Potawatomi Tense Markers

Potawatomi tense markers are what mark when something takes place - in the past, present, or future.  The most commonly used Potawatomi tense markers fall into two categories:  Independent and Subordinate.  There are other tenses and verb conjugations as well, but these are the most basic forms...

Independent Tense Markers are used to make an independent phrase.  An independent phrase is a sentence that can stand on its own and forms a complete thought.

 

Past Present Future Immediate Future Future Uncertain
gi de wi ge da

Using the verb Zhya (to go) as an example:

Nin I, me, my, mine
Nde zhya I go
Ngi zhya I went
Nwi zhya I will go
Nge zhya I am about to go
Nda zhya I can, could, should go

 

Win He or She, Him or Her
De zhyé He/she goes
Gi zhyé He/she went
Wi zhyé He/she will go
Ge zhyé He/she is about to go
Gin You (singular), Your, Yours
Gde zhya You go
Ggi zhya You went
Gwi zhya You will go
Gge zhya You are about to go
Gda zhya You can, could, should go

Da zhyé

 He/she can, could, should go

 

Ginan We including you (Inclusive), Our
Gde zhyamen We all go
Ggi zhyamen We all went
Gwi zhyamen We all will go
Gge zhyamen We all are about to go/Let's go
Gda zhyamen We all can/could/should go

 

Winwa They, Their, Theirs
De zhyék They go
Gi zhyék They went
Wi zhyék They will go
Ge zhyék They are about to go
Da zhyék They can/could/should go

Next:  Subordinate Tense Markers

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Ginwa You all (plural), Your, Yours
Gde zhyam You all go
Ggi zhyam You all went
Gwi zhyam You all will go
Gge zhyam You all are about to go
Gda zhyam You all can/could/should go
Ninan We but not you (Exclusive), Our
Nde zhyamen We but not you go
Ngi zhyamen We (not you) went
Nwi zhyamen We (not you) will go
Nge zhyamen We (not you) are about to go
Nda zhyamen We (not you) can/could/should go