Akkadian verb

1. The verb
   
   1. The verb in general
      
   2. tenses in general
   3. About stem formations
   4. verb types and vocalic classes
2. Strong verbs
   
   1. Strong and weak verbs
      
   2. G-stem or I-stem, Grundstamm, the basis stem
      1. tenses
         • stative ; preterite ; present ; perfect ; imperative ; infinitive ; participle ; verbal adjective
      2. modes
         • indicative ; ventive ; conjunctions ; subjunctive
   3. personal pronouns
   4. D-stem or II-stem
   5. Š-stem or III-stem
   6. N-stem or IV-stem
3. Overview of paradigms for the strong verbs
   
4. Summary of meaning of stem formations
   

About the verb

To express the large number of possibilities in which an action, process can be performed, or a state can be defined, the verb can take many grammatical forms, more than in any other word class. E.g. to express person, aspect, mood, whether or not the action took place in the past, present or future etc. Some of these forms relate to the subject (passive/active) or to the object of the action, others to the way the action is performed (continuously, just started, repeatedly etc.). Form changes (in general inflection) in verbs are called conjugations.

Although a verb is an important linguistic element, it is difficult to define properly (as with many grammatical concepts). Therefor the grammatical forms are used to define a verb: A verb is formally identifiable as an linguistic element displaying contrast of tense, aspect, voice, mood, person, number etc.

One should be aware of the distinction between form and function/meaning/use of the form. A form may be called ``The Present'', yet not (always) refer to ``now/at this moment'', but an event in the past (telling: `this woman comes to me and asks ...') or in the future (leaving the office: `I work at home'). In a foreign language one should know and learn the forms, but will find oneself every time disputing its function and meaning in the given context.

Some general remarks:

• A verb in one language not always corresponds to one verb in another.
  E.g. `to be good' will be called a verb and is expressed in a single form in Akkadian (a so called state verb)
• Many single grammatical forms in Akkadian have to be described and translated in English using auxiliary verbs (`to be', `to have', `to do'), compound verbs, phrasal verbs, with additional adverbs (like frequency adverbs `always') or prepositions (`to look into')

tenses of the verb

Strong and weak verbs

In Semitic languages the form of a verb (and other words) are build around (mostly) three consonants, the so called root of the word. The root consonants or radices of the infinitive paräsum are p, r and s, root *prs. The term `weak' and `strong verbs' is passed on by the definition of `weak' and `strong' consonants. A weak consonant like n and the aleph ' may undergo phonetic modification (such as assimilation) if it occurs before an other consonant. E.g. in English n in the prefix in- (`invisible') becomes (assimilates to) m in `immature' (<in+mature). The consonant n is weak in all languages.

Thus strong verbs are verbs having three strong consonants (radices) in the root, that do not undergo phonetic modification in different positions in the paradigms. Strong verbs are the easiest to understand.

Weak verbs have at least one weak consonant (radix) in the root or have a

Summary meaning of stem formations

Akkadian stem formations, meaning
type of stem	meaning	stem	Example with infinitive
G-stem	meaning as compared to the basic G stem
Gt-stem	1. reciprocal	G:	mahärum	`to face/encounter'
		Gt	mithurum	`to face one another'
	2. sometimes reflexive	G:	šâlum	`to ask'
		Gt	šitülum	`to ask oneself'
	3. separative	G:	aläkum	`to go'
	(in verbs of motion)	Gt	atlukum	`to go away'
Gtn-stem	habitative-iterative (to G-stem)	G:	rapädum	`to run'
		Gtn:	ritappudum < *ritanpudum	`to keep running'
		G:	Sapärum	`to write'
		Gtn:	šitappurum < *šitanpurum	`to write constantly'
D-stem	1. factitive	stat. G:	damäqum	`to be good'
		D:	dummuqum	`to make good'
		action verbs G:	lamädum	`to learn'
		D:	lummudum	``to make learn'' > `to teach'
	2a. multiplicity of action	action verbs G:	šebërum	`to break'
		D:	šubburum	`to shatter'
	2b. multiplicity of object	action verbs G:	šebërum	`to break'
	(with transitive G)	D:	šubburum	`to break (may objects)'
	3. elativisch	G:	gašärum	`to be strong'
		D:	guššurum	`to be very strong'
	4. frequentative	action verbs G:	našäqum	`to kiss'
		D:	nuššuqum	`to kiss repeatedly'
Dt-stem	passive to D-stem	G:	šalälum	`to be whole'
		D:	šullulum	`to make whole/healthy'
		Dt	šutallulum	`to be made whole'
Dtn-stem	habitative-iterative (to D-stem)
Š-stem	1. causative with action verbs	action verbs G:	rapädum	`to run'
		š:	šurpudum	`cause to run'
	2. factitive with state verbs	state verbs G:	maräSum	`to be ill'
		š:	šumruSum	`to make ill'
Št_1-stem	passive to Š-stem	G:	lapätu	`to beat'
		š:	šulputum	`to destroy'
		Št_1:	šutalputum	`to be destroyed'
Št_2-stem	1. elativisch	G:	šemûm	`to hear', `to obey'
		š:	ššmû	`to let obey'
		Š:	šutašmû	`to let obey very much'
	2. lexically determined	G:	wapû	`to be visible' `to manifest oneself'
		:	üpû	`to let oneself manifest'
		t_2:	utapû	`to reveal oneself'
tn-stem	habitative-iterative (to -stem)
N-stem	transitive action verb:	G:	Sabätum	`to seize'
	passive to G-stem	N:	naSbutum	`to be seized'
	state verb/ intransitive verb	G:	napähum	`to become visible', `to flicker'
	ingressive	N:	nappahum	< *nanpahum `to ignite'
		N:	naplusum	`to look at (favorably)'
	sometimes reciprocal	G:	amäru	`to see'
		N:	nenmuru	< *na'muru `to sea each other'
Ntn-stem	habitative-iterative (to N-stem)