Page:Hand-book of Volapük (Sprauge, 1888).djvu/40



In English we have no special form for habitual action, but, on the other hand, we use the verb to be with the participle in -ing to express action continuing temporarily.

Fidob bodi, I am eating bread. Aifidob bodi, I eat bread (am in the habit of eating bread). &Auml;penob penedi, I wrote a letter, or I was writing a letter. &Auml;ipenob penedis m&ouml;dik, I used to write many letters. The form "to be ing" is adopted in Volap&uuml;k. Binob pen&ouml;l, I am writing. Ai- is also used as a prefix denoting universality with other words. Aikel, whoever; aikitim, whenever; aiki&ouml;p, wherever. = EXERCISE 24 =

Lio- ? how- ? to what degree ? as lio-gletik ? how large ? lio-m&ouml;dik ? how many ? '''Aispatob v&auml;delo in gad obik. Li-aigebol spatini ?'''

No; spatins paigeboms te fa mans b&auml;ledik; li-tikol das binob b&auml;ledik ? No nolob; binob yunik, ab aispatob ko spatin. Li-aifidol miti v&auml;delo ? No aifidob omi m&auml;l&uuml;delo. Ven &auml;binobs in Flent, &auml;idlinobs vini, ab nu ven binobs in Melop aidlinobs vati. Du yels lio-m&ouml;dik &auml;binols in Flent ? Du yels kil.

Do you drink wine ? I drink wine, but now I am drinking water. In France they drink [one drinks] wine and not water. In Belgium they speak the French and the Dutch languages. What language do they speak in Australia ? They speak-English [one word] wherever many Englishmen are, one speaks English. = THE REFLEXIV =

The reflexiv form is the same as the activ voice with the addition of -ok.

Vat&uuml;kob, I wash. Vat&uuml;kobok, I wash myself.