Page:A simplified grammar of the Swedish language.djvu/75

Rh Swedish verbs, embraces nearly all weak verbs having a, o, u, or å as their radical vowel, followed by a consonant; as, fråga, 'to ask.' To this conjugation belong also generally verbs compounded of particles, or having two or more syllables; as, afskeda, 'to dismiss;' arbeta, 'to labour.'

To the second conjugation belong many verbs having a soft radical vowel, as e, i, y, ä, or ö; as, leda, 'to lead;' spilla, 'to spill;' pryda, 'to adorn;' svälla, 'to swell;' föda, 'to give birth to.'

The third conjugation, which now is without the final a in the infinitive, is of comparatively modern origin, that characteristic termination having been present in the Old Swedish; as, att boa, instead of bo, 'to dwell;' att troa, instead of tro, 'to believe.'

The fourth, or strong mode of conjugation, which is the most ancient and most flexible of any, comprises five distinct classes of verbs; as, (1) verbs in which the imperf. indicative ends in short a; (2) in long a; (3) in o; (4) in e; (5) in ö. As —




 * - align=center
 * ||  Imp. Indic.||  Past. Part.
 * binda, to bind,|| band,|| bundit.
 * gifva, to give,|| gaf,|| gifvit.
 * taga, to take,||  tog,|| tagit.
 * skrifva, to write,|| skref,|| skrifvit.
 * klyfva, to cleave,|| klöf,|| klufvit.
 * }
 * skrifva, to write,|| skref,|| skrifvit.
 * klyfva, to cleave,|| klöf,|| klufvit.
 * }
 * klyfva, to cleave,|| klöf,|| klufvit.
 * }

Some verbs may be declined according both to the first and the second form of conjugation; as, (att) dela, 'to share,' which may be written imperf. delade or delte, participle past delat or delt.