66 DAKOTA GRAMMAR, TEXTS, AND ETHNOGRAPHY. 
Optative, Potential, ete. 
) 134. The adverb tokin, oh that! is used with verbs to express strong 
desire; in which case an ‘n’ is suffixed to the verb; as, tokiy mduhen, oh 
that I had it! 
§ 135. The Dakotas have no way of expressing fully and foreibly the 
ideas of necessity and obligation. The place of the English words ought 
and must is partially supplied by the word iyeéeéa, fit, proper; as, eéanoy 
kta iveéeéa, it is fit that thou shouldst do it. 
) 1386. 1. The idea of ability or power is expressed by the help of the 
verb okihi, to be able, used atter other verbs, which are either in the form 
of the infinitive or gerund; as, e¢o1 owakihi (to do I-able), I am able to do it, 
or I can do it; manipi kin owakihi (walking the I-able), I can walk. Or 
they are put in a finite form; as, Suktayka mduza owakhi (horse I-catch 
I-able), I can catch a horse. 
2. Inability is expressed either by ‘okihi’ with the negative ‘sni,’ or 
‘okitpani;’ as, mawani kta owakihi sni (/-walk will I-can not), or, mawani 
kta owakitpani (J-walk will I-unable), I cannot walk.  ‘Véka’ or ‘tékadan, 
followed by the negative ‘Sni,’ is often used for the same purpose; as, 
tokaday mawani sni (any-way I-walk not), I cannot possibly walk. 
8. The word ‘piéa’ is suffixed to verbs to denote possibility or that the 
thing can be done; as, eéoypiéa, it can be done; wanyagpiéa, it can be seen. 
But it more frequently occurs with the negative ‘sni;’ as, kalipiéa Sni, if 
cannot be made. 
TENSES. 
§ 187. Notwithstanding the Dakota verb has but two distinct forms of 
tense, there is no difficulty in expressing, by the help of adverbs, ete., all 
the varieties of time found in other languages. 
Aorist. 
) 138. 1. The aorist is used to denote present time, and generally 
needs no mark to show that the present is referred to, that being usually 
determined by attendant cireumstances or by the context; as, tiyata yanka, 
nakaha wanmdaka, he is at the house, I have just seen him. 
2. When necessary the adverb dehan, vow, or hinahin, yet, is used to 
indicate present time; as, dehan tiyata yayka, he is now at the house; hinahiy 
den uy, he is here yet. 
SD 
3. The aorist is used in general propositions, which apply equally to 
present, past, and future; as, siGeéa waskuyeéa wastedapi, children love fruit. 
