6. Time and Action

What You’ll Learn

This lesson teaches four common time and action markers:

• branum, past;
• branrum, far past;
• mulsum, future;
• tel, finished action.

Sentences Without a Time Word

If a sentence has no time word, read it as present time unless the story around it says otherwise.

'ales barak'er
person-MAIN walk-ACTION
"The person walks" or "The person is walking."

Past and Future Words

Early Hick can put a time word near the beginning of the sentence.

branum materok-el ward'er
PAST handler-DOER guide-ACTION
"The handler guided."

mulsum materok-el ward'er
FUTURE handler-DOER guide-ACTION
"The handler will guide."

The far-past word branrum is used for events long ago, especially in poetry, ritual, or old stories.

branrum 'ales venitar
FAR.PAST person-MAIN burden-UP
"The person lifted long ago."

Finished Action with tel

The word tel marks an action as finished.

'ales barak'er tel
person-MAIN walk-ACTION FINISHED
"The person has walked."

You can combine a time word with tel.

branum 'ales barak'er tel
PAST person-MAIN walk-ACTION FINISHED
"The person had walked."

Try It

Translate each sentence.

1. mulsum 'ales barak'er
2. branum 'ales barak'er tel
3. branrum 'ales venitar

Pop quiz Answers

1. “The person will walk.”
2. “The person had walked.”
3. “The person lifted long ago.”

Reference Note

For the technical version, see Tense and Aspect.