4B.3 *bet-patekh* — future, or intention?
4B · Verbs in use — which form when · a plain-language guide to Assyrian (Sureth) grammar
bet- is the future, but whose future changes what it means, and this is the single most surprising thing in Khan's chapter 10.
| subject | what bet- means | example |
|---|---|---|
| he / she / they | a plain prediction | diva pt-akhelli "a wolf will eat me" |
| I (singular) | an intention — "I'm going to" | ana pt-azen ka-kha-yarkha "I shall go away for a month" |
| we (inclusive) | let's | kha-kipa gura bet-rappakh allu "let's throw a big stone at him" |
| we (exclusive) | our intention | akhnan p-hayyerrakhlukh "we shall help you" |
| you | a soft command, or a wish | t-azet "you should go" |
That last row is worth dwelling on, because it is a politeness register English doesn't have in its future. malka t-avet basima — "king, may you be well" — is a blessing, not a prediction, and it sits alongside the bare-form version malka avet basima "king, be well" with barely any difference. Assyrian says a great many kind things this way.
| Assyrian | English |
|---|---|
| adi bet-katlenne | now I shall kill him |
| ana kudme t-aten | I shall come tomorrow |
| malka t-avet basima | king, may you be well |
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