- 跑来跑去 ’pau lé ’pau k’í‘, walking about.
- 搖進搖出 yau tsing‘ yau t’seh, row in and out.
232. The verb is repeated with the intervention of 個 kú‘, or of 一 ih to represent a little of the act in question.
- 走一走 ’tseu ih ’tseu, walk a little.
- 等一等 ’tung ih ’tung, wait a little.
- 待個待 té‘ kú‘ dé‘, wait.
- 做個做 ’zú kú‘ ’zú, sit down.
Obs. Sometimes auxiliary substantives supply the place of the repeated verb; e.g. 加一倍 ká ih bé‘, make it as large again. Other auxiliaries are 次, 燙, 囘, t’sz‘, t’ong‘, we‘, applied to any verb in the sense of times. For going round in a circle 轉 ’tsén with the numeral expresses the number of times. For beating 記 kí‘ expresses the number of blows. See [Art. 163].
(2.) Different kinds of verbs.
Substantive verb. 233. The verb to be used as a copula is often omitted.
- 我你讀書個 ’ngú ’ní tók sû kú‘, we are persons of education.
- 第個人長 tí kú‘ niun dzáng, this man is tall.
- 今朝最冷 kiun tsau tsûe‘ ’láng, to-day it is very cold.
234. The words 是[1] ’zz and 做 tsú‘ are employed as substantive verbs, and 在 ’dzé, 勒拉 leh ’lá, 勒裏 leh ’lí when existence in place is spoken of. They are put in the negative by prefixing 勿 yeh.
- 是儂個否 ’zz nóng‘ kú‘ ’vá, is it yours?
- 是個勿是個 ’zz ku‘, veh ’zz ku‘, it is; it is not.
- 我做裁縫 ’ngú tsú‘ dzé vóng, I am a tailor.
- 做兒子要孝 tsú‘ ní ’tsz yau‘ h’iau‘, he who is a son should be filial.
- 勿勒拉此地 veh leh ’la ’t’sz di‘, he is not here.
Obs. i. The verb 呌 kiau‘, to call is sometimes so used that is may be translated as a substantive verb; e.g. í yáng‘ ’tau ’lí veh kiau‘ ’hau, 伊樣道理勿呌好 that mode of action is not good, or is not what may be called good.