VAI verbs - present tense

The following are general rules for forming the present tense for VAI (intransitive animate) verbs.

Independent (A Form) verbs in the positive are conjugated as:

If the verb ends in a vowel (ex: minikwe) -

I niminikwe
You giminikwe
He/She/It minikwe
We (incl.) giminikwemin
We (excl.) niminikwemin
You (pl.) giminikwem
They minikwewag

There is also a conjugation for the so-called 4th person (ob). It's made available here for reference.

He/She/It (ob) minikwewan

If the verb ends in a consonant (ex: nisidotam) -

I ninisidotam
You ginisidotam
He/She/It nisidotam
We (incl.) ginisidotamin
We (excl.) ninisidotamin
You (pl.) ginisidotaam
They nisidotamog

He/She/It (ob) nisidotamowan


To form the negative for independent (A Form) VAI verbs:

If the verb ends in a vowel (ex: minikwe) -

I niminikwesii
You giminikwesii
He/She/It minikwesii
We (incl.) giminikwesiimin
We (excl.) niminikwesiimin
You (pl.) giminikwesiim
They minikwesiiwag

He (ob) minikwesiiwan

If the verb ends in a consonant (ex: nisidotam) -

I ninisidotanzii
You ginisidotanzii
He/She/It nisidotanzii
We (incl.) ginisidotanziimin
We (excl.) ninisidotanziimin
You (pl.) ginisidotanziim
They nisidotanziiwag

He/She/It (ob) nisidotanziiwan

Conjunct (B Form) verbs in the positive are conjugated as:

If the verb ends in a vowel (ex: minikwe) -

I minikweyaan
You minikweyan
He/She/It minikwed
We (incl.) minikweyang
We (excl.) minikweyaang
You (pl.) minikweyeg
They minikwewaad

He (ob) minikwenid

If the verb ends in a consonant (ex: nisidotam) -

I nisidotamaan
You nisidotaman
He nisidotang
We (incl.) nisidotamang
We (excl.) nisidotamaang
You (pl.) nisidotameg
They nisidotamowaad

He (ob) nisidotaminid


To form the negative for conjunct (B Form) VAI verbs:

If the verb ends in a vowel (ex: minikwe) -

I minikwesiwaan
You minikwesiwan
He/She/It minikwesig
We (incl.) minikwesiwang
We (excl.) minikwesiwaang
You (pl.) minikwesiweg
They minikwesigwaa

He (ob) minikwesinig

If the verb ends in a consonant (ex: nisidotam) -

I nisidotanziwaan
You nisidotanziwan
He/She/It nisidotanzig
We (incl.) nisidotanziwang
We (excl.) nisidotanziwaang
You (pl.) nisidotanziweg
They nisidotanzigwaa

He (ob) nisidotanzinig

Additionally, the following personal prefixes change accordingly:

ni- before w, z, n, m

nin/in- before d, g, j

nim/im- before b

nind/ind- before any vowel: a, aa, i, ii, e, o, oo

gi- changes into gid- before any vowel.