Coptic Grammar

edited October 2017 in Random Issues
I have a couple questions regarding Coptic grammar: 
If I were to say something like "My table" where I am a male but the noun table is female, is it ta or pa?
When are the different definite articles (pi/ep/ef and ti/et/eth) used? 
What are some basic rules of verb conjugation?

Pray for me.

Comments

  • Dear @Daniel_Kyrillos
    I don't believe that this space is enough for a crash grammar course especially for verb conjugations and other articles. However, in answer to your first question, it does not matter if you are masculine or feminine. You use "ba" or "ta" depending on the gender of the object. Examples are: "ta'trabeza", "baiwd", "banowi", "ta'chimi", etc.
    Ⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ ϧⲉⲛ Ⲡ̀ϭⲥ
  • It is best to think of possessive adjectives in Coptic akin to French, so in the example you mentioned. The gender of the noun remains constant so it will be:
    e.g.
    ⲧⲁⲫⲟⲣϣⲓ: ϯⲫⲟⲣϣⲓ: my table
    ⲧⲁⲧⲣⲁⲡⲉⲍⲁ: ϯⲧⲣⲁⲡⲉⲍⲁ my table
    ⲧⲁⲥϩⲓⲙⲓ: ϯⲥϩⲓⲙⲓ: my woman (my wife)
    ⲧⲁⲥⲱⲛⲓ: ϯⲥⲱⲛⲓ my sister
    ⲧⲁϫⲟⲙ: ϯϫⲟⲙ: my power

    The possessive adj. for a single masculine noun
    ⲧⲁⲫⲟⲣϣⲓ: my table
    ⲧⲉⲕⲫⲟⲣϣⲓ your (single masculine) table
    ⲧⲉⲫⲟⲣϣⲓ your (sing. f.) table
    ⲧⲉϥⲫⲟⲣϣⲓ his table
    ⲧⲉⲥⲫⲟⲣϣⲓ her table
    ⲧⲉⲛⲫⲟⲣϣⲓ our table
    ⲧⲉⲧⲉⲛⲫⲟⲣϣⲓ your (pl.) table
    ⲧⲟⲩⲫⲟⲣϣⲓ their table

    The possessive adj. of a single feminine noun
    ⲡⲁⲁⲫⲟⲧ: my cup
    ⲡⲉⲕⲁⲫⲟⲧ: your (sing. m.) cup
    ⲡⲉⲁⲫⲟⲧ your (sing. f.) cup
    ⲡⲉϥⲁⲫⲟⲧ: his cup
    ⲡⲉⲥⲁⲫⲟⲧ: her cup
    ⲡⲉⲛⲁⲫⲟⲧ: our cup
    ⲡⲉⲧⲉⲛⲁⲫⲟⲧ: your (pl.) cup
    ⲡⲟⲩⲁⲫⲟⲧ: their cup

    The possessive adj. of a plural noun
    ⲛⲁϫⲓϫ: our hands
    ⲛⲉⲕϫⲓϫ: your (sing, m.) hands
    ⲛⲉϫⲓϫ: your (sing. f.) hands
    ⲛⲉϥϫⲓϫ: his hands
    ⲛⲉⲥϫⲓϫ: her hands
    ⲛⲉⲛϫⲓϫ: our hands
    ⲛⲉⲧⲉⲛϫⲓϫ: your (pl.) hands
    ⲛⲟⲩϫⲓϫ: their hands
Sign In or Register to comment.