Past Tenses Otjiherero grammar

1 past tenses

1.1 recent past
1.2 yesterday s / completed past
1.3 intermediately distant past
1.4 distant past
1.5 general non-recent past
1.6 past continuous
1.7 past habitual
1.8 copulative / associative past

past tenses

in otjiherero, majority of tenses occur in past. these include

recent past

the recent past tense includes verbs performed earlier in same day.

the following formula describes formation of tense: (optional pronoun/name/noun) + general past subject concord + main alternative conjugation

examples

simbuli wa kopuwo. simbuli went opuwo.
mba zuu. understood.

unlike english, verbs still presently occurring still use recent past tense. 1 can interpret verb captures initiation or transition occurring @ beginning of action, , action grammatically understood still taking place if conjugated in recent past tense; however, similar verbs not conjugated in same tense.

examples

eye wa rara. he/she sleeping. (he/she fell asleep)
mba handja. m mad. (i became mad.)

yet similar verbs conjugated in present progressive tense

me vanga. want.
mave tira. afraid.

there no negation tense, negations either migrate present perfect or yesterday s / completed past tense.

yesterday s / completed past

verbs performed day or few days ago find conjugated in tense.

the following formula describes formation of tense: (optional pronoun/name/noun) + general past subject concord + verb stem conjugation behalvatory suffix(!)

(!) irregular verbs, such okurya, not use verb stem conjugation. see subsection on behalvatory suffixes instructions on how create suffix.

examples

ove wa manene oviungura vyoye. finished work.
twa kunine ozomiriva. planted corn.

also, verbs use recent past conjugation indicate presently occurring use yesterday s / completed past show complete, if happened in current day.

examples

ovanatje va rarere. children slept. / children fell asleep. (but re not asleep anymore) (earlier today)
mba handjere. mad. / became mad. (but m not mad anymore) (earlier today)

there no negation tense, negations non-recent past migrate general non-recent past tense.

intermediately distant past

actions not performed yesterday-ish yet not being emphasized distantly past fall in intermediate category.

the following formula describes formation of tense: (optional pronoun/name/noun) + general past subject concord + verb stem conjugation

examples

mba honga. taught. (not yesterday, not in far, far past.)
ovanatje va koha ozombanda . children washed clothes (not yesterday, not in far, far past.)

there no negation tense, negations non-recent past migrate general non-recent past tense.

very distant past

this tense represents greatest possible emphasis on happening long ago. formation of tense same of yesterday s past, verbs have up-accent on final vowel. there no negation tense, negations non-recent past migrate general non-recent past tense.

general non-recent past

this tense exists in negation, , encompasses negations of yesterday s / completed past , intermediately distant past , , verb distant past tenses.

the following formula describes negation of tense: (optional pronoun/name/noun) + negative habitual subject concord + verb stem conjugation behalvatory suffix(!)

(!) irregular verbs, such okurya, not use verb stem conjugation. see subsection on behalvatory suffixes instructions on how create suffix.

examples

hi tupikire. didn t run.
ovanatje kave nyandere. children didn t play.

past continuous

to emphasize extended temporal nature of action in past, past continuous tense used. same saying playing. instead of played.

the following formula describes formation of tense: (optional pronoun/name/noun) + general past subject concord + ri + (a- + subject concord d use if doing action right now. present progressive subject concord, verbs general past subject concord.) + main alternative conjugation

examples

mba ri ame nyanda. playing.
ovanatje va ri amave koho ozombanda. children washing clothes.

this tense useful saying happened while else happening.

examples

mama wandje ndji tonene ongoze tji mba ri ame i. mother called me while leaving.
mba zikire omariro womuhuka omunene ove tji wa ri awa rara. cooked breakfast while sleeping.

for 3rd person singular, contractions may used.

kauarive wa ri ama kondjisa omusuko. kauarive flirting young girl. (theoretical non-contracted sentence)
kauarive wa ri aa kondjisa omusuko. (partially contracted)
kauarive wa raa kondjisa omusuko. (standard form)

the conjunction ngunda ( while ) used in past continuous tense.

the following formula describes formation of tense: (optional pronoun/name/noun) + ngunda + (a- + subject concord d use if doing action right now. present progressive subject concord, verbs general past subject concord.) + main alternative conjugation

in other words, ngunda can replace general past subject concord , ri.

examples

mama wandje ndji tonene ongoze ngunda ame i. mother called me while leaving.
mba zikire omariro womuhuka omunene ove ngunda awa rara. cooked breakfast while sleeping.

the following formula describes negation of tense: (optional pronoun/name/noun) + past copulative subject concord + ri + (a- + subject concord d use if doing action right now. present progressive subject concord, verbs general past subject concord.) + main alternative conjugation

examples

himba ri ame nyanda. wasn t playing.
ovanatje kava ri amave koho ozombanda. children weren t washing clothes.

past habitual

actions once took place habitually no longer taking place habitually fall past habitual tense. can compared used in english.

the following formula describes formation of tense: (optional pronoun/name/noun) + past habitual subject concord + verb stem conjugation

examples

ozongombe aaze kara mokuti. cows used live in wilderness.
ami ee nyanda, nambano hi nyanda rukwao. used play, don t play anymore.

the following formula describes negation of tense: (optional pronoun/name/noun) + negative past habitual subject concord + verb stem conjugation

examples

ozongombe kaaze kara mokuti. cows didn t used live in wilderness.
ami hee nyanda, nambano mbi nyanda. didn t used play, play.

copulative / associative past

to use otjiherero copula ri in past tense, copulative past conjugation used (unless in past habitual). required when

using past continuous (described above)
using ri identify 1 noun noun in past
using na/n- show association in past

the following formula describes formation of tense: (optional pronoun/name/noun) + general past subject concord + ri + (noun or (na/n-+noun))

examples

mba ri omiṱiri. teacher.
mba ri nokati. had stick.

the following formula describes negation of tense: (optional pronoun/name/noun) + negative copulative past subject concord + ri + (noun or (na/n-+noun))

examples

himba ri omiṱiri. wasn t teacher.
himba ri nokati. didn t have stick.

in case of copula ri in past habitual tense, conjugation proceeds in habitual tense style.

examples

ee ri omiṱiri. used teacher.
hee ri nokati. didn t used have stick.




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