Verb
Grammar is a set of structural rules that govern the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in any given natural language. It's the system or structure of a language, or languages in general, usually including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. Grammar rules help to ensure that there's a common standard of understanding when people use a language. This allows people to communicate with each other more effectively and understand each other's messages more accurately. However, grammar rules can vary significantly among different languages and even among different dialects or varieties within the same language.
Verb
A verb is a word that describes an action, occurrence, or state of being. They're essential for constructing sentences as they provide the action that the subject is performing or link the subject to a complement that describes it. There are up to five forms for each verb: root, third-person singular, present participle, past, and past participle.
Acholi | English |
Bunyo | Smile |
koko | weep |
woto | walk |
Yibo | improve |
wero | sing |
ondo | caugh |
kwanyo | take |
puonyo | teach |
mielo | dance |
nyero | laugh |
ringo | run |
lwiyo | whistle |
rieko | clever |
dwaro | hunt |
piemo | competition |
agoro | Kind of termite |
Bido | soak |
Bomo | Deceive |
Boro | Cave |
bwoyo | foam |
Third Person Singular Form of a Verb So, Third Person Singular Form of a Verb in Luo are words that ends in o.
English | Acholi |
watches | neno |
shrinks | jungo |
does | timo |
walks | woto |
visits | limo |
Present Participle Form of a Verb are identified by the word tye ka.
Acholi | English |
Tye ka bino | he/she is coming |
Tye ka cito | he/she is going |
Tye ka woto | he/she is walking |
Tye ka gwecho | he/she is running |
Past and Past Participle Forms of the Verb starts with O or A. When O is used it means that it is he/she but when A is used it means I/me.
English | Acholi |
played | otuko/Atuko |
bought | Owilo/Awilo |
ran | Oringo/Aringo |
an action
English | Acholi |
run | ringo |
hit | odongo |
travel | woto |
an event
English | Acholi |
rain | kot |
occur | otime |
a situation
English | Acholi |
be | bedo |
seem | nen calo |
have | tye |
a change
English | Acholi |
become | obibedo |
grow | dongo |
develop | Oyibo |
Here are the different types of verbs:
Action verbs: These express physical or mental actions. For example, "run," "think," "eat," and "believe."
Acholi | English |
run | ngwec |
think | tam |
eat | cam |
believe | niye |
Linking verbs: These connect the subject of the verb to additional information about the subject. They often describe states of being. For example, "is," "seem," "become," and “appear."
Acholi | English |
Ni | Is |
Calo | Seem |
Bino | Become |
onyute | Appear |
Helping (auxiliary) verbs: These are used with the main verb to express the verb's tense, mood, or voice. They include "be," "have," "do," "can," "will," "shall," etc.
Acholi | English |
bedo | be |
tye | have |
pe | do |
bedo | can |
romo | will |
bedo | shall |
Modal verbs: These are a type of auxiliary verb that express necessity, possibility, permission, or ability. Examples include "can," "could," "may," "might," "shall," "should," "will," "would," "must," and “ought."
Acholi | English |
ndo | Could |
tyero | May |
Might | |
twero | Shall |
Should | |
abi | Will |
Would | |
tyero | Must |
Transitive verbs: These are action verbs that have an object to receive the action. For example, in the sentence "She reads the book," "reads" is a transitive verb.
Acholi | English |
Okwano niyabo | She reads the book |
Intransitive verbs: These are action verbs that do not have an object receiving the action. For example, in the sentence "He sleeps," "sleeps" is an intransitive verb.
Acholi | English |
en nindo | He sleeps |
Phrasal verbs: These consist of a main verb combined with one or more particles (prepositions or adverbs). They often have idiomatic meanings that are not obvious from the individual words. Examples include "give up," "look after," "run out," and "wake up.”
Acholi | English |
bwoti | give up |
pidi | look after |
ring oko | run out |
ocoo | wake up |