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Tongan tenses
Tongan tenses and terms
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Taimi lolotonga | Present tense, 'Oku |
Taimi Haohaoa | Perfect tense, Kuo |
Taimi kuo'osi | Past tense, Na'a, Na'e, Ne |
Taimi kaha'u | Future tense, Te, 'E |
ou | I (1st)person singular subject pronoun used only with time marker 'Oku |
ma | WE (2) first person dual subject pronoun |
mau | WE (3+) first person plural subject pronoun |
ku | I (1st)person singular subject pronoun used only with time marker Na'a |
u | I (1st)person singular subject pronoun used with time marker Te and Kuo |
'E | Future tense marker 'e occurs in simple expletive expressions. 'E 'uha 'E in future precedes the negative 'E 'ikai te u fiefia |
'Oku, Na'a, Ne, Kuo, Te | are the main time markers placed before a pronoun |
'E, Na'e | are never placed before a pronoun except if a negative comes before the pronoun. 'E 'ikai te u tangi. Na'e 'ikai ke nau tangi. |
ne | S/HE.(3rd person)singular preposed before the verb. Use postposed after the verb "ia" |
ia | S/HE(3rd person)singular postposed after the verb. Used singular preposed before the verb "ne" 'Oku ne nofo ia 'i fē? |
na | THEY (3rd person) dual preposed before the verb. Use postposed "kinaua" after the verb. 'Oku na nofo kinaua 'i fē? |
nau | THEY. (3rd person) plural preposed before the verb. Use postposed "kinautolu after the verb. 'Oku nau nofo kinautolu 'i fē? |