Appendia G. 275 
Examples of this construction, especially in the Imperative mood, 
will be given in the Vocabulary, so need not be further dwelt on here. 
It is scarcely possible to reduce the verb ‘‘to be” to conjugation, 
unless we suppose the varied forms in which it is used as inflections of 
separate verbs, wanting in many tenses. Tor “to be’ is expressed by 
different verbs, according to its allusion to time, a person, or a thing; 
and its relation to mere existence or to the nature of existence. In 
short, there.is no auxiliary verb ‘to be” which can be independently 
conjugated. The unchangeable word “ minna,”’ or “‘ minnakana,’’ is 
applicable in the present tense alone, to denote a state of existence, 
as “ Heng, um, ayo, &c. menna, or minnakana,” J am, thou art, he is, 
&c. But in past and future tenses some other verb denoting presence, 
as the verb “to come,” “to reside,” &c. must be employed. 
But the verb “to be,” when implying the nature of existence, can 
be rendered in the past and future tenses, as well as the present, by 
adding to the participle or adjective, od in the future,-and cena in the 
past, as ‘‘ eeng laga akanna,” I am tured; “ eeng lagaoa,” I shall be 
tired ; “eeng lagiena,”’ I have become tired ; “ eeng renga akanna, or 
renga akannaing,’ I am hungry ; “‘eeng rengaoa or rengaoing,” J shall 
be hungry; “eeng rengaiéna,”’ 1 was hungry. Od and dena, it is to 
be remembered, are inflections of the future and past tenses in all 
neuter verbs. 
Again the verb ‘to be’? can be simply represented in the future 
and past tenses, when speaking of a thing, by the word “ hobawa,”’ 
shall or will be, and “hobiena,” 7 has been; also in the present, 
“‘ hobowtanna,” 7é 7s. This mode of expression commonly refers to 
the success or accomplishment of any project. Inthe English idiom 
we should say for “ hobawa,” 2 will do, or a will answer ; “ hobiena,”’ 
at is all over, or has succeeded ; “‘ hobowtanna,”’ 2 ts going on. 
That boy will be a thief, could not be rendered, “ En kod do komboo 
hobawa,” but “ En koa do komboo oa.” 
Your business will be done to-morrow, not, “‘ Umma kajee gappa 04,” 
but, “ Umma kajee gappa hobawa.” 
This will never do, ‘Ka hobawa;” go away, vt is all over “ Mar- 
senomén hobiéna,’’ 
