Page:A handbook of the Cornish language; Chiefly in its latest stages with some account of its history and literature.djvu/146

THE AUXILIARY VERBS 127 This tense is used more commonly in the impersonal form, mt a vedh, ti a vedh, etc. Another common future is mi a vedn bos, formed with menny, to will. II. IMPERFECT OR SECONDARY PRESENT, I was being. Singular. Plural. 1. bedhen, ben. i. bedhen, ben. 2. bedhes, bes, besta. 2. bedheugh, beugh. 3. bedha, be, beva. 3. bedhens, bens. This tense is used rather as a conditional, / should be, or a subjunctive after pan, when, mar, if, etc. II. PRETERITE, I was, I have been. Singular. Plural. 1. bev (older buf, buef}. i. ben (older bueri). 2. bes (older bus, bues) besta. 2. beugh. 3. be (older hue). 3. bans. This tense is more frequently used in the impersonal, mi a TJC, ti a ve, etc. IV. PLUPERFECT, / had been. Singular. Plural. 1. bien (older written byen). i. bien (by en). 2. bies (byes). 2. bieugh (byeugh). 3. bia (bye). 3. biens (byens). Lhuyd gives a pluperfect beazen, beazes, etc. corre- sponding with the Welsh buaswn, but it does not appear to be used. V. SUBJUNCTIVE, / may be. Singular. Plural. 1. bev (older byf, beyf). i. ben. 2. by. 2. beugh. 3. bo. 3. bons. This and the second tense are not very clearly distinguished.