1.2.2.  Tense/Aspect/Mood/Evidentiality

The copulas are different according to the different tenses. (Note that in present tense, the copula is absent with third person subjects.)
János beteg volt/lesz.
John ill/doctor be.PST.3Sg/be.FUT.3SG
’John was / will be ill / a doctor.’
Source: Hegedűs 2013: 54.
The copulas are different according to the different moods. The examples illustrate a past tense, indicative form in the first clause, and a conditional in the second clause. (Note that in present tense, indicative mood the copula is absent with third person subjects.)
János beteg vol-t tegnap. Ha ma is beteg len-ne, otthon marad-na.
John ill be-PST.3SG yesterday if today also ill be-COND.3SG home stay-COND.3SG
’John was ill yesterday. If he were ill today, too, he would stay at home.’
Source: Example provided by database editor (native speaker).
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Read more about:
  • copular clauses
  • nonverbal predication
  • copula
  • aspect
  • evidentiality
  • mood
  • tense
    • in Linguistic terms and definitions.