Lesson 21

21.1 The Imperfect.⬆

The Imperfect is optionally, but often, followed by an untranslatable ⲡⲉ: ⲛⲉⲓⲕⲱⲧ ⲡⲉ, ⲛⲉⲕⲕⲱⲧ ⲡⲉ, etc. Negation is with ⲁⲛ: ⲛⲉⲓⲕⲱⲧ ⲁⲛ (ⲡⲉ), ⲛⲉⲕⲕⲱⲧ ⲁⲛ (ⲡⲉ), etc.

The Imperfect is used to describe an action, activity, or process as in progress in past time and is normally the equivalent of the English past progressive unless idiom requires the simple past, e.g. ⲛⲉⲩⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ̅ they knew (not: they were knowing). It also often conveys the meaning of habitual or recurring activity in the past: they used to build, they would build.

Relative clauses containing an Imperfect are introduced with the relative pronoun ⲉⲧⲉ or, more frequently, with ⲉ- prefixed directly to the verbal form:

Pronominal resumption of the subject is required. In general, the prenominal and suffixal (prepronominal) forms of the infinitive may not be used in the Imperfect.

21.2 The Qualitative⬆

Many verbs possess a second lexical form known as the qualitative. The qualitative describes a state or quality resulting from the action, activity, or process expressed by the Infinitive; it is most conveniently taken as equivalent to English "to be" plus an adjective. The qualitative of transitive verbs is passive from the English point of view. E.g.

The form of the qualitative is more or less predictable for verbs belonging to the main classes:

1. type

   ⲕⲱⲧ:	Q.	ⲕⲏⲧ
   ⲙⲟⲩⲣ:	Q.	ⲙⲏⲣ

   ⲏⲡ	to be reckoned, ascribed to (ⲉ)
   ϫⲏⲕ (ⲉⲃⲟⲗ)	to be finished, done, perfect
   ⲃⲏⲗ	to be loosened, undone, untied, dissolved
   ϣⲏⲡ	to be received, acceptable
   ⲙⲏϩ, ⲙⲉϩ	to be full
   ⲟⲩⲏϩ	to live, dwell, be
   ⲙⲏⲣ	to be bound
   ⲧⲏⲙ	to be shut
   ⲟⲩⲏⲛ	to be open

2. type

   ⲕⲱⲧⲉ:	Q.	ⲕⲏⲧ
   ⲛⲟⲩϫⲉ:	Q.	ⲛⲏϫ

   ⲕⲏⲧ	to be turned, turning, circulating
   ⲛⲏϫ	to be lying, reclining (esp. at table); to be

3. type

   ⲙⲓⲥⲉ:

   Q.

   ⲙⲟⲥⲉ

   ⲙⲟⲥⲉ	to be born
   ϣⲟⲃⲉ	to be different, various

4. type

   ⲥⲱⲧⲡ̅:	Q.	ⲥⲟⲧⲡ̅
   ⲡⲱϩⲧ̅:	Q.	ⲡⲁϩⲧ̅

   ⲟⲩⲟⲛϩ̅	to be manifest, clear, plain
   ϭⲟⲗⲡ̅	to be known, revealed, clear
   ⲣⲟⲕϩ̅	to be burned, destroyed by fire
   ⲡⲁϩⲧ̅	to be prostrated, bowing

5. type

   ⲥⲟⲗⲥⲗ̅:	Q.	ⲥⲗ̅ⲥⲱⲗ
   ϣⲧⲟⲣⲧⲣ̅:	Q.	ϣⲧⲣ̅ⲧⲱⲣ

   ⲥⲗ̅ⲥⲱⲗ	to be consoled
   ϣⲧⲣ̅ⲧⲱⲣ	to be disturbed, upset

Otherwise, there is some irregularity:

Note that ⲕⲏ, ⲛⲏϫ, and ⲟⲩⲏϩ may all correspond to English "to be" when location or position is involved.

The qualitative is a verb and may stand in place of the Infinitive in the First Present and the Imperfect, together with their negative and relative forms. It is especially important to keep in mind that the qualitative does not express a passive action (cf. §13.4); it describes the state that the subject is (or was) in:

The qualitative may not be used in any of the other conjugations introduced up to this point, including the various constructions with the Infinitive and Inflected Infinitive.

21.3 Adverbial uses of ϩⲛ̅ + noun⬆

21.3 Prepositional phrases with ϩⲛ̅ + a noun with the indefinite article occur very frequently as adverbs:

For ϣⲥ̅ⲛⲉ, ⲙⲉ, and ϭⲉⲡⲏ see the Vocabulary below.