Tilennan verb conjugation

Tilennan verb conjugation is one of the most complex aspects of the Tilennan language. It makes a distinction between different modal aspects, voices, persons, numbers, modes, tenses and temporal aspects.

Construction
A typical Tilennan verb consists out of 4 segments. Every verb has a semantic root that can be modified to carry modal aspects, these are followed by the voice marker, next up is the person, number and mode marker and we end with a tense and temporal aspects suffix. It is not common for verbs to carry a temporal aspect as well as an modal aspect even though it is possible.

I.e. xae - s - io - sei (Because it might have been taken)

xae = xa with the aspect of doubt and means to take

s = the passive voice marker

io = subjunctive 3rd person singular

sei = historia recenta with the aspect of completion

Verb Types and Conjugation Groups
Verbs fall into one of three categories: transitive, intransitive or copula. This has an impact on which cases are used in the different voices for subject, object, complement and agent.

There are also different conjugation groups for verbs. Transitive and intransitive generally use the -rí, -ró or -sí conjugation while the -shí conjugation is reserved for copula verbs, but not all copulas are conjugated with -shí.

Root and Modal Aspect
Every verb has a total of 6 different roots which carry a distinct modal aspect: Realis, Potentialis, Volition, Doubt, Irrealis and Conditional.

Realis
The realis is the most basic modal aspect. It is used for stating facts, describing scenes and explaining actions and generally everything that certainly has happened or will chappen in the real world.

xilae xare = I take an apple

saeròse = he saw

lesaume = you will go

Potentialis
The potentialis describes everything that can happen or is possible, it is also used for likely events. Note that this mode can't be seen as a replacement of the adverb possibly as this word carries a sense of doubt that is covered by another modal aspect, the potentialis has a meaning closer to probably and likely. Similarly it also isn't an equivalent of the modal verbs can and could, while there is overlap in function there are also major differernces.

xilae echare = I can take an apple / I probably take an apple

èsaeròse = he was able to see / He likely saw

èlesaume = you will be able to go / you will probably go

Volition
The volition aspect is used for necessary actions or actions that one wants to do. This volition or necessity always has to come from the subject itself in the indicative mode and therefore can't be someone else's will or need. When this aspect is used in combination with and optative it turns into an obligation or wish, this is a more polite form than the imperative. Some common expressions use this combination.

xilae déchare = I want to take an apple / I have to take the apple

lona desaeron = I hope he sees the sea / I want him to see the sea

delesaume = You will want to go / You will have to go

Doubt
The aspect of doubt is used for every action that is uncertain, which means we don't know of if it really happened or is really true.

xilae xaere = I might take an apple

lona siaeròse = He maybe saw the see

laesaume = You will possibly go

Irrealis
The irrealis marks every action that hasn't really happened. It is often used for hypotheses replacing the connector if, but strictly for things that you don't expect to happen, regrets, reproaches for things that one didn't do and wishes. It shows up a lot in combination with the conditional.

xilae echaere = If I take an apple (but I won't) / If I only would take an apple (but I won't)

lona èsiaeròse= If he only saw the sea (but he won't)/ He could have seen the sea (but he didn't)

èlaesaume = If you would just go (but you won't)

Conditional
The conditional let's you know an action will only be performed if certain a condition has been met and often follows up on adverbial clauses of condition and the irrealis. The conditional is not used as a replacement of the cause consequence relation.

(lae...,) xilae déchaere = (if...,) then I take an apple

(lae...,) lona desiaeròse = (if...,) then he saw the sea / then he would sea the sea

(lae...,) delaesaume = (if...,) then you will go

Forming the roots
To form the different roots we make a distinction between the real modal aspects and the unreal. The realis, potentialis and volition make up the real ones and doubt, irrealis and conditional the unreal aspects. The real aspects take the short base and the unreal the long base. To turn the standard short base into the long base the last vowel gets lengthened, the table below shows how the vowels change:

If the base is left unchanged, it either marks the realis or doubt, when è- is added as a prefix it turns into the potentialis or irrealis and when dé- is added it becomes the volition or conditional. Here is it shown with the example xarí:

Irregular root changes
Some verbs don't follow the standard rule and have irregular roots:

laure (to be):

nará (to do; to make):

aglí (to die; to kill; to part)

wòró (to have to):

tùró (to may):

auró (to eat):

aesí (to love):

lesí (to go):

xorí (to know):

farí (to say; to speak):

naurí (to read):

keirí (to buy):

Voice
Voices mark the relation of the subject, object and other functions to the verb. There are 6 voices in Tilennan, but the locative and instrumental have become purely literary voices at this point and are extremely rare in daily communication.

Active
Active is the most standard voice and has a very direct relationship between functions and the verb:

Transitive: Subject performs action, Direct Object undergoes action

maen xilae xaro = the man takes the apple

Intransitive: Subject performs action and indirectly undergoes it

lòpae lesorose = the dog ran

Copula: Subject is in the state of the Complement

rada dio osho = the animal becomes beautiful

The table below shows the the case each function takes in the active voice:

For intransitive verbs you have the option between the ergative and absolutive for the subject, this depends on the intent of the action, a volontary action uses the ergative, while an involontary action uses the absolutive. If no distinction can be made, you use the absolutive.

While complements technically have a case they get marked with the number, person and voice marker of the verb instead.