A Common Verb Grade

Level 3

Ordinary finite A, B and D forms have long final -a; C forms have short final -a.

How It Works

Ordinary finite Grade 1 base forms end in long -a. Two-syllable verbs have High–Low tones; three-syllable verbs have High–Low–High tones. Longer forms add initial High syllables. A following noun object shortens the final vowel; three-or-more-syllable forms have final Low tone in this environment.

A means no following object, B a short direct-object pronoun, C a noun object, and D an indirect object. A, B and D retain the base form. Ordinary spelling writes karanta identically across these contexts, concealing pronunciation differences. In B, its object pronoun also has High tone.

The examples contrast these environments. Singular imperatives use separate rules; continuatives use verbal-noun grammar, commonly with -wa. Final written -a alone does not establish membership: biya, jira, kira, riga have exceptional patterns. Grade neither determines tense nor automatically licenses a derived meaning.

Examples (4)

  1. Aisha ta karanta.

    Aisha read it. (object understood)

    A retains long final -a and the base tone pattern.

  2. Aisha ta karanta wasiƙa.

    Aisha read a letter.

    C has short final -a and final Low tone.

  3. Aisha ta karanta ta.

    Aisha read it. (the letter)

    B retains the base form; final verb syllable and object have High tone.

  4. Aisha ta karanta wa yara wasiƙa.

    Aisha read a letter to the children.

    D retains the base form before wa yara.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

A Common Verb GradeLevel 3

Learn This First

Recognize short objects and verbal-noun constructions before comparing the finite and action-noun forms of regular Grade1 verbs; this lesson introduces its complement contexts locally.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.