Verb conjugation

Verbs are typically conjugated by taking the dictionary stem and prefixing one of the following:

i-	I ~	ke-	we ~
pa-	you ~	kje-	y'all ~
e-	he/she/it ~	ŋa-	they ~

The "infinitive" form is formed similarly, by prefixing the a-: the scare quotes are present because it also sees use as a finite verb in certain impersonal situations, often where English would use the indefinite third person ("It is raining" or "It is hoped").

In casual conversation, both the third-person prefix e- and the "infinitive" prefix a- are often elided. In some western dialects, ŋa- becomes a syllabic ŋ-.

Verb tenses do not exist as such, and are always formed periphrastically, with auxiliary verbs (almost invariably taking the "infinitive"): thus e.g. kes arahi We will see, formed from the irregular verb is will and the verb rahi see.

Conjugation of is is formally as follows:

is, 's	I shall	kes	we shall
pais	you will	kjes	y'all will
is, 's	he/she/it will	ŋais	they will

The truncation of first- and third-person is to 's is, again, only present in casual speech: thus 's rahi I'll see (informal).

As an exception, when referring to members of one's in-group (one's family, when speaking to a coworker; one's coworker, when speaking to a business client), one typically uses the first-person verb forms, not the third-person. Dually, when referring to someone you believe to be in the addressee's in-group, use the second-person verb form, even if that person is not present.

Thus the following possible (and perfectly sensible) telephone conversation:

Kjaxa:	Xalo?	Hello?
Peter:	Xalo, za pasere 'Tevli?	Hello. Are you there, Tevli?
Kjaxa:	Ve, iɬanta ka vo isere.	No, I'm afraid I'm not.
Peter:	Irahi. Iɬanta.	I see. Sorry.

Or, alternately, the following telephone conversation, with added subtext:

Kjaxa:	Xalo?	Hello?
Peter:	Xalo, za pasere 'Tevli?	Hello. Are you there, Tevli?
Kjaxa:	Ve, iɬanta ka vo esere.	No. I'm afraid he's not.
Peter:	... irahi. Iɬanta.	I see. I'm sorry.