The Present Tense has no distinctive mark. It is ascertained,
1. By the context and the obvious meaning of the speaker.
2. By certain phrases denoting present time, as pointed out in a previous lesson. Force and clearness are derived by combining sĩ, ũ, and tõ, with the verb, as auxiliaries, when occasion requires. In such cases sĩ means is, and tõ has the force of the participial ending ing. Thus, chò, to do; tõ chò, do-ing.
- hiēn-chãi—sĩ,
- just now—there is &c.
- hiēn-kim i tõ-ṳ̃-pĩ àiⁿ-ji̍p lãi-tī,
- just now he is getting ready to go in the country.
- hiēn-sî i tõ-phòu-lãi chò-khang-khùe,
- at present he is in the shop doing work.
- chí-chūn-mue̍h tháng sia̍p-lāu,
- just now the cask is leaking.
- hiēn-chhṳ́-chãi i ũ-pēⁿ,
- at the present time he is ill.
The Past Tense is discerned, (1) Simply by the connection, or, (2) It is introduced by some such time indicator, as :—
- chhông-chôiⁿ ũ, &c,
- formerly there was or were, &c.
- chá-sî ũ, &c,
- on a former occasion there was &c.
- chá tiâng-sî ũ, &c,
- at a former time there was &c.
- hṳ́-kâi sî-chūn ũ, &c,
- at that date there was &c.
- tâng-chá ũ, &c,
- a while ago there was, &c.
- tõ-kóu-chá ũ, &c,
- in old times there was, &c.
- chôiⁿ-nîⁿ ũ, &c,
- in a former year there was &c.
- hṳ́-tiâng-sî ũ, &c.
- at that time there was &c.
(3) By certain auxiliaries which indicate completed action. This action may not be necessarily in the past. It may be contemplated as in the future. Therefore, in order to know accurately whether the past tense is intended, the connection and attendant circumstances must be taken into account. The examples that follow show the use of these auxiliaries in a past tense.
- liáu — chò-hó--liáu,
- it has been done.
- chia̍h-pá--liáu,
- have eaten.
- lâi--liáu,
- has come.
- khṳ̀--liáu,
- has gone.
