The passive can be formed by using the impersonal form, however this is quite a formal style.
dhùneadh an doras the door was closed (literary)
rugadh mi I was born (literarary and colloquial)
reicear an càraichean the cars will be sold (literary)
chìte e he would be seen (literary)
Other methods of forming the passive are more colloquial.
The first method is formed by using rach + subject + possessive pronoun + verbal noun. The possessive pronoun a is often dropped before a verb beginning with a vowel or fh+vowel.
chaidh an doras a dhùnadh the door was closed, the door got closed
chaidh mo bhreith I was born
thèid an càraichean an reic the cars will be sold, the cars will sell
rachadh (a) fhaicinn he would be seen
The second method is formed by using tha + subject + air + possessive pronoun + verbal noun. The possessive pronoun a is often dropped before a verb beginning with a vowel or fh+vowel.
bha an doras air a dhùnadh the door was closed, the door had been closed
bha mi air mo bhreith I was born
bidh an càraichean air an reic the cars will be sold, the cars will have been sold
bhiodh e air (a) fhaicinn he would be seen, he would have been seen
The third method is formed by using tha + subject + ag combined with possessive pronoun + verbal noun.
bha an doras ga dhùnadh the door was being closed, the door was closing
tha Gàidhlig ga bruidhinn an seo Gaelic is spoken here
bidh an càraichean gan reic the cars will be sold, the cars will sell
bhiodh e ga fhaicinn he would be seen, he would be seeing himself
A more general method translated by the English passive infinitive is formed by using the preposition ri and its combinations with the possessive pronouns.
bha taigh ri thogail an seo a house was to be built here
tha leabhraichean rin sgrìobhadh there are books to be written
cunntasan rim pàigheadh accounts payable, accounts to be paid
tha na h-èisg tarraingeach rin amharc the fish are attractive to watch
• Elements of Scottish Gaelic Verbs
|
• Irregular Verbs • Defective Verbs • Verbal Nouns • Infinitives |
• Tenses • Impersonal Forms • Passive • Derivatives |
• Regular Verb Paradigm (Broad Consonant)
• Regular Verb Paradigm (Slender Consonant)
• Independent Particles
• Dependent Particles
• Prepositional Pronouns
• Possessive Pronouns
• Prepositional Possessive Pronouns
• Written Accents