘ get married! (pl.)

4. Final weak verbs

All three stem formations (I, II and III) of final weak roots form the imperative like strong verbs:

ḥzy ܚܙܝ I ḥzay! ܚܙܰܝ see! (sg.) ḥzayu! ܚܙܰܝܘ see! (pl.)
kly ܟܠܝ I klay! ܟܠܰܝ wait! stop! klayu! ܟܠܰܝܘ wait! stop! (pl.)
kṯw ܟܬ݂ܘ I kṯaw! ܟܬ݂ܰܘ write! kṯawu! ܟܬ݂ܰܘܘ write! (pl.)
crw ܥܪܘ I craw! ܥܪܰܘ sieve! crawu! ܥܪܰܘܘ sieve! (pl.)
ṣly ܨܠܝ II mṣalay! ܡܨܰܠܰܝ pray! mṣaleyu! ܡܨܰܠܶܝܘ pray! (pl.)
bny ܒܢܝ II mbanay! ܡܒܰܢܰܝ count! mbaneyu! ܡܒܰܢܶܝܘ count! (pl.)
qrw ܩܪܘ II mqaraw! ܡܩܰܪܰܘ celebrate mass! mqarewu! ܡܩܰܪܶܘܘ celebrate mass! (pl.)
ḥšw ܚܫܘ II mḥašaw! ܡܚܰܫܰܘ pay! mḥašewu! ܡܚܰܫܶܘܘ pay! (pl.)
qry ܩܪܝ III maqray! ܡܰܩܪܰܝ teach! maqreyu! ܡܰܩܪܶܝܘ teach! (pl.)
kry ܟܪܝ III makray! ܡܰܟܪܰܝ shorten! makreyu! ܡܰܟܪܶܝܘ shorten! (pl.)
qrw ܩܪܘ III maqraw! ܡܰܩܪܰܘ bring closer! maqrewu! ܡܰܩܪܶܘܘ bring closer! (pl.)
kṯw ܟܬ݂ܘ III makṯaw! ܡܰܟܬ݂ܰܘ make write! makṯewu! ܡܰܟܬ݂ܶܘܘ make write! (pl.)

5. Negation of the imperative of weak and irregular verbs

Imperatives are negated using lo ܠܐ + the present base inflected for the second person (sg. respectively pl.) (G16.d):

        graš! ܓܪܰܫ > lo guršat! ܠܐ ܓܘܪܫܰܬ

        grašu! ܓܪܰܫܘ > lo guršitu! ܠܐ ܓܘܪܫܝܬܘ

The negative imperative thus follows the inflection of the present forms of the respective verbs. As discussed in Section G.22e, the negation of initial Olaf ܐ verbs is slightly different. In these verbs the negator lo ܠܐ merges with the initial syllable of the present form ending up as l- ܠـlo ܠܐ uxlat ܐܘܟ݂ܠܰܬ luxlat ܠܐܘܟ݂ܠܰܬ “don’t eat!”. The Olaf ܐ is maintained in the Syriac spelling for etymological reasons. For more examples, see Section G.22e.

 

b) Object suffixes attached to the imperative

Pronominal objects of the imperative are expressed by means of suffixes. These are the same object suffixes presented in Section G.22a. The imperative singular has two distinct third person object suffixes, the first denotes the direct object (DO) (“Pull him!”, “Give it!”) and the second the indirect object (IO) (“Pull for him!” “Give to me!”). All other persons have only one form:

Suffix Imperative sg. Imperative pl.
3.m.Sg. DO: graše! ܓܪܰܫܶܗ grašule! ܓܪܰܫܘܠܶܗ
IO: grašle! ܓܪܰܫܠܶܗ
3.f.Sg. DO: graša! ܓܪܰܫܰܗ grašula! ܓܪܰܫܘܠܰܗ
IO: grašla! ܓܪܰܫܠܰܗ
1.m.Sg. DO/IO: grašli! ܓܪܰܫܠܝ grašuli! ܓܪܰܫܘܠܝ
3.Pl. DO: grašene! ܓܪܰܫܶܢܶܗ grašunne! ܓܪܰܫܘܢܢܶܗ
IO: grašše! ܓܪܰܫܫܶܗ
1.Pl. DO/IO: grašlan! ܓܪܰܫܠܰܢ grašulan! ܓܪܰܫܘܠܰܢ

Examples:

DO: grašli l Almanya! Take me to Germany! ܓܪܰܫܠܝ ܠܐܰܠܡܰܐܢܝܰܐ
IO: grašli zuze mu otomat! Get me some money from the ATM! ܓܪܰܫܠܝ ܙܘܙܶܐ ܡܘ ܐܳܬܳܡܰܬ
DO: i luḥo du šqolo, qraya b qolo celoyo! The shopping listread it aloud! ܐܝ ܠܘܚܐ ܕܘ ܫܩܳܠܐ، ܩܪܰܝܰܗ ܒܩܳܠܐ ܥܶܠܳܝܐ
IO: qrayla li barṯayḏux ëšmo mu kṯowo! Read to her, to your daughter, a little from the book! ܩܪܰܝܠܰܗ ܠܝ ܒܰܪܬ݂ܰܝܕ݂ܘܟ݂ ܐܷܫܡܐ ܡܘ ܟܬ݂ܳܘܐ
DO: lo koḥëzyono u abrayḏi, krax acle ḥzaye! I (f.) don’t see my son, look for him and find him! ܠܐ ܟܳܚܷܙܝܳܢܐ ܐܘ ܐܰܒܪܰܝܕ݂ܝ، ܟܪܰܟ݂ ܐܰܥܠܶܗ ܚܙܰܝܶܗ
IO: zux acme li šuqo ḥzayle mobil ḥaṯo! Go (m.) along with him to the shopping centre and find him a new cell phone! ܙܘܟ݂ ܐܰܥܡܶܗ ܠܝ ܫܘܩܐ ܚܙܰܝܠܶܗ ܡܳܒܝܠ ܚܰܬ݂ܐ

 

c) The 3rd sg. copula yo ܝܐ and 3pl. copula ne ܢܶܐ can serve as second pronominal object

Verbs that have an object suffix can take another pronominal object expressed by the third person copulas (G4.2b) sg. yo ܝܐ and pl. ne ܢܶܐ. This is written independently. The second object is always a direct object, the object suffix can only denote the indirect object:

kogoraš He pulls. ܟܳܓܳܪܰܫ
kogorašlax He pulls you (f.sg.)/for you (f.sg.). ܟܳܓܳܪܰܫܠܰܟ݂
kogorašlax ne He pulls them for you (f.sg.). ܟܳܓܳܪܰܫܠܰܟ ܢܶܐ
hula She gave. ܗܘܠܰܗ
hulali She gave me. ܗܘܠܰܠܝ
hulali yo She gave it to me. ܗܘܠܰܠܝ ܝܐ

Examples:

Ayko maḥatlux u kṯowo du mëlfono? Madcarlile yo! Where have you (m.sg.) put the teacher’s book? I’ve given it back to him! ܐܰܝܟܐ ܡܰܚܰܬܠܘܟ݂ ܐܘ ܟܬ݂ܳܘܐ ܕܘ ܡܷܠܦܳܢܐ؟ ܡܰܕܥܰܪܠܝܠܶܗ ܝܐ!
U laḥmo aḥna gëd mamṭinanxu yo acman. The bread - we will take it along with us. ܐܘ ܠܰܚܡܐ ܐܰܚܢܰܐ ܓܷܕ ܡܰܡܛܝܢܰܢܟ݂ܘ ܝܐ ܐܰܥܡܰܢ.
As sandwičat ḥoṯi zwënlalan ne mu otomat. The sandwiches - my sister bought them for us from a vending machine. ܐܰܣ ܣܰܢܕܘܝܫ̰ܰܬ ܚܳܬ݂ܝ ܙܘܷܢܠܰܠܰܢ ܢܶܐ ܡܘ ܐܳܬܳܡܰܬ.
Mërlile hawli u e-mail diḏux. Luleli yo. I told him: Give me your email address. He didn’t give it to me. ܡܷܪܠܝܠܶܗ ܗܰܘܠܝ ܐܘ ܐܝܡܰܝܠ ܕܝܕ݂ܘܟ݂، ܠܘܠܶܠܝ ܝܐ.

 

d) The subjunctive

1. The subjunctive in general

The subjunctive is formed on the basis of the present (G7.a), the bare present base. When the modifier d ܕ is placed before it, the subjunctive serves as a modal verb (“that I may…”) (G.20c) or conditional (“if I…”) (G.22c) depending on the context. The subjunctive is used in conditional clauses and other subordinate clauses but also independently to implore or encourage the listener (e.g. “shall we?” or “let’s”), as well as in the imperative (after the negator lo- ܠܐ“don’t!” G.16d.2).

Examples for the subjunctive:

D rëḥmatle lo marfatle. If you (sg.) love him, don’t (sg.) leave him! ܕܪܷܚܡܰܬܠܶܗ ܠܐ ܡܰܪܦܰܬܠܶܗ.
Mën këmmat, saymina muklo dac ceḏe? What do you think, shall we make a banquet? ܡܷܢ ܟܷܐܡܡܰܬ، ܣܰܝܡܝܢܰܐ ܡܘܟܠܐ ܕܰܥ ܥܶܕ݂ܶܐ؟
Gëd mëfṣoḥina d ḥozinanxu baynoṯayna. We will be delighted to see you among us. ܓܷܕ ܡܷܦܨܳܚـܝܢܰܐ ܕܚܳܙܝܢܰܢܟ݂ܘ ܒܰܝܢܳܬ݂ܰܝܢܰܐ.
Mërlanle d oṯe, laṯi. We told him he should come but he didn’t. ܡܷܪܠܰܢܠܶܗ ܕܐܳܬ݂ܶܐ، ܠܰܐܬ݂ܝ.
An nacime këbci d zawnina raḏayto ḥaṯto. The children want us to buy a new car. ܐܰܢ ܢܰܥܝܡܶܐ ܟܷܐܒܥܝ ܕܙܰܘܢܝܢܰܐ ܪܰܕ݂ܰܝܬܐ ܚܰܬ݂ܬܐ.
Mšaralle d kurxi cal bayto. They began to look for a home. ܡܫܰܪܰܠܠܶܗ ܕܟܘܪܟ݂ܝ ܥܰܠ ܒܰܝܬܐ.
Hiye ste kibe oṯe lu knušyo. He too can come to the meeting. ܗܝܝܶܐ ܣܬܶܐ ܟܝܒܶܗ ܐܳܬ݂ܶܐ ܠܘ ܟܢܘܫܝܐ.

2. The particle ṭro ܛܪܐ added to the subjunctive

The preverbal modifier ṭro ܛܪܐ together with the subjunctive functions as the ‘jussive’ (“should, let”). That is, it expresses desire, request, permission or obligation:

Adlalyo ṭro domax gabayna. He should sleep at our place tonight. ܐܰܕܠܰܠܝܐ ܛܪܐ ܕܳܡܰܟ݂ ܓܰܒܰܝܢܰܐ.
Klayu ṭro ucdo cëbrina. Wait, let us in now. ܟܠܰܝܘ ܛܪܐ ܐܘܥܕܐ ܥܷܒܪܝܢܰܐ.
Bi qamayto kul ḥa ṭro konaš qëm u tarco d ruḥe. First everyone should sweep in front of his own door. ܒܝ ܩܰܡܰܝܬܐ ܟܘܠ ܚܰܐ ܛܪܐ ܟܳܢܰܫ ܩܷܡ ܐܘ ܬܰܪܥܐ ܕܪܘܚܶܗ.
Ṭrëzze oxal bu bayto. He should go and eat at home. ܛܪܷܐܙܙܶܗ ܐܳܟ݂ܰܠ ܒܘ ܒܰܝܬܐ.
Hawla qanyo ṭro këṯwo ëšma. Give her a pen, let her write down her name. ܗܰܘܠܰܗ ܩܰܢܝܐ ܛܪܐ ܟܷܬ݂ܘܐ ܐܷܫܡܰܗ.
Az zamore ṭro zëmrilan zmarto umṯonayto. The singers should sing for us a patriotic song. ܐܰܙ ܙܰܡܳܪܶܐ ܛܪܐ ܙܷܡܪܝܠܰܢ ܙܡܰܪܬܐ ܐܘܡܬ݂ܳܢܰܝܬܐ.

The particle ṭro ܛܪܐ fuses with the verbal form to a single word when combined with initial weak verbs. The first radical Olaf ܐ of the verb is maintained in Syriac writing: ṭro ܛܪܐ + oxal ܐܳܟ݂ܰܠ = ṭroxal ܛܪܳܐܟ݂ܰܠ „let him eat“, ṭro ܛܪܐ + ëzze ܐܷܙܙܶܗ = ṭrëzze ܛܪܷܐܙܙܶܗlet him go“. Also, the form ṭrowe ܛܪܳܘܶܐ (from ṭro howe ܛܪܐ ܗܳܘܶܐlet it be“) follows this procedure which is first mentioned in Lesson 8 and conveys the sense of “OK” or “All right”.

3. The adverb balki ܒܰܠܟܝ with the subjunctive

Using the adverb balki ܒܰܠܟܝ “maybe, perhaps, could” together with the subjunctive indicates uncertainty or possibility:

Balki oṯën lu wacdo w balki loṯën. Maybe they’re coming to the appointment, maybe they’re not. ܒܰܠܟܝ ܐܳܬ݂ܷܢ ܠܘ ܘܰܥܕܐ ܘܒܰܠܟܝ ܠܳܐܬ݂ܷܢ.
Balki ḥozina ḥḏoḏe naqla ḥreto. Perhaps we’ll see each other again. ܒܰܠܟܝ ܚܳܙܝܢܰܐ ܚܕ݂ܳܕ݂ܶܐ ܢܰܩܠܰܐ ܚܪܶܬܐ.
Marla, balki maḥto u vidyano bu YouTube. Tell her, maybe she could upload this video on YouTube. ܡܰܪܠܰܗ، ܒܰܠܟܝ ܡܰܚܬܐ ܐܘ ܒ݂ܝܕܝܰܢܐ ܒܘ ܝܘܬܝܘܒ.
Ramḥël cruto yo, balki ono ste ëzzi li tagliṯo d Fridays for Future (i cruto li ctiḏuṯo). It’ll be Friday tomorrow. Perhaps I’ll also go to the Fridays for Future demonstration. ܪܰܡܚܷܠ ܥܪܘܬܐ ܝܐ، ܒܰܠܟܝ ܐܳܢܐ ܣܬܶܐ ܐܷܙܙܝ ܠܝ ܬܰܓܠܝܬ݂ܐ ܕܦܪܰܝܕܰܝܙ ܦܳܪ ܦܝܘܫ̰ܷܪ (ܐܝ ܥܪܘܬܐ ܠܝ ܥܬܝܕ݂ܘܬ݂ܐ).