Form and Function of Converb in Afaan Oromo

Zelalem Girma Abate | Dr. Atreyee Sharma

Abstract: This study describes the form and function of converb in Oromo. Oromo converb usually cannot be marked for tense and mood in contrast to main verbs. There are three converb forms: the generalized converb marked by a lengthened final vowel of a conjugated perfective, imperative or jussive verb, and two invariable specialized converb marked by the suffixes -aa or -naan. While the generalized converb usually denotes a sequence of events, the converb in ?aa expresses a simultaneous event to the main clause verb while the converb in -naan is used in habitual or repetitive expressions. The converb most frequently denote simultaneous and consecutive events in relation to a main-clause verb but also occurs in other adverbial functions.

Keywords: Converb, generalized converb, specialized converb, simultaneous, consecutive, habitual

Edition: Volume 12 Issue 6, June 2023,

Pages: 2121 - 2126