finiteverbin

Finiteverbin is a hypothetical verbal category used in linguistics and in some constructed languages to designate a verb form that bears finiteness features. In this sense, a finiteverbin carries tense and subject agreement markers and functions as the core predicate of a clause, in contrast to non-finite forms such as infinitives and participles. The term is used primarily in typological discussions of how languages encode finiteness and in the design of artificial languages that separate finite and non-finite verb morphologies.

Morphology and syntax: Finiteverbins typically inflect for tense (past, present, future) and agree with the subject in person and number. Some languages also encode mood or aspect within the finiteverbin. Syntactically, the finiteverbin occupies the finite predicate position and can appear in both main and certain subordinate clauses, sometimes synchronizing with auxiliary systems to express complex temporal relations. In languages lacking explicit mood marking, finiteness may be signaled by the finiteverbin alone or by accompanying clausal markers. Non-finite forms, by contrast, lack such complete finiteness marking and are used in non-predicate positions or in non-finite clauses.

Cross-linguistic and conceptual notes: The finiteverbin category is not universally attested; it is primarily a theoretical tool for describing languages with distinct finite morphology beyond a simple past/present dichotomy. It is often discussed in contrast to infinitives, participles, subjunctives, and converbs. In conlang design, finiteverbins are used to clearly separate finite statement forms from non-finite verb forms, providing a transparent mechanism for tense and agreement in subordinate structures. Example forms and glosses vary by language but typically resemble a finiteverbin root plus tense/agreement markers, e.g., run-fv-pst-1sg meaning “I ran.”