-уем

Bulgarian

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *-ujemъ, present passive participle ending of ova-conjugation verbs. In Modern Bulgarian, the derivatives constructed with this suffix are interpreted as normal adjectives.

Suffix

-уем • (-uem)

1. (productive) Deverbal from transitive verbs in ova-conjugation, forms adjectives expressing capacity, susceptibility, eventuality, or condition: -able

   описвам (opisvam, “to describe”) → описуем (opisuem, “describable”)

   наказвам (nakazvam, “to punish”) → наказуем (nakazuem, “punishable”)

   минавам (minavam, “to pass”) → неминуем (neminuem, “inevitable, impending”) (negated form)

   таксувам (taksuvam, “to tax”) → таксуем (taksuem, “taxable, leviable”)

2. (semi-productive) Deverbal from borrowed transitive verbs in Bulgarian -ирам (-iram), forms adjectives expressing capacity, susceptibility, eventuality, or condition: -able

   анализирам (analiziram, “to analyze”) → анализируем (analiziruem, “analyzable”)

   контролирам (kontroliram, “to control”) → контролируем (kontroliruem, “controlable”)

Usage notes

The suffix -уем (-uem) is the historical present passive participle ending of ova-conjugation verbs (> Bulgarian -вам (-vam), -увам (-uvam)). Modern Bulgarian has also developed an alternative suffix -ваем (-vaem) from the historical va-conjugation.

Alternative forms

• -ваем (-vaem)

Derived terms

• -уемост (-uemost)

Related terms

• -ом (-om)
• -аем (-aem)
• -им (-im)
• -яем (-jaem)

References

• St. Stoyanov (1983) “Прилагателни имена от причастия”, in Граматика на съвременния български книжовен език, volume 2, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, page 150