Present or Past With No Ending
A verb with no ending can mean now or before, and a time word tells which.
How It Works
Guarani verbs do not have to say present or past. The future is the one time that must be marked, with -ta. A verb with no ending can be present or past.
| Sentence | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Aha kuehe. | I went yesterday. |
| Koʼág̃a ambaʼapo. | I am working now. |
When there is no time word, listeners use the meaning of the verb. A verb for an event that finishes, such as og̃uahẽ “arrive”, sounds like the past: Marta og̃uahẽ usually means “Marta arrived”. A verb for a state or a lasting action, such as reñeʼẽ “you speak”, sounds like the present.
Speakers add a time word only when the listener needs it. Useful ones are kuehe “yesterday” and koʼág̃a “now”.
To say that something will happen, add -ta. To say that it is already done, add -ma. Both have their own entries.
Examples (5)
- Aha kuehe.
I went yesterday.
Kuehe “yesterday” makes the bare verb aha past.
- Peíto ou kuehe.
Peíto came yesterday.
Kuehe “yesterday” again tells you the time; ou has no past ending.
- Koʼág̃a ambaʼapo.
I am working now.
Koʼág̃a “now” makes the same kind of verb present.
- Reñeʼẽ porã.
You speak well.
A lasting action with no time word sounds like the present.
- Marta og̃uahẽ.
Marta arrived.
Arriving ends, so a verb with no ending and no time word sounds like the past.
How It Connects
Learn This First
A plain verb is just a person prefix and a root, so the prefixes come first.
Related Patterns
- -taFuture with -ta
Add -ta when the event is in the future.
Level 1 - -maAlready with -ma
Add -ma when the event is already done.
Level 1 - kuehe / koʼára / koʼẽrõToday, Tomorrow and Yesterday
Gives the time words for yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Level 1 - Long Ago: -vaʼekue
Marks a more distant past when you want to say it.
Level 3 - kuriJust Now: Kuri
Marks a past event the speaker knows first-hand, often one that just happened.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
- -seWanting with -seLevel 1
- ikatuCan: IkatuLevel 1
- nd(a)- ... -iSaying No with Nd- and -iLevel 1
- oĩThere Is: OĩLevel 1
- -jevy / jeyAgain: -jevyLevel 2
- hínaHappening Now: HínaLevel 2
- jepiUsually: JepiLevel 2
- -rõ / -ramoIf and When: -rõLevel 3
And 7 more in the full list.
Words in This Pattern
Practice Present or Past With No Ending in Bubblegum
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