The
lexical aspect or
aktionsart (, plural
aktionsarten ) of a
verb is a part of the way in which that verb is structured in relation to
time. Any event, state, process, or action which a verb expresses—collectively, any
eventuality—may also be said to have the same lexical aspect. Lexical aspect is distinguished from
grammatical aspect: lexical aspect is an inherent property of a (semantic) eventuality, whereas grammatical aspect is a property of a (syntactic or morphological) realization. Lexical aspect is invariant, while grammatical aspect can be changed according to the whims of the speaker.