§ 167. The Gothic verb has the following forms:
1. Two voices, Activ and Midl. The Activ Voice alone has preservd a
great variety of forms. The Midl Voice is retaind in but a few forms of
the prs. indicativ and optativ, which occur, however, very often. The
midl forms hav a passiv meaning. Therefore the Midl Voice is also calld
Passiv or Medio-Passiv Voice.
NOTE 1. The lost passiv forms ar supplied by the pp. along with the
corresponding forms of =waírþan= or =wisan=; e. g., =daupjada=, _he
is baptized_, but =daupiþs was= or =warþ=, _he was baptized_. Cp.
Zs. fdph., 5, 409 et seq.
NOTE 2. The originally inchoativ verbs in =-nan= (§ 194) frequently
hav a medial meaning (§ 194).
2. Two tenses, Present and Preterit (Perfect). The Preterit is the
general tense for the past. The future is wanting; its place is mostly
supplied by the present, seldom by means of auxiliary verbs (=skulan=,
_shal_; =haban=, _hav_; =duginnan=, _to begin_).
3. Two complete moods, Indicativ and Optativ (also calld Subjunctiv).
An Imperativ occurs only in the present; it has the second persons of
all three numbers and a 1st pers. pl.--There ar but few instances of a
3d pers. sg. and pl. imper. This is uzually exprest by the 3d pers.
opt. But also the 2nd and 1st pers. imp. ar frequently exprest by the
opt.
4. Three numbers: Singular, Dual, and Plural. The 3d pers. du. is
wanting.
5. The Present Infinitiv, the Present Participl with an activ meaning,
and the Preterit Partic. with a passiv meaning.
§ 168. The Gothic verbs ar, from a Germanic point of view, divided
according to the formation of the preterit in relation to the present
into two chief classes: