VERBS.
There are two classes of verbs in O.E., strong and weak. The conjugation of strong verbs is effected mainly by means of vowel-gradation, that of weak verbs by the addition of d (-ode, -ede, -de) to the root-syllable.
The following is the conjugation of the strong verb bindan (bind), which will serve to show the endings which are common to all verbs:—
| INDICATIVE. | SUBJUNCTIVE. | |
| Pres. sing. | 1. bind-e, | bind-e. |
| 2. bind-est, bintst, | bind-e. | |
| 3. bind-eþ, bint, | bind-e. | |
| plur. | bind-aþ, | bind-en. |
| Pret. sing. | 1. band, | bund-e. |
| 2. bund-e, | bund-e. | |
| 3. band, | bund-e. | |
| plur. | bund-on, | bund-en. |
| Imper. sing. bind; plur. bind-aþ. Infin. bind-an. | ||
| Partic. pres. bind-ende; pret. ġe-·bund-en. | ||
| Gerund. tō bind-enne. | ||
For the plural bindaþ, both indicative and imperative, binde is used when the personal pronoun follows immediately after
the verb:—wē bindaþ (we bind), but binde wē (let us bind); so also gāþ! (go plur.), but gā ġē! (go ye).
The present participle may be declined like an adjective. Its declension when used as a noun is given above, p. [10].
The past participle generally prefixes ġe-, as in ġe·bunden, ġe·numen from niman (take), unless the other parts of the verbs have it already, as in ġe·hīeran (hear), ġe·hīered. It is sometimes prefixed to other parts of the verb as well. No ġe is added if the verb has another prefix, such as ā-, be-, for-; thus for·ġiefan (forgive) has the past participle for·ġiefen. The past participle may be declined like an adjective.
Traces of an older passive voice are preserved in the form hāt-te from hātan (call, name), which is both present 'is called,' and preterite 'was called':—se munuc hātte Abbo (the monk's name was Abbo).
STRONG VERBS.
In the strong verbs the plural of the pret. indic. generally has a different vowel from that of the sing. (ic band, wē bundon). The 2nd sing. pret. indic. and the whole pret. subj. always have the vowel of the preterite plural indicative (þū bunde, ic bunde, wē bunden.)
The 2nd and 3rd persons sing. of the pres. indic. often mutate the root-vowel, thus:—
| a | becomes | ę | as in (hē) | stęnt | from | standan (stand). |
| ea | ,, | ie | ,, | fielþ | ,, | feallan (fall). |
| e | ,, | i | ,, | cwiþþ | ,, | cweþan (say). |
| eo | ,, | ie | ,, | wierþ | ,, | weorþan (happen). |
| ā | ,, | ǣ | ,, | hǣtt | ,, | hātan (command). |
| ō | ,, | ē | ,, | grēwþ | ,, | grōwan (grow). |
| ēa | ,, | īe | ,, | hīewþ | ,, | hēawan (hew). |
| ēo | ,, | īe | ,, | ċīest | ,, | ċēosan (choose). |
| ū | ,, | ȳ | ,, | lȳcþ | ,, | lūcan (close). |
The full ending of the 3rd pers. sing. pres. indic. is -eþ, which is generally contracted, with the following consonant-changes:—
| -teþ | becomes | -tt | as in | lǣtt | from | lǣtan (let). |
| -deþ | ,, | -tt | ,, | bītt | ,, | bīdan (wait). |
| -ddeþ | ,, | -tt | ,, | bitt | ,, | biddan (pray). |
| -þeþ | ,, | -þþ | ,, | cwiþþ | ,, | cweþan (say). |
| -seþ | ,, | -st | ,, | ċīest | ,, | ċēosan (choose). |
| -ndeþ | ,, | -nt | ,, | bint | ,, | bindan (bind). |
Double consonants become single, as in hē fielþ from feallan.
Before the -st of the 2nd pers. consonants are often dropt, as in þū cwist from cweþan, þū ċīest from ċēosan; and d becomes t, as in þū bintst from bindan.
For the changes between s and r, þ and d, g and h, see p. [7].
Some verbs, such as sēon (see), drop the h and contract before most inflections beginning with a vowel:—ic sēo, wē sēoþ, tō sēonne; but hē sihþ.
There are seven conjugations of strong verbs, distinguished mainly by the different formation of their preterites. The following lists comprise all the strong verbs that occur in the texts given in this book, together with several others of the commoner ones.
I. 'Fall'-conjugation.
The pret. sing. and pl. has ēo or ē, and the past partic. retains the original vowel of the infinitive.
| (a) ēo-preterites. | ||||
| ea:— | ||||
| INFINITIVE. | THIRD PRES. | PRET. SING. | PRET. PL. | PTC. PRET. |
| feallan (fall) | fielþ | fēoll | fēollon | feallen |
| healdan (hold) | hielt | hēold | hēoldon | healden |
| wealdan (wield) | wielt | wēold | wēoldon | wealden |
| weaxan (grow) | wiext | wēox | wēoxon | weaxen |
| ā:— | ||||
| blāwan (blow) | blǣwþ | blēow | blēowon | blāwen |
| cnāwan (know) | cnǣwþ | cnēow | cnēowon | cnāwen |
| sāwan (sow) | sǣwþ | sēow | sēowon | sāwen |
| ē:— | ||||
| wēpan (weep) | wēpþ | wēop | wēopon | wōpen |
| Wēpan has really a weak present (p. [30]) with mutation (the original ō re-appearing in the past partic.), but it makes no difference in the inflection. | ||||
| ō:— | ||||
| flōwan (flow) | flēwþ | flēow | flēowon | flōwen |
| grōwan (grow) | grēwþ | grēow | grēowon | grōwen |
| rōwan (row) | rēwþ | rēow | rēowon | rōwen |
| ēa:— | ||||
| bēatan (beat) | bīett | bēot | bēoton | bēaten |
| hēawan (hew) | hīewþ | hēow | hēowon | hēawen |
| hlēapan (leap) | hlīepþ | hlēop | hlēopon | hlēapen |
| (b) ē-preterites. | ||||
| ā:— | ||||
| hātan (command) | hǣtt | hēt | hēton | hāten |
| ǣ:— | ||||
| lǣtan (let) | lǣtt | lēt | lēton | lǣten |
| ō:— | ||||
| fōn (seize) | fēhþ | fēng | fēngon | fangen |
| hōn (hang) | hēhþ | hēng | hēngon | hangen |
II. 'Shake'-conjugation.
Verbs in a (ea) and ę (ie). Ō in pret. sing, and pl., a (æ) in partic. pret. Standan drops its n in the pret. The partic. pret. of swęrian is irregular.
| a:— | ||||
| INFINITIVE. | THIRD PRES. | PRET. SING. | PRET. PL. | PTC. PRET. |
| faran (go) | færþ | fōr | fōron | faren |
| sacan (quarrel) | sæcþ | sōc | sōcon | sacen |
| scacan (shake) | scæcþ | scōc | scōcon | scacen |
| standan (stand) | stęnt | stōd | stōdon | standen |
| The following shows contraction of original ea:— | ||||
| slēan (strike) | sliehþ | slōg | slōgon | slæġen |
| ę:— | ||||
| hębban (lift) | hęfþ | hōf | hōfon | hafen |
| sċieppan (create) | sċiepþ | scōp | scōpon | scapen |
| swęrian (swear) | swęreþ | swōr | swōron | sworen |
The presents of these verbs are inflected weak, so that their imperative sing. is hęfe and swęre, like that of węnian (p. [32]). Swęrian has indic. swęrige, swęrest, like węnian; hębban has hębbe, hęfst, &c. like hīeran (p. [30]).
III. 'Bind'-conjugation.
I (ie, e, eo) followed by two consonants, one or both of which is nearly always a liquid (l, r) or nasal (m, n) in the infin., a (æ, ea) in pret. sing., u in pret. pl., u (o) in ptc. pret. Findan has a weak preterite.
| i:— | ||||
| INFINITIVE. | THIRD PRES. | PRET. SING. | PRET. PL. | PTC. PRET. |
| bindan (bind) | bint | band | bundon | bunden |
| drincan (drink) | drincþ | dranc | druncon | druncen |
| findan (find) | fint | funde | fundon | funden |
| ġieldan (pay) | ġielt | ġeald | guldon | golden |
| (on)ġinnan (begin) | -ġinþ | -gann | -gunnon | -gunnen |
| grindan (grind) | grint | grand | grundon | grunden |
| iernan (run) [p. [7]] | iernþ | arn | urnon | urnen |
| ġe-·limpan (happen) | -limpþ | -lamp | -lumpon | -lumpen |
| scrincan (shrink) | scrincþ | scranc | scruncon | scruncen |
| springan (spring) | springþ | sprang | sprungon | sprungen |
| swincan (toil) | swincþ | swanc | swuncon | swuncen |
| windan (wind) | wint | wand | wundon | wunden |
| winnan (fight) | winþ | wann | wunnon | wunnen |
| e:— | ||||
| berstan (burst) | bierst | bærst | burston | borsten |
| breġdan (pull) | ... | bræġd | brugdon | brogden |
| delfan (dig) | dilfþ | dealf | dulfon | dolfen |
| sweltan (die) | swilt | swealt | swulton | swolten |
| eo:— | ||||
| beorgan (protect) | bierhþ | bearg | burgon | borgen |
| beornan (burn) [p. [7]] | biernþ | barn | burnon | burnen |
| ċeorfan (cut) | ċierfþ | ċearf | curfon | corfen |
| feohtan (fight) | fieht | feaht | fuhton | fohten |
| weorpan (throw) | wierpþ | wearp | wurpon | worpen |
| weorþan (become) | wierþ | wearþ | wurdon | worden |
IV. 'Bear'-conjugation.
Verbs in e (i), followed by a single consonant, generally a liquid or nasal; in brecan the liquid precedes the vowel. A (æ) in pret. sing., ǣ (ā) in pret. pl., o (u) in ptc. pret. Cuman is irregular.
V. 'Give'-conjugation.
Verbs in e (i, eo, ie) followed by single consonants, which are not liquids or nasals. This class differs from the last only in the ptc. pret. which keeps the vowel of the infinitive.
| e:— | ||||
| INFINITIVE. | THIRD PRES. | PRET. SING. | PRET. PL. | PTC. PRET. |
| cweþan (say) | cwiþþ | cwæþ | cwǣdon | cweden |
| etan (eat) | itt | ǣt | ǣton | eten |
| sprecan (speak) | spricþ | spræc | sprǣcon | sprecen |
| wrecan (avenge) | wricþ | wræc | wrǣcon | wrecen |
| i:— | ||||
| biddan (pray) | bitt | bæd | bǣdon | beden |
| liċġan (lie) | līþ | læġ | lǣgon | leġen |
| sittan (sit) | sitt | sæt | sǣton | seten |
| þiċġan (receive) | þiġeþ | þeah | þǣgon | þeġen |
| All these have weak presents:—imper. bide, liġe, site, þiġe. Their is are mutations of the e which appears in their past partic. | ||||
| ie:— | ||||
| ġiefan (give) | ġiefþ | ġeaf | ġēafon | ġiefen |
| (on)ġietan (understand) | -ġiett | -ġeat | -ġēaton | -ġieten |
| The following is contracted in most forms:— | ||||
| sēon (see) | sihþ | seah | sāwon | sewen |
VI. 'Shine'-conjugation.
Verbs in ī, with pret. sing, in ā, pl. i, ptc. pret. i.
VII. 'Choose'-conjugation.
Verbs in ēo and ū, with pret. sing. ēa, pl. u, ptc. pret. o. Flēon and tēon contract.
| INFINITIVE. | THIRD PRES. | PRET. SING. | PRET. PL. | PTC. PRET. |
| bēodan (offer) | bīett | bēad | budon | boden |
| brēotan (break) | brīett | brēat | bruton | broten |
| ċēosan (choose) | ċīest | ċēas | curon | coren |
| flēogan (fly) | flīehþ | flēag | flugon | flogen |
| flēon (flee) | flīehþ | flēah | flugon | flogen |
| flēotan (float) | flīett | flēat | fluton | floten |
| hrēosan (fall) | hrīest | hrēas | hruron | hroren |
| hrēowan (rue) | hrīewþ | hrēaw | hruwon | hrowen |
| for·lēosan (lose) | -līest | -lēas | -luron | -loren |
| sċēotan (shoot) | sċīett | sċēat | scuton | scoten |
| smēocan (smoke) | smīecþ | smēac | smucon | smocen |
| tēon (pull) | tīehþ | tēah | tugon | togen |
| ā-þrēotan (fail) | -þrīett | -þrēat | -þruton | -þroten |
| ū:— | ||||
| brūcan (enjoy) | brȳcþ | brēac | brucon | brocen |
| būgan (bow) | bȳhþ | bēag | bugon | bogen |
| lūcan (lock) | lȳcþ | lēac | lucon | locen |
| lūtan (bow) | lȳtt | lēat | luton | loten |
| scūfan (push) | scȳfþ | sċēaf | scufon | scofen |
WEAK VERBS.
There are three conjugations of weak verbs—(1) in -an, pret. -de (hīeran, hīerde, 'hear'); (2) in -ian, pret. -ede (węnian, węnede, 'wean'); (3) in -ian, pret. -ode (lufian, lufode, 'love'). The verbs of the first two conjugations nearly all have a mutated vowel in the present and infinitive, which those of the third conjugation very seldom have.
I. an-verbs.
This class of weak verbs has the same endings as the strong verbs, except in the pret. and past partic., which are formed by adding -de and -ed respectively, with the following consonant changes.
| -ndde | becomes | -nde | as in | sęnde | from | sęndan (send). |
| -llde | ,, | -lde | ,, | fylde | ,, | fyllan (fill). |
| -tde | ,, | -tte | ,, | mētte | ,, | mētan (find). |
| -pde | ,, | -pte | ,, | dypte | ,, | dyppan (dip). |
| -cde | ,, | -hte | ,, | tǣhte | ,, | tǣċan (show). |
The past partic. is generally contracted in the same way:—sęnd, mētt, tǣht, but some of them often retain the uncontracted forms:—fylled, dypped. When declined like adjectives they drop their e where practicable:—fylled, plur. fylde; hīered, hīerde.
The 2nd and 3rd pres. sing. ind. are contracted as in the strong verbs.
(a) 'Hear'-class.
Further examples of this class are:—
| INFINITIVE. | THIRD PRES. | PRET. | PARTIC. PRET. |
| æt·īewan (show) | -īewþ | -īewde | -īewed. |
| cȳþan (make known) | cȳþþ | cȳþde | cȳþed, cȳdd |
| fyllan (fill) | fylþ | fylde | fylled |
| (nēa)lǣċan (approach) | -lǣċþ | -lǣhte | -lǣht |
| lǣdan (lead) | lǣtt | lǣdde | lǣdd |
| lęċġan (lay) | lęġþ | lęġde | lęġd |
| ġe·līefan (believe) | -līefþ | -līefde | -līefed |
| nęmnan (name) | nęmneþ | nęmnde | nęmned |
| sęndan (send) | sęnt | sęnde | sęnd |
| sęttan (set) | sętt | sętte | sętt |
| smēan (consider) | smēaþ | smēade | smēad |
| tǣċan (show) | tǣċþ | tǣhte | tǣht |
| węndan (turn) | węnt | węnde | węnd |
(b) 'Seek'-class.
In this class the mutated vowels lose their mutation in the preterite and past partic., besides undergoing other changes in some verbs.
Those in double consonants (and ċġ) simplify them in the contracted 2nd and 3rd sing. pres. indic.:—sęlle, sęlst, sęlþ; sęċ[,g]e, sęġst, sęġþ; also in the imperative, which is formed as in Conj. II:—sęle, sęġe, byġe, &c.
| ę:— | |||
| INFINITIVE. | THIRD PRES. | PRET. | PARTIC. PRET. |
| cwęllan (kill) | cwęlþ | cwealde | cweald |
| ręċċan (tell) | ręċþ | reahte | reaht |
| sęċġan (say) | sęġþ | sæġde | sæġd |
| sęllan (give) | sęlþ | sealde | seald |
| węċċan (wake) | węċþ | weahte | weaht |
| þęnċan (think) | þęnċþ | þōhte | þōht |
| i:— | |||
| bringan (bring) | bringþ | brōhte | brōht |
| y:— | |||
| byċġan (buy) | byġþ | bohte | boht |
| þynċan (appear) | þynċþ | þūhte | þūht |
| wyrċan (work) | wyrċþ | worhte | worht |
| ē:— | |||
| rēċan (care) | rēċþ | rōhte | rōht |
| sēċan (seek) | sēċþ | sōhte | sōht |
II. 'Wean'-conjugation.
| INDICATIVE. | SUBJUNCTIVE. | |
| Pres. sing. | 1. węn-iġe (wean), | węn-iġe. |
| 2. węn-est, | węn-iġe. | |
| 3. węn-eþ, | węn-iġe. | |
| plur. | węn-iaþ, | węn-ien. |
| Pret. sing. | 1. węn-ede, | węn-ede. |
| 2. węn-edest, | węn-ede. | |
| 3. węn-ede, | węn-ede. | |
| plur. | węn-edon, | węn-eden. |
| Imper. węn-e, węn-iaþ. Infin. węn-ian. | ||
| Partic. pres. węn-iende; pret. węn-ed. | ||
| Gerund. tō węn-ienne. | ||
So are conjugated all weak verbs with a short mutated root syllable, such as fęrian (carry), węrian (defend), ġe·byrian (befit). There are not many of them.
III. 'Love'-conjugation.
| INDICATIVE. | SUBJUNCTIVE. | |
| Pres. sing. | 1. luf-iġe (love), | luf-iġe. |
| 2. luf-ast, | luf-iġe. | |
| 3. luf-aþ, | luf-iġe. | |
| plur. | luf-iaþ, | luf-ien. |
| Pret. sing. | 1. luf-ode, | luf-ode. |
| 2. luf-odest, | luf-ode. | |
| 3. luf-ode, | luf-ode. | |
| plur. | luf-odon, | luf-oden. |
| Imper. luf-a, luf-iaþ. Infin. luf-ian. | ||
| Partic. pres. luf-iende: pret. luf-od. Gerund. tō luf-ienne. | ||
So also āscian (ask), macian (make), weorþian (honour), and many others.
Irregularities.
Some verbs are conjugated partly after I, partly after III. Such are habban (have) and libban (live).
Habban has pres. indic. hæbbe, hæfst, hæfþ; habbaþ, subj. hæbbe, hæbben, pret. hæfde, imper. hafa, habbaþ, particc. habbende, hæfd.
Libban has pres. libbe, leofast, leofaþ; libbaþ, subj. libbe, pret. leofode, imper. leofa, libbaþ, particc. libbende, lifiende; leofod.
Fętian (fetch) has pret. fętte.
STRONG-WEAK VERBS.
The strong-weak verbs have for their presents old strong preterites, from which new weak preterites are formed. Note the occasional second person sing. in t.
| INDICATIVE. | SUBJUNCTIVE. | |
| Pres. sing. | 1. wāt (know), | wite. |
| 2. wāst, | wite. | |
| 3. wāt, | wite. | |
| plur. | witon, | witen. |
| Pret. | wiste. | |
| Imper. wite, witaþ. Infin. witan. | ||
| Partic. pres. witende; pret. witen. | ||
The other most important weak-strong verbs are given below in the 1st and 2nd sing. pres. indic., in the plur. indic., in the pret., in the infin. and partic. pret. Of several the last two forms are doubtful, or do not exist.
Āh (possess), āge, āgon; āhte; āgen (only as adjective)[[4]].
Cann (know) canst, cunnon; cūþe; cunnan; cūþ (only as adjective.)
Dearr (dare), durre, durron; dorste.
Ġe·man (remember), -manst; -munde; -munan.
Mæġ (can), miht, magon, mæġe (subj.); mihte.
Mōt (may), mōst, mōton; mōste.
Sċeal (shall), sċealt, sculon, scyle (subj.); scolde.
Þearf (need), þurfon, þyrfe (subj.); þorfte; þurfan.
ANOMALOUS VERBS.
(1) Willan (will) shows a mixture of subj. forms in the pres. indic. sing.:—
| INDICATIVE. | SUBJUNCTIVE. | |
| Pres. sing. | 1. wile, | wile. |
| 2. wilt, | wile. | |
| 3. wile, | wile. | |
| plur. | willaþ, | willen. |
| Pret. | wolde, etc. |
Similarly nyllan (will not):—
| INDICATIVE. | SUBJUNCTIVE. | |
| Pres. sing. | 1. nyle, | nyle. |
| 2. nylt, | nyle. | |
| 3. nyle, | nyle. | |
| plur. | nyllaþ, | nyllen. |
| Pret. | nolde, etc. |
(2) Wesan (be).
| INDICATIVE. | SUBJUNCTIVE. | |
| Pres. sing. | 1. eom; bēo, | sīe; bēo. |
| 2. eart; bist, | sīe; bēo. | |
| 3. is; biþ, | sīe; bēo. | |
| plur. | sind; bēoþ, | sīen; bēon. |
| Pret. sing. | 1. wæs, | wǣre. |
| 2. wǣre, | wǣre. | |
| 3. wæs, | wǣre. | |
| plur. | wǣron, | wǣren. |
| Imper. wes, wesaþ; bēo, bēoþ. Infin. wesan; bēon. | ||
| Partic. pres. wesende. | ||
The contracted negative forms are:—neom, neart, nis; næs, nǣre, nǣron; nǣre, nǣren.
(3) Dōn (do).
| INDICATIVE. | SUBJUNCTIVE. | |
| Pres. sing. | 1. dō, | dō. |
| 2. dēst, | dō. | |
| 3. dēþ, | dō. | |
| plur. | dōþ, | dōn. |
| Pret. | dyde, etc. | |
| Imper. dō, dōþ. Infin. dōn. | ||
| Partic. pres. dōnde; pret. ġe·dōn. | ||
(4) Gān (go).
| INDICATIVE. | SUBJUNCTIVE. | |
| Pres. sing. | 1. gā, | gā. |
| 2. gǣst, | gā. | |
| 3. gǣþ, | gā. | |
| plur. | gāþ, | gān. |
| Pret. | ēode, | ēode. |
| Imper. gā, gāþ. Infin. gān. | ||
| Partic. pres. gangende; pret. ġe·gān. | ||