Lesson 2:
Verbs

Simple Forms

Infinitives

In Ido, there are three forms of the infinitive: past, present future, which end in -ir, -ar, and -or, respectively.

Vidir, vidar, vidor

To have seen, to see, yet to see

Use of Infinitives

The infinitive is used as in English and after prepositions.

Me volas lektir ulo. Me lernas per lektar. Me devas iror ibe.

I want to have read something. I learn by reading. I must go there yet.

The Simple Tenses

There are three simple tenses: past, present, and future, which end in -is, -as, and -os, respectively.

Me vidis, me vidas, kaj me vidos.

I saw, I see, and I will see.

Use of the Simple Tenses

These tenses are used like the english equivalents: "-ed", the present tense, and "will ...".

Mi lavis ol. Mi lavas ol. Mi lavos ol.

I washed it. I wash it. I will wash it.

The Moods

The conditional is formed by replacing the the infinitive ending with -us. The imperative is formed by replacing the infinitve ending with -ez.

Vidus, videz!

Would see, see!

Use of the Moods

The conditional is used in conditional statements and polite requests.

Se me estus richa, me estus kontenta. Kad vu facus ulo utila?

If I were rich, I would be content. Would you do something useful?

The imperative is used to command or express desire. It is used more often than in English.

Irez! Ni videz. Quo me donez ad vu?

Go! Let us see. What shall I give you?

The Participles

There are three active participles: past, present, and future, which end in -inta, -anta, and -onta, respectively.

Mi esas vidinta, vidanta, ed vidonta.

I have seen, am seeing, and am about to see.

There are also three passive participles: past, present, and future, which end in -ita, -ata, and -ota, respectively.

Mi eseas vidita, vidata, od vidota.

I have been seen, am seen, or am about to be seen.

Use of Participles

Technically, participles are adjectives. They are also used in compound tenses as explained further below.

La marchanta viro marchas.

The walking man walks.

By changing the final -a to -o, -i, or -e, the participle may be used as a singular noun (person), plural noun (people), or adverb, respectively.

Vidote, la pekanto celas su.

About to seen, the sinner hides.

As seen in the examples above, active particles indicate that the subject, modified noun, or the participle itself refers to the agent of (the one doing) the action. Passive participles indicate reference to the patient of the action (the one to whom the action is done) in the same way. Past participles indicate that the action in complete. Present participles indicate that the action is still taking place. Future participles indicate that the action has not commenced yet.

Constructions

Prefect Tenses

Prefect tenses which are formed with the auxiliary verb "to have" in English are formed with the suffix -ab in Ido. This suffix is not an ending, but instead precedes the simple verb ending. Perfect tenses in Ido are used in much the same way as they are used in English, except that the simple past tense is usually used when English would use the present perfect.

Me vidabis, vidabas, ed vidabos. El vidabus.

I had seen, have seen, and will have seen. She would have seen.

Fin-ab-ez, kande me arivos.

Be finished when I arrive.

Progressive Tenses

The progressive tenses are formed by the conjugation of esar and the present active participle. These tenses are rarely used since the simple tense usually suffice.

Me esas manjanta.

I am eating.

"About to", "Going to"

These phrases or translated by the future active participle.

Me esas manjonta.

I am about to eat.

"Used to"

When "used to" is used to refer to a habitual action, the suffix -ad plus the ending -is translate it.

Me pleadis la piano.

I used to play the piano.

Emphatic

Where English uses the auxiliary verb "to do" to put emphasis on the verb, Ido uses the adverb ya.

Me ya askoltas.

I do listen.

Passive Voice

There are two ways of forming the passive voice in Ido: One is following the conjugation of esar with a present passive participle. The other, less preferred, way is to prefix the root of the participle to the conjugation of esar.

La puero esas amata. La puero amesos.

The boy is loved. The boy will be loved.

The agent may be introduced in the passive voice by the preposition da.

La puero esas amata da sua matro.

The boy is loved by his mother.

Use of the passive voice may be avoided with the pronoun on.

On amas la puero.

One loves the boy.

Negation

A verb may be negated by placing the word ne before it. This is similar to the English "don't" or "doesn't".

Me ne volas kombatar.

I don't want to fight.

Notes on Verbs

Nature

Verbs may be either transitive, intransitive, or both.

Specific Translations

Note the following examples:

Me esas hike de du monati.

I have been here two months.

Me esis ibe dum du monati.

I was there for two months.

Impersonal Verbs

Some verbs do not require a subject in Ido. The English translations of these verbs usually have a meaningless "it", "they", or "there" as the subject.

Pluvos.

It will rain.