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Present Tense Perfect Tense Imperfect Tense Pluperfect Tense Simple Past Tense Future Tense |
Habitual Present Tense Conditional Tense Habitual Past Tense Imperative Past Participle |
Present Tense
In Scottish Gaelic, the present tense is formed using the auxiliary verb tha together with the particle ag and the verbal noun. Also see Habitual Present Tense.
The verbal noun is usually formed by adding a suffix to the verbal root, but there are many exceptions. Some irregular verbs form their verbal nouns from different roots. Some verbal nouns are the same as the verbal root.
The particle ag changes to a' before a consonant. An exception is before the verbal noun ràdh (saying) which remains ag ràdh (saying).
A definite direct object following a verbal noun is placed in the genitive. For example, am biadh (the food) becomes a' bhidhe or a' bhìdh (of the food).
A pronoun object is also placed in the genitive, that is, it becomes a possessive pronoun, and is then combined with aig into a prepositional possessive pronoun. For example, the pronoun e (he/him) becomes a (his) and combines with ag/a' to become ga. See: AG/A' in Prepositional Possessive Pronouns.
tha mi ag èisteachd I listen, I am listening
tha Dòmhnall a' leughadh Donald reads, Donald is reading
dè a tha thu ag iarraidh? what do you want?
tha mi a' ceannach biadh I am buying food
tha mi a' ceannach a' bhidhe I am buying the food
tha mi ga cheannach I am buying it
In the Lewis dialect, the particle ag/a' may be replaced by ri. For example, tha e ri seinn he is singing and tha e ris ithe he is eating it. Note that the pronoun object is not a possessive pronoun and is combined with ri into a prepositional pronoun. See: RI in Prepositional Pronouns.
Perfect Tense
The perfect tense is expressed by using the auxiliary verb tha together with the particle air and the verbal noun.
Direct objects are placed before the verbal noun. When a direct object precedes the verbal noun, the verbal particle a is used which lenites the following verb. When the direct object is preceded by the definite article, it does not take the prepositional form after air.
tha Seumas air falbh James has left
tha sinn air ithe we have eaten
tha sinn air a' cèic (a) ithe we have eaten the cake
tha sinn air a h-ithe we had eaten it
tha mi air leabhar a cheannach I have bought a book
tha iad air a bhith a' siubhal they have been travelling
Note the use of the irregular infinitive form a bhith (to be) which always includes the particle a, and the forms a dhol (to go) and a thighinn (to come) which may include the particle a.
tha mi air a bhith toilichte I have been happy
tha iad air dol/air a dhol ann they have gone there
tha e air tighinn/air a thighhinn an seo he has come here
Imperfect Tense
The imperfect tense refers to actions that were happening or used to happen in the past. The imperfect tense is formed using the auxiliary verb bha together with the particle ag and the verbal noun.
The verbal noun is usually formed by adding a suffix to the verbal root, but there are many exceptions. Some irregular verbs form their verbal nouns from different roots. Some verbal nouns are the same as the verbal root.
An exception is before the verbal noun ràdh (saying) which remains ag ràdh (saying).
A definite direct object following a verbal noun is placed in the genitive. For example, am biadh (the food) becomes a' bhidhe or a' bhìdh (of the food).
A pronoun object is also placed in the genitive, that is, it becomes a possessive pronoun, and is then combined with aig into a prepositional possessive pronoun. For example, the pronoun e (he/him) becomes a (his) and combines with ag/a' to become ga. See: AG/A' in Prepositional Possessive Pronouns.
bha mi a' sgrìobhadh I was writing
bha E`ghann a' leughadh Ewan was reading
dè a bha thu ag iarraidh? what did you want?
bha mi ag ithe cèic I was eating cake
bha mi ag ithe na cèice I was eating the cake
bha mi ga h-ithe I was eating it
In the Lewis dialect, the particle ag/a' may be replaced by ri. For example, bha e ri seinn he was singing, and bha e ris ithe he was eating it. Note that the pronoun object is not a possessive pronoun and is combined with ri into a prepositional pronoun. See: RI in Prepositional Pronouns.
Pluperfect Tense
The pluperfect tense is expressed by using the auxiliary verb bha together with the particle air and the verbal noun.
Direct objects are placed before the verbal noun. When a direct object precedes the verbal noun, the verbal particle a is used which lenites the following verb. When the direct object is preceded by the definite article, it does not take the prepositional form after air.
bha Eilidh air falbh Helen had left
bha sinn air ithe we have eaten
bha sinn air a' cèic ithe we has eaten the cake
bha sinn air a h-ithe we has eaten it
bha mi air leabhar a cheannach I had bought a book
bha iad air a bhith a' siubhal they had been travelling
Note the use of the irregular infinitive form a bhith (to be) which always includes the particle a, and the forms a dhol (to go) and a thighinn (to come) which may include the particle a.
bha mi air a bhith toilichte I had been happy
bha iad air dol/air a dhol ann they had gone there
bha e air tighinn/air a thighinn an seo he had come here
Simple Past Tense - Independent
The independent form of the simple past tense is used when the verb begins the sentence and after independent particles. The simple past tense of regular verbs is derived from the verbal root. Also see Habitual Past Tense.
Irregular short verbal forms may differ greatly between independent and dependent forms as they may be formed from different roots. The independent form is lenited if it begins with a consonant, or it is preceded by dh- if it begins with a vowel or fh+vowel.
dh'ith e am biadh he ate the food
dh'fhòn Mòrag Mòrag phoned
ma chuala mi if I heard
cuin a chaidh Màiri? when did Mary go?
Simple Past Tense - Dependent
The dependent form of the simple past tense is used when the verb follows a dependent particle. Regular simple past tense verbs add the particle do to form the dependent form of the simple past tense. The particle do lenites the following verb. Also see Habitual Past Tense.
Irregular short verbal forms may differ greatly between independent and dependent forms as they may be formed from different roots.
The irregular forms tàinig (came), tug (gave/brought), and tuirt (said) are pronounced as though they begin with a d-, and may even be written with an initial d- or d'th-.
Note the forms chan fhaca (didn't see), am faca (did see?), nach fhaca (didn't see?) and cha chuala (didn't hear).
cha do cheannaich Uilleam biadh William didn't buy some food
an do dh'ith e? did he eat?
chan fhaca Iain John didn't see
càite an deach Màiri? where did Mary go?
Future Tense - Independent
The first independent form of the future tense is used when the verb begins the sentence. The (first) independent form of the future tense of regular verbs is derived from the verbal root by adding -(a)idh.
Bithidh is the emphatic form of bidh.
Some verbs with two syllables lose their second syllable when the future endings are added. Irregular short verbal forms may differ greatly between independent and dependent forms as they may be formed from different roots.
The pronoun thu becomes tu after the ending -(a)idh.
Some verbs with two syllables lose their second syllable when the future endings are added. Irregular verbs may differ greatly between independent and dependent forms as they may be derived from different roots.
òlaidh tu you will drink
cluinnidh mi I will hear
ithidh sinn we will eat
fosglaidh iad they will open
bruidhnidh mi I will speak
chì thu you will see
Future Tense - Relative Independent
The second independent form of the future tense is used when the verb follows an indepedent particle. The second or the relative independent form of the future tense of regular verbs is derived from the verbal root by adding -(e)as and leniting the verb. Relative independent forms of verbs beginning with vowels and fh+vowel are preceded by dh'.
Bhitheas is the emphatic form of bhios.
The pronoun thu becomes tu after the ending -(e)as.
Some verbs with two syllables lose their second syllable when the future endings are added. Irregular verbs may differ greatly between independent and dependent forms as they may be derived from different roots.
dè a dh'òlas tu? what will you drink?
ma chluinneas mi if I hear
cò a dh'itheas? who will eat?
ged a dh'fhosglas iad although they will open
cuin a bhruidhneas mi? when will I speak?
ged a chì thu although you will see
Future Tense - Dependent
The dependent form of the future tense is used when the verb follows a dependent particle. The dependent form of the future tense of regular verbs is simply the verbal root.
The irregular dependent forms tèid (will go), tig (will come), and toir (will give/will bring) are pronounced as though they begin with a d-, and may even be written with an initial d- or d'th-.
The negative particle cha normally lenites the following consonant except d-, t- and s-. Cha also becomes chan before a vowel or fh+vowel.
Note the dependent forms chan fhaic (won't see), chan fhaigh (wo'nt get), nach fhaic? (won't see?) and nach fhaigh? (won't get?).
chan òl thu you won't drink
gus an cluinn mi until I hear
an ith thu? will you eat?
mura fosgail iad if they won't open
nach bruidhinn mi? won't I speak?
far am faic thu where you don't see
Future Perfect Tense
The future perfect tense is expressed by using the auxiliary verb bidh together with the particle air and the verbal noun.
Direct objects are placed before the verbal noun. When a direct object precedes the verbal noun, the verbal particle a is used which lenites the following verb. When the direct object is preceded by the definite article, it does not take the prepositional form after air.
bidh Seumas air falbh James will have left
bidh sinn air ithe we will have eaten
bidh sinn air a' cèic ithe we will have eaten the cake
bidh sinn air a h-ithe we will have eaten it
bidh mi air leabhar a cheannach I will have bought a book
bidh iad air a bhith a' siubhal they will have been travelling
Note the use of the irregular infinitive form a bhith (to be) which always includes the particle a, and the forms a dhol (to go) and a thighinn (to come) which may include the particle a.
bidh mi air a bhith toilichte I will have been happy
bidh iad air dol/air a dhol ann they will have gone there
bidh e air tighinn/air a thighinn an seo he will have come here
Habitual Present Tense
The future tense may also express the habitual present tense as well as ability.
bidh mi anns a' bhaile a h-uile latha I am in town every day
falbhaidh sinn gach deireadh-seachdain we go away every weekend
ceannaichidh e am pàipear a h-uile madainn he buys the paper every morning
seinnidh Iseabail Iseabail can sing
Conditional Tense - Independent
The independent form of the conditional tense is used when the verb begins the sentence and after independent particles. The independent form of the conditional tense of regular verbs is derived from the lenited verbal root by adding -(a)inn for the first person singular (I), -(e)amaid or -(e)adh sinn for the first person plural (we), and -(e)adh + pronoun for all other persons.
Bhithinn and bhitheadh are the emphatic forms of bhinn and bhiodh.
The pronoun thu becomes tu after the ending -(e)adh.
Some verbs with two syllables lose their second syllable when the conditional endings are added. Irregular verbs may differ greatly between independent and dependent forms as they may be derived from different roots.
dh'òladh tu you would drink
dè a dh'òladh tu? what would you drink?
ged a chitheadh tu although you would see
dh'fhosgladh iad they would open
bhruidhninn mi I would speak
cò a dh'itheadh? who would eat?
Conditional Tense - Dependent
The dependent form of the conditional tense is used when the verb follows a dependent particle. The dependent form of the conditional tense of regular verbs is simply the verbal root.
Bithinn and bitheadh are the emphatic forms of binn and biodh.
The irregular dependent forms tigeadh (would come) and toireadh (would give/would bring) are pronounced as though they begin with the a d- and may even be written with an initial d- or d'th-.
The pronoun thu becomes tu after the ending -(e)adh.
Some verbs with two syllables lose their second syllable when the conditional endings are added. Irregular verbs may differ greatly between independent and dependent forms as they may be derived from different roots.
Note the dependent forms chan fhaiceadh (wouldn't see), chan fhaigheadh (wouldn't get), nach fhaiceadh? (wouldn't see?) and nach fhaigheadh? (wouldn't get?).
chan òladh mi I wouldn't drink
an òladh tu? would you drink?
far an faiceadh tu where you would see
nam fosgladh iad if they would open
mus bruidhneadh mi before I would speak
càite am faigheadh mi sin? where would I find that?
Conditional Perfect Tense
The conditional perfect tense is expressed by using the auxiliary verb bhiodh together with the particle air and the verbal noun.
Direct objects are placed before the verbal noun. When a direct object precedes the verbal noun, the verbal particle a is used which lenites the following verb. When the direct object is preceded by the definite article, it does not take the prepositional form after air.
bhiodh Seumas air falbh James would have left
bhiomaid/bhiodh sinn air ithe we would have eaten
bhiomaid/bhiodh sinn air a' cèic ithe we would have eaten the cake
bhiomaid/bhiodh sinn air a h-ithe we would have eaten it
bhithinn/bhinn air leabhar a cheannach I would have bought a book
bhiodh iad air a bhith a' siubhal they would have been travelling
Note the use of the irregular infinitive form a bhith (to be) which always includes the particle a, and the forms a dhol (to go) and a thighinn (to come) which may include the particle a.
bhithinn/bhinn air a bhith toilichte I would have been happy
bhiodh iad air dol/air a dhol ann they would have gone there
bhiodh e air tighinn/air a thighinn an seo he would have come here
Habitual Past Tense
The conditional tense may also express the habitual past tense as well as ability.
bhithinn mi anns a' bhaile a h-uile latha I used to be in town every day
dh'fhalbhamaid/dh'fhalbhadh sinn gach deireadh-seachdain we used to go away every weekend
cheannaicheadh e am pàipear a h-uile madainn he used to buy the paper every morning
sheinneadh Iseabail Iseabail could sing
Imperative
The imperative is used to give a command. The imperative forms thig (come) and thoir (give) become tig and toir after the negative particle na. They are both pronounced as though they begin with an initial d-.
òl! drink!
na òl! don't drink!
thig a-steach! come in!
na tig a-steach! don't come in!
suidheamaid an seo! let's sit here!
seinneadh i! let her sing!
Past Participle
The past participle traditionally ends in -da, -ta or -te. Since 1976, changes promoted by the Scottish Examination Board encourage the use of the ending -te regardless whether it follows a broad or slender consonant.
sgrìobhte written
briste broken
togta/togte built, raised
stèidhichte/stèidhte/stèite established
reòthta/reòthte/reòta/reòite frozen
pòsda/pòsta/pòste/pòiste married
• Elements of Scottish Gaelic Verbs
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• 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