The Arawack Language of Guiana in its Linguistic and Ethnological Relations

hallikebbébu, thou rejoicest.

hallikebbéi, he rejoices.

hallikebbên, she rejoices.

hallikebbéu, we rejoice.

hallikebbéhü, you rejoice.

hallikebbéje, they rejoice.

majauquan, to remain

majáuquada, I remain.

majáuquaba, thou remainest.

majáuquala, he remains.

majáuquata, she remains.

majáuquawa, we remain.

majáuquaha, you remain.

majáuquana, they remain.

Moods and Tenses. Their verbs have four moods, the indicative, optative, imperative, and infinitive, and five tenses, one present, three preterites, and one future. The rules of their formation are simple. By changing the termination of the infinitive into a, we have the indicative present, into bi the first preterite, into buna the second preterite, into kuba the third preterite, and into pa the future. The conjugations are six in number, and many of the verbs are irregular. The following verb of the first conjugation illustrates the general rules for conjugation:

ayahaddin, to walk.

Indicative Mood

Present tense:

dayahadda, I walk.

bujahadda, thou walkest.

lujahadda, he walks.

tüjahadda, she walks.

wayahádda, we walk.

hujahádda, you walk.

nayuhádda, they walk.

First preterite – of to-day:

dayaháddibi, I walked to-day.

bujaháddibi, thou walked to-day.

lijaháddibi, he walked to-day.

tujaháddibi, she walked to-day.

wayaháddibi, we walked to-day.

hujaháddibi, you walked to-day.

nayaháddibi, they walked to-day.

Second preterite – of yesterday or the day before.

dayahaddibüna, I walked yesterday or the day before.

bujaháddibüna, thou walked yesterday or the day before.

lijaháddibuna, he walked yesterday or the day before.

tujaháddibüna, she walked yesterday or the day before.

wayaháddibüna, we walked yesterday or the day before.

hujaháddibüna, you walked yesterday or the day before.

nayaháddibüna, they walked yesterday or the day before.

Third preterite – at some indefinite past time:

dayaháddakuba, I walked.

bujaháddakuba, thou walked.

lijaháddakuba, he walked.

tujaháddakuba, she walked.

wayaháddakuka, we walked.

hujaháddakuba, you walked.

nayaháddakuba, they walked.

Future: