Primary Lessons in Swatow Grammar/Lesson XXIX

by William Ashmore

Tense Equivalents.

Present,

The Present Tense has no distinctive mark. It is ascertained,

1. By the context and the obvious meaning of the speaker.

2. By certain phrases denoting present time, as pointed out in a previous lesson. Force and clearness are derived by combining sĩ, ũ, and tõ, with the verb, as auxiliaries, when occasion requires. In such cases sĩ means is, and tõ has the force of the participial ending ing. Thus, chò, to do; tõ chò, do-ing.

hiēn-chãi—sĩ,

just now—there is &c.

hiēn-kim i tõ-ṳ̃-pĩ àiⁿ-ji̍p lãi-tī,

just now he is getting ready to go in the country.

hiēn-sî i tõ-phòu-lãi chò-khang-khùe,

at present he is in the shop doing work.

chí-chūn-mue̍h tháng sia̍p-lāu,

just now the cask is leaking.

hiēn-chhṳ́-chãi i ũ-pēⁿ,

at the present time he is ill.

Past.

The Past Tense is discerned, (1) Simply by the connection, or, (2) It is introduced by some such time indicator, as :—

chhông-chôiⁿ ũ, &c,

formerly there was or were, &c.

chá-sî ũ, &c,

on a former occasion there was &c.

chá tiâng-sî ũ, &c,

at a former time there was &c.

hṳ́-kâi sî-chūn ũ, &c,

at that date there was &c.

tâng-chá ũ, &c,

a while ago there was, &c.

tõ-kóu-chá ũ, &c,

in old times there was, &c.

chôiⁿ-nîⁿ ũ, &c,

in a former year there was &c.

hṳ́-tiâng-sî ũ, &c.

at that time there was &c.

(3) By certain auxiliaries which indicate completed action. This action may not be necessarily in the past. It may be contemplated as in the future. Therefore, in order to know accurately whether the past tense is intended, the connection and attendant circumstances must be taken into account. The examples that follow show the use of these auxiliaries in a past tense.

liáu — chò-hó--liáu,

it has been done.

chia̍h-pá--liáu,

have eaten.

lâi--liáu,

has come.

khṳ̀--liáu,

has gone.

sṳ̄ sêng--liáu,

the business is accomplished.

liáu-sṳ̄,

finished the business.

íⁿ,

have or has.

íⁿ-sìn chiá,

those who have believed.

íⁿ-lâi chiá,

those who have come.

keng; íⁿ-keng,

have, had, or has.

chûn íⁿ-keng ji̍p-káng-mn̂g,

the boat has entered the mouth of the river.

kuaⁿ-hú íⁿ-keng chhut-gê-mn̂g,

the mandarin had gone out of his office.

kùe,

gone through with.

sueh-kùe,

the explanation has been gone through with, or, it has been explained.

khang-khùe chò-kùe,

the work is done.

chò-kùe liáu,

it is already done.

chêng,

have or has.

chêng-tàⁿ,

have said.

chêng-khie̍h,

have brought along.

m̄-chêng thiaⁿ-kìⁿ,

have not heard.

uân — uân--liáu,

finished; completed.

sṳ̄ uân liáu,

the business 1s completed.

pat,

something experienced, or, gone through with.

pat-khṳ̀,

have gone there (before).

m̄-pat thóiⁿ-kìⁿ,

have not seen it.

m̄-pat thiaⁿ-kìⁿ,

have not heard.

m̄-pat chò-kùe,

he has done it, or, made it.

i m̄-pat tò-jīn,

he did not recognize.

pat-tha̍k-kùe,

he has read it.

pat-ngõ-tie̍h,

have met with.

tiāu,

away from, often signifies past tense, but not always. When used with liáu the meaning is less ambiguous.

ka̍k-tiāu,

throw away, or, thrown away.

ka̍k-tiāu--liáu,

already thrown away. (Action completed).

hám-tiāu,

throw away, or, thrown away.

hám-tiāu--liáu,

thrown away.

lòi-tiāu,

split up.

lòi-tiāu--liáu,

already split up.

phû-sat hu-hiúⁿ tiāu,

the idols are rotted away.

phiaⁿ-tiāu ké-sîn,

cast away false gods.

im tiāu-i kâi-tī-hng,

flooded his fields.

khṳ̀,

indicating that something is gone through with.

mîⁿ--khṳ̀,

rotted away, or, rotted (and) gone.

sí--khṳ̀,

dead (and) gone, or simply, dead.

huân--khṳ̀,

decayed.

kìⁿ. Thóiⁿ signifies,

to perceive. The addition of kìⁿ to the verb is like adding the syllable “ed” to an English verb.

thóiⁿ-kìⁿ,

perceived.

thiaⁿ-kìⁿ,

have heard.

bũn-kìⁿ,

have„ heard„.

siẽⁿ-kìⁿ,

have thought.

thóiⁿ-m̄-kìⁿ,

seeing have not perceived, or simply do, or did not see.

tie̍h,

especially signifies, effected purpose.

ngõ-tie̍h,

met.

thiaⁿ-tie̍h,

heard.

phah tie̍h,

struck.

that-tie̍h-kha,

stubbed his foot.

chũang-tie̍h-thâu,

bumped his head.

kha chha̍t-tie̍h-chhì,

run a splinter into his foot.

mông tie̍h,

touched.

chai,

to know; to experience, is used with certain words to denote a completed action.

i chai-tàⁿ,

he said.

m̄-chai-siẽⁿ,

he did not think.

m̄-chai phah-sǹg,

he did not think and decide,

m̄-chai-thóiⁿ,

(I) did not observe.

uá m̄-chai-thâu,

(I) did not take care, i.e. I beg your pardon.

m̄-chai-kuan,

(he) did not take care.

m̄-chai-khie̍h,

(he) did not bring it.

Sentences on the Past Tense.

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úa só niá-siũ--kâi hù-thoh lṳ́,

that which I have received I deliver to you.

i thiaⁿ-tie̍h m̄ huaⁿ-hí,

when he heard it he was displeased.

tōiⁿ khí-sêng--liáu,

the temple is built.

i lo̍h-liáu-bé,

he had come down from his horse.

kì-chai chí-kâi-sṳ̄ chiũ kiaⁿ-ùi,

when they knew this matter they were afraid.

seⁿ lâm-jî liáu,

has given birth to a son.

kì-sĩ chiè-seⁿ, i chiũ m̄-káⁿ-khṳ̀,

such being the case, he did not dare go.

kì bōi--liáu chiũ tit-tie̍h saⁿ-peh-ngṳ̂n,

when it was sold he received three hundred dollars.

íⁿ-keng sí--khṳ̀ sì-ji̍t--liáu,

had been dead four days.

kàu chí-kâi-sṳ̄ chò-hiah--liáu,

when (they) had stopped doing this thing.

phêng-sù, i-sĩ chò ui-seng,

heretofore, he had been a physician.

thiaⁿ-kìⁿ chí-kâi-ūe i chiũ lì-tiāu i-kâi-saⁿ,

when he heard this he at once rent his garments.

i chiũ sûi-sî tó-tièⁿ,

he at once, thereupon, failed in business.

i íⁿ-keng chhut-liáu chí-kâi kò-sī,

he had already issued this proclamation.

tàⁿ-ūe tàⁿ-hiah,

when he had done talking.

lṳ́ hûan-liáu jṳ̂ būe-kàu,

you have not yet rubbed it enough.

sṳ̄ būe-liáu-kak khṳt i cháu--khṳ̀,

before the business was settled up he ran away.

liên-uán ka-kī kâi saⁿ-khòu khie̍h-m̄-tit,

even our own clothes we did not get.

tah m̄-tie̍h-chûn,

did not get aboard the boat.

tah tõ-i kâi-chhù,

left it at his house.

ũ kâi Siãng-tì chãu--i, chiàⁿ-õi tit-ũ,

there was a God who made it, and so it has existence.

ngà kâi-nâng kiâⁿ-tie̍h chí-tiâu-lōu bõi-kiâⁿ chha-chhò,

even the fool that walks in this road can not make a mistake.

i lî-liáu tī-hng,

he left the place.

i būe-lâi nín-kò kâi sî-hāu, i būe-hiáu chò chí-kâi khang-khùe,

before he came to you he did not understand how to do this.

tán-kàu úa kùe-hái--liáu, jiên-ãu húe-chûn chiàⁿ-lâi,

when I had already crossed the bay, afterwards the steamer then came, i.e, the steamer did not come until after I had crossed the bay.

Future.

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In cases where the sense is obvious, distinguishing marks are omitted. At other times, words and phrases indicating future time are introduced, usually at the beginning of sentences, such as àiⁿ, chiang, chiang-àiⁿ. These often have associated with them other words, such as ũ, sĩ, chiũ, sûi-sî, hó, tie̍h, eng-kai, &c.

chiang-lâi-ji̍t; lâi-ji̍t,

at some future day.

chiang-lâi,

in the future.

ãu-ji̍t pit-ũ,

at another day there certainly will be, &c.

mêⁿ-nîⁿ chiũ-ũ,

next year there will be, &c.

kàu-sǹg-siàu kâi-ji̍t-chí,

when the day of reckoning arrives, &c.

kim íⁿ-ãu,

hereafter &c.

ẽ-hûe; ẽ-tńg; ẽ-chhiú,

another time.

ẽ-pái; ãu-pái,

another time; next time.

uá chiang-àiⁿ-khṳ̀,

I will go.

i àiⁿ-khṳ̀,

he will go.

uá àiⁿ-sêng-chí kâi-ki-hũe khṳ̀,

I will avail myself of this opportunity to go.

uá àiⁿ-bûa-khṳ̀ koh-lô̤--i,

I will go near and entreat him.

i àiⁿ-kau-chhap chò-hiaⁿ-tĩ,

they will join and be brothers.

chèng-kuaⁿ àiⁿ-siang-ngí,

all the nobles will deliberate.

nín chèng-nâng chhông-uá chiá, chiũ-seⁿ,

ye all of you who follow me will live.

m̄-chhông-uá chiá, chiũ-sí,

those who don’t follow me will die.

uá sũn-lṳ́ chiũ-sĩ,

I will obey you is what it is; i.e. I will obey you.

hi-mōⁿ chiang-lâi õi-tit chò-tōa-kuaⁿ,

hoped that hereafter he might be come a great mandarin.

lṳ́ chiang-lâi kâi-miâⁿ sĩ-phang,

your future name will be fragrant.

chiang-lâi sĩ-ũ chò-nîⁿ,

in the future how will it be?

lṳ́ kâi-huân-ló àiⁿ-pièn-chò huaⁿ-hí,

your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

chí-kâi lîm-lîm-liáu, uá chiũ ji̍p-lâi sùaⁿ-tàⁿ,

when these (your words) are barely finished I will come in and continue the conversation.

bõi-sún-tie̍h che̍k-tiâu thâu-môⁿ,

you will not be injured a hair of your head.

lṳ́ chièⁿ-seⁿ khí-chhù, sĩ khí-tie̍h-chie̍h m̄-sĩ khí-tie̍h-thôu,

you in this way building a house, will be building with stone and not building with mud.

hṳ́ kâi tī-hng pit chiang-àiⁿ ũ che̍k-tiâu tōa-lōu,

in that region there will certainly be one great highway.

chiang-lâi, chiang-àiⁿ ũ chí-kâi-sṳ̄,

in the future this matter will occur.

pit àiⁿ-ũ,

there certainly will be.

bõi-tie̍h-tāⁿ,

there will be no mistake.

i a sĩ hàm-úa, úa m̄-káⁿ tho-sî,

if he call me I will not dare to decline.

hiá, àiⁿ hièⁿ-chōi-nâng khṳ̀ tî-kò-chhūe?

O, if you want so many men as that, where will you go to find them?

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Among the Chinese themselves, in common conversation, certain expressions are often heard, which indicate their mode of recognizing tense distinctions.

Thus, when in doubt as to the time when of the occurrence under consideration, one will ask :—

Chí kiãⁿ-sṳ̄, khá-pat chò-kùe a-būe?

this particular affair, has it been yet done or not or—

Chí-kâi-sṳ̄, sĩ chôiⁿ kâi-sṳ̄, a-sĩ būe-pat chò kâi-sṳ̄? —

this occurrence,—is it « former occurrence, or has it not yet been done?

To such questions answers may be given, as follows:—

chiá sĩ íⁿ-keng kâi-sṳ̄,

this is a matter past.

chiá sĩ chò-kùe kâi-sṳ̄,

this is something already done.

chi´-kiãⁿ-sṳ̄ sĩ íⁿ-keng chò kâi-sṳ̄,

this affair is already done.

chiá sĩ chôiⁿ kâi-sṳ̄,

this is a former (past) affair.

chí-kiãⁿ-sṳ̄ pat chò--kùe,

this has been done.

chí sĩ chiang-lâi kâi-sṳ̄,

this is a future matter.

chí-kâi-sṳ̄ sĩ būe-pat chò--kâi,

this is something that has not yet been done.

chiá sĩ būe-chêng ũ--kâi,

this is something that has not yet taken place.

úa tàⁿ íⁿ-keng kâi-sṳ̄,

I am speaking of things past.

úa tàⁿ būe-ũ kâi-sṳ̄,

I am speaking of tings that have not yet taken place.

úa soiⁿ-tàⁿ íⁿ-keng kâi-sṳ̄, jiên-ãu chiũ-tàⁿ chiang-lâi kâi-sṳ̄,

I will first speak of past things, after that, then (I will) speak of future things.