Regular Conjugations — Introduction

Incorporating grammar into the vocabulary is nothing new. That is the way students of Latin learn nouns and verbs, and that little extra load on vocabulary learning more than compensates for the easy acquisition of the corresponding grammar. That is the model I have adopted here. And that, in fact, is the only way to learn irregular verbs while it will make life easy if the method is used for regular verbs as well. All the same, I will be covering regular verbs as classified into different conjugations, with verbs of each conjugation following the same rules across different tenses and moods.

Three typical verbs
In order to illustrate the main parts of the verbs that will be incorporated into the vocabulary, I shall take two different regular verbs, one of them being intransitive, viz., poddonk (= to fall)

 and the other transitive, viz., moddunk  (= to break), as well as one irregular verb, viz., korunk  (= to do OR to make). Across all these parts, if any subject is implied, it will be the first person masculine singular, and if any object is implied, it will be the third person neuter singular. As we proceed, you will understand what I mean by that.

My plan, while going through all the regular conjugations, is to limit ourselves only to the present, past definite, and the future tenses. After we have covered all the conjugations, we shall walk through the other tenses and moods, each time with a sweep across all the regular conjugations and a few irregular verbs as well.

Five principal parts
Why have these five principal parts been selected to represent all verbs? It is because all the rest of the tenses and moods are derived from one or the other of these five principal parts. For example, the future simple is derived from the second principal part. In the case of the three verbs we have selected, poddtam changes to poddtolom,

môddtam to môddtolom, and kôrtam to kôrtolom. The present participles (which are adjectives) are also derived in a parallel fashion from the second principal parts, thus: poddtolo, môddtolo  and kôrtolo.

Similarly the pluperfect is derived from the fourth principal part: poddlolom,

môddlelem  and kelelem.  Again the past participles, which are also adjectives, are derived from the fourth principal part thus: poddlolo, môddlolo  and kelolo. The general rules for the derivation of these other tenses and moods from the predetermined principal parts will be explained in detail when we come to those particular sections.

The first principal part is the infinitive. Examples: poddonk, moddunk, korunk.

The second part is the present indicative affirmative. In our three cases it will be poddtam 

, môddtam, and kôrtam, respectively, thereby assuming that the subject is hanv.

The third part is the present indicative negative. That is, poddonam,

moddinam, and korinam. Again, the subject is hanv.

The fourth part is the past definite. Here is where you will know whether the verb is transitive or intransitive (or anomalous — we shall discus this later). These fourth parts are poddlom,

môddlem  and kelem, respectively. Notice here that while poddlom is first person masculine singular, môddlem and kelem are third person neuter. That is because an intransitive verb (like poddonk) in the past still agrees with the subject. But in the case of the other two verbs, in the past tense, the subject takes the instrumental case and so forfeits the loyalty of the verb. The verb now shifts its loyalty and agrees with the object instead (which object, for the sake of clarity, is assumed to be neuter). That is why the fourth principal part of poddonk ends in lom, whereas the fourth principal parts of the other two verbs end in lem.

Finally, the fifth and the last principal part is the future simple negative. In the case of our three verbs, it is poddchonam,

môddchonam  and kôrchonam  respectively.

So when you want to learn the Konkani words for to fall, to break and to make, the words will be presented thus:

• poddonk, poddtam, poddonam, poddlom, poddchonam 
• moddunk, môddtam, moddinam, môddlem, môddchonam 
• korunk, kôrtam, korinam, kelem, kôrchonam 

For instance, to read would be: vachunk, vachtam, vachinam, vachlem, vachchonam.

 Which means that if you ask for just one Konkani word for any verb, not just one but five words will be thrown into your lap! Enjoy!