nizen
Ahtna
Etymology
n- + ∅- (classifier) + zen (neuter imperfective stem of the root zen (“to think, want, desire”)). An i- prefix appears after the first-person plural prefix tsʼ- and third-person plural prefix k-.
Verb
nizen
- he/she thinks of, wants, desires
- taas niʼizen da ― do you want soup?
- tikaani ntʼae tsʼinizen ― we think it is a wolf
Conjugation
| Positive | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st person | neʼesen | ʼsnizen |
| 2nd person | niʼizen | noʼosen |
| 3rd person | nizen | hnizen |
| Negative | Singular | Plural |
| 1st person | nesene | ʼsnizene |
| 2nd person | nizene | nosene |
| 3rd person | nizene | hnizene |
| Positive | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st person | naasiinʼ | ʼsnighiziinʼ |
| 2nd person | nighiziinʼ | nuʼusiinʼ |
| 3rd person | nighiziinʼ | hnighiziinʼ |
| Negative | Singular | Plural |
| 1st person | nesiile | ʼsniziile |
| 2nd person | niziile | nosiile |
| 3rd person | niziile | hniziile |
| Positive | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st person | tinaasiił | tsʼitinaziił |
| 2nd person | tinighiziił | tinuʼusiił |
| 3rd person | tinaziił | kitinaziił |
| Negative | Singular | Plural |
| 1st person | tinaasiile | tsʼitinasiile |
| 2nd person | tinighisiile | tinuʼusiile |
| 3rd person | tinasiile | kitinasiile |
| Positive | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st person | noosiinʼ | ʼsnuziinʼ |
| 2nd person | nughuzinʼ | nuʼusiinʼ |
| 3rd person | nuziinʼ | hnuziinʼ |
| Negative | Singular | Plural |
| 1st person | noosiinʼe | ʼsnusiinʼe |
| 2nd person | nughusiinʼe | nuʼusiinʼe |
| 3rd person | nusiinʼe | hnusiinʼe |
Verbal stems
| Aspect | Imperfective | Perfective | Future | Optative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neuter | zen | ziinʼ | ziił | ziinʼ |
References
- Kari, James (1990), Ahtna Athabaskan Dictionary, Fairbanks, Alaska: Alaska Native Language Center, →ISBN, pages 456, 694