Difference between revisions of "Present Tense (definition)"

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*[[Past Tense (definition)]]
 
*[[Past Tense (definition)]]
 
*[[Future Tense (definition)]]
 
*[[Future Tense (definition)]]
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==See Also==
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*[[Present Tense (definition)]]
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*[[Future Tense (definition)]]
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*[[Tense (definition)]]
  
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Present_tense
  
[[Category: Technical Definitions]]
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==References==
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*Crystal, David. (1997) ''A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics.'' Oxford, UK: Blackwell.
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[[Category:Technical Definitions]]
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[[Category: Tense]]
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[[Category: Syntax]]
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[[Category: Morphology]]
 
[[Category: Semantics]]
 
[[Category: Semantics]]
[[Category: Morphology]]
 
[[Category: Syntax]]
 

Revision as of 15:02, 15 November 2009

The present tense indicates that the action being described happens at the same time as the speech time (the time the sentence is being spoken). In English, we have such forms as John eats apples, which is in the present tense.

In Gaelic only one verb has a true present tense: the verb Bi (irregular verb). Present tense is typically expressed using the verb bi in combination with a verbal noun in an auxiliary construction. For example, the present tense for a verb like kiss would be expressed by literally saying X is kissing Y:

1)

Tha Muirgheal a' pògadh Pòl
Be.pres Muriel prog kiss.vn Paul
Muriel is kissing Paul/ Muriel kisses Paul

In English, the present tense is often used to indicate a habitual action (e.g. John runs). In Gaelic, this usage is typically expressed by the future tense instead.

See also

See Also

External Links

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Present_tense

References

  • Crystal, David. (1997) A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics. Oxford, UK: Blackwell.