Bolognese

Conjugate Verbs

Introduction

Bolognese is a dialect of Emilian group of closely related dialects of Emilian-Romagnol language. Emilian dialects are spoken in the historical region of Emilia, the western portion of today's Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. Bolognese is spoken in all the Province of Bologna and in around Castelfranco Emilia (Modena); in the Province of Ferrara (Cento, Poggio Renatico, Sant'Agostino and Mirabello) and in Pavana (Province of Pistoia, Tuscany).

Bolognese Phonology

Vowels: ä, â, à, å, é, ê, è, î, ò, ô, ó, û

Consonants: cia, ce, ci, cio, ciu; ca, che, chi, co, cu; gia, ge, gi, gio, giu; ga, ghe, ghi, go, gu; gli, g-li, gn, j, n, nn, ṅn, q, s, ṡ, s-c, z, ż

The Bolognese Verb

Verbs are divided in 4 conjugations, like in Latin. Conjugations are grouped by the ending of the infinitive:

• 1st conjugation: -èr; mandèr
• 2nd conjugation: -air; parair
• 3rd conjugation: -er / -årr / -ôr; adliżer, prupårr, tôr
• 4th conjugation: -îr; finîr

Verbs are conjugated in

• 4 moods: indicative, conditional, conjunctive, and imperative
• 4 tenses: present, imperfect, simple past, and future
• infinitive, gerund, and past participle

Furthermore verbs there are affirmative and interrogative conjugations.

There are both regular verbs and irregular verbs. Regular verbs also undergo changes in stem vowel, depending on the stress.

Stem Vowel Alternation

The stem vowel often undergoes changes, depending on whether it is stressed or not stressed.

In 1st conjugation the vowel alternation applies to indicative and subjunctive present singular and 3rd person plural, as well as 2nd person singular in imperative. The following table shows two regular verbs of the 1st conjugation conjugated in indicative present.

Person	mandèr (no change)	bravèr
Sg.1	mand	brèv
Sg.2	mand	brèv
Sg.3	manda	brèva
Pl.1	mandän	bravän
Pl.2	mandè	bravè
Pl.1	manden	brèven

In 3rd conjugation the vowel alternation applies to indicative and subjunctive plural 1st and 2nd persons, as well as 2nd person plural in imperative. The following table shows two regular verbs of the 3d conjugation conjugated in indicative present.

Person	adliżer (no change)	lèżer
Sg.1	adliż	lèż
Sg.2	adliż	lèż
Sg.3	adliż	lèż
Pl.1	adliżän	liżän
Pl.2	adliżî	liżî
Pl.1	adliżen	lèżen

Sample Verbs

1st Conjugation: mandèr

Person	Indicative				Conditional	Subjunctive		Imperative
	Present	Imperfect	Preterite	Future		Present	Imperfect
Sg.1	mand	mandèva	mandé	mandarò	mandarê(v)	manda	mandéss
Sg.2	mand	mandèv	mandéss	mandarè	mandaréss	mand	mandéss	manda
Sg.3	manda	mandèva	mandé	mandarà	mandarê(v)	manda	mandéss
Pl.1	mandän	mandèven	mandénn	mandarän	mandarénn	mandaggna	mandéssen
Pl.2	mandè	mandèvi	mandéssi	mandarî	mandaréssi	mandèdi	mandéssi	mandè
Pl.3	manden	mandèven	mandénn	mandaràn	mandarénn	manden	mandéssen

• Gerund: mandànd
• Past participle: mandè

2nd Conjugation: parair

Person	Indicative				Conditional	Subjunctive		Imperative
	Present	Imperfect	Preterite	Future		Present	Imperfect
Sg.1	pèr	parêva	paré	par-rò	parê(v)	pèra	paréss
Sg.2	pèr	parêv	paréss	par-rè	paréss	pèr	paréss	pèr
Sg.3	pèr	parêva	paré	par-rà	parê(v)	pèra	paréss
Pl.1	parän	parêven	parénn	par-rän	parénn	paraggna	paréssen
Pl.2	parî	parêvi	paréssi	par-rî	paréssi	parèdi	paréssi	parè
Pl.3	pèren	parêven	parénn	par-ràn	parénn	pèren	paréssen

• Gerund: parànd
• Past participle: pèrs

3rd Conjugation: adliżer

Person	Indicative				Conditional	Subjunctive		Imperative
	Present	Imperfect	Preterite	Future		Present	Imperfect
Sg.1	adliż	adliżêva	adliżé	adliżrò	adliżrê(v)	adliża	adliżéss
Sg.2	adliż	adliżêv	adliżéss	adliżrè	adliżréss	adliż	adliżéss	adliż
Sg.3	adliż	adliżêva	adliżé	adliżrà	adliżrê(v)	adliża	adliżéss
Pl.1	adliżän	adliżêven	adliżénn	adliżrän	adliżrénn	adliżaggna	adliżéssen
Pl.2	adliżî	adliżêvi	adliżéssi	adliżrî	adliżréssi	adliżèdi	adliżéssi	adliżî
Pl.3	adliżen	adliżêven	adliżénn	adliżràn	adliżrénn	adliżen	adliżéssen

• Gerund: adliżànd
• Past participle: adlît

4th Conjugation: finîr

Person	Indicative				Conditional	Subjunctive		Imperative
	Present	Imperfect	Preterite	Future		Present	Imperfect
Sg.1	finéss	finêva	finé	finirò	finirê(v)	finéssa	finéss
Sg.2	finéss	finêv	finéss	finirè	finiréss	finéss	finéss	finéss
Sg.3	finéss	finêva	finé	finirà	finirê(v)	finéssa	finéss
Pl.1	finän	finêven	finénn	finirän	finirénn	finaggna	finéssen
Pl.2	finî	finêvi	finéssi	finirî	finiréssi	finèdi	finéssi	finî
Pl.3	finéssen	finêven	finénn	finiràn	finirénn	finessen	finéssen

• Gerund: finànd
• Past participle: finé

èser

Person	Indicative				Conditional	Subjunctive		Imperative
	Present	Imperfect	Preterite	Future		Present	Imperfect
Sg.1	sån	êra	fó	srò	srê(v)	séppa; sia	fóss
Sg.2	î	êr	fóss	srè	sréss	sépp	fóss	sît
Sg.3	é	êra	fó	srà	srê(v)	séppa; sia	fóss
Pl.1	sän	êren	fónn	srän	srénn	saggna	fóssen
Pl.2	sî	êri	fóssi	srî	sréssi	sièdi	fóssi	sièdi
Pl.3	én	êren	fónn	sran	srénn	séppen	fóssen

• Gerund: esànd
• Past participle: stè

avair

Person	Indicative				Conditional	Subjunctive		Imperative
	Present	Imperfect	Preterite	Future		Present	Imperfect
Sg.1	ò	avêva	avé	arò	arê(v)	èva	avéss
Sg.2	è	avêv	avéss	arè	aréss	èv	avéss	èvet
Sg.3	à	avêva	avé	arà	arê(v)	èva	avéss
Pl.1	avän	avêven	avénn	arän	arénn	avaggna	avéssen
Pl.2	avî	avêvi	avéssi	arî	aréssi	avèdi	avéssi	avèdi
Pl.3	an	avêven	avénn	aràn	arénn	èven	avéssen

• Gerund: avànd
• Past participle: avó

References

• Vitali Danieli et Lepri, Luigi. Dizionario Bolognese. Avallardi. Milano, 2000.