Chapter 18 - Verbs - The General Present

 General Information: 

The General Present in Somali is used to describe actions that repeat or occur in a general or habitual manner, but not necessarily at the moment of speaking.

To form this tense, the verbal root (identical to the imperative form) is taken, and the endings of the General Present are added.

Example: Waan keen-aa -> Waan keenaa = I take.

 Conjugation of the verb "keenid" (= to take) in the General Present: 

1. Waan / waad / wuu / way / waynuu / waannu / waydiin / way is the verbal subject pronoun.
2. keen- is the root of the verb keenid = to bring;
3. -aa / -taa / -naa / -taan / -aan is the ending of the General Present corresponding to the person.
4. Translation.

 Conjugation of the verb "karid" (= to cook) in the General Present tense: 

Phonetic Changes:

When in contact with the final vowel -i, it is necessary to add -y- before the following vowel -aa: kari-y-aa -> kariyaa; and the -t weakens to -s: kari-taa -> karisaa.

 Conjugation of the verb "sameen" (= to do) in the General Present tense: 

Phonetic Changes:

When in contact with the final vowel -ee, add -y- before the following vowel -aa: samee-y-aa -> sameeyaa; for other persons, the final vowel -ee weakens to -ey, and -t becomes -s: samee-taa -> sameysaa.

 Some examples: 

Verb akhris (= to read). Waan akhriyaa = I read (every day, in a general manner).

Verb akhris (= to read). Waxaan akhriyaa buugag = I read books.

Verb akhris (= to read). Buugag waan akhriyaa = I read books. (books I read)

Verb cunid (= to eat). Maxamed wuxuu cunaa bariis iyo hilib = Mohamed eats rice and meat.

Verb cunid (= to eat). Maxamed iyo Cali waxay ka cunaan hodhelka = Mohamed and Ali usually eat at the restaurant.

Verb dhisid (= to build). Guriyaha way dhisaan = They build houses. (houses they build)

Verb cabid (= to drink). Subaxa galas caano iyo timira baan cabaa = I drink a glass of milk with dates in the morning. (every morning)

Verb cabid (= to drink). Habeenki koob shaaha bay cabtaa = She drinks a cup of tea in the evening.

Verb digidh (= to learn, teach). Ardeydu waxay dightaan af somaaliga = The students learn Somali.

Verb barid (= to learn, teach). Maalinku wuxuu baraa hardeyda af somaaliga = The teacher teaches Somali to the students.

 Negative Form: 

Present simple negative is formed by using the negation Ma and the verb conjugated in the negative present form.

Examples: Ma keen-o -> Ma keeno = I do not take; Ma cun-o -> Ma cuno = I do not eat.

Phonetic changes observed in the affirmative form apply similarly to the negative form: Ma kari-y-o -> Ma kariyo = I do not cook; Ma samee-y-o -> Ma sameeyo = I do not do.

Formation of the General Present Negative
Ma	Root Verb +	-o
		-tid
		-o
		-to
		-no
		-taan /-tiin
		-aan

In the table above, note that the 3rd person plural negative form is identical to the affirmative form. They are only distinguished by tonal accent (not written): -aan and -áan!

 Conjugation of the verb "cunid" (= to eat) in the General Present negative: 

(1) negation Ma; (2) root verb; (3) negative person ending; (4) translation.

 Remarks: 

1. Subject pronouns can be associated with the negation ma:
   maan = I don't... ;
   maad = you don't... ;
   muun = he/she/it doesn't... ;
   may = she doesn't... ;
   maynu = we don't... (inclusive) ;
   maannu = we don't... (exclusive) ;
   maydiin = you don't... ;
   may = they don't...

2. The second person plural has 2 alternative forms: Ma queentaan or Ma queentiin = you don't take ; Ma cuntaan or Ma cuntiin = you don't eat ; Ma sameysaan or Ma sameysiin = you don't do, etc...

 Some examples: 

Verb akhris (= read). (I) ma akhriyo buugag = I do not read books (every day, in general).

Verb akhris (= read). (You) ma akhriddid buugag = You do not read books.

Verb qorid (= write). (I) ma qoro warkadaha = I do not write letters.

Verb qorid (= write). (You) ma qortid warqadaha = You do not write letters.

Verb cunid (= eat). (I) ma cuno khansiirka = I do not eat pork.

Verb cunid (= eat). Mohamed ma cuno khansiirka = Mohamed does not eat pork.

Verb cabid (= drink). (You) ma cabtid shaah = You do not drink tea.

Verb barid (= learn, teach). The teacher ma baro Ingiriiska = The teacher does not teach English.

Verb dhigid (= learn, teach). The students ma dhigtaan Fransiiska = The students do not learn French.