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THE PAST TENSE (FINITE).
112. How is the past tense formed?
The past tense is formed in some cases by adding 'tu'
and in some cases by adding 'i' to the root. The
strengthened root is never used in the past tense.
113. What verbs make their past tense in 'i'?
i.) When the root ends in a double consonant, the past
tense is formed by adding 'i'.
Thus, of the crude-form 'tanggu' (= stay) the past tense is
'tanggi' (=stayed). Similarly we have 'maṇṭu' (=run), 'maṇṭi,
(=ran); 'chintu' (=spill), 'chinti' (=spilt); 'tuppu' (=spit),
'tuppi’ (=spat).
iii) In the case of crude-forms which consist of a
syllable whose vowel is long, or of two syllables in
both of which the vowel is short, the past tense is
formed by adding 'i'.
Ex: kúṭtu, kúṭi; már̥u, már̥i; karutu, karuti; maruvu maruvi.
iii.) Intransitive verbs ending in 'ku' 'nggu' and the
transitive verbs formed from them and ending in 'kku'
make their past tense by adding 'i'.
