The paradigms show (1) that monosyllables with short stems (hof) take -u in the N.A. plural; (2) that monosyllables with long stems (bearn, bān) do not distinguish the N.A. plural from the N.A. singular;[1] (3) that dissyllables in -e, whether the stem be long or short (rīce, spere), have -u in the N.A. plural; (4) that dissyllables ending in a consonant and having the first syllable short[2] (werod) do not usually distinguish the N.A. plural from the N.A. singular; (5) that dissyllables ending in a consonant and having the first syllable long (tungol) more frequently take -u in the N.A. plural.
Note.—Syncopation occurs as in the masculine a-stems. See [§ 27, (4)].
[34.]
Present and Preterit Indicative of habban, to have:
| Present. | |
|---|---|
| Sing. 1. | Ic hæbbe, I have, or shall have.[3] |
| 2. | ðū hæfst (hafast), thou hast, or wilthave. |
| 3. | hē, hēo, hit hæfð (hafað), he,she, it has, or will have. |
| Plur. 1. | wē habbað, we have, or shall have. |
| 2. | gē habbað, ye have, or will have. |
| 3. | hīe habbað, they have, or will have. |
| Preterit. | |
| Sing. 1. | Ic hæfde I had. |
| 2. | ðū hæfdest, thou hadst. |
| 3. | hē, hēo, hit hæfde, he, she,it had. |
| Plur. 1. | wē hæfdon, we had. |
| 2. | gē hæfdon, ye had. |
| 3. | hīe hæfdon, they had. |
Note.—The negative ne, not, which always precedes its verb, contracts with all the forms of habban. The negative loses its e, habban its h. Ne + habban = nabban; Ic ne hæbbe = Ic næbbe; Ic ne hæfde = Ic næfde, etc. The negative forms may be got, therefore, by simply substituting in each case n for h.
[35.]
Vocabulary.
ðæt dæl, dale.
ðæt dēor, animal [deer[4]].