Hoffman.] 



194 



[Dec. 21, 



COMPOUND VERBS. 



Compound verbs are formed by prefixing adverbs or prepositions to sim- 

 ple words, usually verbs and rarely adverbs and adjectives, thus varying 

 or modifying their signification. When these prefixes permit the insertion 

 of tse or tsa between themselves and the radical, or their transfer, so as 

 to become sufl3xes, as in the present indicative, they are termed separable; 

 as uf'shte", to rise or to stand up, from uf, up -f- shte", stand. 



Compound prefixes are also used and are separable, as dafun'la'fa, to go 

 away from, to leave, from da, there -j- fun, /row, -}~ lS,'fa, to go or walk. 



Prefixes are inseparable when they are so closely united with the radical 

 as not to permit the preposition tse or tsa between the prefix and the 

 radical. When compound prefixes occur, the first prefix may become 

 separable from the second and inseparable prefix to allow the intervention 

 of tse or tsa in the present infinitive, as uf + shte'', up -}- rise (from bed), 

 = ul'tsashte", to rise — literally, up to rise. 



IMPERSONAL VERBS. 



Impersonal verbs are used only in the third person singular, and have for 

 their subject the pronoun es, lY— sometimes abbreviated to 's, which in ordi- 

 nary conversation is frequently pronounced as if forming the first letter of 

 the verb, thus forming no apparent and distinct syllable. The following 

 are examples : 



es shn^t = 's shnet, it snoics. 



•es re^-ghert = 's re'ghert, it rains. 



es kis''lt = 's kis''lt, it is sleeting. 



ARTICLES. 



The definite article der or diir — contracted into d'r — and the indefi- 

 nite article en — contracted into 'n — are both used, and inflected as 

 follows : 



