_1. PRETERIT-PRESENTS._
§ 196. Preterit-Presents ar strong verbs whose preterit has assumed
a present meaning. In consequence thereof the real presents hav been
lost. These verbs form the preterit like weak verbs by adding =-da=
(=-ta=, =-þa=, =-sa=; cp. §§ 75. 81). Their inflection is the same as
that of =nasida= (§ 184). According to the form of their presents,
the preterit-presents may be distributed among the different classes
of the strong verbs. The prs. inflects like a strong preterit. In the
following the 13 Gothic verbs of this kind ar clast according to the
corresponding ablaut-series:
§ 197. First Ablaut-Series.
1. Prs. =wait=, _I know_, 2nd pers. =waist=, pl. =witum=, opt.
=witjau=; prt. =wissa=, prt. opt. =wissêdjau=, prs. ptc. =witands=,
inf. [=witan=].
2. =lais=, _I know_ (the only form extant; causativ =laisjan=, _to
teach_).
NOTE. The complete strong verb of =wait= is =*weitan=, =wait=,
=witum=, =witans=, retaind in =fraweitan=, _to avenge_, and in
=inweitan=, _to wurship_ (§ 172, n. 1).--To =wait= belongs also a
weak verb of the III. weak conj., =witan=, =witaida=, _to look at,
observ_.
§ 198. Second Ablaut-Series.