Negative verb

A negative verb is a type of auxiliary with help of which negative forms of verbs are formed. The action itself has no personal endings, while the negative verb takes the inflection. The English auxiliary "don't" or "doesn't" combined with a pronoun performs a similar function: one says "we don't make", where "make" has no inflection, and "we don't" is essentially a negative verb, which indicates the person "we" (contrast "he doesn't" with a different person).

Negative Verb in Uralic Languages

The negative verb is typical of the Uralic languages. Uralic languages inflect by person, thus one word, the negative verb corresponds to e.g. "I don't" (Finnish en) or "doesn't" (ei).

Finnish

The negative verb is conjugated in moods and personal forms in Finnish. In the present tense, the form of the main verb is just the stem of the present form without a personal ending, e.g. lähden – en lähde ’I leave’ – ’I do not leave’, menisit – et menisi ’you would go’ – ’you would not go’, syönee – ei syöne ’he/she may eat’ – ’he/she may not eat’, ottakaamme – älkäämme ottako ’let us take’ – ’let us not take’. In the imperfect tense, the form of the main verb is the past participle, e.g. otin – en ottanut ’I took’ – ’I did not take’, otimme – emme ottaneet ’we took’ – ’we did not take’.

Indicative, conditional, and potential {| style="border: 1px #000000 solid; border-collapse: collapse;" ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Person ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Singular ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Plural |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 1. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | en | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | emme |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 2. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | et | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | ette |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 3. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | ei | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | eivät |}

Imperative {| style="border: 1px #000000 solid; border-collapse: collapse;" ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Person ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Singular ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Plural |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 1. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | - | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | älkäämme |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 2. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | älä | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | älkää |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 3. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | älköön | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | älkööt |}

Estonian

Although the negative verb is conjugated for mood and person in Estonian, the indicative, conditional and potential no longer have distinctive forms for each person (cf. the Finnish negative verb above).

Indicative, conditional, and modus obliquus {| style="border: 1px #000000 solid; border-collapse: collapse;" ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Person ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Singular ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Plural |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 1. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | ei | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | ei |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 2. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | ei | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | ei |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 3. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | ei | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | ei |}

Imperative {| style="border: 1px #000000 solid; border-collapse: collapse;" ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Person ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Singular ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Plural |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 1. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | - | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | ärgem |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 2. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | ära | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | ärge |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 3. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | ärgu | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | ärgu |}

Inari Sami

The negative verb is conjugated in moods and personal forms in Inari Sami.

Indicative, conditional, and potential mood {| style="border: 1px #000000 solid; border-collapse: collapse;" ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Person ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Singular ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Dual ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Plural |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 1. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | jie´m | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | eän | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | ep |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 2. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | jie´h | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | eppee | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | eppeđ |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 3. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | ij | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | eä´vá | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | eä |}

Imperative {| style="border: 1px #000000 solid; border-collapse: collapse;" ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Person ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Singular ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Dual ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Plural |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 1. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | eällum | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | eäl´loon | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | eällup |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 2. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | ele | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | ellee | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | elleđ |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 3. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | eä´lus | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | eällus | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | eällus |}

Northern Sami

The negative verb is conjugated in moods and personal forms in Northern Sami.

Indicative, conditional, and potential mood {| style="border: 1px #000000 solid; border-collapse: collapse;" ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Person ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Singular ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Dual ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Plural |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 1. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | in | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | ean | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | eat |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 2. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | it | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | eahppi | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | ehpet |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 3. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | ii | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | eaba | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | eai |}

Imperative {| style="border: 1px #000000 solid; border-collapse: collapse;" ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Person ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Singular ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Dual ! style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px; background-color: #EFEFFF;" | Plural |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 1. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | allon | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | allu | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | allot |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 2. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | ale | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | alli | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | allet |- | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | 3. | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | allos | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | alloska | style="border: 1px #000000 solid; padding: 2px 10px 2px 4px;" | alloset |}

Japanese

The basic pattern is u becomes anai.

{| class="wikitable" | !Type !Negative !Examples !Negative |- | colspan=4 align="center" | Irregular verbs |- | suru | shinai | benkyō suru | benkyō shinai |- | kuru | konai | | |- | aru | nai | | |- | da | de wa nai
ja nai | | |- | masu stem | masen | ikimasu (go, polite) | ikimasen |- | colspan = 4 align="center" | Regular verbs |- | u | wanai | tsukau (use) | tsukawanai |- | ku | kanai | yaku (burn) | yakanai |- | gu | ganai | oyogu (swim) | oyoganai |- | su | sanai | shimesu (show) | shimesanai |- | tsu | tanai | matsu (wait) | matanai |- | nu | nanai | shinu (die) | shinanai |- | bu | banai | yobu (call) | yobanai |- | mu | manai | yomu (read) | yomanai |- | ru (consonant stem) | ranai | hashiru (run) | hashiranai |- | iru, eru (vowel stem) | inai, enai | kigaeru (change clothes) | kigaenai |- | colspan = 4 align="center" | Adjectives |- | i adjectives | ku nai | itai (painful) | itakunai |- | na adjectives | de wa nai
ja nai | kantan | kantan de wa nai
kantan ja nai |- |}

*The nai ending conjugates in two ways.

#As an i adjective. For example the past tense of tabenai is tabenakatta and the te form is tabenakute.

#There is a special te form made by adding de. For example, tabenaide. This is used, for example, in tabenaide kudasai: "Please don't eat (this)".

Dravidian languages

Kannada

The negative mood in Kannada is conjugated by adding the PNG (Person-Number-Gender) marker to the root without a tense marker. It is occasionally used in common speech, usually with a few defective verbs in the Negative Mood. e.g. ಸಾಲದು (saaladu) - It is not sufficient , ಕೂಡದು (kUDadu) - It is not fitting ( Not possible / Should not)

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Singular !! Meaning !! Plural !! Meaning |- | ಮಾಡೆನು (maaDenu) || I do (will) not do || ಮಾಡೆವು (maaDevu) || We do (will) not do |- | ಮಾಡೆ (maaDe) || You (Informal) do (will) not do || ಮಾಡರಿ (ಮಾಡಿರಿ) (maaDari (maaDiri)) || You (Formal) do (will) not do |- | ಮಾಡನು (maaDanu) || He does (will) not do || ಮಾಡರು (maaDaru) || They do (will) not do (This can also be used to refer formally to the third person) |- | ಮಾಡಳು (maaDaLu) || She does (will) not do || ಮಾಡರು (maaDaru) || They do (will) not do |- | ಮಾಡದು (maaDadu) || It does (will) not do || ಮಾಡವು (maaDavu) || They do (will) not do |}

West Flemish

West Flemish makes use of such a verb as well:

{| class="wikitable" !colspan="2"|Singular!!colspan="2"|Plural |- |nink || I don't || niew || we don't |- |nèjg || you don't || nèjg || you don't |- |nieg || one doesn't || nèns || they don't |}

Category:Grammar