4.5 Past tense — past stem + L-endings
4 · Verbs — how the system works · a plain-language guide to Assyrian (Sureth) grammar
Full paradigm of ptikh- ("opened"), Pattern I. Note the stem's i shortens to e once the ending attaches:
| person | form | meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 3ms | ptekhle | he opened |
| 3fs | ptekhla | she opened |
| 3pl | ptekhlun | they opened |
| 2ms | ptekhlukh | you (m.) opened |
| 2fs | ptekhlakh | you (f.) opened |
| 2pl | ptekhlokhun | you (pl.) opened |
| 1s | ptekhli | I opened |
| 1pl | ptekhlan | we opened |
This is the workhorse past ("I did X") — Khan calls it the past perfective. Compared to the present, the past is simpler socially: 1s doesn't split by gender (ptekhli = "I opened," man or woman).
Same L-endings on other everyday verbs (he / I):
| verb | he _ | I _ |
|---|---|---|
| eat | khelle | khelli |
| go | kheshle | kheshli |
| take | shkelle | shkelli |
| do / make | vedle | vedli |
| see | khzile | khzili |
| make (prepare) | zurezle | zurezli |
Sound note — the -l that melts. When the past stem ends in -r, the -l of the ending is always swallowed into it: "he sent" is shuderre (not shuder-le), "he went around" khderre, "he tied" serre, "he sang" zmerre, "he returned" derre. When it ends in -n, the same thing happens but only optionally — both are correct and both are said: kpenle ~ kpenne "he got hungry," tukhmenle ~ tukhmenne "he thought," zubenle ~ zubenne "he sold." Recognize it; don't let it trip you.
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