Verbal Noun and dative.

Relative consecutive action can also be expressed with Verbal nouns (in the dative) followed by postpositions that meaning `before' or `after'. (Cf. § xxx on postpositions with the dative.)

The VERBAL NOUN is in the PRESENT and the DATIVE CASE, followed by ½Õ¨ÆÔ×Á pinnaale or ǤäÅ£ appram both mean `after'.The ST reflexes of LT ½Õ¨ pin and å¨ mun vary tremendously from dialect to dialect; cf. § xxx.

• ¶Ô¤½ÕàÅâ¡Þ ½Õ¨ÆÔ×Á saappidradukku pinnaale `After eating'
• ؽÔÅâ¡Þ ǤäÅ£ pooradukk(u) appram `After going'
• ؽÔÆâ¡Þ ǤäÅ£ poonadukk(u) appram `After (s.o.) went'

If one wants to state an action that followed another action in the past, the past verbal noun is needed; the present may be used to describe actions that haven't happened yet, but will be in a certain sequence when they happen. No immediacy is expressed with these forms.