Grammatical mood refers to the inflection of a verb in order to express an intent. The intent could be to make a request, give a command, offer a suggestion, state a fact, or express something imaginary or hypothetical. This article explains verb moods with respect to the Nigerian Pidgin language.
Indicative mood
This is used to express facts, real situations, opinions or observations. It includes statements that reflect reality or belief, rather than commands or hypothetical scenarios. All verb tenses can be expressed using the indicative mood. Examples:
- Ese dey live for Lagos.
- Ese lives in Lagos.
- She no sabi sing.
- She doesn’t know how to sing.
- Segun don komot chat.
- Segun has left the chat.
Interrogative mood
The interrogative mood is used to ask questions. Interrogative sentences end in a question mark. Unlike in English, the subject-verb order does not change when going from statement to question. Examples:
- Yu fit smell am?
- Can you smell it?
- Wetin rabbit dey chop?
- What do rabbits eat?
- Haw much e cost?
- How much does it cost?
Imperative mood
The imperative mood is used to give commands, instructions, advice, warnings, or make requests. It expresses what the speaker wants the listener to do or avoid doing. The subject in an imperative sentence is usually implied. Examples:
- Oga calm down.
- Calm down sir.
- Close door!
- Close the door!
- Chop quick-quick!
- Eat quickly!
Subjunctive mood
The subjunctive mood is used to express doubt, desires, wishes, hypothetical situations, or statements of importance. Examples:
- We propose sey mek John join awa team becos he bin dey very skilled.
- We proposed that John join in our team because he was very skilled.
- My parents demand sey mek I dey nice to my annoying cousin.
- My parents demanded that I be nice to my annoying cousin.
- E dey important sey mek yu sabi wetin contract talk before yu sign am.
- It is important that you know what a contract says before signing it.
Conditional mood
The conditional mood is used to express events or actions that are dependent on a certain condition or circumstance. It’s often considered a subtype of the subjunctive mood. Examples:
- I no go do am if na me be yu.
- I wouldn’t do it if I were you.
- If she fit jump di fence, she for don do am.
- If she could jump the fence, she would have done it.
- If I be clown, I go join circus.
- If I were a clown, I’d join the circus.
- If I bin sabi math well-well, I no go need tutor.
- If I were better at math, I wouldn’t need a tutor.