Formation of Verbal Nouns

• for a definition of verbal noun see Verbal noun (definition)
• for a discussion of the uses of verbal nouns see Use of Verbal Noun
• for a comprehensive list of verbal nouns for various verbs see Verbal Nouns

This section is largely based on chapter 8 of Colin Marks (2006) Gaelic Verbs: Systemized and Simplified, although some extra generalizations and patterns are reported here.

Suffix -(e)adh (Mark's type 1)

The most common way to form a verbal noun is to suffix some version of the suffix -adh or -eadh (pronounced either /u/ or /əg/). There are several variants of this, listed bleow

Suffix -adh (Mark's type 1a)

One common way to form the verbal noun is to suffix -adh to a root ending a broad consonant.

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning
danns	dannsadh	dance
leugh	leughadh	read
pòg	pògadh	kiss
sgriobh	sgriobhadh	write

For other examples see Verbal Nouns

Suffix -eadh (Marks type 1b)

When the root ends in a [[Slender (definition)}slender]] consonant, one common way to form the verbal noun is to suffix -eadh.

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning
bris	briseadh	break
mill	milleadh	spoil
pàigh	pàigheadh	pay

For other examples see Verbal Nouns

Broaden and suffix -adh (Mark's type 1c, d, e)

This method is used for words ending in -aich, monosyllabic words ending in -ail, and -ich and a few other forms. To form the verbal noun, make the final consonant broad by doing one of the following, then suffix -adh.

• Type 1c: broaden final consonant, by deleting orthographic <i> (i) e.g., dùin --> dùn+adh, (ii) -ail --> al+adh, e.g., buail --> bualadh
• Type 1d: -aich --> -ach+adh, e.g., beannaich --> beannachadh
• Type 1e: -ich --> -each+adh, e.g. litrich --> litreachadh

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning
dòirt	dòrtadh	spill
buail	bualadh	strike
dùin	dunadh	close
beannaich	beannachadh	bless
ciùinich	ciùineachadh	clam

For other examples see Verbal Nouns

Broaden, syncope final syllable, suffix -adh (Mark type 1f)

where C stands for any consonant.

• type fi: Cail --> Cl+adh, e.g., fosgail --> fosgladh
• type fii Cair --> Cr+adh, e.g., cobhair --> cobhradh (According to Mark, almost all the members of this type have alternative formations using type 4 -- see below)
• type fii Cainn --> Cn+adh, e.g., faochainn --> faochnadh
• relatedly but without broadening: sluaisir --> sluaisreadh and innis --> innseadh or innse.

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning
fosgail	fosgladh	open
cobhair	cobhradh	help
faochainn	faochnadh	beg
amail	amladh	entangle
bagair	bagradh	terrify/threaten
seachainn	seachnadh	avoid

For other examples see Verbal Nouns

Verbal noun is the same as the imperative (Mark's type 2)

For some nouns, the root and the imperative are identical

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning
leum	leum	jump
obair	obair	work
òl	òl	drink
ruith	ruith	run
seinn	seinn	sing
stad	stad	stop
streap	streap	climb

For other examples see Verbal Nouns

Broaden final consonant (Mark's type 3)

With some roots one can create a verbal noun by broadening a final slender consonant. To do this either drop the <i> before the final consonant (e.g. amhairc --> amharc) if there is another (broad) vowel next to it, or by changing a final <i> to an <ea> (when there is no other vowel next to it.

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning
caill	call	lose
amhairc	amharc	see
àraich	àrach	rear

For other examples see Verbal Nouns

Suffix -t to Root (Mark's type 4)

Many roots ending in -air form the verbal noun by suffixing -t:

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning
tachair	tachairt	meeting
labhair	labhairt	speak
tagair	tagairt	pleat
freagair	freagairt	answer
thoir	toirt	give/take

For other examples see Verbal Nouns

Suffix -sinn (Mark's type 5)

Altough much rarer, some verbs require the suffix -sinn to form the verbal noun.

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning
tuig	tuigsinn	understand
creid	creidsinn	believe
saoil	saoilsinn	think

For other examples see Verbal Nouns

Suffix -t(a)inn (Mark's type 6)

Verbs of this class take either -tainn or -tinn (depending upon whether they end in a broad or slender consonant).

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning
cluinn	cluinntinn	listen
seall	sealltainn	look

For other examples see Verbal Nouns

Suffix -(e)amh (Mark's type 7)

This group of verbs suffixes either -eamh or -amh to the root, depending upon whether the final consonant of the root is slender (-eamh) or broad (-amh).

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning
dean	deanamh	do
seas	seasamh	sit
caith	caitheamh	spend
feith	feitheamh	wait (for)
maoidh	maoidheamh	threaten

For other examples see Verbal Nouns

Suffix -ad (Mark's type 8)

Verbs of this class create the verbal noun by suffixing -ad. If necessary the final consonant is made broad before suffixation. This group is very small. Mark (2006) lists only 3 members.

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning
blais	blasad	taste
gluais	gluasad	move
greas	greasad	hurry

Suffix -ail or -eil to the root (Mark's group 9)

Suffix -ail (Mark's group 9a)

Verbs in this group all end in a broad consonant, and suffix -ail

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning
fàg	fàgail	leave
gabh	gabhail	take/receive
cùm	cùmail	keep

For other examples see Verbal Nouns

Suffix -eil (Mark's group 9b)

Verbs in this group all end in a slender consonant, and suffix -eil.

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning
tilg	tilgeil	throw
leig	leigeil	permit
snàig	snàigeil	creep

For other examples see Verbal Nouns

Suffix -e (Mark's type 10)

Verbs in this class take an -e suffix. They all end in slender consonants

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning
ith	ithe	eat
suidh	suidhe	sit
fuin	fuine	bake

For other examples see Verbal Nouns

Suffix -d or -(e)achd (Mark's class 11)

The verbal nouns in this class end up ending in -(e)achd, this happens either by changing an underlying -aich/-ich ending into -each and then suffixing -d' or by directly suffixing -eachd to a bare root.

Change -aich to -ach, suffix -d (Mark's 11a)

Verbs of this subtype all end in -aich. The ending broadens to -ach by deleting the final orthographic <i> and -d is suffixed.

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning
cleasaich	cleasachd	playing
cnuasaich	cnuasachd	collect
iasgaich	iasgachd	fish

For other examples see Verbal Nouns

Change -ich to -each and suffix -d (Mark's 11b)

Verbs of this subtype all end in -ich. The ending broadens to -each by changing the final orthographic <i> into <ea> and then suffixing -d'.

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning
faighnich	faighneachd	ask
coisich	coiseachd	walk

For other examples see Verbal Nouns

Suffix -(e)achd (Mark's 11c)

Verbs of this subtype do not end in -aich or -ich, the root is suffixed with -achd or "-eachd"

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning
greas	greasachd	hurry
èist	èisteachd	listen
cnuas	cnuasachd	gather
gluais	glausachd	move

For other examples see Verbal Nouns

Suffix -(a)ich to root (Mark's 12)

This group is also very rare (Mark lists 6 members). A verbal noun is formed by suffixing either -aich or -ich (and rarely "-naich") to the root. The choice depends upon whether the final consonant of the root is broad or slender.

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning
beuc	beucaich	roar
bùir	bùirich	roar
geum	geumnaich	low cattle
glaodh	glaodhaich	shout/proclaim
mèil	mèilich	bleat
ràn	rànaich	roar/cry

Archaic endings -(e)achdainn (Mark's 13)

These are archaic endings that can be found in older writing.

Suffix -(e)achdainn (Mark's 13a)

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning
gàir	gàireachdainn	laugh
gèill	gèilleachdainn	surrender
mair	màireachdainn	last
saoil	saoileachdainn	think
sgar	sgarachdainn	tear apart

Change -ich to -each and -aich to -ach and suffix -dainn (Mark's 13b)

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning
caraich	carachdainn	move/sway
dealaich	dealachdainn	separate
dùraig	dùrachdainn	wish/hope
fairich	faireachdainn	feel/sense
teirig	teireachdainn	fail

Irregular non-suppletive changes (Part of Mark's E (eccentric) class)

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning
bìd	bìdil	chirp
bog	bogadan	wag/bob/shake
caislich	caisleadh	stir, wake-up
càirich	càrach	mend/repair
còmhnaich	còmhnaidh	dwell
dìrich	dìreadh	climb/ascend
èigh	èigheach	shout/call
èirich	èirigh	rise/get up
eubh	eubhach	shout/call
feuch	feuchainn	try
fuaigh	fuaigheal	sew
gàir	gàireachdaich	laugh
gin	gineamhainn	beget
iarr	iarraidh	ask/want
ionaltair	ionailt	graze/feed
lean	leanmhainn/leanailt	continue/follow
mair	maireann	last
obraich	obair	work
ruig	ruigeachd	reach
soillsich	soillseadh	enlighten
teasairg	teasairginn	save
tionail	tionailt	gather/assemble
tuit	tuiteam	fall
ruig	ruigsinn/ruigheachd	reach
beir	breith/beirsinn	bear
thig	tighinn	come

Suppletive verbal nouns (Part of Mark's E (eccentric) class)

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning
abair	ràdh	say
rach	dol	go
thàladh	falbh	leave
faigh	faighinn/faotainn	get