morph_e

Chapter VII. Verb Classes 1

§146. Verb Classes. The system of classification of verbal stems adopted in this work is according to their consonantal and vocalic forms as shown in Sahidic. Reference to the older forms is only occasionally noted. The student is advised in the beginning to work at texts with the aid of Crum’s Coptic Dictionary, and to familiarize himself with the various verbal forms as they occur. Later he student can consult the etymologies given in Steindorff's, Koptische Grammatik, Sethe's Verbum, and Spiegelberg's Koptische Handwörterbuch. Note: The forms with a doubled vowel after the first consonant (baabe, moone, nhhbe, etc.) are especially confusing. Thus their Sahidic forms are in a section of their own (§170), although etymologically they are derived from various classes.
§147. The following abbreviations used in describing the verbal classes should be noted:

Abbreviation	Verbal Stem Consonants	Special Characteristics
2 lit	2
2 lit gem	2	2^nd doubled
3 lit	3
3 lit inf	3	3^rd weak
4 lit	4
5 lit	5
3 lit gem	3	3^rd doubled
4 lit inf	4	4^th weak

Absolute	Meaning	Construct	Pronominal	Qual
bwl	‘To loose’	b(e)l-	bol=	bhl

It is probable that all the verbs in this class were originally 3 lit, but contained a weak consonant which fell away at an early period. Evidence for this is forthcoming from the hieroglyphic forms of about 40 verbs which had become 2 lit in Coptic; e.g.

Coptic	Translation	Hieroglyphic	Coptic	Translation	Hieroglyphic
kwb	‘To double’	k3b	pw6	‘To break’	ph3 (h dotted)
6ws	‘To sing’	hs’i (h dotted)	6wk	‘To gird’	hkr
pwn	‘To pour out’	pnn	pw4	‘To divide’	pss

It may be noted that, with the exception of Qual, the vocalization of the first syllable of 3 lit verbs is the same as 2 lit. The majority of the 2 lit verbs follow the model bwl exactly. Note: After m and n the formative vowel of the Absolute changes to ou (§14); e.g. mour ‘To bind’, nout ‘To grind’. Note: Before 6 and 4 (representing old h [curved underline]), o of the Pronominal form changes to a (§15); e.g. ma6.ou for mou.ou ‘To fill them’. Likewise pa6= ‘To break’, ta6= ‘To mix’, oua4= ‘To wish’, oua6= ‘To put’, `a6= ‘To smear’. An exception is 6w6 ‘To scratch’, which shows 6o6=.
§149. Some verbs, which in their Construct, Pronominal and Qual forms follow the model of 2 lit verbs, show in their Absolute Form an apparent 3 lit inf form; e.g. bwte ‘To pollute’ bet-, bot=, Q bht. Likewise bwke ‘To tan (leather)’, kwte ‘To turn’, lw2e ‘To hide’, nou6e ‘To shake’, nou`e ‘To throw’, swte ‘To redeem’, twpe ‘To taste’, w3e ‘To press’, 3wte ‘To wipe off’, 3w2e ‘To leap’, `wte ‘To pierce’, 2wpe ‘To seize’, 2w`e ‘To dig’. Note: pw2e ‘To break’ po2= but Qual po2e (as 3 lit inf form).
§150. 2 lit verbs without initial consonant (§17) are:

Absolute	Meaning	Construct	Pronominal	Qual
wl	‘To hold’	ol-	ol=	hl
wp	‘To count’	ep-	op=	hp
w4	‘To cry out’	e4-	o4=	––
wk	‘To be content’	––	––	––
w4	‘To intrude’	––	o4=	––

Absolute	Meaning	Construct	Pronominal	Qual
sw	‘To drink’	se-	soo=	shu
`w	‘To say’	`e-	`oo=	––
ouw (alternate form of ouw6)	‘To cease’	––	––	––
6w	‘To suffice’	––	––	––

Absolute	Meaning	Construct	Pronominal	Qual
eiw	‘To wash’	eia-	eiaa=	eih
kw	‘To place’	ka-	kaa=	kh
ww	‘To conceive’	––	––	eet
2w	‘To continue’	––	––	2eet

§152. The following verbs presenting monosyllabic Absolute forms are irregular. Most of them are really 3 lit in r verbs.
(a) Ending in a:

Absolute	Meaning	Construct	Pronominal	Qual
na	‘To have pity’	––	––	––
na	‘To go’	––	––	––
4a	‘To rise’	––	––	––
sa	‘To be beautiful’	––	––	saiwou

Absolute	Meaning	Construct	Pronominal	Qual
me	‘To love’	mere-	merit=	––
oue	‘To be distant’	––	––	ouh(h)u
6e	‘To fall, light upon’	––	––	6hu

Absolute	Meaning	Construct	Pronominal	Qual
ei	‘To come’	––	––	nhu [from nou, §152(e)]
sei	‘To be satisfied’	––	––	shu

The following verbs are very frequently used, especially in forming Compound verbs (§177):

Absolute	Meaning	Construct	Pronominal	Qual
5	‘To give’	5-	taa=	to
4i	‘To measure’	4i-	4it=	4hu
3i	‘To carry’	3i-	3it=	3hu
`i	‘To take’	`i-	`it=	`hu
6i	‘To beat’	––	6it=	––

Absolute	Meaning	Construct	Pronominal	Qual
lo	‘To cease’	––	––	––
`o	‘To sow’	`e-	`o=	`hu
`o	‘To put forth’	`e-	`o=	––

Absolute	Meaning	Construct	Pronominal	Qual
nau	‘To behold’	––	––	––
mou	‘To die’	––	––	moout
nou	‘To be going to’, ‘To be about to’	––	––	nhu [