Grammar of Rumantsch Grischun
The grammar of Rumantsch Grischun describes the grammar of the Rhaeto-Romanic written language Rumantsch Grischun .
grammar
Verbs
The verbs end in the infinitive with -ar, -air, -er or -ir. There are six tenses (times) ( present , imperfect , perfect , past perfect , future tense, future tense II) and four modes ( indicative (to testify, to show), conditional (Connect), conditional (condition) , imperative (command form) ).
infinitive
gidar (help) | tegnair (hold) | vender (sell) | partir (depart) |
The infinitives ending in -er are always stem-stressed, the rest are ending-stressed.
Present Indicative
yeah | gid | encounter | vend | part |
ti | gidas | tegnas | vendas | partas |
el, ella | gida | tegna | venda | parta |
nus | gidain | tegnain | vendain | partin |
vus | gidais | tegnais | vendais | partis |
els | gidan | tegnan | vendan | partan |
Verbs with a double consonant before the infinitive ending simplify this in the 1st person singular (metter - jau met).
The verbs ending in –ger, –giar, –gir, –miar, –ziar and vowel end in the 1st person singular with –el. The same thing happens with verbs whose 1st person singular would otherwise be difficult to pronounce, as well as some other verbs:
- diriger (to lead) - jau dirigel
- scuar (turn) - jau scuel
- suffrir (suffer) - jau suffrel
- cumprar (buy) - jau cumprel
- giaschair (to lie) - jau giaschel
A large number of verbs insert the syllable –esch– in the stem-stressed forms:
- finir (stop) - finesch, fineschas, finescha, finin, finis, fineschan
Some verbs ending in -ar, -air and -ir change the stem vowel in the stem-stressed forms:
infinitive | 3rd singular | 1st plural | |
u → o | purtar (bring) | p o rta | purtain |
a → ai | tadlar (listen) | t ai dla | tadlain |
e → ai | palesar (to make known) | pal ai sa | palasain |
a → o | dumandar (inquire) | dum o nda | dumandain |
u → au | dudir | d au there | dudin |
Some verbs ending in -er change the stem vowel in the end-stressed forms:
infinitive | 3rd singular | 1st plural | |
o → u | volver (turn) | volva | v u lvain |
ai → a | baiver (drink) | baiva | b a vain |
au → u | sclauder (switch off) | sclauda | scl u dain |
Present subjunctive
che yeah (than me) | gidia | tegnia | vendia | partia |
che ti (as you) | gidias | tegnias | vendias | partias |
ch'el, ch'ella (as he, she) | gidia | tegnia | vendia | partia |
che nus (as we) | gidian | tegnian | vendian | partian |
che vus (as you) | gidias | tegnias | vendias | partias |
ch'els (as she) | gidian | tegnian | vendian | partian |
The present subjunctive is always stem-stressed. This means that there are also changes in the indicative stem-stressed verbs in all forms:
- purtar → che jau portia, che nus portian
- finir → ch'el fineschia, ch'els fineschian
The forms of the 1st Sg and 3rd Sg, the 2nd Sg and 2nd Pl, as well as the 1st Pl and the 3rd Pl are basically the same.
The subjunctive is used - unlike in the other Romance languages, but as in German - in indirect speech:
- El ha ditg: «Jau vom a Svizra.»
- El aveva ditg, ch'el giaja a Svizra.
- Ella ha dumandà: «Vulais in mail?»
- Ella ha dumandà, Sche nus veglian in mail.
In addition, as in the other Romance languages, it is used after certain expressions in the subordinate clause.
imperative
(ti) | gida! | tegna! | venda! | parta! |
(vus) | gidai! | tegnai! | vendai! | parti! |
The forms of the imperative of the 2nd person singular are stem-stressed and show the same changes as in the present subjunctive and indicative (tadlar: taidla! - tadlai !, finir: finescha! - fini!). The forms of the 2nd person plural are end-emphasized and show the same changes in the verbs on -er as in the present indicative (volver: volva! - vulvai!)
The negative imperative is formed by (na) + imperative + betg:
- Ta lava! - Wash yourself!
- Ta lava betg! or Na ta lava betg! - Don't wash yourself!
In the other persons one uses the forms of the verb duair (to be):
- Els duain gidar! - You should help!
Imperfect tense (incomplete past)
yeah | gidava | tegneva | vendeva | partiva |
ti | gidavas | tegnevas | vendevas | partivas |
el | gidava | tegneva | vendeva | partiva |
nus | gidavan | tegnevan | vendevan | partivan |
vus | gidavas | tegnevas | vendevas | partivas |
els | gidavan | tegnevan | vendevan | partivan |
The forms of the 1st Sg and 3rd Sg, the 2nd Sg and 2nd Pl, as well as the 1st Pl and the 3rd Pl are basically the same. They are always stressed at the end (volver → vulveva; cf. present tense).
Conditional
The conditional is used to express polite requests, requests and wishes. It expresses when something could happen under certain conditions.
Basically, the "conditional" is formed from the stem of the verb in the first form of plural and an addition that includes "ss".
gidar (help) | tegnair (hold) | vender (sell) | partir (depart) | |
yeah | gidass | tegness | vendess | partiss |
ti | gidassas | tegnessas | vendessas | partissas |
el / ella | gidass | tegness | vendess | partiss |
nus | gidassan | tegnessan | vendessan | partissan |
vus | gidassas | tegnessas | vendessas | partissas |
els / ellas | gidassan | tegnessan | vendessan | partissan |
- Reservassas vus ina chombra? "Could you reserve a room for us?"
- Jau vendess mia chasa. "I would like to sell my house."
- Tge cussegliassas vus a may? "What can you recommend me?"
- Vulessas ti ina biera? "Would you like a beer?"
The forms of the 1st Sg and 3rd Sg, the 2nd Sg and 2nd Pl, as well as the 1st Pl and the 3rd Pl are basically the same. They are always emphasized at the end (volver → vulvess, cf. present tense).
Gerund
gidond | encountering | vendend | partind |
past participle
Singular | gidà, gidada | tegnì, tegnida | vendì, vendida | partì, partida |
Plural | gidads, gidadas | tegnids, tegnidas | vendids, vendidas | partids, partida |
Some verbs that are otherwise regular here have different forms, e.g. B. avrir - avert, cuvrir - cuvert, demaiver - entet, metter - mess, morder - mors, suffrir - suffert, vesair - vis, volver - vieut, and many more.
Perfect (perfect present)
yeah | hai gidà | hai tegnì | hai vendì | sun partì / partida |
ti | has gidà | has tegnì | has vendì | es partì / partida |
el | ha gidà | ha tegnì | ha vendì | è partì |
ella | ha gidà | ha tegnì | ha vendì | è partida |
nus | avain gidà | avain tegnì | avain vendì | essan partids / partidas |
vus | avais gidà | avais tegnì | avais vendì | essas partids / partidas |
els | han gidà | han tegnì | han vendì | èn partids |
ellas | han gidà | han tegnì | han vendì | èn partidas |
In general, the perfect tense is formed with the conjugated form of the auxiliary verb avair (to have) and the past participle (see gidar ). However, the following verbs form it with the auxiliary improver (sein) and the form of the past participle, which is adapted to the subject (see partir ):
- Verbs of movement: ir (to go), partir (to leave), fugir (to flee), etc.
- Verbs that express a change of state: crescher (to grow), nascher (to be born), etc.
- esser (to be), star (to stand), restar (to stay)
Transitive and reflexive verbs can optionally adjust the participle according to gender and number of the object.
Jau hai la vis. or Jau hai la visa. - I saw her.
past continuous
yeah | aveva gidà | aveva tegnì | aveva vendì | era partì / partida |
... |
It is formed with the past tense of the auxiliary verb avair or esser and the past participle (cf. perfect).
Future tense
yeah | vegn a gidar | vegn a tegnair | vegn a vender | vegn a partir |
ti | vegns a gidar | vegns a tegnair | vegns a vender | vegns a partir |
el | vegn a gidar | vegn a tegnair | vegn a vender | vegn a partir |
nus | vegnin a gidar | vegnin a tegnair | vegnin a vender | vegnin a partir |
vus | vegnis a gidar | vegnis a tegnair | vegnis a vender | vegnis a partir |
els | vegnan a gidar | vegnan a tegnair | vegnan a vender | vegnan a partir |
The future tense is formed with the auxiliary verb vegnir + a (before vowel: ad) + infinitive.
Future tense II
yeah | vegn ad avair gidà | vegn ad avair tegnì | vegn ad avair vendì | vegn ad esser partì / partida |
The future tense II is formed with the auxiliary verb vegnir + ad + infinitive of the auxiliary verb avair or esser + past participle of the main verb.
passive
The passive is formed with the auxiliary verb vegnir and the inflected form of the past participle:
jau vegn elegì / elegida - I am elected
Reflexive verbs
The (unstressed) reflexive pronoun always comes before the verb:
infinitive | 1. Singular present tense | Imperative singular | 3. Singular perfect |
sa lavar | yeah ma lav | ta lava! | ella ha sa lavà (lavada) |
s'occupar | yeah m'occup | t'occup! | ella ha s'occupà (occupada) |
Irregular verbs
Regular forms are not specified.
- esser - be
Pres. Ind. | Past tense. | Pres. Conj. | Cond. | imperative | |
yeah | sun | era | saja | fiss | |
ti | it | eras | sajas | fissas | sajas! |
el | è | era | saja | fiss | |
nus | essan | eran | sajan | fissan | |
vus | essas | eras | sajas | fissas | sajas! |
els | èn | eran | sajan | fissan |
Part. Perf .: stà, stada
Gerund: eating / siond
Also irregular: èsi (inversion form è + i)
- avair - have
Pres. Ind. | Pres. Conj. | imperative | |
yeah | shark | well | |
ti | has | hajas | hajas! |
el | Ha | well | |
nus | avain | hajan | |
vus | avais | hajas | hajas! |
els | han | hajan |
Part. Perf .: gì, gida
- vegnir - come, become
Pres. Ind. | imperative | |
yeah | vegn | |
ti | vegns | ve! |
el | vegn | |
nus | vegnin | |
vus | vegnis | vegni! |
els | vegnan |
- duair - should
Pres. Ind. | Pres. Conj. | |
yeah | duai | duaja |
ti | duais | duajas |
el | duai | duaja |
nus | duain | duajan |
vus | duais | duajas |
els | duain | duajan |
- pudair - can
Pres. Ind. | Pres. Conj. | imperative | |
yeah | poss | possia | |
ti | pos | possias | - |
el | po | possia | |
nus | pudain | possian | |
vus | pudais | possias | - |
els | pon | possian |
- savair - know
Pres. Ind. | Pres. Conj. | imperative | |
yeah | sai | sappia | |
ti | sas | sappias | sappias! |
el | sa | sappia | |
nus | savain | sappian | |
vus | savais | sappias | sappias! |
els | san | sappian |
- stuair - must
Pres. Ind. | Pres. Conj. | imperative | |
yeah | push | stoppia | |
ti | shock | stoppias | - |
el | sto | stoppia | |
nus | stuain | stoppian | |
vus | stuais | stoppias | - |
els | ston | stoppian |
- vulair - want
Pres. Ind. | Past tense. | Pres. Conj. | Cond. | imperative | |
yeah | vi | leva / vuleva | veglia | less / vuless | |
ti | vuls | levas / vulevas | veglias | lessas / vulessas | veglias! |
el | vul | leva / vuleva | veglia | less / vuless | |
nus | lain / vulain | levan / vulevan | veglian | lessan / vulessan | |
vus | lais / vulais | levas / vulevas | veglias | lessas / vulessas | veglias! |
els | vulane | levan / vulevan | veglian | lessan / vulessan |
- ir - go
Pres. Ind. | Past tense. | Pres. Conj. | Cond. | imperative | |
yeah | from | gieva | giaja | pour | |
ti | vas | gievas | giajas | giessas | va! |
el | va | gieva | giaja | pour | |
nus | giain | gievan | giajan | giessan | |
vus | giais | gievas | giajas | giessas | giai! |
els | van | gievan | giajan | giessan |
Part. Perf: ì, ida
Gerund: giond
- far - do
Pres. Ind. | Past tense. | Pres. Conj. | Cond. | imperative | |
yeah | fatsch | fascheva | fetschia | faschess | |
ti | fas | faschevas | fetschias | faschessas | fa! |
el | fa | fascheva | fetschia | faschess | |
nus | faschain | faschevan | fetschian | faschessan | |
vus | faschais | faschevas | fetschias | faschessas | faschai! |
els | fan | faschevan | fetschian | faschessan |
Part. Perf .: fatg, fatga
Gerund: faschond
- present - give
Pres. Ind. | Past tense. | Pres. Conj. | Cond. | imperative | |
yeah | dun | deva | dettia | dess | |
ti | the | devas | dettias | dessas | there! |
el | dat | deva | dettia | dess | |
nus | there | devan | dettian | dessan | |
vus | there is | devas | dettias | dessas | dai! |
els | dattan | devan | dettian | dessan |
Part. Perf .: dà, dada
Gerund: dond
- say to you
Pres. Ind. | Past tense. | Pres. Conj. | Cond. | imperative | |
yeah | di | scheva | slide | shit | |
ti | dis | schevas | dias | schessas | di! |
el | di | scheva | slide | shit | |
nus | schain | schevan | dian | schessan | |
vus | schais | schevas | dias | schessas | shay! |
els | din | schevan | dian | schessan |
Part. Perf .: ditg, ditga
Gerund: schend
- star - stand
Pres. Ind. | Past tense. | Pres. Conj. | Cond. | imperative | |
yeah | stun | steva | stettia | stess | |
ti | stas | stevas | stettias | stessas | stà! |
el | stat | steva | stettia | stess | |
nus | stain | stevan | stettian | stessan | |
vus | stais | stevas | stettias | stessas | stai! |
els | instead | stevan | stettian | stessan |
Part. Perf .: stà, stada
Gerund: stond
- fugir - flee
Pres. Ind. | imperative | |
yeah | fugel | |
ti | fuis | fui! |
el | fui | |
nus | fugin | |
vus | fugis | fugi! |
els | fuin |
- trair - pull
Pres. Ind. | Past tense. | Pres. Conj. | Cond. | imperative | |
yeah | tir | tirava | tiria | tirass | |
ti | tiras | tiravas | tirias | tirassas | tira! |
el | tira | tirava | tiria | tirass | |
nus | tirain | tiravan | tirian | tirassan | |
vus | tirais | tiravas | tirias | tirassas | tirai! |
els | tiran | tiravan | tirian | tirassan |
Part. Perf .: tartg, tartga
Gerund: tirond
Nouns
Plural formation
Nouns (nouns) can be masculine (male) or feminine (female). The majority is usually formed by adding –s. Nouns that end in -s in the singular remain unchanged in the plural. Exceptions are the nouns that end in a stressed vowel. In the plural, –è becomes –els, –à becomes –ads, and –ì becomes –ids: Most feminine nouns end with the vowel "A". But there are many exceptions.
- bratsch - bratschs (arm)
- figl - figls (son)
- figlia - figlias (daughter)
- chasa - chasas (house)
- nas - nas (nose)
- tscharvè - tscharvels (brain)
- prà - prads (meadow)
- vestgì - vestgids (clothing)
The only irregularities are:
- um - umens (man)
Collective plural
A typical Rhaeto-Romanic phenomenon is the collective plural. It occurs with masculine nouns, which often occur in the plural. It behaves like a feminine noun in the singular.
- il mail → the apple
- ils mails → the apples (countable, according to quantity)
- la maila → the apples (not countable, general)
items
indefinite article sing. | best. Article sing. | best. Article pl. | |
before consonant | in | il | ils |
mask. before vowel | in | l ' | ils |
fem. before consonant | ina | la | read |
fem. before vowel | in' | l ' | read |
There is no indefinite article in the plural.
Adjectives
An adjective always matches the noun to which it belongs in number and gender.
- il grond chaun - il chaun è grond (the big dog - the dog is big)
- ils gronds chauns - ils chauns èn gronds (the big dogs - the dogs are big)
- la gronda paraid - la paraid è gronda (the big wall - the wall is big)
- las grondas paraids - las paraids èn grondas (the big walls - the walls are big)
Adjectives ending in –al, –el, –en or –er omit the –a– or –e– in the feminine forms. The spelling of the preceding consonant can change:
- cotschen - cotschna (red)
- meglier - meglra (better)
- agen - atgna (curious)
- bel - bella (beautiful)
- svizzer - svizra (Swiss)
The increase is regularly formed with "pli" (more):
- grond - pli grond - il pli grond (large - larger - largest)
In addition to regular formation, the following adjectives also have irregular forms:
positive | comparative | superlative | German translation |
bun | meglier / pli bun | il meglier / il pli bun | good, better, the best |
times | pir / pli mal | il pir / il pli mal | bad worse worst |
nausch | mender / pli nausch | il mender / il pli nausch | evil - evil - most evil |
Example sentences:
- Questa giacca è pli pitschna che quella. (This jacket is smaller than that one.)
- Questa giacca è uschè pitschna sco quella. (This jacket is as small as that one.)
- Questa giacca è main pitschna che quella. (This jacket is not as small as that one.)
pronoun
Personal pronouns
subject | Subject (inversion) | Object stressed | Object unstressed | Reflexively emphasized | Reflexively unstressed | |
1. Sg. | yeah | –A | May | ma (m ') | May | ma (m ') |
2nd Sg. | ti | - | tai | did') | tai | did') |
3rd Sg. (Mask.) | el | 'l | el | al | sai | sa (s') |
3rd Sg. (Fem.) | ella | 'la | ella | la (l ') | sai | sa (s') |
1st pl. | nus | -Sa | nus | ans | nus | ans |
2nd pl. | vus | - | vus | as | vus | as |
3rd pl. (Mask.) | els | –I | els | as | sai | sa (s') |
3rd pl. (Fem.) | ellas | –I | ellas | read | sai | sa (s') |
You (courtier) | Vus | - | Vus | As | Vus | As |
The personal pronouns are generally used as in German. In contrast to most Romance languages, they are mostly not left out in Romansh .
The pronoun "ins" corresponds to the German "man" and stands with the third person singular. In the event of an inversion, an elision occurs:
ins vesa → ves'ins (you see → you see)
Most monosyllabic forms, however, then have an -n attached:
ha n ins, è n ins, sa n ins, di n ins, cua n ins, and much more.
The pronoun "i" (before vowel: igl) is used in impersonal expressions (i plova - it is raining, igl è bain - it is good); it then stands with the 3rd person singular of the verb. In the case of an inversion, it is attached to the verb (oz datti… - today there is…). It can also be used as a synonym for "ins", but is then in the 3rd person plural.
In an inversion, the subject pronouns merge - unless they are to be emphasized particularly - with the verb: jau gid - oz gida (I help - today I help)
The stressed object pronouns are used after prepositions (per tai - for you), or for special emphasis. They come after the verb or, in the case of an inversion, after the (attached) subject pronoun: Jau ves tai. - I see you (and not someone else).
The unstressed object pronouns come before the conjugated verb (Jau na ta ves betg - I don't see you) or - if available - before the infinitive (Jau na vul betg ta vesair - I don't want to see you). They are not used in the case of an inversion; the emphasized forms are then used.
The unstressed object pronouns do not differentiate between direct and indirect objects. In the case of the stressed object pronouns, the preposition "a" (before vowel: ad) comes before the pronoun:
- Jau la dun in cudesch - I'll give her a book.
- Jau dun in cudesch ad ella - I'll give her a book.
- Jau dun el ad ella. - I'll give it to her.
possessive pronouns
Adjectival
mask. sg. + pl. | fem. sg. | fem. pl. | |
1. Sg. | mes | mia | mias |
2nd Sg. | tes | tia | tias |
3rd Sg. | ses | sia | sias |
1st pl. | noss | nossa | nossas |
2nd pl. | voss | vossa | vossas |
3rd pl. | lur | lur | lur |
Courtesy form | Voss | Vossa | Vossas |
Noun
mask. sg. | mask. pl. | fem. sg. | fem. pl. | |
1. Sg. | il mieu | ils mes | la mia | read mias |
2nd Sg. | il tieu | ils tes | la tia | las tias |
3rd Sg. | il sieu | ils ses | la sia | read sias |
1st pl. | il noss | ils noss | la nossa | las nossas |
2nd pl. | il voss | ils voss | la vossa | las vossas |
3rd pl. | il lur | ils lur | la lur | las lur |
Courtesy form | il Voss | ils Voss | la Vossa | las Vossas |
- Quai è lur cudesch. - This is her book.
- Quai è mes cudesch, quel cudesch è il tieu. - This is my book, that book is yours.
inversion
Probably due to German influence, if the sentence begins with an adverb, the position of subject and verb is swapped. Personal pronouns are then added to the verb (see above about #personal pronouns ). Furthermore, inversion occurs in the question.
- Uschia pon els ( or poni) vegnir. - So they can come.
- Pertgè na vegnis vus betg? - Why don't you guys come?
Web links
- Lia Rumantscha : Grammatica I (Rumantsch Grischun per Rumantschs). In: pledarigrond.ch. May 10, 2006, accessed on June 26, 2017 (PDF file; 158 kB).