Preterite-present verbs get their name from their origin in preterites (past tense) of strong verbs, whose present forms fell out of that paradigm, and whose forms were anatomized with present sense. The present tense forms are built on what was the second principal part of the singular, and the third principal part of the plural. Infinitive forms and past participles are often lacking. These verbs commonly acquired new finite past tense forms through the mechanism of the dental suffix found in the weak verbs.
Because of their origin in the strong verbs there are six original classes/ gradations of preterite-present verbs.
First Gradation of preterite-present verbs is typified by the verb wáit 'I know'.
1st Gradation |
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wáit 'I know' |
láis 'I know' |
Present Indicatve |
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1 Singular |
wáit |
láis |
2 |
wáist |
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3 |
wáit |
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2 Dual |
wituts |
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3 |
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1 Plural |
witum |
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2 |
wituþ |
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3 |
witun |
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Present Subjunctive |
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1 Singular |
witjáu |
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2 |
witeis |
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3 |
witi |
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2 Plural |
witeiþ |
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Past Indicative |
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1 Singular |
wissa |
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2 |
wisseis |
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3 |
wissa |
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2 Plural |
wisseduþ |
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3 |
wissedun |
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Past Subjunctive |
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1 Singular |
wissedjáu |
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2 |
wissedeis |
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3 |
wissedi |
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3 Plural |
wissedeina |
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Infinitive |
witan |
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Present Part. |
witands |
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Second Gradation has only one surviving form.
2nd Gradation |
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dáug 'benefits/good for' |
3 Singular |
dáug |
Third Gradation of preterite-present verbs is typified by the verb kann 'I know (how to)'.
3rd Gradation |
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kann 'I know how to' |
þarf 'I need' |
ga-dars 'I dare' |
Present Indicative |
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1 Singular |
kann |
þarf |
ga-dars |
2 |
kannt |
þarft |
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3 |
kann |
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ga-dars |
1 Plural |
kunnum |
þaúrbum |
ga-daúrsum |
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kunnuþ |
þaúrbuþ |
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kunnun |
þaúrbun |
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Present Subj. |
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1 Singular |
kunnjáu |
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ga-daúrsjáu |
2 |
kunneis |
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3 |
kunnei |
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1 Plural |
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þaúrbeima |
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2 |
kunneiþ |
þaúrbeiþ |
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3 |
kunneina |
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Past Indicative |
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1 Singular |
kunþa |
þaúrfta |
ga-daúrsta |
2 |
kunþes |
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3 |
kunþa |
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1 Plural |
kunþedum |
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3 |
kunþedun |
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ga-daúrstedun |
Past Subj. |
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1 Singular |
kunþedjáu |
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3 |
af-kunþedi |
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2 Plural |
kunþedeiþ |
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Infinitive |
kunnan |
þaúrban* |
ga-darúsan |
Present Part. |
kunnands |
þaúrbands |
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Past Part. |
kunþs |
þaúrfts |
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The infinitive þaúrban is a hyopthetical construction.
Fourth Gradation of preterite-present verbs is typified by the verb skal 'I shall, owe'.
Fourth Gradation |
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skal 'I shall' |
man 'I think' |
bi-nah 'it is permitted' |
ga-nah 'it suffices' |
Present Indicative |
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1 Singular |
skal |
man |
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2 |
skalt |
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3 |
skal |
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bi-nah |
ga-nah |
1 Plural |
skulum |
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2 |
skuluþ |
ga-munuþ |
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3 |
skulun |
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Present Subj. |
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1 Singular |
skuljáu |
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2 |
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ga-muneis |
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3 |
skuli |
muni |
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1 Plural |
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ga-muneima |
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2 |
skuleiþ |
ga-muneiþ |
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Past Indicative |
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1 Singular |
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munda |
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3 |
skulda |
ga-munda |
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1 Plural |
skuldedum |
ga-mundedum |
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3 |
skuldedun |
ga-mundedun |
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Past Subj. |
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3 Singular |
skuldedi |
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2 Plural |
skuldedeiþ |
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Infinitive |
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ga-munan |
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Present Part. |
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munands |
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Past Part. |
skulds |
munds |
bi-naúhts |
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Fifth Gradation of preterite-present verbs is typified by the verb mag 'I am able, can, may'.
Fifth Gradation |
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mag 'I may' |
Present Indicative |
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1 Singular |
mag |
2 |
magt |
3 |
mag |
1 Dual |
magu |
2 |
maguts |
1 Plural |
magum |
2 |
maguþ |
3 |
magun |
Present Subj. |
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1 Singular |
magjáu |
2 |
mageis |
3 |
magi |
1 Plural |
mageima |
2 |
mageiþ |
Past Indicative |
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3 Singular |
mahta |
1 Plural |
mahtedum |
3 |
mahtedun |
Past Subj. |
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3 Singular |
mahtedi |
3 Plural |
mahtedeina |
Present Part. |
magands |
Past Part. |
mahts |
Sixth Gradation of preterite-present verbs is typified by the verb ga-mōt 'I find room'.
Sixth Gradation |
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ga-mót 'I find room' |
óg 'I fear' |
áih 'I have' |
Present Indicative |
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1 Singular |
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óg |
áih, áig |
3 |
ga-mót |
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áih, áig |
1 Plural |
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áihum, áigum |
2 |
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áihuþ |
3 |
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áigun |
Present Subj. |
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2 Singular |
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ógjeis |
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3 |
ga-móteima |
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áigi |
2 Plural |
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áigeiþ |
3 |
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áigeina |
Imperative |
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2 Singular |
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ógs |
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2 Plural |
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ógeiþ |
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Past Indicative |
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1 Singular |
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óhta |
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3 |
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óhta |
áihta |
3 Plural |
ga-mostedun |
óhtedun |
áihtedun |
Past Subj. |
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2 Singular |
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áihtedeis |
Infinitive |
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fáir-áirhan* |
Present Part. |
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ógands |
áihands, áigands |
The present participle of ōgs also survives in the compound adjective un-agands 'fearless'. The verb -áihan 'to have' may have originally been a verb of class VII. Its infinitive appears only in the compound form faír-áihan 'to partake of'.
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