Adyghe morphology

In Adyghe, like all Northwest Caucasian languages, morphology is the most important part of the grammar. An Adyghe word, besides that it has its own lexical meaning, sometimes, by the set of morphemes it is build of and by their aggregate grammatical meanings, can reproduce a sentence. For example, a verb by its set of morphemes can express subject's and object's person, place, time, manner of action, negative, and other types of grammatical categories. For example: къыпфэсхьыщтэп "I will not bring it for you" consists of these morphemes: къы-п-фэ-с-хьы-щт-эп – which have these literal meanings "from there (къы) you (п) for you (фэ) I (с) bring (хьы) will (attribute of the future tense - щт) not (эп)".

Verbal Prefixes

In Adyghe there are two kind of prefixes : Directional prefixes and informative prefixes. Directional prefixes express the direction of the verb while informative prefixes add additional information related to the verb like the location, the reason and the participants.

Directional prefixes
Case Prefix Example Translation
Directional къ~ (q~) къаплъэ (qaːpɬa) (s)he is looking toward here
Towards лъ~ (ɬ~) лъэплъэ (ɬapɬa) (s)he is looking towards him
Backwards зэкӏ~ (zat͡ʃʼ~) зэкӏаплъэ (zat͡ʃʼaːpɬa) (s)he is looking backwards
Bypass блэ~ (bɮa~) блэплъы (bɮapɬə) (s)he is looking backwards
Pass through пхыры~ (pxərə~) пхырыплъы (pxərəpɬə) (s)he is looking pass through
Backwards зэкӏ~ (zat͡ʃʼ~) зэкӏаплъэ (zat͡ʃʼaːpɬa) (s)he is looking backwards
Beyond шъхьэпы~ (ʂħapə~) шъхьапыплъы (ʂħaːpəpɬə) (s)he is looking beyond it
Over шъхьадэ~ (ʂħaːda~) шъхьадэплъы (ʂħaːdapɬə) (s)he is looking over it
Neck шӏохэ~ (ʃʷʼaxa~) шӏохаплъэ (ʃʷʼaxaːpɬa) (s)he is looking at the neck of
Informative prefixes
Case Prefix Example Translation
Definiteness къ~ (q~) къаплъэ (qaːpɬa) (s)he is looking
Location щ~ (ɕ~) щеплъы (ɕajpɬə) (s)he is looking at that place
Causative гъэ~ (ʁ~) егъаплъэ (jaʁaːpɬa) (s)he is making him look
Comitative дэ~ (da~) деплъы (dajpɬə) (s)he is looking with him
Benefactive фэ (fa~) Феплъы (fajpɬə) (s)he is looking for him
Against шӏо~ (ʃʷʼa~) шӏуеплъы (ʃʷʼajpɬə) (s)he is looking against his will
Instrumental ре~ (raj~) реплъы (rajpɬə) (s)he is looking using it
Reflexive з~ (z~) зэплъыжьы (zapɬəʑə) (s)he is looking at himself
Functionally зэрэ~ (zara~) зэраплъэрэ (zaraːpɬara) the way (s)he is looking

Directional prefixes

Directional prefixes express the movement of the object and the direction of the verb.

Positional prefixes

Directional (къэ~)

Towards (лъ~)

The verbal suffix ~лъ (~ɬ) designates action directed towards someone or something. for example :

шъо кӏалэхэмкӏэ шъукъэслъыкӏу
шъо кӏалэхэ-мкӏэ шъу-къэ-с-лъы-кӏу
[ʃʷa t͡ʃʼaːɮaxamt͡ʃʼa ʃʷəqasɬəkʷʼ]
you (plural) from the boys (ins.) follow me (said to plural).
"You boys follow me (said to plural)."
кӏалэр мыжъокӏэ къэслъэгъуе
[t͡ʃʼaːɮam məʒʷat͡ʃʼa qasɬaʁʷəja]
the boy (abs.) using a rock (ins.) (s)he is throwing at me
"The boy is throwing at me rocks."

Backwards (зэкӏ~)

To indicate a verb that was done backwards, the prefix зэкӏ- (zat͡ʃʼ-) is added. It indicates that the verb was done toward behind the subject, for example :

зэкӏаплъи плъэгъущт кӏалэр
зэкӏа-плъ-и п-лъэгъу-щт кӏалэ-р
[zat͡ʃʼaːpɬəj pɬaʁʷəɕt t͡ʃʼaːɮar]
look backwards in order to you will see the boy (abs.)
"Look behind and you will see the boy."
нахьыеу тӏэкӏу зэкӏакӏу
нахьы-еу тӏэкӏу зэкӏа-кӏу
[naːħəjaw tʼakʷʼ zat͡ʃʼaːkʷʼ]
more a bit move backward
"Move backward a bit more."

Bypass (блэ~)

The verbal prefix блэ~ /bɮa~/ designates action bypass someone or something for example :

гъогум сэ сыблэкӏы
гъогу-м сэ сы-блэкӏы
[ʁʷaɡʷəm sa səbɮat͡ʃʼə]
road (erg.) I I go bypass
"I go pass the road."
сыкъашти цӏыфыхэмэ саблэгъэплъ
сы-къашт-и цӏыфы-хэ-мэ с-а-блэ-гъэ-плъ
[səqaːʃtəj t͡sʼəfxama saːbɮaʁapɬ]
hold me up and people (abs.) let my look bypass them
"Hold me up and let me look bypass the people."
псыхъом къэздачъи блэпкӏ
псыхъо-м къэздачъ-и блэпкӏ
[psəχʷam qazdaːt͡ʂəj blapt͡ʃʼ]
river (erg.) to run from a distance jump bypass
"Start running from a distance and jump over the river."

Pass through (пхы~)

The verbal prefix пхы~ (пхыры~) (pxə~) designates action, motion directed through some obstacle, object; for example :

кӏалэр мэзым пхырыкӏыгъ
кӏалэ-р мэз-ым пхыры-кӏы-гъ
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar mazəm pxərət͡ʃʼəʁ]
boy (abs.) forest (erg.) (s)he passed through
"The boy passed through the forest."

Beyond (шъхьапы~)

The verbal prefix шъхьапы~ /ʂħaːpə~/ designates movement of an object beyond something. Transference of an object beyond something. for example :

цӏыфыхэмэ сашъхьэпэплъы
цӏыфы-хэ-мэ с-а-шъхьэпэ-плъы
[t͡sʼfəxama saːʂħapapɬə]
people (erg.) I am looking beyond their heads
"I am looking beyond the people."
унэм мыжъор шъхьэпыдзын ӏо
унэ-м мыжъо-р шъхьэпы-дзы-н ӏо
[wənam məʒʷar ʂħapəd͡zən ʔʷa]
house (erg.) rock (abs.) to throw beyond try
"Try throwing the rock beyond the house."
Мыжъор кӏалэм шъхьэпихэгъ
Мыжъо-р кӏалэ-м шъхьэпи-хэ-гъ
[məʒʷaw t͡ʃʼaːɮam ʂħapəd͡zən]
rock (abs.) boy (erg.) it missed one's head
"The rock barely passed beyond the boy."

Over (шъхьадэ~)

The verbal prefix шъхьадэ~ /ʂħaːda~/ designates movement of an object over something. Transference of an object over something. for example :

къэлапчъэм кӏалэр шъхьэдэплъы
къэлапчъэ-м кӏалэ-р шъхьэдэплъы
[t͡sawpt͡ʂam t͡ʃʼaːɮar ʂħadapɬə]
gate (erg.) boy (abs.) to look over something
"The boy is looking over the gate."
боксым шъхьэдэпкӏ
боксым шъхьэдэ-пкӏ
[boksəm ʂħadapt͡ʃʼ]
box (erg.) jump over something
"Jump over the box."

On the neck (шӏохэ~)

The verbal prefix шӏохэ~ /ʃʷʼaxa~/ designates action directed to the neck for example :

пшъэдалъхьэр къэсшӏохалъхь
пшъэдалъхь-р къэ-с-шӏоха-лъхь
[pʂadaːɬħar qasʃʷʼaxaːɬħ]
necktie (abs.) Wear it on my neck
"Wear the necktieon my neck."
кӏалэм джэгъукӏэлъ шӏохэлъ
кӏалэ-м джэгъукӏэлъ шӏохэ-лъ
[t͡ʃʼaːɮam d͡ʒaʁʷt͡ʃʼaɬ ʃʷʼaxaɬ]
boy (erg.) necklace it is wore on one's neck
"The necklace is wore on the boy's neck."

Informative prefixes

Informative prefixes add additional information related to the verb like the location, the reason and the participants.

Definiteness (къэ~)

The prefix къэ~ /qa~/ can also be used to add a tinge of definiteness to the verb. In this case the verb does not necessarily have to be done towards the speaker. For example :

кӏалэр къэгущыӏэ
кӏалэ-р къэ-гущыӏэ
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar qaɡʷəɕəːʔa]
boy (abs.) (s)he speaks
"The boy speaks."
кӏалэр пщынэм къео
кӏалэ-р пщынэ-м къ-ео
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar pɕənam qajwa]
boy (abs.) accordion (erg.) (s)he worked
"The boy is playing the accordion."
кӏалэр ӏофым макӏуи къэлэжьагъ
кӏалэ-р ӏофэ-ым макӏу-и къэ-лэжь-агъ
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar ʔʷafəm maːkʷʼəj qaɮaʑaːʁ]
boy (abs.) work / job (erg.) (s)he went and (s)he worked
"The boy went to work and worked."

Causative (гъэ~)

The verbal suffix гъэ~ (ʁ~) designates causation; rendered by the verbs. It designates that the object was forced to, compelled to, made to ,was ordered to, was allowed to, was permitted to, was given the opportunity to do something. Verbs receive an additional argument in the causative construction, i.e. their valence is increased by one. All Adyghe verbs can form the causative, including intransitives, transitives, and ditransitives.

Examples :

фылымым сегъэплъ
фылым-ым се-гъэ-плъ
[fələməm sajʁapɬ]
film (erg.) let me watch it
"let me watch the film."
шъхьэхъор ӏанэм тэгъауцу
шъхьэхъо-р ӏанэ-м тэ-гъа-уцу
[ʂħaχʷar ʔaːnam taʁaːwt͡sʷ]
flowerpot (abs.) table (erg.) make it stand on
"place the flowerpot on the table."
Subject
pronouns		 Object pronouns
To me To you To him To us To you (plural) To them To self
Singular 1st person - осэгъакӏо сэгъакӏо - шъосэгъакӏо сэгъакӏох зэсэгъэкӏожьы
2nd person сэбэгъакӏо - огъакӏо тэбэгъакӏо - огъакӏох зэбэгъэкӏожьы
3rd person сегъакӏо уегъакӏо егъакӏо тегъакӏо шъуегъакӏо егъакӏох зегъэкӏожьы
Plural 1st person - отэгъакӏо тэгъакӏо - шъотэгъакӏо тэгъакӏох зэтэгъэкӏожьы
2nd person сэшъогъакӏо - шъогъакӏо тэшъогъакӏо - шъогъакӏох зэшъогъэкӏожьы
3rd person сагъакӏо уагъакӏо агъакӏо тагъакӏо шъуагъакӏо агъакӏох загъэкӏожьы

By adding prefix гъэ- (ʁa-), it is possible to create transitive verbs from nouns, adjectives and intransitive verbs.

Examples :

санэ псым хапкӏэмэ егъэплъыжьыщт
санэ псы-м ха-пкӏэ-мэ е-гъэ-плъыжьы-щт
[saːna psəm xaːpt͡ʃama jaʁapɬəʑəɕt]
grape water (erg.) if you pour it he will make it red
"If you spill grape on water it will make it red"
фылымыр бащэу агъэукӏэхьэгъ
фылым-ыр ба-щэ-у а-гъэ-укӏэхьэ-гъ
[fələmər baːɕaw jaːʁawt͡ʃʼaħaʁ]
film (abs.) a lot (adv.) they extended it
"they extended the film too much."

Adyghe allows "double causatives", i.e. the causative suffix can be added to a transitive verb that has already been derived by causativization: thus the causative гъэжъон /ʁaʒʷan/ "make boil, cook" can be causativized to гъэгъэжъон /ʁaʁaʒʷan/ "make someone cook", taking three arguments.

сэ пшъашъэм есгъэгъашхэ шхыныр кӏэлэцӏыкӏум
сэ пшъашъэ-м е-с-гъэ-гъ-ашхэ шхын-ыр кӏэлэцӏыкӏу-м
[sa pʂaːʂam jasʁaʁaːʃxa ʃxənər t͡ʃʼaɮat͡sʼəkʷʼəm]
I girl (erg.) I am making him/her feed someone food (abs.) little boy (erg.)
"I am making the girl feed the little boy with the food."
кӏалэм егъэгъакӏо пшъашъэр кӏэлэцӏыкӏур
кӏалэ-м е-гъэ-гъа-кӏо пшъашъэ-р кӏэлэцӏыкӏу-р
[t͡ʃʼaːɮam jaʁaʁaːkʷʼa pʂaːʂar t͡ʃʼaɮat͡sʼəkʷʼər]
boy (erg.) (s)he is making him/her make someone go girl (abs.) little boy (abs.)
"The boy is making the girl force then boy to go."

Causative reflexive (зыгъэ~)

A verb that one does to himself has the prefix зыгъэ~ /zəʁa~/

Examples :

кукунэгъэбылъымкӏэ кӏэлэцыкӏухэмэ загъэбылъы
[kʷəkʷnaʁabəɬəmt͡ʃʼa zajʁadaːxa d͡ʒaːnaxamt͡ʃa]
hide and seek (ins.) the little boys (erg.) they are hiding themselves
"In hide and seek, the little boys are hiding themselves."
кӏалэм зыкъемыгъэдел
кӏалэ-м зы-къе-мы-гъэ-дел
[t͡ʃʼaːɮam zəqajməʁadajl]
the boy (erg.) don't make him fool you
"don't get the boy fool you."
кӏалэм дахэу зыкъегъэлъагъо джанэхэмкӏэ
кӏалэ-м дахэ-у зы-къе-гъэ-лъагъо джанэ-хэ-мкӏэ
[t͡ʃʼaːɮam daːxae zajʁadaːxa d͡ʒaːnaxamt͡ʃa]
the boy (erg.) beautify (s)he is making himself look with (using) the clothes (ins.)
"the boy is making himself look pretty using the clothes"

Time (з~)

To indicate the time a certain verb was done, the prefix з~ (z~) and the past tense suffix ~гъэ (~ʁa) are added. To indicate the time the verb gonna happen, the prefix prefix з~ (z~) and the future tense suffix ~щтэ (~ɕta) are added. For example :

щэджэгъожэ сэ сызычъагъэр
щэджэгъожэ сэ сызычъагъэр
[ɕad͡ʒaːʁʷaʒar sa səzət͡ʂaːʁar]
after noon (abs.) I the time I ran
"The time I ran was after noon."
кӏалэр чэщыр залъэгъугъэр
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar t͡ʃaɕər zaːɬaʁʷəʁar]
the boy (abs.) the night (abs.) the time they saw him
"The time they saw the boy was the night."

To indicate an event, a plan or something that gonna happen after a certain verb will took place, will have the prefix з- (z-) and the conditional suffix -кӏэ (-t͡ʃʼa) (-гьэ in Shapsug dialect and -джэ in Bzhedugh dialect). For example :

кӏалэр макӏоу зыплъэгъукӏэ къысадж
кӏалэ-р макӏо-у зы-п-лъэгъу-кӏэ къы-са-дж
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar maːkʷʼaw zəpɬaʁʷət͡ʃʼa] qəsaːd͡ʒ]
boy (abs.) while (s)he is going at the time you see it call me
"At the time you see the boy is going, call me."
фылымэр къызежьэкӏэ къыосӏощт зэрэкъежьагъэр
фылым-эр къы-зе-жьэ-кӏэ къы-о-с-ӏо-щт зэрэ-къ-ежь-агъ-эр
[fələmar qəzajʑat͡ʃʼa qəwasʔʷaɕt zaraqajʑaːʁar]
the film (abs.) at the time it starts I will tell you the moment it started
"At the time the film starts I will tell you it is started."
сызкъэплъэгъукӏэ еплъ джанэу къэсщыгъым
сы-з-къэ-п-лъэгъу-кӏэ еплъ джанэ-у къэ-с-щыгъэ-м
[səzqapɬaʁʷt͡ʃʼa japɬ d͡ʒaːnaw qasɕəʁəm]
when you see me look shirt (adv.) the thing I am wearing (erg.)
"When you see me, look at what I am wearing."
банкэр затыгъукӏэ пулисым феу
[baːnkar zaːtəʁt͡ʃʼa pulisəm few]
the bank (abs.) when they steal it from the police (erg.) call him
"When they rob the bank, call the police."

To indicate an event that happened after a certain verb took place on a certain time, the prefix з- (z-) and suffix -эм (-am) are added. For example :

кӏалэр тучаным зэкӏом силъэгъогъ
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar pɕəna zewarar səjɬaʁʷaʁ]
the boy (abs.) to the shop (erg.) when (s)he went (s)he saw me
"When the boy went to the shop he saw me."
кӏалэр зэгуабжым къэтлъежагъ
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar zaɡʷaːbʒəm qatɬeʒaːʁ]
the boy (abs.) when (s)he got angry (s)he chased after us
"When the boy got angry he chased after us."

Location (щ~)

The verbal prefix щ~ (ɕ~) designates abode/residence somewhere. It is used to indicate the location or place an action occurred. For example :

кӏалэр щагум щэджэгу
кӏалэ-р щагу-м щэ-джэгу
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar ɕaːgʷəm ɕad͡ʒaɡʷə]
the boy (abs.) yard (erg.) (s)he is playing at that place
"the boy is playing in the yard."
кӏалэр еджапӏэм непэ щеджагъ
кӏалэ-р еджапӏэ-м непэ щ-еджэ-агъ
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar jad͡ʒaːpʼam najpa ɕajd͡ʒaːʁ]
the boy (abs.) school (erg.) today (s)he studied in that place
"the boy studied in school today."
кӏалэр тучаным къэсщэӏукӏагъ
кӏалэ-р тучан-ым къэ-с-щэ-ӏукӏэ-агъ
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar tuːt͡ʃaːnəm qasɕaʔʷət͡ʃʼaːʁ]
the boy (abs.) shop (erg.) I met him/her on that place
"I met the boy in the shop."

Comitative (дэ~)

The verbal prefix дэ~ (da~) designates action performed jointly with somebody, or stay/sojourn with somebody, for example :

кӏалэр пшъашъэм дакӏо
кӏалэ-р пшъашъэ-м д-макӏо
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar pʂaːʂam daːkʷʼa]
the boy (abs.) the girl (erg.) he is going with
"the boy is going with the girl"
шхынэр къэсдэшх
шхын-эр къэ-с-дэ-шх
[ʃxənar qasdaʃx
the food (abs.) eat it with me
"eat the food with me"
кӏалэр лӏыхэмэ адэлажьэ яӏофкӏэ
кӏалэ-р лӏы-хэ-мэ а-дэ-лажьэ я-ӏоф-кӏэ
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar ɬʼəxama jaːdaɮaːʑa jaːʔʷaft͡ʃʼa]
the boy (abs.) old men (erg.) he is working with them with their works (ins.)
"the boy is working with the men with their work."

Benefactive (фэ~)

The prefix фэ~ /fa~/ designates action performed to please somebody, for somebody’s sake or in somebody's interests.

кӏалэр иянэ тучаным фэкӏо
кӏалэ-р и-янэ тучан-ым фэ-кӏо
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar jəjaːna təwt͡ʃaːnəm fakʷʼa]
the boy (abs.) his other shop (erg.) (s)he is going with for
"the boy is going for his mother."
уатэр сэ къэсфэхь
уатэ-р сэ къэ-с-фэ-хь
[waːtar sa qasfaħ]
hammer (abs.) I bring it for me
"bring me the hammer."
ащ непэ гъончэдж зыфищэфыжьыгъ
ащ непэ гъончэдж зы-ф-ищэфы-жь-ыгъ
[aːɕ najpa ʁʷant͡ʃad͡ʒ zəfəjɕafəʑəʁ]
(s)he (erg.) today pants (s)he bought it for himself
"today (s)he bought pants for himself."

Malefactive (шӏо~)

The verbal prefix шӏо~ (ʃʷʼa~) designates action done against somebody's will or interest. It also designates that the action was done to take an object or an opportunity away from somebody else, for example :

кӏалэм мыӏэрысыр къэсшӏуешхы
кӏалэ-м мыӏэрыс-ыр къэ-с-шӏу-ешхы
[t͡ʃʼaːɮam məʔarəsər qasʃʷʼajʃxə]
boy (erg.) apple (abs.) (s)he is eating it against my interest
"The boy is eating the apple against my interest."

It can be understood from the sentence that "the boy (кӏалэ) is eating the apple (мыӏэрыс) to take away my opportunity to eat it myself".

Subject
pronouns		 Object pronouns
To me To you To him To us To you (plural) To them To self
Singular 1st person - пшӏосэхьы
къыпшӏосэхьы		 шӏосэхьы
къышӏосэхьы		 - шъушӏосэхьы
къышъушӏосэхьы		 ашӏосэхьы
къашӏосэхьы		 зшӏосэхьыжьы
къызшӏосэхьыжьы
2nd person
 сшӏобэхьы
къэсшӏобэхьы		 - шӏобэхьы
къышӏобэхьы		 тшӏобэхьы
къэтшӏобэхьы		 - ашӏобэхьы
къашӏобэхьы		 зшӏобэхьыжьы
къызшӏобэхьыжьы
3rd person сшӏуехьы
къэсшӏуехьы		 пшӏуехьы
къыпшӏуехьы		 шӏуехьы
къышӏуехьы		 тшӏуехьы
къэтшӏуехьы		 шъушӏуехьы
къышъушӏуехьы		 ашӏуехьы
къашӏуехьы		 зшӏуехьыжьы
къызшӏуехьыжьы
Plural 1st person - пшӏотэхьы
къыпшӏотэхьы		 шӏотэхьы
къышӏотэхьы		 - шъушӏотэхьы
къышъушӏотэхьы		 ашӏотэхьы
къашӏотэхьы		 зышӏотэхьыжьы
къызшӏотэхьыжьы
2nd person сшӏошъохьы
къэсшӏошъохьы		 - шӏобэхьы
къышӏошъохьы		 тшӏошъохьы
къэтшӏошъохьы		 - ашӏошъохьы
къашӏошъохьы		 зышӏошъохьыжьы
къызшӏошъохьыжьы
3rd person сшӏуахьы
къэсшӏуахьы		 пшӏуахьы
къыпшӏуахьы		 шӏуахьы
къышӏуахьы		 тшӏуахьы
къэтшӏуахьы		 шъушӏуахьы
къышъушӏуахьы		 ашӏуахьы
къашӏуахьы		 зышӏуахьыжьы
къызшӏуахьыжьы
сишхын къэсшӏобэшхыжьы
си-шхын къэ-с-шӏо-бэ-шхы-жьы
[siʃxən qasʃʷʼabaʃxəɕə]
my food you are eating it instead of me
"You are eating my food!"
Видео джэгумкӏэ сицӏыф кӏалэм къэсшӏуиукӏыгъ
Видео джэгу-мкӏэ си-цӏыф кӏалэ-м къэ-с-шӏуи-укӏы-гъ
[vɪdioʊ d͡ʒaɡʷəmt͡ʃʼa səjt͡sʼəf t͡ʃʼaːɮam qasʃʷʼəjwt͡ʃʼəʁ]
with the video game (ins.) my human the boy (erg.) (s)he killed it against me
"(S)he killed my human in the video game."
кӏалэм мыеу чъыгым къыпигъэтэкъухэрэр пшъашъэм шӏуештэжьых
кӏалэ-м мые-у чъыгы-м къы-пи-гъэ-тэкъу-хэ-рэ-р пшъашъэ-м шӏу-ештэ-жьы-х
[t͡ʃʼaːɮam məjaw t͡ʂəɣəm qəpəjʁataqʷxarar pʂaːʂam ʃʷʼajʃtaʑəx]
boy (erg.) apple (adv.) the tree (erg.) the ones that (s)he drops from hanging (abs.) girl (erg.) (s)he is taking them away from him
"The girl is taking away the apples the boy dropped from the tree."

Unintentional (ӏэкӏэ~)

The verbal prefix ӏэкӏэ~ (ʔat͡ʃʼa~) denotes unintentional actions or actions that occurred unexpectedly.

сикомпютэр сӏэкӏэкӏосагъ
си-компютэ-р с-ӏэкӏэ-кӏос-агъ
[səjkompəjutar sʔat͡ʃʼakʷʼasaːʁ]
my computer (abs.) it switched off unexpectedly to me
"My computer switched off unexpectedly to me."
пысмэ бэ сӏэкӏэтхагъ
пысмэ бэ с-ӏэкӏэ-тх-агъ
[pəsma ba sʔat͡ʃʼatxaːʁ]
letter a lot I wrote unintentionally
"I wrote a lot of letters (though I didn’t intend to write so many)"
сихьакӏэхэмэ зэкӏэ мыӏэрысхэр сӏэкӏашхыхьагъ
си-хьакӏэ-хэ-мэ зэкӏэ мыӏэрыс-хэ-р с-ӏэкӏ-а-шхы-хь-агъ
[səjħaːt͡ʃʼaxama zat͡ʃʼa məʔarəsxar qasʔat͡ʃʼaːʃəħaːʁ]
my guests (erg.) all apples (abs.) they ate them unexpectedly to me
"My guests ate all the apples unexpectedly to me."
сэ мыӏэрысхэр сӏэкӏэшхыхьагъ
сэ мыӏэрыс-хэ-р с-ӏэкӏэ-шхы-хь-агъ
[sa məʔarəsxar sʔat͡ʃʼaʃxəħaːʁ]
I apples (abs.) I ate them unintentionally
"I ate the apples unintentionally."

Instrumental (ре~)

To indicate the tool or instrument the verb was done with, the prefix (ре-) (raj-) is added

къэлэмым шъуретхэ
[qalaməm ʂʷəretxa]
the pencil (erg.) you (plural) writing with it
"you (plural) are writing with a pencil"
къалэм сырикӀорагъу
[qaːlam sərikʷʼaraːʁʷ]
the wall (erg.) i want to go on it
"i want to go on the wall"

Reflexive (зэ~)

To indicate a verb that the subject does to himself, the suffix зэ- (za-) is added. verbs in reflexive also usually have the suffix -жьы (-ʑə).

Гъунджэмкӏэ зэплъыжь
[ʁʷənd͡ʒamt͡ʃʼa zapɬəʑ]
using the mirror (ins.) look at yourself
"Look at yourself in the mirror."
Сыкъызэгъэлъэгъу уиджанэ кӏэхэ къыпшыгъэхэу
[seqəzaʁaɬaʁʷ wəjd͡ʒaːna t͡ʃʼaxa qəpʃəʁaxaw]
Let me see you Your shirt news while you are wearing them
"Let me see you wearing your new shirts."

It can also be used to indicate a verb that some subjects (more than one; group) do to themselves.

Кӏалэмрэ пшъашъэмрэ зэбэух
Кӏалэ-м-рэ пшъашъэ-м-рэ зэ-бэу-х
[t͡ʃʼaːɮamra pʂaːʂamra zabawəx]
the boy and (abs.) the girl and (abs.) they are kissing each other
"The boy and the girl are kissing each other."
Шъузэзэонэу шъуфаемэ мэу шъузэмызау
[ʃʷəzazawanaw ʃʷəfaːjama maw ʃʷəzaməzaːʷ]
You (plural) (to) fight each other if you (plural) want here don't fight each other (said to plural)
"If you wanna fight each other, don't fight here"
Comitative reflexive (зэдэ~)

To indicate a verb that is done by some subjects (more than one; group) together, the suffix зэдэ~ (zada~) is added.

Сиунэ тисэу тызэдэшхэщт
[siwna təjsaw təzadaʃxaɕt]
my house while we are sitting inside we will eat together
"We will eat together while sitting in my house."
Томымрэ Джекобрэ тестэр зэдашӏы
[toməmra d͡ʒekobra testar zadaːʃʼə]
Tom and Jacob the test (arg.) they are doing it together
"Tom and Jacob are doing the test together."
Reciprocity (зэры~)

Transitive verb in the reciprocal form expresses that its two core arguments (the Actor and the Undergoer) act on each other simultaneously. The reciprocal form has the prefix зэры~ (zara~), for example :

Оррэ сэррэ тызэрэлъэгъу
Ор-рэ сэр-рэ ты-зэрэ-лъэгъу
you and me and we see each other
"We see each other."

Functionally (зэрэ~)

To indicate the way a certain action is performed, the prefix зэрэ~ (zara~) and the suffix ~рэ /~ra/ are added.

кӏалэр псынкӏэу зэрачъэрэ олъэгъуа?
кӏалэ-р псынкӏэ-у зэрэ-чъэ-рэ о-лъэгъу-а?
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar psənt͡ʃʼaw zaraːt͡ʂara waɬaʁʷaː]
the boy (abs.) quickly the way (s)he runs do you see it?
"do you see the way the boy runs fast?"
пшъашъэр зэратхэрэр дахэ
пшъашъэi-р зэра-матхэ-рэ-р дахэ
[pʂaːʂar zaraːtxarar daːxa]
girl (abs.) the way (s)he writes beautiful
"The way the girl writes is beautiful."
непэ зэрэфабэр хэпшӏыкӏрэба?
непэ зэрэ-фабэ-р хэ-п-шӏыкӏ-рэ-ба?
[najpa zarafaːbar xapʃʼət͡ʃʼrabaː]
today the way it is hot don't you feel it?
"Don't you feel how it is hot today?"

The prefix зэрэ~ (zara~) and the suffix ~рэ /~ra/ can also be used to indicate a fact.

лӏыжъыр зэрэхъужьыгъэр пшӏагъэба?
лӏыжъ-ыр зэрэ-хъужьы-гъэ-р п-шӏ-агъэ-ба?
[ɬʼəʐər zaraχʷəʑəʁar pʃʼaːʁabaː]
old man (abs.) the fact (s)he became healthy again didn't you know"
"Didn't you know the old man became healthy again?"
пшъашъэр зэрэдахэр сылъэгъогъ
пшъашъэр зэрэ-дахэ-р сы-лъэгъо-гъ
[pʂaːʂar zaradaːxar səɬaʁʷaʁ]
girl (abs.) the fact (s)he is pretty I saw
"I saw that the girl is pretty."
унэшъуа? ор зэрэплъыжьэ улъэгъурэба?
у-нэшъу-а? ор зэрэ-плъыжьэ у-лъэгъу-рэ-ба?
[wənaʃʷaː war zarapɬəʑa wəɬaʁʷərabaː]
are you blind? that (arg.) the fact it is red don't you see it?
"are you blind? don't you see it is red?"

Instantly after (зэрэ~) and (~эу)

To indicate an event that happened instantly at the beginning of a certain verb, the prefix зэрэ- (zara-) and the suffix -эу / -ыу (-aw/-əw) are added. Can only be used on verbs and nouns.

кӏалэр псы зэрешъоу сыкъэсэгъ
кӏалэ-р псы зэрэ-ешъо-у сы-къэсы-эгъ
[t͡ʃaːlar psə zarajaʃʷaw səqasaʁ]
the boy (abs.) water as he started drinking I got here
"as the boy started drinking water I got here"
кӏалэр еджапӏэм зэрежьэу къещхэу къиублагъ
кӏалэ-р еджапӏэ-м зэрэ-ежь-эу къещхы-эу къеублэ-агъ
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar jad͡ʒaːpʼam zarajaʑaw qajɕxaw qəjwbɮaːʁ]
the boy (abs.) the school (erg.) as he started while it was raining (s)he/it started
"as the boy started to go to school, it started to rain."

Verbal Infixes

Negative (~мы~)

It is posited most often before root of verb, after all other prefixes.

When to use this Prefix :

умыкӀомэ /wəmkʷʼama/ "if you don't go", умыкӀорагъоми /wəmkʷʼaraːʁʷami/ "even if you don't want to

go", мамкӀуу /maːmkʷʼəw/ "while he didn't want to go".

Ащтыу умышI!
[aːɕtu wməʂʼ]
like that don't do it
"Do not do this"
ау шъумыкӏу!
[aːw ʂʷəɕəmət]
there don't go (plural)
"Don't go there (Said to several people)"
зыгори ащ ешъумыӏу
[zəɡʷari aːɕ jaʂʷəməʔʷ]
something him/that don't tell him (plural)
"Do not tell him anything"

Cannot be used simultaneously with both the negative prefix (мы~) (mə~) and the negative suffix (-п) (-p).

Optative mood (~рэ~)

To indicate a verb that someone wishes to happen, the verbal infix ~рэ~ (~ra~) is added.

Examples :

мы уцым уерэгъэхъужь
мы уцы-м у-е-рэ-гъэ-хъу-жь
[mə wət͡səm wajraʁaχʷəʑ]
this plant (erg.) may it cure you
"may this plant cure you"
кӏалэм сишхын ерэшх
кӏалэ-м си-шхын е-рэ-шх
[t͡ʃʼaːɮam səʃxən jaraʃx]
boy (erg.) my food may (s)he eat it
"may the boy just eat my food."
кӏалэр мэрэмыкӏуи джары
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar maraməkʷʼəj d͡ʒaːrə]
the boy (abs.) may (s)he doesn't go then that's it
"If the boy just won't go that's it."

Verbal Suffixes

Suffix Example Translation
Frequentative ~жь (~ʑ) мэплъэжьы (mapɬaʑə) (s)he is looking again
Non-intervention (s)he is looking without interference
Too late (only now) (s)he is looking
Realization ~гъах (~ʁaːx) мэплъэгъах (mapɬaʁaːx) (s)he already looked
While ~эу (~aw) маплъэу (maːpɬaw) while (s)he was looking
Plural ~хэ (~xa) маплъэх (maːpɬax) they are looking
Negative ~эп (~ap) маплъэрэп (maːpɬarap) (s)he is not looking
Desirement ~рагъу (~raːʁʷ) мэплъэрагъу (mapɬaraːʁʷ) (s)he wants to look
Capability ~шъу (~ʃʷə) мэплъэшъу (mapɬaʃʷə) (s)he can look
Connective ~и (~əj) маплъи (maːpɬəj) (s)he looked and
Connective II ~зэ (~za) мэплъэзэ (mapɬaza) (s)he looked and
Until ~фэ (~fa) мэплъэфэ (mapɬafa) until (s)he looks
Downward ~хы (~xə) еплъэхы (japɬaxə) (s)he is looking down
Upward ~е (~ja) дэплъые (dapɬəja) (s)he is looking up
For a while ~гу (~ɡʷə) маплъэго (maːpɬaɡʷa) (s)he is looking for now
Optative mood ~гъэет (~ʁahat) мэплъэгъэет (mapɬaʁajat) wish (s)he would have looked
Diminution of degree ~рашъу (~raːʃʷ) мэплъэрашъу (mapɬaraːʃʷ) (s)he kind of looking
Surprise ~уи (~wəj) маплъэуи (maːpɬawəj) (s)he is looking!?
Moment of completion ~эм (~am) маплъэм (maːpɬam) when (s)he looked
Recurrence ~рас (~raːs) мэплъэрас (mapɬaraːs) (s)he usually looks
About to ~пэт (~pat) мэплъэпэт (mapɬapat) (s)he is about to look
Always ~зэпыт (~zapət) мэплъэзэпыт (mapɬazapət) (s)he always looks
Just recently ~гъакӏ (~ʁaːt͡ʃʼ) мэплъэгъакӏ (mapɬaʁaːt͡ʃʼ) (s)he just looked
Should have ~пхъагъ (~pxaːʁ) мэплъэпхъагъ (mapɬapχaːʁ) (s)he should have looked
Around ~хь (~ħ) зеплъэхьы (zajpɬaħə) (s)he is looking around
Manner ~кӏэ (~t͡ʃʼa) ыплъакӏэ (əpɬaːt͡ʃʼa) the manner (s)he is looking
Difficult ~гъуай (~ʁʷaːj) еплъыгъуай (japɬəʁʷaːj) (s)he is looking with difficulty
Easily ~гъошӏу (~ʁʷaʃʷʼ) еплъыгъошӏу (japɬəʁʷaʃʷʼ) (s)he is looking easily
Willingly ~п (~p) еплъыпэ (japɬəpa) (s)he is looking willingly
Absolutely ~х (~x) еплъыхэ (japɬəxa) (s)he is definitely looking
Concessive mood ~ми (~məj) маплъэми (maːpɬaməj) even if (s)he is looking
Conditional mood ~мэ (~ma) маплъэмэ (maːpɬama) if (s)he is looking
Interrogative mood ~а (~aː) маплъа (maːpɬaː) is (s)he looking?
Warning mood ~къон (~qʷan) мэплъэкъон (mapɬaqʷan) should (s)he not dare to look

Interrogative mood (~а)

Questions are indicated by the suffix ~a /aː/, which, in verbs that end with /a/, lengthens the end vowel.

кӏалэр къэущыжьыгъа?
кӏалэ-р къэущыжь-агъ-а
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar qawɕəʑəʁaː]
the boy (arg.) did (s)he woke up?
"Did the boy woke up?"
дэгуха мы унэм исыхэр?
дэгу-х-а мы унэ-м ис-ыхэ-р
[daɡʷəxaː mə wənam jəsəxar]
are they deaf? this house the people that are in
"Are the people that are in this house deaf?"

If question is posited to word having negative suffix ~п (~p), it is converted to suffix ~ба (~baː). for example:

кӏалэр къэущыжьыгъэба?
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar qawɕəʑəʁabaː]
boy (abs.) isn't he woke up?
"Has not the boy woke up?"
кӏалэр тиунэ къакӏорэба?
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar tiwna qaːkʷarabaː]
boy (abs.) our house isn't he coming?
"Isn't the boy coming to my house?"
кӏалэр тиунэ къакӏоба?
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar tiwna qaːkʷabaː]
boy (abs.) our house he is coming to right?
"The boy is coming to my house right?"

Optative mood (~гъот)

Optative mood is expressed with the complex suffix -гъо-т: у-кIуа-гъо-т "would you go", п-тхы-гъа-гъо-т "would you write".

Adverbial participle (~зэ)

Adverbial participles are formed from verbs with the suffixes -зэ (-za), -эу (aw): еджэ-зэ́ "reading",

щыт-э́у "standing", гущыIэ-зэ́ "speaking". Adverbial participles have different forms for different person:

Frequentative (~жь)

The verbal suffix ~жь (~ʑ) designates recurrence/repetition of action. It can also be used to indicate an action that someone was doing before and now continuing it.

Examples :

Tense Suffix To look at (еплъы)
Cyrillic IPA Cyrillic IPA Meaning
Far past ~жьыгъагъ ~ʑəʁaːʁ еплъыжьыгъагъ makʷʼaʑəʁaːʁ (s)he looked at it again (then)
Recent past ~жьыгъ ~ʑəʁ еплъыжьыгъ japɬəʑəʁ (s)he looked at it again
Present ~жьы ~ʑə еплъыжьы japɬəʑə (s)he looks at it again
Future ~жьыщт ~ʑəɕt еплъыжьыщт japɬəʑəɕt (s)he will look at it again
Future of the past ~жьыщтэгъ ~ʑəɕtaʁ еплъыжьыщтэгъ japɬəʑəɕtaʁ (s)he was going to look at it again
уиунэ кӏожьи уиӏанэ лэжь
уи-унэ кӏо-жь-и уи-ӏанэ лэ-жь
[wiwna kʷʼaʑi wiʔana laʑ]
your house go back and your table color it again
"Go back to your house and continue coloring your table."
фылымым зэдегъэплъыжь
фылым-ым зэ-де-гъэ-плъы-жь
[fələməm zadajʁapɬəʑ]
film (erg.) let us watch it again together
"Let us watch the film again together."
кӏэлэегъаджэм къиӏогъагъэр къэсфэӏотэжь
кӏэлэегъаджэ-м къ-и-ӏо-гъагъэ-р къэ-с-фэ-ӏотэ-жь
[t͡ʃʼaɮajaʁaːd͡ʒam qəjʔʷaʁaːʁar qasfaʔʷataʑ]
teacher (erg.) the thing (s)he said (abs.) explain it to me
"Explain me the things the teacher said."

Non-intervention (~жь)

The verbal suffix ~жь (~ʑ) designates performance of the action directly, without the intervention of another agent.

кӏалэм тишхынхэр къэтшӏуешхыжьых
кӏалэ-м ти-шхын-хэ-р къэ-т-шӏу-е-шхы-жьы-х
[t͡ʃʼaːɮam təjʃxənxar qatʃʷʼajʃxəʑəx]
boy (erg.) our foods (abs.) (s)he is eating without an intervention against our interests
"The boy is eating our foods."
дэпкъыр уизакъоу улэжьын фай
дэпкъы-р уи-закъо-у у-лэ-жьы-н фай
[dapqər wəjzaːqʷaw wɮaʑən faːj]
wall (abs.) you alone (you) to color it without an intervention must
"You will have to color the wall alone."

Too late (~жь)

The verbal suffix ~жь (~ʑ) also indicates an action that was done with a great delay, to the point it even might be too late or pointless.

къэгъэгъэ лӏагъэм псы чӏэбэгъэхьажьа?
къэгъэгъэ лӏагъэ-м псы чӏэ-бэ-гъэ-хьа-жь-а?
[qaʁaʁa ɬʼaːʁam psə tʂʼabaʁaħaːʑaː]
dead flower water are you making it go under it just now?
"Are you watering a dead flower?"
кӏалэм нэущы иэкзамен феджэжьы
кӏалэ-м нэущы и-экзамен ф-е-джэ-жьы
[t͡ʃʼaːɮan nawɕə jəʔakzaːmen fajd͡ʒadʑə]
boy (erg.) tomorrow exam (s)he is studying for it just now
"The boy is studying for the exam tomorrow."

To indicate to someone, not to bother doing a certain action, the negative infix ~мы~ (~mə~) and the suffix ~жьы (~ʑə) are added.

чэщы мэхъумэ сиунэ укъэмыкӏожь
чэщы мэхъу-мэ ти-унэ у-къэ-мы-кӏо-жь
[t͡ʃaɕə maχʷəma təjwəna wəqaməkʷʼaʑ]
night if it becomes my house do not bother coming to my house
"If it becomes night, don't bother coming to my house."
цӏыфым умышӏ емыӏожь ышӏэгъахэу
цӏыфы-м у-м-ышӏ е-мы-ӏо-жь ы-шӏы-гъа-хэу
[t͡sʼəfəm wəməʃʼ jaməʔʷaʑ əʃʼaʁaːxaw]
person (erg.) don't do that don't bother telling him after (s)he already done it
"Don't bother telling the person, "don't do it" after he already done doing it."

Completion (~гъах)

the verbal suffix ~гъах (~ʁaːx) designates absolute accomplishment/realization of the action.

кӏалэр еджапӏэм мэкӏогъах
кӏалэ-р еджапӏэ-м мэкӏо-гъах
[t͡ʃaːɮar jad͡ʒaːpʼam makʷʼaʁaːx]
the boy (abs.) school (erg.) he already went
"the boy already went to school."
тэ теджэгъах экзаменым Фэшӏыкӏэ
тэ т-еджэ-гъах экзамен-ым Фэшӏыкӏэ
[ta ted͡ʒaʁaːx akzaːmenəm faʃʼət͡ʃʼa]
we we already studied exam (erg.) for
"we already studied for the exam."

To indicate an event that is happening after the absolute accomplishment/realization of an action, the suffixes ~гъах (~ʁaːx) and ~эу (~aw) are added. For example:

сымышхэгъахэу лаж къысэмыӏу
сы-мы-шхэ-гъах-эу лаж къы-сэ-мы-ӏо
[səməʃxaʁaːxaw laːʒ qəsaməʔʷ]
while I am not done eating work! (Imperative mood) don't tell me
"Don't tell me to work while I haven't done eating"
мыӏэрысэр сышхыгъахэу къысэбэӏожьа умышх
мыӏэрысэ-р сы-шхы-гъах-эу къы-сэ-бэ-ӏо-жьа у-мы-шх
[məʔarəsar səməʃxəʁaːxaw qəsabaʔʷaʑaː wəməʃx]
apple (abs.) after I done eating it are you telling me? don't eat it!
"After I done eating the apple, are you telling me not to eat it?"

To indicate an event that happened after the absolute accomplishment/realization of an action, the suffixes -гъах (-ʁaːx) and -эм (-am) are added. For example:

сылэжьэгъахэм сылъэгъогъ кӏалэр
сы-лажьэ-гъах-эм сы-лъэгъу-эгъ кӏалэр
[səlaʑaʁaːxam sɬaʁʷaʁ t͡ʃʼaːɮar]
when i done working I saw the boy (abs.)
"When I done working, I saw the boy."
экзаменым уфеджэгъахэмэ къэтдэджэгу
экзамен-ым у-ф-е-джэ-гъахэ-мэ къэ-т-дэ-джэгу
[akzaːmenəm wfajd͡ʒaʁaːxama qatdad͡ʒaɡʷ]
exam (erg.) when you done studying for it play with us
"When you done studying for the exam, play with us."

To indicate not accomplishment/realization of an action, the suffix -гъах (-ʁaːx) and the negative suffix (~эп) (~ap) are added.

экзаменым феджэгъахэп кӏалэр
экзамен-ым ф-е-джэ-гъах-эп кӏалэ-р
[akzaːmenəm fajd͡ʒaʁaːxap t͡ʃʼaːɮar]
exam (erg.) (s)he still have not studied for boy (abs.)
"The boy still have not studied for the exam."
сышхэгъахэп
[səʃxaʁaxap]
I haven't done eating
"I still have not done eating."

While (~эу)

To indicate an event that is happening while a certain verb is done, the suffix ~эу (-aw) is added to the verb. Usually this suffix is added to present tense verbs regardless if the whole sentence is about the past or future. For example :

The verb with the suffix ~эу is usually followed by another verb that has a tense suffix indicating the time the sentence occurred. For example :

сыкӏоу кӏалэр слъэгъогъ
[səkʷʼaw t͡ʃʼaːɮar sɬaʁʷaʁ]
while I was going the boy (erg.) I saw
"while I was going, I saw the boy"
кӏалэр мэщынэу псым хэхьэшъугъэп
кӏалэ-р мэщынэ-у псы-м хэ-хьэ-шъу-гъэ-п
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar maɕənaw psəmxaħaʃʷʁap]
boy (abs.) while (s)he was afraid water (erg.) (s)he couldn't enter it
"The boy couldn't enter the water while being afraid."
зыпакӏэ сыкӏощтыгъэу укъысэджагъ
зыпакӏэ сы-кӏо-щтыгъэ-у у-къы-сэ-дж-агъ
zəpaːt͡ʃʼa səkʷʼaɕtəʁaw wəqsad͡ʒaːʁ]
somewhere while I was going to go you called me
"You called me while I was going to go somewhere."

To indicate an action that occurred instead of another action, the action that did not happen is expressed in the present tense form and it gets the suffix ~эу and the negative infix ~мы~. For example :

уемыджэу тэ къэтдэджэгу
уе-мы-джэ-у тэ къэ-т-дэ-джэгу
[wajməd͡ʒaw taqatdad͡ʒaɡʷ]
instead of studying we play with us
"Instead of studying play with us."
умышхэу лажь
у-мы-шхэ-у лажь
[wəməʃxaw ɮaːʑ]
instead of eating work
"Instead of eating work."
кӏалэр сэ синэмым къэсдэмыкӏоу пшъашъэм дэкӏуагъ
кӏалэ-р сэ синэм-ым къэ-с-дэ-мы-кӏо-у пшъашъэ-м дэ-кӏу-агъ
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar sa səjnaməm qasdaməkʷʼaw pʂaːʂam dakʷʼaːʁ]
boy (abs.) I cinema (erg.) instead of coming with me girl (erg.) (s)he went with
"The boy instead of coming with me went with the girl to the cinema."

To indicate something before a certain verb was done, the suffix ~эу and the negative infix ~мы~ are added. In this case the verb should also get the tense suffix indicating the time.

Tense Suffix To walk (мэкӏон)
Cyrillic IPA Cyrillic IPA Meaning
Far past ~гъагъэу ~ʁaːʁaw мэмыкӏогъагъэу maməkʷʼaːʁaːʁaw before (s)he went (then)
Recent past ~гъэу ~ʁaw мэмыкӏуагъэу maməkʷʼaːʁaw before (s)he went
Future ~щтэу ~ɕtaw мэмыкӏощтэу maməkʷʼaɕtaw before (s)he will be going
Future of the past ~щтыгъэу ~ɕtəʁaw мэмыкӏощтэгъэу maməkʷʼaɕtaʁaw before (s)he was going to go
унэм умыкӏыгъэу зыгъэпсыкӏ
унэ-м у-мы-кӏы-гъэу зы-гъэ-псыкӏ
[wənam wəmət͡ʃʼəʁaw zəʁapsət͡ʃʼ]
house (erg.) before you get out of take a shower
"Before you get out of the house, take a shower."
умыджэгугъэу тӏэкӏу едж
у-мы-джэгу-гъэ-у тӏэкӏу едж
[wəməd͡ʒaɡʷəʁaw tʼakʷʼjad͡ʒ]
before you play a bit study
"Before you play study a bit."
еджапӏэм семыжьэгъагъэу къещхэу къиублэгъагъ
еджапӏэ-м се-мы-жьэ-гъагъэ-у къещхэ-у къ-иублэ-гъагъ
[jad͡ʒaːpʼam sajmaʑaʁaːʁawqajɕxaw qəjwbɮaʁaːʁ]
school (erg.) before I started going to while raining it started (then)
"Before I went to school it stated raining."

Plural (~хэ)

In addition to distinguishing between singular and plural nouns by marking the latter with the suffix '-хэ' /-xa/.

у мэлажьэхэрэр сишых
у мэлажьэ-хэ-рэ-р си-шы-х
[wə maɮaːʑaxarar səjʃəx]
those the ones that are working (abs.) they are my brothers
"Those guys that are working are my brothers"

To indicate a plural verb (verb that was done by more than one thing) also has the additional suffix '-хэ' /-xa/.

илъэсхэр псынкӏэу блэкӏых
илъэсхэ-р псынкӏэ-у блэкӏ-ых
[jəɬasxar psənt͡ʃʼaw bɮat͡ʃʼəx]
the years (abs.) fast (adv.) they are passing
"the years are passing fast"

Negative (~эп)

The Negation suffix is ~п (~p) and it's ~рэп (~rap) when the verb is

in present tense:

Tense Suffix To walk (мэкӏон)
Cyrillic IPA Cyrillic IPA Meaning
Far past ~гъагъэп ~ʁaːʁap мэкӏогъагъэп makʷʼaʁaːʁap (s)he did not go (then)
Recent past ~гъэп ~ʁap мэкӏуагъэп makʷʼaːʁap (s)he did not go
Present ~рэп ~rap макӏорэп maːkʷʼarap (s)he does not go
Future ~штэп ~ɕtap мэкӏоштэп makʷʼaɕtap (s)he will not go
Future of the past ~щтыгъэп ~ɕtəʁap мэкӏощтыгъэп makʷʼaɕtəʁap (s)he was not going to go
Ахэр къэкӏуагъэхэп
Ахэ-эр къэ-кӀо-агъ-эх-эп
[aːxar qakʷʼaːʁaxap]
the those (erg.) they didn't come
"they did not come."
Кӏалэр иныбджэгъумэ ядэджэгурэп
[t͡ʃʼaːlar jənəbd͡ʒaʁʷəma jaːdad͡ʒaɡʷərap]
the boy (arg.) his friends (erg.) he doesn't play with them
"the boy does not play with his friends."
Непэ чъыӏэп фабэ нахь
[najpa t͡ʂəʔap faːba naːħ]
today it is not cold it is actually hot
"Today is not cold, it is actually hot."

Desirement (~рагъу)

To indicate something desired, the suffix (~рагъу) (~raːʁʷ) is added For example:

Tense Suffix To walk (мэкӏон)
Cyrillic IPA Cyrillic IPA Meaning
Far past ~рэгъогъагъ ~raʁʷaʁaːʁ мэкӏо maːkʷʼ (s)he wanted to go (then)
Recent past ~рэгъуагъ ~raʁʷaːʁ мэкӏо maːkʷʼa (s)he wanted to go
Present ~рагъу ~raːʁʷ макӏо maːkʷʼ (s)he wants to go
Future ~рэгъощт ~raʁʷaəɕt мэкӏо makʷʼa (s)he will want to go
Future of the past ~рэгъощтэгъ ~raʁʷaɕtaʁ мэкӏо makʷʼa (s)he would want to go
кӏалэр пшъашъэм иунэ мэкӏорагъоп
кӏалэ-эр пшъашъэ-эм и-унэ мэ-кӀо-рагъу-эп
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar pʂaːʂam jəwna makʷʼaraːʁʷap]
the boy (abs.) the girl (erg.) his house he don't want to go
"the boy don't want to go to the girl's house"
дышъэм фэдэу пшъашъэр дэхэрагъу
[dəʂam fadaw pʂaːʂar daxaraːʁʷ]
the gold (erg.) like him the girl (abs.) (s)he wants to be pretty
"the girl wants to be pretty like a gold"
лxым фэдэу сыкӏочӏэрэгъуагъ
[ɬʼəm fadaw səkʷʼat͡ʃʼaraʁʷaːʁ]
the man (erg.) like him I wanted to be strong
"I wanted to be strong like the man"

Capability (~шъу)

The suffix ~шъу (~ʃʷə) designates the ability to perform the indicated action. It is used to indicated that the subject is able to carry out the indicated action. For example :

Tense Suffix To walk (мэкӏон)
Cyrillic IPA Cyrillic IPA Meaning
Past ~шъогъ ~ʃʷaʁ мэкӏошъогъ makʷʼaʃʷaʁ (s)he went successfully; (s)he managed to go
Past 2 ~шъугъагъ ~ʃʷʁaːʁ мэкӏошъугъагъ makʷʼaʃʷʁaːʁ (s)he was going successfully
Present ~шъу ~ʃʷəː мэкӏошъу makʷʼaʃʷəː (s)he manages to go
Future ~шъущт ~ʃʷəɕt мэкӏошъущт makʷʼaʃʷəɕt (s)he will be able to go; (s)he is able to go
Future of the past ~шъущтэгъ ~ʃʷəɕtaʁ мэкӏощтэгъ makʷʼaʃʷəɕtaʁ (s)he was able to go; (s)he could have gone
кӏалэм шхыныр фэшхышъурэп
кӏалэ-м шхыны-р фэ-шхы-шъу-рэп
[t͡ʃʼaːɮa, ʃxənər faʃxəʃʷrap]
boy (erg.) the food (abs.) (s)he does not manages to eat it
"The boy doesn't manages to eat the food."
лӏыжъэр ныбжьыкӏэм мэкӏошъущтыгъагъ тэрэзэу
лӏыжъ-эр ныбжьыкӏ-эм мэкӏо-шъу-щт-эгъ тэрэз-эу
[ɬʼəʐar nəbʑət͡ʃʼam makʷʼaʃʷəɕtəʁaːʁ tarazaw]
old man (abs.) when he was young (s)he was able to go correctly
"When the old man was young, he was able to go correctly."
унэм уехьэмэ псы къысфэпхьышъущта?
унэ-эм у-ехьэ-эм псы къы-с-фэ-п-хьы-шъу-щт-а
[wənam wajħam psə qəsfapħəʃʷəɕtaː]
house (erg.) when you enter the house a water could you bring it for me?
"when you enter the house, could you bring me a water?"

When the suffix ~шъу (~ʃʷə) is used on adjectives or nouns, it is to indicate the possibility of what the indicated adjective or noun can be.

мы шхыныри ӏэшӏушъущт
мы шхыны-ри ӏэшӏу-шъу-щт
[mə ʃxənərəj ʔaʃʷʼəʃʷəɕt]
this the food as well (abs.) it could be tasty
"This food also could be tasty."
иджы мэфэшъущтыгъагъэба?
иджы мэфэ-шъу-щты-гъагъэ-ба
[jəd͡ʒə mafaʃʷəɕtəʁaːʁabaː]
now couldn't it be a day?
"Couldn't it be a day now?"

Concessive mood (~ми)

To indicate an event that will happen even if something/someone does a specific verb, has the Suffix ~ми (~məj).

Tense Suffix To walk (мэкӏон)
Cyrillic IPA Cyrillic IPA Meaning
Far past ~гъагъми ~ʁaːʁməj мэкӏогъагъми maːkʷʼaʁaːʁməj even if (s)he went (then)
Recent past ~гъми ~ʁməj мэкӏуагъми maːkʷʼaːʁməj even if (s)he went
Present ~рэми ~raməj макӏорэми maːkʷʼaraməj even if (s)he is going
Close future ~ми ~məj макӏоми maːkʷʼaməj even if (s)he goes
Future ~щтми ~ɕtməj мэкӏощтми makʷʼaɕtməj even if (s)he will go
Future of the past ~щтыгъми ~ɕtəʁməj мэкӏощтыгъэми makʷʼaəɕtəʁaməj even if (s)he was going to go
кӏалэм епӏуагъэми къыодэӏущтэп
кӏалэ-м епӏо-агъэ-ми къы-о-дэӏу-щт-эп
[t͡ʃʼaːɮam japʔʷaːʁaməj qəwadaʔʷəɕtap]
the boy (erg.) even if you told him (s)he will not listen to you
"even if you told the boy he will not listen to you"
кӏалэр мэкӏошъущтыми нахьышӏу мамыкӏомэ
кӏалэ-р мэ-кӏо-шъу-щты-ми нахьышӏу ма-мы-кӏо-мэ
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar makʷʼaʃʷəɕtəməj naːhəʃʷʼə maːməkʷʼama]
the boy (abs.) even if (s)he can go it is better if (s)he don't go
"even if the boy could go it is better if he don't go"
улажьэми ахъщэ къыуатыщтэп
у-лажьэ-ми ахъщэ къы-у-а-ты-щт-эп
[wəɮaːʑaməj aːχɕa qəwaːtətaɕp]
even if you work money they will not give it to you
"even if you work they will not give you money"

Conditional mood (~мэ)

To indicate a result of a certain verb that if someone/something done, doing or will do, has the Suffix -мэ (-ma).

Tense Suffix To walk (мэкӏон)
Cyrillic IPA Cyrillic IPA Meaning
Far past ~гъагъмэ ~ʁaːʁma мэкӏогъагъмэ maːkʷʼaʁaːʁma if (s)he went (then)
Recent past ~гъмэ ~ʁma мэкӏуагъмэ maːkʷʼaːʁma if (s)he went
Present ~рэмэ ~rama макӏорэмэ maːkʷʼarama if (s)he is going
Close future ~мэ ~ma макӏомэ maːkʷʼama if (s)he goes
Future ~щтмэ ~ɕtma мэкӏощтмэ makʷʼaɕtma if (s)he will go
Future of the past ~щтыгъэмэ ~ɕtəʁama мэкӏощтыгъэмэ makʷʼaəɕtəʁama if (s)he was going to go
кӏалэр мэлажьэмэ ахъщэ къыратыщт
кӏалэ-р мэлажьэ-мэ ахъщэ къы-р-а-ты-щт
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar maɮaːʑama aːχɕa qəraːtəɕt]
the boy (abs.) if he work money they will give him
"if the boy work they will give him money"
усымаджэу удэкӏымэ нахьиу усымэджэщт
у-сымаджэ-у у-дэкӏы-мэ нахьиу у-сымэджэ-щт
[wəsəmaːd͡ʒaw wədat͡ʃʼəma naːħjəw wəsəmad͡ʒaɕt]
while you are sick if you go out even more you will get sick
"if you go out while you are sick, you will get even more sick"
учъэрагъомэ унэм икӏи чъэ
у-чъэ-рагъо-мэ унэ-м икӏый чъэ
[wət͡ʂaraːʁʷama wənam jət͡ʃʼəj t͡ʂa]
if you want to run the house (erg.) get out (in order for something to happen) run!
"if you want to go, get out from the house and go"

Can not be used simultaneously both the suffix -мэ (-ma) and the suffix -ми (-mi).

Connective (~и)

When the connective suffix ~и (-əj) is used on present tense verbs, it is to indicate a chain of different verbs that occurred in the past.

кӏалэр макӏуи унэм къеплъи къэкӏожьэгъ
кӏалэ-р макӏу-и унэ-м къ-еплъ-и къэ-кӏо-жь-эгъ
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar maːkʷʼəj wənam qajpɬəj qakʷʼaʑaʁ]
the boy (abs.) (s)he went and house (erg.) (s)he look at it and (s)he returned
"the boy went, looked at the house and returned"
кӏалэр мэкӏожьи мые къэсфихьэгъ
кӏалэ-р мэкӏожь-и мые къэ-с-ф-ихь-эгъ
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar makʷʼaʑəj məja qasfəjħaʁ]
the boy (abs.) (s)he went back and an apple s(he) brought it for me
"the boy went back and brought me an apple"

When the suffix ~ни (-nəj) is used on present tense verbs, it is to indicate a chain of different verbs that will occur in the future or planned to be done in the future.

кӏалэр мэкӏони псы къэтфихьыщт
кӏалэ-р мэкӏо-ни псы къэ-т-ф-ихьы-щт
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar makʷʼanəj psə qatfəjħəɕt]
the boy (abs.) (s)he will go and water (s)he will bring us it
"the boy will go and will bring us water."
уиунэ сыкъэкӏони тызэдеджэщт
уи-унэ сы-къэ-кӏо-ни ты-зэ-де-джэ-щт
[wəjwəna səqakʷʼanəj təzadajd͡ʒaɕt]
you house I will come and we will study together
"I will come to your house and we gonna study together."
мары, зысгъэпсыкӏыни сыкъыдэкӏыщт
мары, зы-с-гъэ-псыкӏы-ни сы-къы-дэкӏы-щт
[maːrə zəsʁapsət͡ʃʼənəj səqədat͡ʃʼəɕt]
just a moment I gonna take a shower and I gonna come out
"A moment, I gonna take a shower and gonna come out."

When the connective suffix ~и (-əj) is used in imperative mood, it is to indicate a chain of different verbs that the listener(s) should do at that moment.

кӏуи кӏалэр улъэгъущт
кӏо-и кӏалэ-р у-лъэгъу-щт
[kʷʼəj t͡ʃʼaːɮar wɬaʁʷəɕt]
go and the boy (abs.) you will see it
"go and you will see the boy"
лажьи ахъщэ къыуатыщт
лажь-и ахъщэ къы-у-а-ты-щт
[ɮaːʑəj aːχt͡ʃa qʷaːtəɕt]
work (in order for the event to occur) money they will give you money
"work and they will give you money"

When the suffix ~и (-əj) is added to past and future tense verbs, nouns and adjectives, it is to indicate the cause of a certain event.

Tense Suffix To walk (мэкӏон)
Cyrillic IPA Cyrillic IPA Meaning
Far past ~гъагъи ~ʁaːʁəj мэкӏогъагъи maːkʷʼaʁaːʁəj because (s)he went (then)
Recent past ~гъи ~ʁəj мэкӏуагъи maːkʷʼaːʁəj because (s)he went
Future ~щти ~ɕtəj мэкӏощти makʷʼaɕtəj because (s)he will go
Future of the past ~щтыгъи ~ɕtəʁəj мэкӏощтыгъи makʷʼaəɕtəʁaəj because (s)he was going to go
улэжьагъи ахъщэ къыуатэгъ
у-лэжь-агъ-и ахъщэ къыу-а-тэ-гъ
[wəɮaʑaːʁəj aːχɕa qəwaːtaʁ]
because you worked money they gave you it
"because you worked, they gave you money"
уцӏапӏи ӏаеу къыпдэзакӏох
у-цӏапӏ-и ӏае-у къып-дэзакӏо-х
[wət͡sʼaːpʼəj ʔaːjaw qəpdazaːkʷʼax]
because are mean in a bad way they are treating you like it
"because you are mean, they are treating you bad"
кӏалэр мэкӏощтгъагъи цуакъэхэр щилъагъэх
кӏалэ-р мэкӏо-щт-гъагъ-и цуакъэ-хэ-р щылъ-агъ-эх
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar makʷʼaɕtəj t͡sʷaːqaxar t͡ʃaːlar]
the boy (abs.) because (s)he was going to go the shoes (abs.) (s)he wear them
"because the boy was going to go, he wore the shes on."
пшъашъэр дахи кӏалэхэр къеплъых
пшъашъэ-р дахэ-и кӏалэ-хэ-р къе-плъы-х
[pʂaːʂar daːxəj t͡ʃʼaːɮaxar qajpɬəx]
the girl (abs.) because he/she is pretty the boys (abs.) they are looking at it
"because the girl is pretty, the boys are looking at her"

Until (~фэ)

To indicate an event that will happen until the verb is done, the verbal suffix ~фэ /~fa/ is added. For example :

The suffix ~нэс /~nas/ can also be used for the same meaning :

кӏалэр мэкӏофэ паплъ
кӏалэ-р мэкӏо-фэ паплъ
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar makʷʼafa paːpɬ]
the boy (abs.) until (s)he goes wait
"wait until the boy goes"
кӏалэр къэсыфэ зыб ригъэхьыра?
кӏалэ-р къэсы-фэ зыб ригъэхьыра?
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar qasəfa zəb riʁaħraː]
boy (abs.) until (s)he arrive so much he is taking (time)
"it's taking so much time until the boy arrives"
чэщынэс лажьэгу
чэщы-нэс лажьэ-гу
[t͡ʃaɕənas ɮaːʑaɡʷ]
until it is night work for now
"work until it is night"

Downward (~хы)

The verbal suffix ~хы /~xə/ designates action performed downwards or action performed towards a lower level :

кӏалэр унэм еплъэхы
кӏалэ-р ун-эм еплъэ-хы
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar wənam japɬaxə]
the boy (abs.) house (erg.) (s)he is looking down
"The boy is looking down from the house."
бзыор уашъом къедзыхы
бзыу-р уашъо=м къ-едзы-хы
[bzəwar waːʃʷam qajd͡zəxə]
the bird (abs.) sky (erg.) it is falling
"The bird is falling down from the sky."
унашъхьэм укъемыпкӏэх
унашъхьэ-м у-къ-е-мы-пкӏэ-х
[wənaːʂħam wəqajməpt͡ʃʼax]
roof (erg.) don't jump down
"Don't jump down from the roof."

Upward (~е)

To designate action in an upward direction, the prefix д~ (d~) and the verbal suffix ~е (ja) are added.

волюмэр дэгъэкӏуай
волюмэ-р дэ-гъэ-кӏу-ай
[vɑljəmar daʁakʷʼaːj]
volume (abs.) raise
"Raise the volume."
кӏалэр унашъхьэм дэкӏуае
кӏалэ-р унашъхьэ-м дэ-кӏуа-е
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar wənaːʂħam dakʷʼaːja]
the boy (abs.) house roof (erg.) (s)he is going upwards
"The boy is going up to the roof."

For a while (~гу)

The suffix ~гу (~ɡʷ) designates that the indicated action was performed for a period of time. It might be used to indicated that the action will be performed quickly. For example :

Tense Suffix To walk (мэкӏон)
Cyrillic IPA Cyrillic IPA Meaning
Far past ~гъагъэгу ~ʁaːʁaɡʷ мэкӏогъагъэгу makʷʼaʁaːʁaɡʷ (s)he went for a while; (s)he went for now
Recent past ~гъэгу ~ʁaɡʷ мэкӏуагъэгу makʷʼaːʁaɡʷ (s)he went for a while; (s)he went for now
Present ~го ~ɡʷa макӏого maːkʷʼaɡʷa (s)he goes for a while; (s)he goes for now
Future ~щтыгу ~ɕtəɡʷ мэкӏощтыгу makʷʼaɕtəɡʷ (s)he will go for a while; (s)he will go for now
Future of the past ~щтыгъэгу ~ɕtəʁaɡʷ мэкӏощтыгъэгу makʷʼaɕtəʁaɡʷ (s)he was going to go for a while; (s)he was going to go for now

This also can be add to noun and adjective :

кӏалэр тучанэм мэкӏуагъэгу
кӏалэ-р тучанэ-м мэкӏо-агъэгу
[t͡ʃʼɮar təwt͡ʃaːnam makʷʼaːʁaɡʷ]
the boy (abs.) the shop (erg.) he went for a while
"the boy went to the shop for now"
Томыр еджэгуи, къэтдэджэгушъущтыгоп
Том-ыр еджэ-гу-и, къэ-т-дэ-джэгу-шъу-щты-го-п
[tomər jad͡ʒaɡʷəj qatdad͡ʒaɡʷəʃʷəɕtəɡʷap]
Tom (abs.) because (s)he is studying for now (s)he can't play with us for now
"Because Tom is studying for now, he can't play with us for now"
паркэм къэсыкӏохьыщтыгу
паркэ-м къэ-сы-кӏохьы-щтыгу
[paːrkar qasəkʷʼaħəɕtəɡʷ]
in the park (erg.) I will go around for a while
"I will go around for a while in the park."
джэгуалъэм сыриджэгурагъогу
джэгуалъэ-м сы-риджэгу-рагъо-гу
[d͡ʒaɡʷaːɬam sərəjd͡ʒaɡʷəraːʁʷaɡʷ]
the toy (erg.) I want to play it for now
"I wanna play the toy for now"

Optative mood (~гъэет)

The verbal suffix ~гъэет (~ʁajat) or ~гъагъэет (~ʁaːʁjat) or designates optative mood.

ӏэгуаор футболы джэгумкӏэ къэсфэптыгъагъэет
ӏэгуао-р футболы джэгу-мкӏэ къэ-с-фэ-п-ты-гъагъэ-ет
[ʔaɡʷaːwar futboləmt͡ʃʼa d͡ʒaɡʷəmt͡ʃʼa qasfaptəʁaːʁajat]
ball (abs.) soccer game (ins.) I wish you would have passed me it
"I wish you would have passed me the ball in the soccer game."
сэ сынахь кӏочӏэгъагъэет ӏанэр къэсыштэшъунэу
сэ сы-нахь кӏочӏэ-гъагъэ-ет ӏанэ-р къэ-сы-штэ-шъу-нэу
[sa sənaːħ kʷʼat͡ʂʼaʁaːʁajat ʔaːnar qasəʃtaʃʷnaw]
I (I) more I wish I had been strong table (abs.) for me to lift it
"I wish I had been more stronger to lift the table."
нахь пасэу сыкъэкӏогъагъэет
нахь пасэ-у сы-къэ-кӏо-гъагъэ-ет
[naːħ paːsaw səqakʷʼaʁaːʁajat]
more early I wish I had came
"I wish I had came earlier."

Diminution of degree (~рашъу)

To indicate a diminution of degree ("kind of"), the suffix ~пашъу (~raːʃʷ) is added. It is mostly used on verbs and adjectives and are rarely used on noun.

а лӏыжъыр делэрашъу
а лӏыжъы-р делэ-рашъу
[aː ɬʼəʐər dajɮaraːʃʷ]
that old man (abs.) (s)he is kind of stupid
"The old man is kind of stupid."

Surprise mood (~уи)

The suffix -уи (-wəːj) indicates a surprise mood.

Tense Suffix To walk (мэкӏон)
Cyrillic IPA Cyrillic IPA Meaning
Far past ~гъагъуи ~ʁaːʁwəj мэкӏогъагъуи maːkʷʼaʁaːʁwəj (s)he went!? (then)
Recent past ~гъуи ~ʁwəj мэкӏуагъуи maːkʷʼaːʁwəj (s)he went!?
Present ~уи ~wəj макӏоуи maːkʷʼawəj (s)he goes!?
Future ~щтуи ~ɕtwəj мэкӏощтуи makʷʼaɕtwəj (s)he will go!?
Future of the past ~щтыгъуи ~ɕtəʁwəj мэкӏощтыгъэуи makʷʼaəɕtəʁawəj (s)he was going to go!?
мы унэр зишӏыгъэр шъузуи?
[mə wənar zəjʃʼəʁar ʃʷəzwəj]
this house (abs.) the one who made it is a woman?
"The one who made this house is a woman (surprised)?"
кӏалэм еуагъэр сэруи?
[t͡ʃʼaːɮam jawaːʁar sarwəj]
the boy (erg.) the one (s)he hit me?
"The one who hit the boy is me (surprised)?"
а кӏалэ кӏакор кӏуачӏэуи?
[aː t͡ʃʼaːɮa t͡ʃʼaːkʷar kʷʼaːt͡ʂʼawəj]
that boy the short one (abs.) is (s)he really strong?
"That short boy is strong (surprised)?"

After the action connection (~эм)

To indicate an event that happened in the past after a certain verb was done, the suffix -эм (-am) is added.

сэкӏом сишы къэслъэгъогъ
сэкӏо-м си-шы къэ-с-лъэгъу-эгъ
[sakʷʼam səjʃə qasɬaʁʷaʁ]
when i went my brother i saw
"when I went I saw my brother."
пшъашъэр унэм ехьэм янэ ӏукӏагъ
пшъашъэ-р унэ-м ехьэ-м янэ ӏукӏ-агъ
[pʂaːʂar [wənam jaħam jaːna ʔʷət͡ʃʼaːʁa]
the girl (abs.) the house (erg.) when (s)he entered it his/her mother (s)he met him/her
"when the girl entered the house she met her mother."
лӏым едж къысеӏом седжагъ
лӏы-м едж къы-с-еӏо-м с-еджэ-агъ
[ɬʼəm jad͡ʒ qəsajʔʷam sajd͡ʒaːʁ]
man (erg.) study! when (s)he told me I studied
"when the man told me to study, I studied."

To indicate an event that is happening after a certain verb is done with no indication to the time it happened, the time prefix з~ and the suffix ~рэм (~ram) are added.

сэ сызышхэрэм сиӏэхэр сэтхьакӏыжьых
сэ сы-зы-шхэ-рэм си-ӏэ-хэ-р сэ-тхьакӏы-жьы-х
[sa səzəʃxaram səjʔaxar satħaːt͡ʃʼəʑəx]
I whenever I eat my hands (abs.) I am washing them afterward
"Whenever I eat, I wash my hands afterward."
унэм чэщым узкъихьэжьырэм пчъэр къегъэтэу шӏы
унэ-м чэщы-м у-з-къ-и-хьэ-жьы-рэм пчъэ-р къ-егъэтэ-у шӏы
[wənam t͡ʃaɕəm wəzqəjħaʑəram pt͡ʂar qajʁataw ʃʼə]
house (erg.) at the night whenever you enter it door (abs.) be used to lock it
"Whenever you enter the house at night, lock the door."
чылэм сыздэкӏырэм ахъщэ сэӏыгъэ
чылэ-м сы-з-дэ-кӏы-рэм ахъщэ сэ-ӏыгъэ
[t͡ʃəɮam səzdat͡ʃʼəram aːχɕa saʔəʁa]
village (erg.) whenever I go out money I am holding it
"Whenever I go out of the village, I hold money."

To indicate an event that happened right before a certain verb was going to be done, the suffix ~ным (~nəm) is added.

сомпыютэрымкӏэ къесхэхь горэ къиухыным сомпыютэрыр къэсшӏокӏосагъ
сомпыютэр-ымкӏэ къе-с-хэхь горэ къ-иухы-ным сомпыютэр-ыр къэ-с-шӏо-кӏос-агъ
[kompəjutarəmt͡ʃʼa qajsxaħ ɡʷara qəjwxənəm kompəjutarər qasʃʷʼakʷʼasaːʁ]
in the computer (ins.) something I download the moment it was going to finish computer (abs.) it turned off against my interest
"The moment' something I download in the computer was about to finish, the computer turned off."
сызышхэным сиукъэкӏыжьэгъ сиӏэхэр сытхьакӏынэу
сы-зы-шхэ-ным с-и-укъэкӏыжь-эгъ си-ӏэ-хэ-р сы-тхьакӏы-нэу
[səzəʃxanəm səjwqat͡ʃʼəʑaʁ səjʔaxar sətħaːt͡ʃʼənaw]
at the time I was about to eat I remembered my hands (abs.) I (to) wash them
"When I was about to eat, I remembered to wash my hands . "

Conditional (~кӏэ)

The conditional mood can be indicated by adding the suffix ~кӏэ (~t͡ʃʼ) (~джэ in Bzhedug dialect and ~гьэ in Shapsug dialect). For example

Recurrence (~расэ)

The verbal suffix ~рас (-raːs) designates recurrence, presence of a characteristic. It designates an action that someone often does. For example :

сэ лимон сышхырасэрэп
сэ лимон сы-шхы-расэ-рэп
[sa limom səʃxəraːsarap]
I a lemon I don't eat it often
"I don't eat lemon often."
"I don't usually eat lemon."
кӏалэр къэлэм плъыжьым ритхэрас
кӏалэ-р къэлэм плъыжьы-м ри-тхэ-рас
[t͡ʃʼaːɮar qalam pɬəʑəm rəjtxaraːs]
the boy (abs.) red pebcil (erg.) he often writes with
"The boy often writes with the red pencil."

To indicate the subject or the object that usually or often do a certain verb, the suffix ~расэ (-raːsa) is added to the noun that was created from a verb. for example :

непчыхьэ тызкӏорасэрэм тышъугъакӏу
не-пчыхьэ ты-з-кӏо-расэ-рэ-м ты-шъу-гъа-кӏу
[najpt͡ʃəħa təzkʷʼaraːsaram təʃʷʁaːkʷʼ]
tonight the place we often go (erg.) let/allow us to go (said to plural)
"Let us go to the place we usually goes to."
кӏалэм шоколадэхэр ышхырэсэгъагъэх бэрэ
кӏалэ-м шоколад-эх-эр ы-шхы-рэс-гъагъэ-эх бэрэ
[t͡ʃʼaːɮam ʃokolaːdaxar jəʃxərasaːʁaːʁax bara]
the boy (erg.) chocolates (abs.) he used to eat them often a lot
"The boy used to eat chocolates a lot"
сэ къэлэмэу сызритхэрасэр плъыжьы
сэ къэлэм-эу сы-з-ри-тхэ-расэ-р плъыжьы
[sa qalamaw səzrəjtxaraːsar pɬəʑə]
I pencil (adv.) the thing I often writes with (abs.) red
"The pencil I usually writes with is red."

About to (~пэт)

To indicate a verb that is about to happened, the verbal suffix -пэт (-pat) is added.

Tense Suffix To walk (мэкӏон)
Cyrillic IPA Cyrillic IPA Meaning
Far past ~пэтыгъагъ ~patəʁaːʁ макӏопэтыгъагъ maːkʷʼapatəʁaːʁ (s)he almost went (then)
Recent past ~пэтыгъ ~patəʁ макӏопэтыгъ maːkʷʼapatəʁ (s)he almost went
Present ~пэт ~pat макӏопэт maːkʷʼapat (s)he is about to go
Future ~пэтыщт ~patəɕt мэкӏопэтыщт makʷʼapatəɕt (s)he will be about to go
Future of the past ~пэтыщтэгъ ~patəɕtaʁ мэкӏопэтыщтэгъ makʷʼapatəɕtaʁ (s)he was about to go
сыкъаубытыпэтэгъ кӏалэхэмэ
сы-къа-убыты-пэтэгъ кӏалэхэмэ
[səqaːwbətəpataʁ t͡ʃʼaːɮaxama]
they almost caught me the boys (erg.)
"The boys almost caught me."
псым уицуакъэкӏэ ухауцопэтэгъ
псы-м уи-цуакъэ-кӏэ у-ха-уцо-пэтэгъ
[psəm wəjt͡sʷaːqat͡ʃʼa wəxaːwt͡sʷapataʁ]
water (erg.) using your shoes (ins.) you almost stepped into it
"You almost stepped into the water with your shoes."
сэ себэджыпэтыгъэп
сэ се-бэджы-пэтыгъ-эп
[sa sajbad͡ʒəpatəʁap]
I I didn't almost fell on the ground
"I didn't almost fell on the ground."

Always (~зэпыт)

To indicate that the verb is always happen, the suffix -зэпыт (-zapət) is added.

Tense Suffix To walk (мэкӏон)
Cyrillic IPA Cyrillic IPA Meaning
Past ~зэпытэгъ ~zapətaʁ мэкӏозэпытэгъ makʷʼazapətaʁ (s)he used to go always
Past 2 ~зэпытыгъагъ ~zapətəʁaːʁ мэкӏопытыгъагъ makʷʼazapətəʁaːʁ (s)he used to go always
Present ~зэпыт ~zapət мэкӏозэпыт makʷʼazapət (s)he always go
Future ~зэпытыщт ~zapətəɕt мэкӏозэпытыщт makʷʼazapətəɕt (s)he will always be going to
Future of the past ~зэпытыщтэгъ ~zapətəɕtaʁ мэкӏозэпытыщтэгъ makʷʼazapətəɕtaʁ (s)he was always going to
тучаным тышъугъэкӏозэпытыщта?
тучан-ым ты-шъу-гъэ-кӏо-зэпыт-ыщт-а?
[tut͡ʃaːnəm təʃʷʁakʷʼazapətəɕtaː]
shop (erg.) are you (pl.) gonna make us go always
"Are you (plural) gonna make us go to the shop all the time?."
кӏалэм мые ышхызэпытэгъ
кӏалэ-м мые ышхы-зэпыт-эгъ
[t͡ʃʼaːɮam məja jəʃxəzapətaʁ]
boy (erg.) an apple (s)he used to eat it always
"The boy used to eat apple all the time."
сэ сэчъэзэпыт щэджэгъожьым
сэ сэ-чъэ-зэпыт щэджэгъожьы-м
[sa sat͡ʂazapət ɕad͡ʒaʁʷaʑəm]
I I am always running at the after noon (ins.)
"I am always running after noon."

Just recently (~гъакӏ)

To indicate a verb that happened just recently, the suffix -гъакӏ (-ʁaːt͡ʃʼ) is added.

Tense Suffix To walk (мэкӏон)
Cyrillic IPA Cyrillic IPA Meaning
Far past ~гъэкӏэгъагъ ~ʁat͡ʃʼaʁaːʁ мэкӏогъэкӏэгъагъ maːkʷʼaʁat͡ʃʼaʁaːʁ (s)he was recently going (then)
Recent past ~гъэкӏагъ ~ʁat͡ʃʼaːʁ мэкӏогъэкӏагъ maːkʷʼaʁat͡ʃʼaːʁ (s)he was recently going
Present ~гъакӏ ~ʁaːt͡ʃʼ макӏогъакӏ maːkʷʼaʁaːt͡ʃʼ (s)he just recently went
Future ~гъэкӏэщт ~ʁat͡ʃʼaɕt мэкӏогъэкӏэщт makʷʼaʁat͡ʃʼaɕt (s)he will recently go
Future of the past ~гъэкӏэщтэгъ ~ʁat͡ʃʼaɕtaʁ мэкӏогъэкӏэщтэгъ makʷʼaʁat͡ʃʼaɕtaʁ (s)he was going to recently go
ушхэгъакӏ нэӏэ ушхэжьырагъуа?
у-шхэ-гъакӏ нэӏэ у-шхэ-жьы-рагъу-а?
[wəʃxaʁaːt͡ʃʼ naʔa wəʃxaʑəraːʁʷaː]
you just ate recently only do you want to eat again
"You just ate recently, you wanna eat again?"
класым иджы скъихьэгъакӏ
класы-м иджы с-къи-хьэ-гъакӏ
[klaːsəm jəd͡ʒə sqəjħaʁaːt͡ʃʼ]
class (erg.) now I just came in
"I just came into the class right now."
класым тыгъуасэ сихьэгъэкӏэгъагъ тестэр къызеублэм
класы-м тыгъуасэ си-хьэ-гъэкӏэ-гъагъ тестэ-р къы-зе-ублэ-м
[klaːsəm təʁʷaːsa səjħaʁat͡ʃʼaʁaːʁ] testar qəzajwbɮam
class (erg.) yesterday I just entered recently (in the past) test (arg.) the time it started
"Yesterday after recently entering the class the test began."

Should have (~пхъагъ)

To indicate a verb that the subject should have done in the past and haven't, the suffix -пхъагъ (-pχaːʁ) is added.

сиунэ укъакӏом сидиск къэпхьыпхъагъ
си-унэ у-къа-кӏо-эм си-диск къэ-п-хьы-пхъагъ
[siwna wqaːkʷʼam sidisk qaphəpχaːʁ]
my house when you came my disk you should have brought it.
"When you came to my house, you should have brought my disk with you"
къэпӏопхъагъ зэрэуимыӏэ гущыӏалъэ
къэ-п-ӏо-пхъагъ зэрэ-уи-мы-ӏэ гущыӏалъэ
[qapʔʷapχaːʁ zarawiməʔa ɡʷəɕəʔaːɬa]
you should have said so that you don't have it a dictionary
"You should have said that you don't have a dictionary."

Area (~хь)

The verbal suffix ~хь /~ħ/ designates action performed on an area or repetition of the action in a certain area :

The reflexive verbal prefix зе~ (zaj~) and the verbal suffix ~хь(~ħ) are used together to indicate action performed by someone around the area or location they are standing in. It also designates repetition of the action around someone. for example :

кӏэлэцӏыкӏум зичъэхьыжьэу унэм ит
кӏэлэцӏыкӏу-м зи-чъэ-хьы-жьэ-у унэ-м ит
[t͡ʼaɮat͡sʼəkʷʼəm zəjt͡ʂaħəʑaw wənam jət]
little boy (erg.) while running around house (erg.) (s)he is standing inside
"The little boy is ruining around in the house."
"Literary meaning : The little boy is in the house while running around.."
сэ чъыгым спысэу зэсэплъэхьы
сэ чъыгы-м с-пы-сэ-у зэ-сэ-плъэ-хьы
[sa t͡ʂəɣəm spəsaw zasapɬaħə]
I tree (erg.) while sitting on a tree I am looking around
"I am looking around while sitting on a tree."
гъогум кӏалэм зеплъэхьи тет
гъогу-м кӏалэ-м зеплъэхьи тет
[ʁʷaɡʷəm t͡ʃʼaːɮam zajpɬaħəj tajt]
road (erg.) boy (erg.) (s)he is looking around (s)he stands
"the boy is standing on the road looking around."

The verbal prefix къе~ (qaj~) and the verbal suffix ~хь(~ħ) are used together to indicate action performed on an area, for example :

сэ чылэр къэскӏохьышт
сэ чылэ-р къэ-с-кӏо-хьы-шт
[sa t͡ʃəɮar qaskʷʼaħəɕt]
I the village (abs.) I will walk around
"I will walk around the village."
мэзым хахьи къэплъэхь
мэзы-м ха-хь-и къэ-плъэ-хь
[mazəm xaːħəj qaspɬaħ]
forest (erg.) enter it and look around it
"Enter the forest and scout around."

To indicate movement round an object, the prefix дэ~ (da~) and the suffix ~хь (~ħ) are added :

ӏуашъхьэм учӏымыкӏыэу къыдэкӏохь
ӏуашъхьэ-м у-чӏы-мы-кӏ-эу къы-дэ-кӏо-хь
[ʔʷaːʂħam wət͡ʂʼəmət͡ʃʼaw qədakʷʼaħ]
hill (erg.) while you are not going up it go around it
"Instead of going up the hill, go around it."

The suffix ~хь (~ħə) can also be used together with the positional prefixes to indicate action performed on a definite area in a certain direction and position. for example :

унэ чӏэгъым чӏаукӏэхьагъ
унэ чӏэгъы-м чӏ-а-укӏэ-хь-агъ
[wəna t͡ʂʼaʁəm t͡ʂʼaːwt͡ʃʼaħaːʁ]
under the house (erg.) they killed him under
"they kill him under the house."

The verbal suffix ~хь(~ħ) can also be used to indicate action performed repetitively or action performed for a long extend or action performed nonstop (without interruption or break) or action performed entirely, for example :

ахэр лӏым пыохьыгъэх
ахэр лӏы-м пыохьы-гъэ-х
[aːxar ɬʼəm pəwaħəʁax]
they (abs.) man (erg.) they beat him up
"they beat the man up"
къэрэгъулхэр уиджанэ пыплъэхьыщтых
къэрэгъул-хэ-р уи-джанэ пыплъэхьы-щт-ых
[qaraʁʷəɮxar wəjd͡ʒaːja pəpɬaħəɕtəx]
the guards (abs.) your shirt they gonna search on it
"the guards gonna search on your shirt"

Manner (~кӏэ)

To indicate the manner a verb is done, the verbal suffix ~кӏэ (t͡ʃʼa) is added. In the Shapsug dialect the suffix ~кӏьэ (~kʲʼa) is used instead.

кӏалэм тэрэзэу тхакӏэ къырагъэшӏагъ
кӏалэ-м тэрэзэу тха-кӏэ къы-р-а-гъэ-шӏа-гъ
[t͡ʃʼaːɮam tarazaw txaːt͡ʃʼa qəraːʁaʃʼaːʁ]
boy (erg.) correctly manner of writing they taught him
"They taught the boy how to write correctly."
кӏалэм зэуакӏэ ешӏэ дэгъоу
кӏалэ-м зэу-акӏэ ешӏэ дэгъу-эу
[t͡ʃʼaːɮam zawaːt͡ʃʼa jaʃʼa daʁʷə]
boy (erg.) manner of fighting (s)he knows good
"The boy knows how to fight well."
мыжъо псынкӏэу дзыкӏэ озгъэлъэгъущт
мащинэ псынкӏэу фы-кӏэ о-з-гъэ-лъэгъу-щт
[məʒʷa psənt͡ʃʼaw fət͡ʃʼa wazʁaɬaʁʷəɕt]
car quickly manner of throwing I will show you
"I will show you how to throw a rock quickly."

It is also possible to indicate the manner in which someone does a verb. for example :

о уиеджакӏэ дэгъоп
о уи-еджа-кӏэ дэгъо-п
[wa wəjjad͡ʒaːt͡ʃʼa daʁʷap]
you your way of studying not good
"Your way of studying is not good."
лӏыжъым икӏуакӏэ лъэщы
лӏыжъы-м и-кӏу-акӏэ лъэщы
[ɬʼəʐəm jəkʷʼaːt͡ʃʼa ɬaɕə]
old man (erg.) his way of going lame
"The way the old man goes is lame."

Difficult (~гъуай)

To indicate that a verb is Difficult to do, the suffix -гъуай (-ʁʷaːj) is added

бзылъфыгъэхэр ащ есэгъуаех
бзылъфыгъэ-хэ-р ащ е-сэ-гъуаех
[bzəɬfəʁaxar aːɕ jasaʁʷaːjax]
women (abs.) that it is difficult to get used to
"It is difficult for women to used to that."
гъогу лъагъор хэлъэгъогъуаеу щытыгъ
гъогу лъагъо-р хэ-лъэгъо-гъуаеу щыт-ыгъ
[ʁʷaɡʷ ɬaːʁʷar xaɬaʁʷaʁʷaːjaw ɕətəʁ]
road path (abs.) being difficult to see it was
"The path was difficult to see."

Easy (~гъошӏу)

To indicate that a verb is easy to do, the suffix -гъошӏу (-ʁʷaʃʷʼ) is added

джанэр дыгъош1у
джанэ-р ды-гъош1у
[d͡ʒaːnar dəʁʷaʃʷʼ]
dress (abs.) easy to sewn
"The dress is sewn easily."
гъогу лъагъор хэлъэгъогъуаеу щытыгъ
гъогу лъагъо-р хэ-лъэгъо-гъуаеу щыт-ыгъ
[ʁʷaɡʷ ɬaːʁʷar xaɬaʁʷaʁʷaːjaw ɕətəʁ]
road path (abs.) being difficult to see it was
"The path was difficult to see."

Warning mood (~къон)

To either warn or intimidate the listener(s) from doing a certain verb, the verbal suffix ~къон (~qʷan) is added to it.

Унашъхьэм укъепкӏэкъон
Унашъхьэ-м у-къ-епкӏэ-къон
[wənaːʂħam wəqajpt͡ʃʼaqʷan]
root (erg.) don't dare to jump from
"Don't dare to jump from the roof."
Кӏалэм епӏотэкъон пысӏохьхэрэр
Кӏалэ-м е-п-ӏотэ-къон пы-с-ӏохь-хэ-рэ-р
[t͡ʃʼaːɮam japʔʷataqʷan pəsʔʷaħxarar]
boy (erg.) don't dare to tell him the things I am saying about him
"Don't dare to tell the boy the things I am saying about him."
Кӏалэхэр Фылымым азакъоу ерэплъыкъоных
Кӏалэ-хэ-р Фылым-ым а-закъо-у е-рэ-плъы-къон-ых
[t͡ʃʼaːɮaxar [fələməm jaːzaːqʷaw jarapɬəqʷanəx]
the boys (abs.) film (erg.) while they being alone don't they dare to look at
"Don't the boys dare to look at the film."

Directed towards (~лӏ)

The verbal suffix ~лӏ (~lʼ) designates action directed towards, or applied to somebody or something. For example :

кӏалэм дэгъухэ къехъолӏагъэх
кӏалэ-м дэгъу-хэ къ-е-хъо-лӏ-агъ-эх
[t͡ʃʼaːɮam daʁʷəxa qajχʷaɬʼaːʁax]
the boy (erg.) good things they happened to him/her
"Good things happened to the boy."
сыд унэм ишъо епӏуалӏэрэ?
сыд унэ-м и-шъо е-п-ӏу-алӏэ-рэ?
[səd wənam jəʃʷa japʔʷaːɬʼara]
what house (erg.) it's color the thing you say about it
"What do you say about the house's color?"
кӏалэр гъогум екӏуалӏэ
кӏалэ-р гъогу-м екӏу-алӏэ
[t͡ʃʼaːɮam ʁʷaɡʷəm jakʷʼaːɬʼa]
boy (abs.) road (erg.) (s)he is approaching it
"The boy is approaching the road."

Slightly (~ӏо)

The verbal suffix ~ӏо designates slightness; for example :

Mistakenly (~хъу)

The verbal suffix ~хъу designates mistakenness; for example :

Willingly (~п)

The verbal suffix ~п designates action done willingly; for example :

Absolute (~х)

The verbal suffix ~хэ designates absolute; for example :

References

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