Assamese grammar (Assamese: অসমীয়া ব্যাকৰণ Oxömia byakoron) is the study of the morphology and syntax of Assamese, an Indo-European language spoken in Northeast India, primarily in the state of Assam. It has long served as a lingua franca in parts of Northeast India.[1][2] Although Assamese is typically written in the Assamese script, a romanization is also used here to suggest the pronunciation. Since there are many varieties of Assamese, the standard variety is used here.
Overview
[edit]The Assamese language has the following characteristic morphological features:[3]
- Gender and number are not grammatically marked.
- There is a lexical distinction of gender in the third person pronoun.
- Transitive verbs are distinguished from intransitive.
- The agentive case is overtly marked as distinct from the accusative.
- Kinship nouns are inflected for personal pronominal possession.
- Adverbs can be derived from the verb roots.
- A passive construction may be employed idiomatically.
Pronouns
[edit]Personal pronouns
[edit]Assamese personal pronouns are somewhat similar to English pronouns, having different words for first, second, and third person, and also for singular and plural (unlike for verbs, below). However, Assamese has two different third-person pronouns for proximity. The first, called proximal, are used for someone who is present in the discussion, and the second, called distal, are for those who are nearby or at a distance but not present in the discussion. Gendered pronouns are present only in third person non-honorific. Additionally, each of the second- and third-person pronouns have different forms for the familiar and polite forms; the second person also has a "very familiar" form (sometimes called "despective"). It may be noted that the "very familiar" form is used when addressing particularly close friends or family as well as for addressing subordinates, or in abusive language.
In the following tables, the abbreviations used are as follows:
m. = masculine,
f. = feminine,
ng. = no specific gender,
— = same as the absolutive forms
The absolutive and ergative/nominative cases are used for pronouns that are the subject of the sentence, such as "I already did that" or "Will you go there?". The ergative/nominative case is used when the verb in a sentence is transitive. If intransitive then the absolutive forms are used. The oblique forms are used when other case suffixes are added, similar to English hi- in hi-, hi-s. See Nouns for details on cases.
| absolutive | ergative[a] | oblique | objective | genitive "of" | instrumental "by" | dative "for" | locative "in" | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | singular | মই (moi, I) | — | মো- (mü-) | মোক (mük) [A] | মোৰ (mür) [B] | মোৰে (müre) [C] | মোলৈ (müloi) [D] | মোত (müt) [E] | |||
| plural | আমি (ami, we) | — | আমা- (ama-) | আমাক (amak) | আমাৰ (amar) | আমাৰে (amare) | আমালৈ (amaloi) | আমাত (amat) | ||||
| 2nd person | sg. | inferior | তই (toi, you) | — | তো- (tü-) | তোক (tük) | তোৰ (tür) | তোৰে (türe) | তোলৈ (tüloi) | তোত (tüt) | ||
| very familiar | ||||||||||||
| familiar | তুমি (tumi, you) | — | তোমা- (tüma-) | তোমাক- (tümak) | তোমাৰ (tümar) | তোমাৰে (tümare) | তোমালৈ (tümaloi) | তোমাত (tümat) | ||||
| honorific | আপুনি (apuni, you) | — | আপোনা- (apüna-) | আপোনাক (apünak) | আপোনাৰ (apünar) | আপোনাৰে (apünare) | আপোনালৈ (apünaloi) | আপোনাত (apünat) | ||||
| pl.[b] | inferior | তহঁত (tohõt, you) | তহঁতে (tohõte) | — | তহঁতক (tohõtok) | তহঁতৰ (tohõtor) | তহঁতৰে (tohõtore) | তহঁতলৈ (tohõtoloi) | তহঁতত (tohõtot) | |||
| very familiar | ||||||||||||
| familiar | তোমালোক (tümalük, you) | তোমালোকে (tümalüke) | — | তোমালোকক (tümalükok) | তোমালোকৰ (tümalükor) | তোমালোকৰে (tümalükore) | তোমালোকলৈ (tümalükoloi) | তোমালোকত (tümalükot) | ||||
| honorific | আপোনালোক (apünalük, you) | আপোনালোকে (apünalüke) | — | আপোনালোকক (apünalükok) | আপোনালোকৰ (apünalükor) | আপোনালোকৰে (apünalükore) | আপোনালোকলৈ (apünalükoloi) | আপোনালোকত (apünalükot) | ||||
| 3rd person | sg. | non hon. | prox. | m. | ই (i, he) | — | ইয়া- (ia-) | ইয়াক (iak) | ইয়াৰ (iar) | ইয়াৰে (iare) | ইয়ালৈ (ialoi) | ইয়াত (iat) |
| f. | এই (ëi, she) | — | — | এইক (ëik) | এইৰ (ëir) | এইৰে (ëire) | এইলৈ (ëiloei) | এইত (ëit) | ||||
| dist. | m. | সি (xi, he) | — | তা- (ta-) | তাক (tak) | তাৰ (tar) | তাৰে (tare) | তালৈ (taloi) | তাত (tat) | |||
| f. | তাই (tai, she) | — | — | তাইক (taik) | তাইৰ (tair) | তাইৰে (taire) | তাইলৈ (tailotai) | তাইত (tait) | ||||
| honr. | proximal | এওঁ (eü̃) /এখেত (ekhet) (he/she) |
— /এখেতে (ekhete) |
— | এওঁক (eü̃k) /এখেতক (ekhetok) |
এওঁৰ (eü̃r) /এখেতৰ (ekhetor) |
এওঁৰে (eü̃re) /এখেতেৰে (ekhetere) |
এওঁলৈ (eü̃loi) /এখেতলৈ (ekhetoloi) |
এওঁত (eü̃t) /এখেতত (ekhetot) | |||
| distal | তেওঁ (teü̃) /তেখেত (tekhet) (he/she) |
— /তেখেতে (tekhete) |
— | তেওঁক (teü̃k) /তেখেতক (tekhetok) |
তেওঁৰ (teü̃r) /তেখেতৰ (tekhetor) |
তেওঁৰে (teü̃re) /তেখেতেৰে (tekhetere) |
তেওঁলৈ (teü̃loi) /তেখেতলৈ (tekhetoloi) |
তেওঁত (teü̃t) /তেখেতত (tekhetot) | ||||
| pl. | non hon. | proximal | ng. | ইহঁত (ihõt, they) | ইহঁতে (ihõte) | — | ইহঁতক (ihõtok) | ইহঁতৰ (ihõtor) | ইহঁতেৰে (ihõtere) | ইহঁতলৈ (ihõtoloi) | ইহঁতত (ihõtot) | |
| f. | এইহঁত (ëihõt, they) | এইহঁতে (ëihõte) | — | এইহঁতক (ëihõtok) | এইহঁতৰ (ëihõtor) | এইহঁতৰে (ëihõtore) | এইহঁতলৈ (ëihõtoloi) | এইহঁতত (ëihõtot) | ||||
| distal | ng. | সিহঁত (xihõt) /তাহঁত (tahõt) (they) |
সিহঁতে (xihõte) /তাহঁত (tahõte) |
— | সিহঁতক (xihõtok) /তাহঁত (tahõtok) |
সিহঁতৰ (xihõtor) /তাহঁত (tahõtor) |
সিহঁতেৰে (xihõtere) /তাহঁতেৰে (tahõtere) |
সিহঁতলৈ (xihõtoloi) /তাহঁতলৈ (tahõtoloi) |
সিহঁতত (xihõtot) /তাহঁতত (tahõtot) | |||
| f. | তাইহঁত (taihõt, they) | তাইহঁতে (taihõte) | — | তাইহঁতক (taihõtok) | তাইহঁতৰ (taihõtor) | তাইহঁতৰে (taihõtore) | তাইহঁতলৈ (taihõtoloi) | তাইহঁতত (taihõtot) | ||||
| honr. | proximal | এওঁলোক (eü̃lük) /এখেতসকল (ekhetxokol) (they) |
এওঁলোকে (eü̃lüke) /এখেতসকলে (ekhetxokole) |
— | এওঁলোকক (eü̃lükok) /এখেতসকলক (ekhetxokolok) |
এওঁলোকৰ (eü̃lükor) /এখেতসকলৰ (ekhetxokolor) |
এওঁলোকৰে (eü̃lükore) /এখেতসকলেৰে (ekhetxokolere) |
এওঁলোকলৈ (eü̃lükoloi) /এখেতসকললৈ (ekhetxokololoi) |
এওঁলোকত (eü̃lükot) /এখেতসকলত (ekhetxokolot) | |||
| distal | তেওঁলোক (teü̃lük) /তেখেতসকল (tekhetxokol) (they) |
তেওঁলোকে (teü̃lüke) /তেখেতসকলে (tekhetxokole) |
— | তেওঁলোকক (teü̃lükok) /তেখেতসকলক (tekhetxokolok) |
তেওঁলোকৰ (teü̃lükor) /তেখেতসকলৰ (tekhetxokolor) |
তেওঁলোকৰে (teü̃lükore) /তেখেতসকলেৰে (tekhetxokolere) |
তেওঁলোকলৈ (teü̃lükoloi) /তেখেতসকললৈ (tekhetxokololoi) |
তেওঁলোকত (teü̃lükot) /তেখেতসকলত (tekhetxokolot) | ||||
Notes:
- ^ Only the pronouns having plural suffixes get the ergative case marking -e due to historical reasons. The singular pronoun এখেত (ekhet)/তেখেত (tekhet) also gets the ergative marking because the -খেত (-khet) was originally a suffix.
- ^ All the plural pronouns except আমি (ami, we) are formed by adding plural suffixes. The suffixes are -হঁত (-hõt) for very familiar and familiar, and -লোক (-lük), -সকল (-xokol) for familiar or honorific.
- -হঁত (-hõt):
সি (xi) > সিহঁত (xihõt), তাহঁত (tahõt)- -লোক (-lük) is added to the oblique forms:
আপুনি (apuni)[J] > আপোনালোক (apünalük)[K]- -সকল (-xokol) is added with one pronoun only. It can be replaced by -লোক (-lük).
Demonstratives
[edit]Source:[6]
The demonstrative pronouns share most of the characteristics with personal pronouns. They are different from the personal sub-class with regard to the feature of demonstration. The personal demonstratives are already given in the previous table (see 3rd person). Therefore only the common demonstratives are given here. Apart from the 2 types of pronounce for proximity found in 3rd person pronouns, the common demonstrative pronouns have a 3rd one, far distal.
× = no forms
— = same as absolutive
| relative distance from the speaker → | ||
|---|---|---|
| proximal | distal | far distal |
| ëia (this/these) | xëia (that/those) | xöua (that/those) |
| ëi- (this/these) | xëi- (that/those) | xöu- (that/those) |
| i (this/these) | xi (that/those) | xöu (that/those) |
The common demonstratives ëia, xëia and xöua are absolute words. They are invariable and bear no formal distinction of number, gender and status. Their use is restricted to the subject and complement functions only. The rest of the common demonstratives are found forms. They can be used only after they are inflected for the determinative affixes (or words) that function as their classifier.
Nouns
[edit]Classifiers
[edit]Assamese has a large collection of classifiers, which are used extensively for different kinds of objects, acquired from the Sino-Tibetan languages.[7] A few examples of the most extensive and elaborate use of classifiers are given below:
- "zɔn" is used to signify a person, male with some amount of respect
- E.g., manuh-zɔn – "the man"
- "zɔni" (female) is used after a noun or pronoun to indicate human beings
- E.g., manuh-zɔni – "the woman"
- "zɔni" is also used to express the non-human feminine
- E.g., sɔɹai zɔni – "the bird", pɔɹuwa-zɔni – "the ant"
- "zɔna" and "gɔɹaki" are used to express high respect for both man and woman
- E.g., kɔbi-zɔna – "the poet", gʊxaɪ-zɔna – "the goddess", rastrapati-gɔɹaki – "the president", tiɹʊta-gɔɹaki – "the woman"
- "tʊ" has three forms: tʊ, ta, ti
- (a) tʊ: is used to specify something, although the case of someone, e.g., loɹa-tʊ – "the particular boy", is impolite
- (b) ta: is used only after numerals, e.g., ɛta, duta, tinita – "one, two, three"
- (c) ti: is the diminutive form, e.g., kesua-ti – "the infant, besides expressing more affection or attachment to
- "kɔsa", "mɔtʰa" and "taɹ" are used for things in bunches
- E.g., sabi-kɔsa – "the bunch of key", saul-mɔtʰa – "a handful of rice", suli-taɹi or suli kɔsa – "the bunch of hair"
- dal, dali, are used after nouns to indicate something long but round and solid
- E.g., bãʱ-dal – "the bamboo", katʰ-dal – "the piece of wood", bãʱ-dali – "the piece of bamboo"
| Classifier | Referent | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| /zɔn/ | males (adult) | manuh-zɔn (the man – honorific) |
| /zɔni/ | females (women as well as animals) | manuh-zɔni (the woman), sɔrai-zɔni (the bird) |
| /zɔna/ | honorific | kobi-zɔna (the poet), gʊxai-zɔna (the god/goddess) |
| /ɡɔɹaki/ | males and females (honorific) | manuh-ɡɔɹaki (the woman), rastrɔpɔti-gɔɹaki (the president) |
| /tʊ/ | inanimate objects or males of animals and men (impolite) | manuh-tʊ (the man – diminutive), gɔɹu-tʊ (the cow) |
| /ti/ | inanimate objects or infants | kesua-ti (the baby) |
| /ta/ | for counting numerals | e-ta (count one), du-ta (count two) |
| /kʰɔn/ | flat square or rectangular objects, big or small, long or short | |
| /kʰɔni/ | terrain like rivers and mountains | |
| /tʰupi/ | small objects | |
| /zak/ | group of people, cattle; also for rain; cyclone | |
| /sati/ | breeze | |
| /pat/ | objects that are thin, flat, wide or narrow. | |
| /paɦi/ | flowers | |
| /sɔta/ | objects that are solid | |
| /kɔsa/ | mass nouns | |
| /mɔtʰa/ | bundles of objects | |
| /mutʰi/ | smaller bundles of objects | |
| /taɹ/ | broomlike objects | |
| /ɡɔs/ | wick-like objects | |
| /ɡɔsi/ | with earthen lamp or old style kerosene lamp used in Assam | |
| /zʊpa/ | objects like trees and shrubs | |
| /kʰila/ | paper and leaf-like objects | |
| /kʰini/ | uncountable mass nouns and pronouns | |
| /dal/ | inanimate flexible/stiff or oblong objects; humans (pejorative) |
In Assamese, classifiers are generally used in the numeral + classifier + noun (e.g. /ezɔnmanuh/ ejon manuh 'one man') or the noun + numeral + classifier (e.g. /manuhezɔn/ manuh ejon 'one man') forms.
Nominalization
[edit]Most verbs can be converted into nouns by the addition of the suffix /ɔn/. For example, /kʰa/ ('to eat') can be converted to /kʰaɔn/ khaon ('good eating').[8]
Grammatical cases
[edit]Assamese has 8 grammatical cases:
| Cases | Suffix | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Absolutive | none | বাৰীত barit garden-LOC গৰু góru- cattle-ABS সোমাল। xwmal. entered বাৰীত গৰু সোমাল। barit góru- xwmal. garden-LOC cattle-ABS entered Cattles entered into the garden. |
| Ergative | -এ, -e, -ই -i -এ, -ই -e, -i |
গৰুৱে góru-e cattle-ERG ঘাঁহ ghãh grass-ACC খায়। kha-e. eat-3.HAB.PRES গৰুৱে ঘাঁহ খায়। góru-e ghãh kha-e. cattle-ERG grass-ACC eat-3.HAB.PRES Cattles eat grass. Note: The personal pronouns without a plural or other suffix are not marked. |
| Accusative | -(অ)ক, -(o)k, − − -(অ)ক, − -(o)k, − |
শিয়ালটোৱে xial-tw-e jackal-the-ERG শহাটোক xoha-tw-k hare-the-ACC খেদি khedi chasing আছে। ase. exist-3.PRES.CONT শিয়ালটোৱে শহাটোক খেদি আছে। xial-tw-e xoha-tw-k khedi ase. jackal-the-ERG hare-the-ACC chasing exist-3.PRES.CONT The jackal is chasing the hare. তেওঁলোকে tewlwk-e they চোৰটো sür-tw- thief-the-ACC পুলিচক pulis-ok police-ACC গতালে। gotale. handover-REC-3 তেওঁলোকে চোৰটো পুলিচক গতালে। tewlwk-e sür-tw- pulis-ok gotale. they thief-the-ACC police-ACC handover-REC-3 They handed over the thief to the police. |
| Genitive | -(অ)ৰ -(o)r -(অ)ৰ -(o)r |
তাইৰ tai-r she-GEN ঘৰ ghor house তাইৰ ঘৰ tai-r ghor she-GEN house Her house |
| Dative | -(অ)লৈ -(o)lói [dialectal: [dialectal: -(অ)লে]; -(o)le]; -(অ)ক -(o)k -(অ)লৈ [dialectal: -(অ)লে]; -(অ)ক -(o)lói [dialectal: -(o)le]; -(o)k |
সি xi he পঢ়াশালিলৈ porhaxali-lói school-DAT গৈ gói going আছে। ase. exist-3.PRES.CONT সি পঢ়াশালিলৈ গৈ আছে। xi porhaxali-lói gói ase. he school-DAT going exist-3.PRES.CONT He is going to (the) school. বাক ba-k elder sister-DAT চাবিটো sabi-tw- key-the-ACC দিয়া। dia. give-FAM.IMP বাক চাবিটো দিয়া। ba-k sabi-tw- dia. {elder sister}-DAT key-the-ACC give-FAM.IMP Give elder sister the key. |
| Terminative | -(অ)লৈকে -(o)lóike [dialectal: [dialectal: -(অ)লেকে] -(o)leke] -(অ)লৈকে [dialectal: -(অ)লেকে] -(o)lóike [dialectal: -(o)leke] |
মই moi I নহালৈকে n-oha-lóike not-coming-TERM কʼতো kót-w where-even নেযাবা। ne-ja-b-a. not-go-future-3 মই নহালৈকে কʼতো নেযাবা। moi n-oha-lóike kót-w ne-ja-b-a. I not-coming-TERM where-even not-go-future-3 Don't go anywhere until I don't come. ১ৰ 1-or one-GEN পৰা pora from ৭লৈকে 7-olóike seven-TERM ১ৰ পৰা ৭লৈকে 1-or pora 7-olóike one-GEN from seven-TERM From 1 up to 7 |
| Instrumental | -(এ)ৰে -(e)re [dialectal: [dialectical: -(এ)দি] -(e)di] -(এ)ৰে [dialectal: -(এ)দি] -(e)re [dialectical: -(e)di] |
কলমেৰে kolom-ere pen-INS লিখিছিলা। likhisila. write-2.DP কলমেৰে লিখিছিলা। kolom-ere likhisila. pen-INS write-2.DP You wrote with (a) pen. |
| Locative | -(অ)ত -(o)t [sometimes: [sometimes: -এ] -e] -(অ)ত [sometimes: -এ] -(o)t [sometimes: -e] |
সি xi he বহীখনত bóhi-khon-ot notebook-the-LOC লিখিছে। likhise. write-PRES.PERF.3 সি বহীখনত লিখিছে। xi bóhi-khon-ot likhise. he notebook-the-LOC write-PRES.PERF.3 He has written on the notebook. আইতা aita grandmother মঙলবাৰে moŋolbar-e Tuesday-LOC আহিছিল। ahisil. come-DP-3 আইতা মঙলবাৰে আহিছিল। aita moŋolbar-e ahisil. grandmother Tuesday-LOC come-DP-3 Grandmother came on Tuesday. |
Verbs
[edit]Negation process
[edit]Verbs in Assamese are negated by adding /n/ before the verb, with /n/ picking up the initial vowel of the verb. For example:[9]
- /nalaɡɛ/ 'do(es) not want' (1st, 2nd and 3rd persons)
- /nilikʰʊ̃/ 'will not write' (1st person)
- /nukutʊ̃/ 'will not nibble' (1st person)
- /nɛlɛkʰɛ/ 'does not count' (3rd person)
- /nɔkɔɹɔ/ 'do not do' (2nd person)
Tense
[edit]With consonant ending verb likh (write) and vowel ending verb kha (eat, drink, consume).
| Stem | Likh (write) | Kha (eat, drink, consume) |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | Likha | khüa |
| Causative | Likha | khüa |
| Conjugative | Likhi | Khai & Kha |
| Infinitive | Likhibo | Khabo |
| Goal | Likhibólói | Khabólói |
| Terminative | Likhibólóike | Khabólóike |
| Agentive | Likhü̃ta np/Likhwra mi/Likhwri fi | Khawta np/Khawra mi/Khawri fi |
| Converb | Likhü̃te | Khaü̃te |
| Progressive | Likhü̃te likhü̃te | Khaü̃te khaü̃te |
| Reason | Likhat | Khüat |
| Likhilot | Khalot | |
| Conditional | Likhile | Khale |
| Perfective | Likhi | Khai |
| Habitual | Likhi likhi | Khai khai |
For different types of verbs.
| Tense | Person | tho "put" | kha "consume" | pi "drink" | de "give" | dhu "wash" | kor "do" | randh "cook" | ah "come" | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| + | - | + | - | + | - | + | - | + | - | + | - | + | - | + | - | ||
| Simple Present | 1stper. | thoü | nothoü | khaü | nakhaü ~ nekhaü | piü | nipiü | diü | nidiü | dhüü | nüdhüü | korü | nokorü | randhü | narandhü ~ nerandhü | ahü | nahü |
| 2ndper.inf. | thoo | nothoo | khao | nakhao ~ nekhao | pio | nipio | dio | nidio | dhüo | nüdhüo | koro | nokoro | randho | narandho ~ nerandho | aho | naho | |
| 2ndper.pol. | thüa | nüthüa | khüa | nükhüa | pia | nipia | dia | nidia | dhüa | nüdhüa | kora | nokora | randha | narandha ~ nerandha | aha | naha | |
| 2ndper.hon.&3rdper. | thoe | nothoe | khae | nakhae ~ nekhae | pie | nipie | die | nidie | dhüe | nüdhüe | kore | nokore | randhe | narandhe ~ nerandhe | ahe | nahe | |
| Present continuous | 1st per. | thói asw | thoi thoka nai | khai asw | khai thoka nai | pi asu | pi thoka nai | di asw | di thoka nai | dhui asw | dhui thoka nai | kori asw | kóri thoka nai | randhi asw | randhi thoka nai | ahi asw | ahi thoka nai |
| 2ndper.inf. | thoi aso | khai aso | pi aso | di aso | dhui aso | kori aso | randhi aso | ahi aso | |||||||||
| 2ndper.pol. | thoi asa | khai asa | pi asa | di asa | dhui asa | kori asa | randhi asa | ahi asa | |||||||||
| 2ndper.hon.&3rdper. | thoi ase | khai ase | pi ase | di ase | dhui ase | kori ase | randhi ase | ahi ase | |||||||||
| Present Perfect | 1st per. | thoisw | thwa nai | khaisw | khwa nai | pisw | pia nai | disw | dia nai | dhui asw | dhwa nai | korisw | kora nai | randhisw | rondha nai | ahi asw | oha nai |
| 2ndper.inf. | thóisó | khaisó | pisó | disó | dhuisó | kórisó | randhisó | ahisó | |||||||||
| 2nd per. pol. | thoisa | khaisa | pisa | disa | dhuisa | korisa | randhisa | ahisa | |||||||||
| 2nd per. hon. & 3rd per. | thoise | khaise | pise | dise | dhuise | korise | randhise | ahise | |||||||||
| Recent Past | 1st per. | thölw | nothölw | khalw | nakhalw ~ nekhalw | pilw | nipilw | dilw | nidilw | dhulw | nudhulw | korilw | nokórilw | randhilw | narandhilw ~ nerandhilw | ahilw | nahilw |
| 2nd per. inf. | thöli | nothöli | khali | nakhali ~ nekhali | pili | nipili | dili | nidili | dhuli | nudhuli | kórili | nókórili | randhili | narandhili ~ nerandhili | ahilw | nahilw | |
| 2nd per. pol. | thöla | nothöla | khala | nakhala ~ nekhala | pila | nipila | dila | nidila | dhula | nudhula | kórila | nókórila | randhila | narandhila ~ nerandhila | ahila | nahila | |
| 2ndper.hon.&3rdper. | thöle | nothöle | khale | nakhale ~ nekhale | pile | nipile | dile | nidile | dhule | nudhule | kórile | nókórile | randhile | narandhile ~ nerandhile | ahile / ahiltr | nahile / nahiltr | |
| Distant Past | 1st per. | thoisilw | nothoisilw ~ thwa nasilw | khaisilw | nakhaisilw ~ nekhaisilw ~ khwa nasilw | pisilw | nipisilw ~ pia nasilw | disilw | nidisilw ~ dia nasilw | dhuisilw | nudhuisilw ~ dhüa nasilw | kórisilw | nókórisilw ~ kora nasilw | randhisilw | narandhisilw ~ nerandhisilw ~ rondha nasilw | ahisilw | nahisilw ~ oha nasilw |
| 2nd per. inf. | thoisili | nothóisili ~ thwa nasili | khaisili | nakhaisili ~ nekhaisili ~ khwa nasili | pisili | nipisili ~ pia nasili | disili | nidisili ~ dia nasili | dhuisili | nudhuisili ~ dhwa nasili | korisili | nokorisili ~ kora nasili | randhisili | narandhisili ~ nerandhisili ~ rondha nasili | ahisili | nahisili ~ oha nasili | |
| 2nd per. pol. | thoisila | nothóisila ~ thwa nasila | khaisila | nakhaisila ~ nekhaisila ~ khüa nasila | pisila | nipisila ~ pia nasila | disila | nidisila ~ dia nasila | dhuisila | nudhuisila ~ dhwa nasila | korisila | nokorisila ~ kora nasila | randhisila | narandhisila ~ nerandhisila ~ rondha nasila | ahisila | nahisila ~ oha nasila | |
| 2nd per. hon. & 3rd per. | thoisile | nothoisile ~ thwa nasile | khaisile | nakhaisile ~ nekhaisile ~ khwa nasile | pisile | nipisile ~ pia nasile | disile | nidisile ~ dia nasile | dhuisile | nudhuisile ~ dhüa nasile | korisile | nokorisile ~ kora nasile | randhisile | narandhisile ~ nerandhisile ~ rondha nasile | ahisile | nahisile ~ oha nasile | |
| Past continuous | 1st per. | thoi asilw | thoi thoka nasilw | khai asilw | khai thoka nasilw | pi asilw | pi thoka nasilw | di asilw | di thoka nasilw | dhui asils | dhui thoka nasils | kori asils | kori thoka nasils | randhi asils | randhi thoka nasils | ahi asils | ahi thoka nasils |
| 2nd per. inf. | thoi asili | thoi thoka nasili | khai asili | khai thoka nasili | pi asili | pi thoka nasili | di asili | di thoka nasili | dhui asili | dhui thoka nasili | kori asili | kori thoka nasili | randhi asili | randhi thoka nasili | ahi asili | ahi thoka nasili | |
| 2nd per. pol. | thoi asila | thoi thoka nasila | khai asila | khai thoka nasila | pi asila | pi thoka nasila | di asila | di thoka nasila | dhui asila | dhui thoka nasila | kori asila | kori thoka nasila | randhi asila | randhi thoka nasila | ahi asila | ahi thoka nasila | |
| 2nd per. hon. & 3rd per. | thoi asil(e) | thoi thoka nasil(e) | khai asil(e) | khai thoka nasil(e) | pi asil(e) | pi thoka nasil(e) | di asil(e) | di thoka nasil(e) | dhui asil(e) | dhui thoka nasil(e) | kori asil(e) | kori thoka nasil(e) | randhi asil(e) | randhi thoka nasil(e) | ahi asil{e) | ahi thoka nasil(e) | |
| Simple Future | 1st per. | thöm | nothöm | kham | nakham ~ nekham | pim | nipim | dim | nidim | dhum | nudhum | korim | nokorim | randhim | narandhim ~ nerandhim | ahim | nahim |
| 2nd per. inf. | thöbi | nothöbi | khabi | nakhabi ~ nekhabi | pibi | nipibi | dibi | nidibi | dhubi | nudhubi | koribi | nokoribi | randhibi | narandhibi ~ nerandhibi | ahibi | nahibi | |
| 2nd per. pol. | thöba | nothöba | khaba | nakhaba ~ nekhaba | piba | nipiba | diba | nidiba | dhuba | nudhuba | koriba | nókóriba | randhiba | narandhiba ~ nerandhiba | ahiba | nahiba | |
| 2ndper.hon.&3rdper. | thöbo | nothöbo | khabo | nakhabo ~ nekhabo | pibo | nipibo | dibo | nidibo | dhubo | nudhubo | koribo | nokoribo | randhibo | narandhibo ~ nerandhibo | ahibo | nahibo | |
| Future continuous | 1st per. | thoi thakim | thoi nathakim/nethakim | khai thakim | khai nathakim/nethakim | pi thakim | pi nathakim/nethakim | di thakim | di nathakim/nethakim | dhui thakim | dhui nathakim/nethakim | kori thakim | kori nathakim/nethakim | randhi thakim | randhi nathakim/nethakim | ahi thakim | ahi nathakim/nethakim |
| 2nd per. inf. | thoi thakibi | thoi nathakibi/nethakibi | khai thakibi | khai nathakibi/nethakibi | pi thakibi | pi nathakibi/nethakibi | di thakibi | di nathakibi/nethakibi | dhui thakibi | dhui nathakibi/nethakibi | kori thakibi | kori nathakibi/nethakibi | randhi thakibi | randhi nathakibi/nethakibi | ahi thakibi | ahi nathakibi/nethakibi | |
| 2nd per. pol. | thoi thakiba | thoi nathakiba/nethakiba | khai thakiba | khai nathakiba/nethakiba | pi thakiba | pi nathakiba/nethakiba | di thakiba | di nathakiba/nethakiba | dhui thakiba | dhui nathakiba/nethakiba | kori thakiba | kori nathakiba/nethakiba | randhi thakiba | randhi nathakiba/nethakiba | ahi thakiba | ahi nathakiba/nethakiba | |
| 2ndper.hon.&3rdper. | thoi thakibo | thoi nathakibo/nethakibo | khai thakibo | khai nathakibo/nethakibo | pi thakibo | pi nathakibo/nethakibo | di thakibo | di nathakibo/nethakibo | dhui thakibo | dhui nathakibo/nethakibo | kori thakibo | kori nathakibo/nethakibo | randhi thakibo | randhi nathakibo/nethakibo | ahi thakibo | ahi nathakibo/nethakibo | |
The negative forms are n + 1st vowel of the verb + the verb. Example: Moi porhw, Moi noporhw (I read, I do not read); Tumi khelila, Tumi nekhelila (You played, You didn't play). For verbs that start with a vowel, just the n- is added, without vowel lengthening. In some dialects if the 1st vowel is a in a verb that starts with consonant, ne is used, like, Moi nakhaw (I don't eat) is Moi nekhaü. In past continuous the negative form is -i thoka nasil-. In future continuous it's -i na(/e)thaki-. In present continuous and present perfect, just -i thoka nai and -a nai' respectively are used for all personal pronouns. Sometimes for plural pronouns, the -hok suffix is used, like korwhok (we do), ahilahok (you guys came).
Glossary and notes
[edit]See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Bhattacharjya, Dwijen (2001). The genesis and development of Nagamese: Its social history and linguistic structure (PhD). City University of New York. ProQuest 304688285.
- ^ "Axomiya is the major language spoken in Assam, and serves almost as a lingua franca among the different speech communities in the whole area." (Goswami 2003:394)
- ^ Kommaluri, Subramanian & Sagar K 2005.
- ^ (Goswami 2003)
- ^ (Bhattacharjya 2014, p. 65)
- ^ (Kalita 2003, p. 112)
- ^ Moral 1997, pp. 49–51.
- ^ Moral 1997, p. 48.
- ^ Moral 1997, p. 47.
Sources
[edit]- Bhattacharjya, Manmee (2014). Case in Assamese (PhD). The English and foreign languages university. hdl:10603/210828.
- Goswami, G. C.; Tamuli, Jyotiprakash (2003). "Asamiya". In Cardona, George; Jain, Dhanesh (eds.). The Indo-Aryan languages. Routledge. pp. 391–443. ISBN 978-0-7007-1130-7.
- Kalita, Jagat Chandra (2003). Nouns and nominalisations in Assamese (PhD). Abhayapuri college. hdl:10603/66641.
- Kommaluri, Vijayanand; Subramanian, R.; Sagar K, Anand (2005). "Issues in Morphological Analysis of North-East Indian Languages". Language in India. 5.
- Moral, Dipankar (1997). "North-East India as a Linguistic Area" (PDF). Mon-Khmer Studies. 27: 43–53.
- Articles with short description
- Short description is different from Wikidata
- Use dmy dates from December 2025
- Use Indian English from December 2025
- All Wikipedia articles written in Indian English
- Articles containing Assamese-language text
- Pages with plain IPA
- Articles with ambiguous glossing abbreviations
