GENERAL REMARKS.
§ [167]. The Gothic verb has the following forms:
1. Two voices, Activ and Midl. The Activ Voice alone has preservd a great variety of forms. The Midl Voice is retaind in but a few forms of the prs. indicativ and optativ, which occur, however, very often. The midl forms hav a passiv meaning. Therefore the Midl Voice is also calld Passiv or Medio-Passiv Voice.
Note 1. The lost passiv forms ar supplied by the pp. along with the corresponding forms of waírþan or wisan; e. g., daupjada, he is baptized, but daupiþs was or warþ, he was baptized. Cp. Zs. fdph., 5, 409 et seq.
Note 2. The originally inchoativ verbs in -nan ([§ 194]) frequently hav a medial meaning ([§ 194]).
2. Two tenses, Present and Preterit (Perfect). The Preterit is the general tense for the past. The future is wanting; its place is mostly supplied by the present, seldom by means of auxiliary verbs (skulan, shal; haban, hav; duginnan, to begin).
3. Two complete moods, Indicativ and Optativ (also calld Subjunctiv). An Imperativ occurs only in the present; it has the second persons of all three numbers and a 1st pers. pl.—There ar but few instances of a 3d pers. sg. and pl. imper. This is uzually exprest by the 3d pers. opt. But also the 2nd and 1st pers. imp. ar frequently exprest by the opt.
4. Three numbers: Singular, Dual, and Plural. The 3d pers. du. is wanting.
5. The Present Infinitiv, the Present Participl with an activ meaning, and the Preterit Partic. with a passiv meaning.
§ [168]. The Gothic verbs ar, from a Germanic point of view, divided according to the formation of the preterit in relation to the present into two chief classes: