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verb conjugations

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ⲧⲁⲛⲓⲉⲗ ⲅⲓⲣⲅⲓⲥ: [Edit]
how do you conjugate the verb, to be, in past and future tense in coptic?

ⲡⲓⲙⲟⲩⲓ:
ⲛⲟϥⲣⲓ ⲧⲁⲛⲓⲉⲗ,

As far as I know, there's no "verb to be" in Coptic. Linguistically speaking, there's of course a Copula in Coptic, not a verb (i.e., no conjugation) though.

ⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ,
ⲡⲓⲙⲟⲩⲓ

ⲡⲓⲙⲟⲩⲓ:
Yes, I would still use the copulae ⲡⲉ, ⲧⲉ and ⲛⲉ in the past tense, but I would precede the sentence with a ⲛⲉ to indicate the past. Also, I am not an expert myself, and it would be interesting to hear what others recommend.

ⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ,
ⲡⲓⲙⲟⲩⲓ

Admin:

--- Quote ---would you still use the words ⲡⲉ, ⲧⲉ, ⲛⲉ, even if you were referring to the past tense
--- End quote ---
Usually you don't use ⲡⲉ, ⲧⲉ, ⲛⲉ in verbal sentences.

For example:
He is talking: ϥⲥⲁϫⲓ
He talked: Ⲁϥⲥⲁϫⲓ
You use it for nominal sentences
Ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲟⲩϩⲏⲕⲓ ⲡⲉ I am poor (no tense)
Ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲉⲕϣⲫⲏⲣ I am your friend.
Hope that helps

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