starters Course

Three important verb declensions of to be (in lesson 3 we'll learn them all)

• I am - ik im
• he/she is - is/si ist
• they are - eis/ija sind

• I want - ik wiljau
• he/she wants - is/si wili
• they want - wileina

Vocabulary:

• to go - gaggan
• Alaric - Alareiks
• Wanda - Wanda

Translate:

1. I am Alaric
2. He is Alaric
3. They want to go
4. He wants to go
5. She is Wanda

Corrections:

1. Ik im Alareiks
2. Is ist Alareiks
3. Eis/ija wileina gaggan
4. Is wili gaggan
5. Si ist Wanda

The three nominative singular declensions of this:

• sa - masculine
• thata - neuter
• so - feminine

The masculine a-stem

So:

• the day - dags
• of the day - dagis
• to the day - daga
• the day - dag
• o day! - dag

As you can see, you can decline m. A words by removing the final s and adding the appropriate ending. In words with -fs the f changes to b in the sing. Gen and Dat and all plural forms.

In Gothic the definite article the is often left out, but you use it after a noun is used for the first time.

Vocabulary:

• servant - skalks (m. A)
• day - dags (m. A)
• way (a road) - wigs (m. A)
• wind - winds (m. A)
• leaf - laufs (m. A)
• and - jah
• to - du + dative
• is - ist
• on - ana + dative
• in - in + dative (being in a place), in + accusative (moving to a place)
• west - *wistrs (m. A)

Translate:

• 1. The servant is on the road
• 2. The wind and the day
• 3. The leaves in the wind
• 4. The leaf of the wind
• 5. In the west is the road of the servant.

Corrections:

• 1. Skalks ist ana wiga.
• 2. Winds jah dags.
• 3. Laubos in winda.
• 4. Laufs windis.
• 5. In wistra ist wigs skalkis.

The present tense of the verb to be is wisan, which can be used both for the present tense as for the future, so it also means "will be".

• I am - ik im
• you are - Þu is
• he/she/it is - is/si/ita ist
• we are - weis sijum
• you are (plural) - jus sijuþ
• they are - eis/ija sind

Gothic also has dual forms, this is for two persons, they are:

• we are - wit siju
• you are - jut sijuts

The personal pronoun (I, you, he etc.) in Gothic is only used in comparisons and emphasis.

The definite article the is used after a noun is used for the first time.

Vocabulary:

• helmet - hilms (m. A)
• king - þiudans (m. A)
• palace - rohsns (m. A)
• here - her
• there - jainar
• there is - ist
• isn't - nist
• no(t) - ni
• today - himma daga
• tomorrow - gistradagis
• where - hwar (interrogative)
• but - ith
• the - sa (masculine singular)
• with - mith + dative

Translate:

• 1. We are the servants of the king. (More than 2, so translate with weis)
• 2. Where is the palace of the king?
• 3. The palace isn't here, but there.
• 4. The servant with the helmet is on the road.
• 5. O servant! I 'm the king and he isn't.

Corrections:

• 1. Weis sijum skalkos thiudanis.
• 2. Hwar ist rohsns thiudanis?
• 3. Rohsns nist her, ith jainar.
• 4. Skalks mith hilma ist ana wiga.
• 5. O skalk! Ik im thiudans jah is nist.

The neuter a-stem with huzd (treasure)

The difference between the masculine and neuter a-stem is that the nominative and accusative plural are -a with neuter, instead of -os and -ans, and instead of removing a final -s, you add the declensions after the end. When a word ends with -s in n. A, the s changes to z in the genitive, dative and all plural forms. A final þ changes to d in this situation, except in the word bloþ (blood).

The masculine i-stem with gasts (guest)

Vocabulary:

• guest - gasts (m. I)
• treasure - huzd (n. A)
• tower - kelikn (n. A)
• land - land (n. A)
• word - waurd (n. A)
• house - razn (n. A)
• law - witoþ (n. A)
• blood - bloþ (n. A)
• bag - balgs (m. I)
• coming - qums (m. I)
• why - duhwe / hwa thatei
• when - hwan
• comes - qimiþ
• against - wiþra + acc
• again - aftra
• this/that - þata
• as - swa
• says - qiþiþ

Translate:

• 1. The treasure is in the palace of the king.
• 2. That is against the law!
• 3. Why is there blood in the bag?
• 4. The servant comes, but the guest isn't there. Is the guest in the tower?
• 5. The guest is again with the servant. He says: Why is there blood in the house?

Corrections:

• 1. Huzd ist in rohsna thiudanis.
• 2. þata ist wiþra witoþ!
• 3. Duhwe ist bloþ in balga? / Hwa þatei ist bloþ in balga?
• 4. Skalks qimiþ, iþ gasts nist jainar. Ist gasts in kelikna?
• 5. Gasts ist aftra miþ skalka. Qiþiþ: Duhwe/Hwa þatei ist bloþ in razna?