Page:Primary Lessons In Swatow Grammar.djvu/101

Rh Infinitive.

There is no distinctive mark of the Infinitive. The infinitive sense is to be learned from the connection. A few examples will suffice.


 * i khṳ̀-bói-hue,
 * he has gone to buy lime.


 * uá hàm-i khie̍h-jī khṳ̀-Sùaⁿ-thâu,
 * I told him to take a note to Swatow.


 * i àiⁿ-lâi-chia̍h,
 * he is coming to eat.


 * i àiⁿ-kìⁿ thâu-ke,
 * he wishes to see the master of the house.


 * i àiⁿ-sǹg-siàu,
 * he wants to reckon up.


 * i àiⁿ hiah-kang,
 * he wishes to stop work.


 * nâng-kheh àiⁿ-tàⁿ-ūe,
 * the guest wishes to speak (to you).


 * hàm-i lâi-sàu-lōu,
 * call him to come and sweep the road.


 * i tõ tán-bói-mue̍h,
 * he is waiting to buy something.


 * chhiáⁿ-chhâi-chú lâi,
 * ask the owner of the goods to come.


 * kiè-i chò-pû-lâi,
 * tell him to come along with (him).


 * kiè-i sêng-thòa-bói,
 * tell him to buy this also at the same time.


 * i àiⁿ-chieh lân-ló-ngṳ̂n,
 * he wishes to borrow a little money, i.e. he wishes his pay.

The Participle.

A participial sense is imparted by the use of tõ, which in such connection means, to be at (the doing of any thing), and sometimes, also by chiàⁿ, meaning, then; at the same time (with something else), and chò, in the sense of being. Liáu, and kùe, denoting past; gone through with; completed, help give the significance of a past participle.


 * i tõ-chõ,
 * he is sitting.


 * i tõ-tán,
 * he is waiting.


 * i tõ-gu̍h huân-būe-chhéⁿ,
 * he is sleeping and has not yet awakened.


 * chhù hiēn-chãi sĩ-tõ-khí,
 * the house now is being built.


 * uá lâi i huân-tõ sie-mēⁿ,
 * when I came they were still quarrelling.


 * tõ-i tha̍k-chṳ kâi-sî-hāu,
 * at the time he was, or is reading.


 * i sĩ tõ-taⁿ-chúi,
 * he is carrying water.


 * sit-lo̍h--tiāu,
 * lost.


 * chò-kùe;
 * done, finished.


 * khie̍h--tie̍h-kâi,
 * picked up.


 * m̄-kìⁿ-khṳ̀--liáu,
 * lost sight of.


 * liēn-kú kâi-to-kiàm,
 * a long tried sword.


 * liēn-kú kâi-ke-húe,
 * tested weapons.