Learn Interlingue - Lesson 3

Verbs

The verb in the infinitive ends in -r [ama/r]. The present indicative is obtained by removing the infinitive ending

| yo ama | I love |
| tu ama | you love |
| il ama | he loves |

The imperative form is the same as the present indicative, followed by a mark of exclamation [!]. The composite imperative is formed with ples plus the infinitive.

| audi! | Listen! |
| ples audir | Please listen |

The past tense is obtained by adding -t to the present tense

| yo ama/t | I loved |
| tu ama/t | you loved |
| il ama/t | he loved |

The future tense is formed by employing the auxiliary va where English used either "shall" or "will"

| yo va ear | I shall go |

The conditional is formed by employing the auxiliary vell where English used either "should" or "would"

ella vell ear si yo vell consentir = she would go if I should consent

The optative is distinguished from the imperative by using mey with the infinitive

que il mey trovar it = that he may find it

The hortative is formed with the word lass and the infinitive

lass nos ear in li cité = let's go in the city

Two auxiliary verbs are used, ha/r (an abbreviation of have/r), and esse/r, for the latter the abbreviated form es as an auxiliary and for the present tense.

The perfect and pluperfect are formed by the auxiliary verbs preceding the past participle

yo ha amat = I have loved

The passive voice is formed with the verb esse/r

yo es vocat = I am called
yo es videt = I am seen
yo esset videt = I was seen