4.3 Present tense — present stem + S-endings
4 · Verbs — how the system works · a plain-language guide to Assyrian (Sureth) grammar
Full paradigm of patekh ("to open"), Pattern I:
| person | form | meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 3ms | patekh | he opens |
| 3fs | patkha | she opens |
| 3pl | patkhi | they open |
| 2ms | patkhet | you (m.) open |
| 2fs | patkhat | you (f.) open |
| 2pl | patkhitun | you (pl.) open |
| 1ms | patkhen | I (m.) open |
| 1fs | patkhan | I (f.) open |
| 1pl | patkhakh | we open |
Notice the little vowel juggling: the "e" of patekh drops out once an ending pulls the stress along (patekh → patkh-a). You'll internalize it by ear; the endings themselves never change.
The exact same endings on other everyday verbs (he / she / I):
| verb | he _ | she _ | I _ |
|---|---|---|---|
| eat | akhel | akhla | akhlen |
| go | azel | aza | azen |
| take | shakel | shakla | shaklen |
| see | khaze | khazya | khazen |
| make | zarez | zarza | zarzen |
Same -∅ / -a / -en endings every time — only the stem up front changes. That regularity is the good news about Assyrian verbs.
On its own, this present form is flexible. Bare patekh can mean "he opens," "he'll open," or "(that) he open" depending on context. To pin down the meaning, Assyrian adds small particles — next section.
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