A
verb, from the Latin
verbum meaning
word, is a
word (
part of speech) that in
syntax conveys an action (
bring,
read,
walk,
run,
learn), an occurrence (
happen,
become), or a state of being (
be,
exist,
stand). In the usual description of
English, the basic form, with or without the
particle to, is the
infinitive. In many
languages, verbs are
inflected (modified in form) to encode
tense,
aspect,
mood, and
voice. A verb may also agree with the
person,
gender, and/or
number of some of its
arguments, such as its
subject, or
object. Verbs have tenses: present, to indicate that an action is being carried out; past, to indicate that an action has been done; future, to indicate that an action will be done.