14: Verbs: Intensive - Perfective

The Intensive verb form, also called the “D-stem”, correlates to the D-stem in Aramaic (קִטֵּל), the Pi’el in Hebrew (פִעֵל) and the Form-II in Arabic (فعّل). It’s characterized by a doubling of the second radical in the root. Unlike these other scripts however, the Ethiopic script does not mark doubled sound (with a dagesh or shadda) which can cause some ambiguity. The intensive form of the verb typically denotes some kind of intensity, but this is not always the case. For example, the simple verb ቀተለ (qetele) means "to kill" -- the intensive form, ቀተለ (qettele), means "to annihilate, to kill off completely" etc.

ገሠጸ [geššeşe = to teach] – D-stem, Perfect

	SINGULAR			PLURAL
1st Person	ገሠጽኩ	geššeşku			ገሠጽነ	geššeşne
2nd Person	ገሠጽከ	geššeşke (m.)			ገሠጽክሙ	geššeşkəmu (m.)
	ገሠጽኪ	geššeşki (f.)			ገሠጽክን	geššeşkən (f.)
3rd Person	ገሠጸ	geššeşe(m.)			ገሠጹ	geššeşu (m.)
	ገሠጸት	geššeşet(f.)			ገሠጻ	geššeşa (f.)

Here’s a list of some oft-appearing D-stem verbs to get started with. From now on, I’ll put [D] next to new verbs that occur in this stem.

ነጸረ	neşşere	to look, to watch	ነጸርኩ፡ሀገረ፡እምዲበ፡ድብር። I looked at the city from the hill.
ነስሐ	nesseḥe	to repent	ነሰሐ፡እምነ፡ኀጢአቱ። He repented for his sin.
ፈነወ	fennewe	to send	ፈነወት፡ንግሥትነ፡ማየ፡ለአግበርታ። Our queen sent the water to her servants.
ሀለወ	hellewe	to exist	ሀለወት፡ሀገር፡ህየ። There was a town here.
ጸውዐ	şewwəºe	to call, to proclaim	ጸውዑ፡ሰብአ፡ደቂቆሙ። The men called their children.