These vowels when prefixed to the verb are called tense-signs or augments.
The present-sign, a, is omitted in the activ voice.
Binob, I am; äbinol, you were; ebinom, he has been; ibinof, she has been; obinos, it will be; ubinon, one will have been.
In English, most of the tenses are expressed by using the auxiliary verbs, have, shall and will; while in Volapük there are no such auxiliaries, the verb-form consisting of a single word.
The word “do” is used in English as an auxiliary denoting emphasis, as, “I do believe.” In Volapük this cannot be translated otherwise than “I believe.”
The same tense-vowels,
a, ä, e, i, o, u
are used with some words other than verbs, when time is to be distinguished.
| adelo, ädelo, odelo, udelo, amulo, |
to-day. yesterday. to-morrow. day-after-to-morrow. this month. |
| omulo, uyelo, etc. | |
EXERCISE 17.
Put the following words into all the tenses, giving the meaning of each:
Kömob. Golol. Getom. Nägof. Lömibos. Sagon. Labobs. Binols. Sumoms.
O flen divikün! egetob penedi ola blefik e pidob das ebinol malädik. Spelob das uvedol suno saunikum e das ovisitol obis omulo.
Dear friend: the long letter, which you wrote to me, has pleased me (kimefal) very much. I hope that I shall soon have got better, and that I shall see you again next year.
