Deficient Verbs
Deficient verbs, so called because they require a subordinate or complementary verb to complete their action, are used to form many tenses and to impart certain shades of meaning. They form part of multi-verbal conjugations consisting of a string of verbs, each with its own subjectival concord.
Deficient verbs, being "deficient", are never used alone. Many of them are irregular in form and have irregular inflexions. Monosyllabic deficient verbs are never used with the penultimate e- that is sometimes used with normal verbs (not to be confused with the indefinite concord).
Many of these verbs seem radical in nature, while others (especially those with complex implications) are obviously derived from certain extant normal verbs (but are used with slightly different meanings). What distinguishes the deficient usage of these normal verbs is the fact that they are followed directly by another verb and affect its meaning (and only the main verb may carry an objectival concord).
- Ke se ke sa tsebe I no longer know
- Ke ne ke tseba I knew
- Ke tla be ke tseba I shall (at some specific time) know
- Nka be ke ile ka tseba I should/would have known
- Nka hla ka tseba I may indeed know
- Ke tla mpe ke tsebe I will at least know
- Nka nna ka tseba I may still know
- Ka batla ke tseba I nearly knew
- Nke ke ka hlola ke tseba I shall no longer know
- Ke tshwanetse ho tseba I have to know
Read more about this topic: Sotho Verbs
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