Milton Coptic Verb

Conjugation of Some Coptic Tenses
Person is a grammatical category referring to the number

and gender of the participants in a situation. Speakers use the 1st
person pronouns when referring to themselves or a group including
themselves; as I and We. The 2nd person pronoun refers to a
person(s) being addressed. A 3rd person pronoun refers to other
people, animals, things etc. The following demonstrates the
grammatical Persons both singular and plural.
1st person singular 1st person plural
I, Me We, Us
2nd person singular 2nd person plural
You (Thou) You (Thou)
3rd person singular 3rd person plural
He, She, It, Him, Her They, Them, It
Coptic (ancient Egyptian) has a more sophisticated and

extensive use of the three persons of speech, that permeate the
entire language. In fact the three persons in Coptic speech is the
blue print for the grammar throughout the language. Each persons
of speech in Coptic has a distinct alphabetic representation used in
grammatical modification throughout the language as follows;
1
The Three Persons of the Personal Pronouns in Coptic are
represented by the Coptic letters;
I, Me We, Us
Coptic Coptic
i + n
You (Thou) You (Thou)
Coptic Coptic
k = you (thou) feminine tetN = you (thou)

t = you (thou) masculine
He, She, It, Him, Her They, Them
Coptic Coptic
f = he, him ou,

ou, se = they, them
s = she, her
2
The blue print for grammatical conjugation of verbs and formation
of the tenses are based on additions to the basic Coptic letters
representing the three persons in the parts of speech; I, me, you, he,
she it, they, or them (i, +, n, k, t, tetN, f, s, ou, se).
For example if we have a Coptic verb to see (nau), certain

letters of the Coptic Three Persons would be prefixed to the verb
to conjugate the verb as follows;
+-see = I-see = +.nau

nau
f-see = he-sees = f.nau
nau
s-see = she-sees = s.nau
nau
Even the Coptic personal pronouns will have corresponding Coptic
letters designating one of the three grammatical Persons attached
to them.
3
Coptic Personal Pronouns of the Three Persons
1st single 1st plural

anok, anog, anK, n, We
anon
anG, I
ai, to Me
nai nan, to Us
2nd single 2nd plural
Ntokk, NtKK, to Thee (you NtwtN
twtN, NtetN
tetN,
,masc.) To Ye (you)
Nto, to Thee (you fem.)

nak, to Thee (you masc,) Thnou, thutN,
ne, to Thee (you fem.) To Ye or To You
3rd single 3rd plural

Ntof
f, He Ntoou
ou, They, Them
s, She
Ntos
Nau
au, To them
Naf
f, To Him
Nas
s, To Her
4
Examples of Coptic conjugation using nau = to see, look at
as an example
1st Present
+ nau tN nau
k nau tetN nau

te nau
tR nau
f nau se nau
s nau sou nau
I am seeing, I see
These are pronoun prefixes. The First Present usually describes
action, activity, or process in progress at the time of speaking. In
this case it is equivalent to the English progressive present (I
amverb). The exception is those English verbs that do not use
this form, such as; think, know, see, hear, understand, wish, hope,
believe. These words use the simple present as;
+.nau
nau = I see, +.eime
eime = I understand
5
Relative of the Present I
e+ nau etN nau
etK nau etetN nau

ete
etF nau etou nau

etS nau
Who/which
The relative form of the First Present uses the relative pronoun
et, ete (who/which).
tpolis etououwx
etou NxhtS = the city in which they are
settling
Naje e+sxai
e+ Mmoou = the words which I am writing
phre etFnakaaf
etF Nswf = the child whom he will leave
behind
nentolh etFnataau
etF nan = the commandments which
he will give to us
prwme etKine
etK Nswf = the man whom you are seeking
6
The relative pronoun et, ete (who/which) can stand alone
when it is the subject of a relative clause as follows;
prwme et rine = the man who is weeping
net swtM e naaje = those who hear my words
Matoi et naamaxte Mmof = the soldiers who will seize

him
Nrwme et naeine M pxat = the men who will bring the

silver
7
Second Present = Circumstantial
ei nau eN nau
ek nau etetN nau

er
ef nau eu nau
es nau
It is that I am seeing
The circumstantial is found only in subordinate clauses.
eiaxerat
ei xaxtM perpe, ainau eunoqx M mhhe
standing near the temple, I saw a great crowd
auxe e prwme efxmoos

ef xN tagora
they found the man sitting in the marketplace
annau eroou eumooe

eu xi texih
we saw them walking on the road
8
Perfect Tense I
ai nau an nau
ak nau aretN nau

are nau atetN nau
ar nau
af nau au nau
a nau are nau
as nau ars nau
are nau a nau
I saw
The Coptic 1st Perfect corresponds to the English, preterit (simple

past tense; I went, I came, I ran, I wept, I sat down, etc.). If the
Coptic context requires it, the English perfect, i.e. I have written
suffices.1
ainau
ai eunoqx M mhhe = I saw a great crowd
a.prwme bwk = the man went, prwme afbwk af = the man
went,
tesxime asbwkas = the woman went
Used with pronoun subject Nqi,

afbwk
af Nqi prwme = the man went
asbwk
as Nqi tesxime = the woman went.
1
Lambdin, T.O, Introduction to Sahidic Coptic, Mercer University Press, 1998 Macon Ga 31207
9
Used with e,
afbwk
af e pekro = he went to the shore
aupwt
au e tekklhsia = they ran to the church
auale
au e pjoi = they got on (into) the ship
Negative Perfect
Mpi MpN
Mpek MpetN
Mpe (r)
Mpef Mpou
Mpes
Use;
af.ouom.f Mpef.ouom.f
Mpef
he ate it he did not eat it
10
Perfect Tense II

Ntai nau Ntan nau

Ntak nau NtatetN nau
Ntare nau
Ntar nau
Ntaf nau
Ntas nau Ntau nau
Ntare nau
Which I saw
The Relative of the First Perfect is the Perfect II with or without

e. Also note the following
entai.swtM
ntai which I heard, entan.swtM
entan
entak.swtM
ntak entatetN.swtM
entatetN
entare.swtM
ntare
entaf.swtM
ntaf entau.swtM
entau
entas.swtM
ntas
11
Imperfect

nei nau nen nau

nG nau neretN nau
nere nau nereten nau

nf nau neu nau
nef nere
neef nau
nes nau
nere nau
I was seeing
The Imperfect is used to describe an action, activity, or process as

in progress in past time. It also conveys habitual or recurring
activity in the past as; they used to, they would
The Imperfect may take pe, after the verb.
prwme ete nefmooe

nef xi texih
the man who was walking on the road
phi ete neukwt

neu Mmof
the house which they were building
phi eneu
neukwt
neu Mmof
the house which they were building
12
Pluperfect Tattam 84
ne ai nau.pe
nau ne an nau.pe
nau
ne ak nau.pe
nau
ne aretN nau.pe
nau
ne are nau
nau.pe
ne atetN nau.pe
nau
ne ar nau.pe
nau
ne af nau.pe
nau ne au nau.pe
nau
ne a nau.pe
nau ne are nau
nau.pe
ne as nau.pe
nau ne a nau.pe
nau
ne are
I had seen
Formed by adding the auxiliary verb nepe, to the prefix of
the Perfect definite. Translates I had...seen (Tattam 63)
13
Future Imperfect (Tattam 64)
Future Imperfect

nei na nau.pe nen na nau.pe

nek na nau.pe neretN nau.na pe
nG na nau.pe
nef na nau.pe neu na nau.pe
nes na nau.pe nere na nau.pe
nere na nau.pe
I would or should have seen.
This is formed by the prefixes of the imperfect tense and the signs
of the future definite.
14
Future Tense Indefinite

+na nau tNna nau
kna nau tetna nau
tena nau
tera nau

fna nau sena nau
sna nau
I will see, Im going to see, I shall see
senamoux
sena N rae Nqi nen2uyh
you will fill with joy visa vi our souls
(our souls will fill with joy)
+naxwp
+na xM pjaeie
I will hide in the desert
Ntetna
tetnaeime
tetna an e nefparabolh
You (pl) will know not his parables
15
Future Tense Indefinite

eina nau enna nau
ekna nau etetna nau
erena nau
efna nau euna nau
esna nau
16
Future Tense

eie nau ene nau
eke nau eretene nau

efe nau eue nau
ese nau
ere nau
I will see,
Negative Future III
Nna Nnen
Nnek NnetN
Nne
Nnef
Nnes
Use;
efeouomf Nnefouom
Nnef
he will eat it he will not eat it
17
Second Future Indefinite (Tattam 77)

ta nau tarN nau
tare nau taretN nau
tarek nau
tera
taref nau tarou nau
tares nau
I shall see/ So as to see
According to Lambdin the future conjunctive is basically a result
clause, especially after an imperative;
swteM eroi tarekR.sabe

tarek
Listen to me and you will become wise (so as to be wise)
nim pentafnau erof tarefaje

taref erof
Who has seen him so as to be able to describe him.
eftwn pekson tarNaje

tarN nMmaf
Where is your brother that we may speak with him
18
Subjunctive (Tattam 78)
Nteri nau Nteren nau
Nterek nau Ntereten nau
Ntere nau
Nteref nau Nterou nau

Nteres nau
Ntere nau
When I saw
Nteriep.pxat,
Nteriep.pxat, aitaaf
aitaaf nau
When I counted the silver I gave it to them
Nterefjwk
Nteref ebol N neiaje,
When he finished these words
aftwm N nefbal afmou
he closed his eyes and died
Nteres.tM.xe
Nteres e teseere Mmau, asrime
When she did not find her daughter there she wept
The negative Subjunctive (Temporal) has .tM prefixed to the

infinitive as;
Nteri.tM.qine
Nteri Mmof
When I did not find him
19
Opative (Injunctive)

mari nau marN nau
marek nau marten nau
mare nau
maref nau marou nau
mares nau
mare nau
Let me see
In standard Sahidic this tense only occurs in the 1st and 3rd person.
This tense is a tripartite and is only used with the infinitive.
The negative is expressed with the prefix MpR. As;
MpR.tref.bwk
MpR = dont let him go
MpR.treu.mooutf
MpR = dont let them kill him
The free form maron is used alone in a sentence and means

lets go
Maref swtM MpRtrefswtM
MpRtref
Let him hear let him not hear
(may he hear) (may he not hear)
20
Habitual

ai nau an nau

ak nau aretN nau
are nau atetN nau
ar nau
af nau au nau
a nau are nau
as nau a nau
es nau
are nau
I am accustomed to see
Negative Habitual
mei men
mek metetN
mere
mef meu
mes
Use;
afbwk mefbwk
mef
he is accustomed to go he does not go
21
Inflected Infinitive (Causative)

tra nau trN nau
tre nau tretN nau
trek nau
tref nau treu nau
tres nau
Caused me to see/ that I see
22
Conditional

eian nau enan nau
ekan nau etetNan nau
erean nau
efan nau euan nau
esan nau
If/When I see
efan
efanqNt
an fnamouout mmoi
if he finds me he will kill me
ekankaat
ekan e bwk +naktoi e iht
if you let me go I will return to Shaet (Scetis)
23
Conjunctive

Nta nau NtN nau
Ng nau NtetN nau
nG nau
Nte nau
Nf nau Nse nau
nF
Ns nau
nS
And I see
+nabwk Ntaaje
Nta nMmaf
I shall go and speak with him
xmoos NfswtM e tasbw
sit down and listen to my teaching
ani.Njwwmw NtetNaau
NtetN naf
bring the books and give them to me
24
Not Yet

Mpa+ nau MpatN nau
MpatK nau MpatetN nau
Mpate nau
MpatF nau Mpatou nau
MpatS nau
25
Until

an+ nau antN nau
anta
antK nau antetN nau
ante nau
antF nau
antS nau antou nau
antesjpo
antes mpehre
until she bore a son (Matt 1:25)
antjoos
ant nak
until I shall tell you (Matt 2:13)
ante xhrwdhs mou
until Herod dies (Matt 2:15)
antounau
ant etmNtRro mpnoute
until they see the kingdom of God (Lk 9:27)
26
pjin.nau
nau = seeing
pajin.nau
nau = my seeing
nau
pekjin.nau = thy (you) seeing
pefin.nau
nau = his seeing
pjin.ta.nau
nau = seeing
pjin.tek.nau
nau = thy (you) seeing
pjin.tef.nau = his seeing
pjin.ten.nau
nau = our seeing
nau
pjin.teten.nau = your seeing
pjin.tou.nau
nau = their seeing
tre, to do, to make (to cause a thing to be)

Perfect Tense form
ai.tre nau an.tre nau
ak.tre nau atetN.tre nau

af.tre nau au.tre nau

as.tre nau
I have caused to see
27
Imperfect Tense form
nei.tre nau nen.tre nau

nG.tre nau neretN.tre nau

nef.tre nau neu.tre nau
nes.tre nau
I caused to see

Future Tense III form
eie.tre nau ene.tre nau
eke.tre nau eretene.tre nau

efe.tre nau eue.tre nau
ese.tre nau
I will cause to see
28
Future Tense Indefinite form
+na.tre nau tNna.tre nau
kna.tre nau tetna.tre nau
tena.tre nau
tera.tre nau

fna.tre nau sena.tre nau
sna.tre nau
I will cause to see
Before I have fulfilled, Imperfect

Mpa+.jwk.ebol Mpaten.jwk.ebol
Mpatek.jwk.ebol Mpateten.jwk.ebol

Mpatefjwk.ebol Mpatou.jwk.ebol
Mpates.jwk.ebol Mpate.jwk.ebol
Mpate.jwk.ebol
29
Until I shall fulfill, Future
a+.jwk.ebol aten.jwk.ebol
atek.jwk.ebol ateten.jwk.ebol

atef.jwk.ebol atou.jwk.ebol
ates.jwk.ebol ate.jwk.ebol
ate.jwk.ebol
Some Suffix Verbs;
I said
peja.i peja.n
peja.k pejh.tN
peja.f peja.u
peja.s
Use;
peje p.rwme = the man said
30
I have
ouNta.i ouNta.n
ounta.k ouNta.tN
ouNta.f ouNta.u
ouNta.s
Use;
ouNte p.rwme = the man has
I dont have
mNta.i mNta.n
mNta.k mNta.tN
mNta.f mNta.u
mNta.s
Use;
mNte p.rwme = the man does not (doesnt) have
James Kwasi Milton, free use granted with credit to copywriter.
31

Milton Coptic Verb

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Milton Coptic Verb

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Conjugation of Some Coptic Tenses

Person is a grammatical category referring to the number

1st person singular 1st person plural

2nd person singular 2nd person plural

You (Thou) You (Thou)

3rd person singular 3rd person plural

He, She, It, Him, Her They, Them, It

Coptic (ancient Egyptian) has a more sophisticated and

1st person singular 1st person plural

You (Thou) You (Thou)

k = you (thou) feminine tetN = you (thou)

He, She, It, Him, Her They, Them

f = he, him ou,

For example if we have a Coptic verb to see (nau), certain

+-see = I-see = +.nau

1st single 1st plural

Nto, to Thee (you fem.)

3rd single 3rd plural

1st person singular 1st person plural

k nau tetN nau

etK nau etetN nau

etF nau etou nau

prwme et rine = the man who is weeping

net swtM e naaje = those who hear my words

Matoi et naamaxte Mmof = the soldiers who will seize

Nrwme et naeine M pxat = the men who will bring the

ek nau etetN nau

The circumstantial is found only in subordinate clauses.

auxe e prwme efxmoos

annau eroou eumooe

2nd person singular 2nd person plural

ak nau aretN nau

The Coptic 1st Perfect corresponds to the English, preterit (simple

Used with pronoun subject Nqi,

1st person singular 1st person plural

2nd person singular 2nd person plural

The Relative of the First Perfect is the Perfect II with or without

1st person singular 1st person plural

2nd person singular 2nd person plural

3rd person singular 3rd person plural

The Imperfect is used to describe an action, activity, or process as

prwme ete nefmooe

phi ete neukwt

1st person singular 1st person plural

2nd person singular 2nd person plural

1st person singular 1st person plural

2nd person singular 2nd person plural

1st person singular 1st person plural

3rd person singular 3rd person plural

1st person singular 1st person plural

1st person singular 1st person plural

3rd person singular 3rd person plural

Negative Future III

1st person singular 1st person plural

swteM eroi tarekR.sabe

nim pentafnau erof tarefaje

eftwn pekson tarNaje

Nteref nau Nterou nau

The negative Subjunctive (Temporal) has .tM prefixed to the

1st person singular 1st person plural

The free form maron is used alone in a sentence and means

1st person singular 1st person plural

2nd person singular 2nd person plural

1st person singular 1st person plural