-la: Has Happened
root + la: has done.
How It Works
The ending -la says that an action is done and still matters.
| Root | Perfect | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| bịa | bịala | has come |
| ri | rila | has eaten |
| zụta | zụtala | has bought |
Examples: Ọ bịala. “He or she has come.” O rila nri. “He or she has eaten.” Some dialects and writers use other vowels before l, so the ending is not the same everywhere. Compare the past -ra, which tells a story, with -la, which reports a present result.
Examples (4)
- Ọ bịala.
He or she has come.
Bịa plus -la.
- O rila nri.
He or she has eaten.
Ri plus -la.
- Ọ zụtala anụ.
He or she has bought meat.
Zụta plus -la.
- I rila nri?
Have you eaten?
A question.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The perfect is set against the past ending, so the past ending comes first.
Related Patterns
Practice -la: Has Happened in Bubblegum
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