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Coptic for All

Level 2: Lesson 4

Present simple tense

Intro

Forming the verb in Coptic is easy – example:
ⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩⲱϣⲧ = we worship
ⲟⲩⲱϣⲧ is the actual verb whose spelling remains unchanged through the tenses
ⲧⲉⲛ is the prefix pronoun used to denote “we” in the present tense, you can easily conjugate any verb in the present tense if you know the prefix pronouns for I, you (male), you (female), he, she, we, you (plural) and they

I ϯ

The prefix pronoun for I in present tense is ϯ – Examples:
+ ϯⲟⲩⲱϣⲧ – I worship
+ ϯϣ̀ⲗⲏⲗ – I pray
+ ϯⲥ̀ⲙⲟⲩ – I praise
+ ϯⲛⲁϩϯ – I believe

you (male)
ⲕ̀ / ⲭ̀

The prefix pronoun for you (singular masculine) in present tense depends on the letter in the the verb starts with
– If the verb starts with one of these letters: ⲙ, ⲛ or the syllable ⲟⲩ then the prefix pronoun is ⲭ̀ – Examples:
+ ⲭ̀ⲟⲩⲱϣⲧ – you worship
+ ⲭ̀ⲛⲁϩϯ – you believe

– If the verb starts with any ther letter then the prefix pronoun is ⲕ̀ – Examples:
+ ⲕ̀ⲥ̀ⲙⲟⲩ – you praise
+ ⲕ̀ϣ̀ⲗⲏⲗ – you pray

you (female) ⲧⲉ

The prefix pronoun for you (singular feminine) in present tense is ⲧⲉ – Examples:
+ ⲧⲉⲟⲩⲱϣⲧ – you worship
+ ⲧⲉϣ̀ⲗⲏⲗ – you pray
+ ⲧⲉⲥ̀ⲙⲟⲩ – you praise
+ ⲧⲉⲛⲁϩϯ – you believe

he ϥ̀

The prefix pronoun for He in present tense is ϥ̀ – Examples:
+ ϥ̀ⲟⲩⲱϣⲧ – he worships
+ ϥ̀ϣ̀ⲗⲏⲗ – he prays
+ ϥ̀ⲥ̀ⲙⲟⲩ – he praises
+ ϥ̀ⲛⲁϩϯ – he believes

she ⲥ̀

The prefix pronoun for She in present tense is ⲥ̀ – Examples:
+ ⲥ̀ⲟⲩⲱϣⲧ – she worships
+ ⲥ̀ϣ̀ⲗⲏⲗ – she prays
+ ⲥ̀ⲥ̀ⲙⲟⲩ – she praises
+ ⲥ̀ⲛⲁϩϯ – she believes

we ⲧⲉⲛ

The prefix pronoun for we in present tense is ⲧⲉⲛ – Examples:
+ ⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩⲱϣⲧ – we worship
+ ⲧⲉⲛϣ̀ⲗⲏⲗ – we pray
+ ⲧⲉⲛⲥ̀ⲙⲟⲩ – we praise
+ ⲧⲉⲛⲛⲁϩϯ – we believe

you (plural) ⲧⲉⲧⲉⲛ

The prefix pronoun for you (plural) in present tense is ⲧⲉⲧⲉⲛ – Examples:
+ ⲧⲉⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩⲱϣⲧ – you worship
+ ⲧⲉⲧⲉⲛϣ̀ⲗⲏⲗ – you pray
+ ⲧⲉⲧⲉⲛⲥ̀ⲙⲟⲩ – you praise
+ ⲧⲉⲧⲉⲛⲛⲁϩϯ – you believe

they ⲥⲉ

The prefix pronoun for they in present tense is ⲥⲉ – Examples:
+ ⲥⲉⲟⲩⲱϣⲧ – they worship
+ ⲥⲉϣ̀ⲗⲏⲗ – they pray
+ ⲥⲉⲥ̀ⲙⲟⲩ – they praise
+ ⲥⲉⲛⲁϩϯ – they believe

Negation of present tense

Negating the present tense is done by adding the particle ⲁⲛ after the verb – Examples:
+ ϯⲥⲱⲟⲩⲛ ⲁⲛ – I don’t know
+ ⲭ̀ⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲁⲛ – you don’t want

For absolute ngation (never) the particle ⲛ̀ is added to begining of the verb in addition to the particle ⲁⲛ after the verb – Examples:
+ ⲛ̀ϯⲥ̀ϧⲁⲓ ⲁⲛ – I never write
+ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉⲛⲱϣ ⲁⲛ – we never read

Test

Lesson 4 test

In order to complete the test you need to answer All the questions. When you are done click the “finish” button in the final slide 

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Coming soon

Level 1

+ Learn the Coptic Alphabet

+ Read simple words and examples from the liturgy

+ Practice reading the Lord’s prayer:

Ⲡⲉⲛⲓⲱⲧ ⲉⲧϧⲉⲛ ⲛⲓⲫⲏⲟⲩⲓ

Try some self study:

e-Learning
Level 2

+ Indefinite and definite articles

+ Present tense

+ Past tense

+ Possessive adjectives

+ Adjectives & association

+ Structure of Coptic sentence

Try some self study:

e-Learning
Level 3

+ Demonstrative pronouns

+ Negation of the past tense

+ Future tense

+ 2nd Past tense

+ Possessive pronouns

+ Studying the First Canticle

Try some self study:

e-Learning
Level 4

+ Imperative

+ Verb relation to object 2nd and 3rd degrees

+ Past continuous

+ Study the Lord’s prayer:

Ⲡⲉⲛⲓⲱⲧ ⲉⲧϧⲉⲛ ⲛⲓⲫⲏⲟⲩⲓ

Level 5

Advanced level, the curriculum will be tailored to the participants’ needs