Brinton.) 380 (Jan, 4, 
The preterit can use the adverb oher or the others already 
mentioned, as, Tivaho tah nuqua yn tah utz oher, I wish to 
have been good formerly or in past time. 
Future. 
This tense is formed by placing the verb quin ua, before the 
desiderative verb, as, at tah utz cat ux, tavaho, Thou hast a de- 
sire to be good. It may also be formed in other ways, as, 7iaho 
tah nugua yntah ute, quinux, My heart wishes me to be good; 
or, Yn tah nugohlem, tivaho; yntah ute huna caba, yntah ule 
chic tivaho. 
4. Note. As there is no proper word for this verb in any of 
its moods, tenses or persons, but it must be expressed by cir- 
cumlocutions, its translations are numerous; and this is not 
surprising; it is enough to say that although there is no proper 
word for it, every one of its forms found in the Latin can be 
rendered into this tongue. 
The verb cat ua, in the second and third persons singular 
and plural, may be used to ask questions, like sum, es, fut; 
as: Nak cat ue? Who art thou? Answer, Yn, I. Asking 
again, Nakchi at? Who art thou? Answer, Yn Pedro. So 
in thep lural, Nak qui cua? Who are you? When, seeing 
a person, the question is asked, Nak cat ux? Who art thou? 
it is equivalent to Nak atah chok chinamitl? Of what clan or 
lineage art thou? To ask, What wood is this? we say, Nak 
che el vi? and to ask of what dignity or position is this man, we 
say, Nak ri kalem ri vinak ? 
After a similar attempt to render into Cakchiquel the Spanish verb ser 
in its different forms—an attempt which is evidently out of place, as it has 
no correspondent in the tongue—Torresano translates the conjugation of 
the Spanish estar, in which he succeeds better, as that is properly trans- 
lated by the Cak, qo’. I will give the first persons of the tenses with their 
Spanish equivalents, the Spanish grammar being richer in flexions than 
the English, 
Indicative Mood. 
Present: tan in qoh, yo estoy. 
Preterit Imperfect : aan in qoh, yo estaba. 
Preterit Imperfect Negative : atan in qohmani, yo no estaba. 
Preterit Perfect ; w qohe, yo estuve, 
