Wikipedia:Starters course
Welcome to this starters course which will teach you the basics of Gothic in mini-lessons.
Lesson 1
πΉπ½πΌπ°πΉπ³π΄πΉThree important verb declensions of to be (in lesson 3 we'll learn them all)
- I am - ik im
- he/she is - is/si ist
- they are - eis/ija sind
- I want - ik wiljau
- he/she wants - is/si wili
- they want - wileina
Vocabulary:
- to go - gaggan
- Alaric - Alareiks
- Wanda - Wanda
Translate:
- I am Alaric
- He is Alaric
- They want to go
- He wants to go
- She is Wanda
Corrections:
- Ik im Alareiks
- Is ist Alareiks
- Eis/ija wileina gaggan
- Is wili gaggan
- Si ist Wanda
Lesson 2
πΉπ½πΌπ°πΉπ³π΄πΉThe three nominative singular declensions of this:
- sa - masculine
- thata - neuter
- so - feminine
The masculine a-stem
| Declension | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | dags | dagos |
| Genitive | dagis | dage |
| Dative | daga | dagam |
| Accusative | dag | dagans |
| Vocative | dag | - |
So:
- the day - dags
- of the day - dagis
- to the day - daga
- the day - dag
- o day! - dag
As you can see, you can decline m. A words by removing the final s and adding the appropriate ending. In words with -fs the f changes to b in the sing. Gen and Dat and all plural forms.
In Gothic the definite article the is often left out, but you use it after a noun is used for the first time.
Vocabulary:
- servant - skalks (m. A)
- day - dags (m. A)
- way (a road) - wigs (m. A)
- wind - winds (m. A)
- leaf - laufs (m. A)
- and - jah
- to - du + dative
- is - ist
- on - ana + dative
- in - in + dative (being in a place), in + accusative (moving to a place)
- west - *wistrs (m. A)
Translate:
- 1. The servant is on the road
- 2. The wind and the day
- 3. The leaves in the wind
- 4. The leaf of the wind
- 5. In the west is the road of the servant.
Corrections:
- 1. Skalks ist ana wiga.
- 2. Winds jah dags.
- 3. Laubos in winda.
- 4. Laufs windis.
- 5. In wistra ist wigs skalkis.
Lesson 3
πΉπ½πΌπ°πΉπ³π΄πΉThe present tense of the verb to be is wisan, which can be used both for the present tense as for the future, so it also means "will be".
- I am - ik im
- you are - Γu is
- he/she/it is - is/si/ita ist
- we are - weis sijum
- you are (plural) - jus sijuΓΎ
- they are - eis/ija sind
Gothic also has dual forms, this is for two persons, they are:
- we are - wit siju
- you are - jut sijuts
The personal pronoun (I, you, he etc.) in Gothic is only used in comparisons and emphasis.
The definite article the is used after a noun is used for the first time.
Vocabulary:
- helmet - hilms (m. A)
- king - ΓΎiudans (m. A)
- palace - rohsns (m. A)
- here - her
- there - jainar
- there is - ist
- isn't - nist
- no(t) - ni
- today - himma daga
- tomorrow - gistradagis
- where - hwar (interrogative)
- but - ith
- the - sa (masculine singular)
- with - mith + dative
Translate:
- 1. We are the servants of the king. (More than 2, so translate with weis)
- 2. Where is the palace of the king?
- 3. The palace isn't here, but there.
- 4. The servant with the helmet is on the road.
- 5. O servant! I 'm the king and he isn't.
Corrections:
- 1. Weis sijum skalkos thiudanis.
- 2. Hwar ist rohsns thiudanis?
- 3. Rohsns nist her, ith jainar.
- 4. Skalks mith hilma ist ana wiga.
- 5. O skalk! Ik im thiudans jah is nist.
Lesson 4
πΉπ½πΌπ°πΉπ³π΄πΉThe neuter a-stem with huzd (treasure)
| Declension | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | huzd | huzda |
| Genitive | huzdis | huzde |
| Dative | huzda | huzdam |
| Accusative | huzd | huzda |
| Vocative | huzd | - |
The difference between the masculine and neuter a-stem is that the nominative and accusative plural are -a with neuter, instead of -os and -ans, and instead of removing a final -s, you add the declensions after the end. When a word ends with -s in n. A, the s changes to z in the genitive, dative and all plural forms. A final ΓΎ changes to d in this situation, except in the word bloΓΎ (blood).
The masculine i-stem with gasts (guest)
| Declension | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | gasts | gasteis |
| Genitive | gastis | gaste |
| Dative | gasta | gastim |
| Accusative | gast | gastins |
| Vocative | gast | - |
Vocabulary:
- guest - gasts (m. I)
- treasure - huzd (n. A)
- tower - kelikn (n. A)
- land - land (n. A)
- word - waurd (n. A)
- house - razn (n. A)
- law - witoΓΎ (n. A)
- blood - bloΓΎ (n. A)
- bag - balgs (m. I)
- coming - qums (m. I)
- why - duhwe / hwa thatei
- when - hwan
- comes - qimiΓΎ
- against - wiΓΎra + acc
- again - aftra
- this/that - ΓΎata
- as - swa
- says - qiΓΎiΓΎ
Translate:
- 1. The treasure is in the palace of the king.
- 2. That is against the law!
- 3. Why is there blood in the bag?
- 4. The servant comes, but the guest isn't there. Is the guest in the tower?
- 5. The guest is again with the servant. He says: Why is there blood in the house?
Corrections:
- 1. Huzd ist in rohsna thiudanis.
- 2. ΓΎata ist wiΓΎra witoΓΎ!
- 3. Duhwe ist bloΓΎ in balga? / Hwa ΓΎatei ist bloΓΎ in balga?
- 4. Skalks qimiΓΎ, iΓΎ gasts nist jainar. Ist gasts in kelikna?
- 5. Gasts ist aftra miΓΎ skalka. QiΓΎiΓΎ: Duhwe/Hwa ΓΎatei ist bloΓΎ in razna?