Thig (irregular verb)
The irregular verb thig means "to come". Thig is one of 11 irregular verbs in Gaelic.
Contents
Uses
Summary of forms
- Independent forms of the verb thig are used without any particles.
- Dependent forms of the verb thig are used after an, nach, gun, "cha" and other verbal particles.
| context | independent | Dependent | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| basic forms | active | past | thàinig | tàinig | |
| Future | thig | tig | |||
| Relative Future | --- | thig | |||
| impersonal1 | past | thàinigeadh or thàinigeas | tàinigeadh or tàinigeas | ||
| future | thig(t)ear | tig(t)ear | |||
| relative future | --- | thig(t)ear | |||
| Conditional Mood | active | thigeadh2 (thiginn1 in 1st sing) (thigeamaid1,3 in 1 pl) |
tigeadh2 (tiginn 1 in 1st sing) (tigeamaid1,3 in 1pl) | ||
| impersonal | thigte | tigte | |||
| Imperative Mood | 2nd person | singular | thig | --- | |
| plural | thigibh1 | ||||
| verbal noun | tighinn | ||||
Notes:
- 1 these forms are not used with any subject, they contain the subject in the inflection of the verb (Pro-Drop)
- 2 takes tu rather than thu in the 2nd person.
- 3 1 pl inflected forms are archaic and are rarely used anymore.
Non Conditional Moods (indicative, interrogative, negative)
Active Voice
Past tense
| Declarative | Question | Negative | Negative Question | embedded | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | thàinig mi | an tàinig mi | cha tàinig mi | nach tàinig mi | gun tàinig mi |
| 2 | thàinig thu | an tàinig thu | cha tàinig thu | nach tàinig thu | gun tàinig thu |
| 3 masc | thàinig e | an tàinig e | cha tàinig e | nach tàinig e | gun tàinig e |
| 3 fem | thàinig i | an tàinig i | cha tàinig i | nach tàinig i | gun tàinig i |
| 1 pl | thàinig sinn | an tàinig sinn | cha tàinig sinn | nach tàinig sinn | gun tàinig sinn |
| 2 pl | thàinig sibh | an tàinig sibh | cha tàinig sibh | nach tàinig sibh | gun tàinig sibh |
| 3 pl | thàinig iad | an tàinig iad | cha tàinig iad | nach tàinig iad | gun tàinig iad |
Present tense
As is common in Gaelic, there is no present tense form of the verb. When a simple present meaning ("I come") or a progressive meaning (I am coming) is intended, the periphrastic construction is used with the present tense of the verb bi (be), i.e., tha, along with the verbal noun.
Tha mi a' tighinn be.pres 1s prog come.vn I'm coming/I come
Future tense
The future tense in Gaelic is used to express the idea that an event will happen sometime after the speech time. Unlike English, the future tense can also be used with a present tense meaning, to express the idea that an action is habitual.
| Declarative | Question | Negative | Negative Question | Relative Future1 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | thig mi | an tig mi | cha tig | nach tig mi | a thig mi |
| 2 | thig thu | an tig thu | cha tig thu | nach tig thu | a thig thu |
| 3 masc | thig e | an tig e | cha tig e | nach tig e | a thig e |
| 3 fem | thig i | an tig i | cha tig i | nach tig i | a thig i |
| 1 pl | thig sinn | an tig sinn | cha tig sinn | nach tig sinn | a thig sinn |
| 2 pl | thig sibh | an tig sibh | cha tig sibh | nach tig sibh | a thig sibh |
| 3 pl | thig iad | an tig iad | cha tig iad | nach tig iad | a thig iad |
Note:
- the relative future is used after certain particles such as ma or the particle used with questions a.
Impersonal/Passive Voice
Gaelic verbs don't technically have a Passive verb form. It does, however, have an impersonal form. The Impersonal is used to indicate an indeterminate subject, so thàinigeadh means "someone came"
Past tense
Note: these forms are archaic and almost never used anymore
| Declarative | Question | Negative | Negative Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| thàinigeadh | an tàinigeadh | cha tàinigeadh | nach tàinigeadh |
Present tense
The use of a passive in the present tense is odd, even in English. We leave this blank here.
Future tense
The future tense impersonal independent and relative future form is thigear or thigtear, with particles this become tig(t)ear eg. an tigear.
Conditional Mood
Active
| Declarative | Question | Negative | Negative Question | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | thiginn1 | an tiginn1 | cha tiginn1 | nach tiginn1 |
| 2 | thigeadh tu2 | an tigeadh2 tu | cha tigeadh2 tu | nach tigeadh2 tu |
| 3 masc | thigeadh e | an tigeadh e | cha tigeadh e | nach tigeadh e |
| 3 fem | thigeadh i | an tigeadh i | cha tigeadh i | nach tigeadh i |
| 1 pl | thigeadh sinn (thigeamaid3) | an tigeadh sinn (an tigeamaid3) | cha tigeadh sinn (cha tigeamaid3) | nach tigeamaid sinn (nach tigeamaid3) |
| 2 pl | thigeadh sibh | an tigeadh sibh | cha tigeadh sibh | nach tigeadh sibh |
| 3 pl | thigeadh iad | an tigeadh iad | cha tigeadh iad | nach tigeadh iad |
Notes:
- The 1st person singular form is never used with an overt pronoun, the verb contains the pronoun already.
- The pronoun tu is used here instead of thu
- The 1st person plural has a special inflected form, which like the first person singular is never used with a pronoun. This 1st person plural form is rarely used anymore.
impersonal
| !Declarative | Question | Negative | Negative Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| thigte | an tigte | cha tigte | nach tigte |
Imperative Mood
- singular: ruig
- plural: ruigibh
References
- Black, Ronald (2006) Cothrom Ionnsachaidh Peebles: Self-published.
- Byrne, Michel (2002) Gràmar na Gàidhlig. Eilean Leòdhais: Stòrlann-Acair.
- Deiseal Earranta tta (2006) Reference Cards: Sealbhairean Roimhearach/Riochdairean Roimhearach.
- Mark, Colin (2004) The Gaelic-English Dictionary/Am faclair Gàidhlig-Beurla. London: Routledge
- Mark, Colin (2006), Gaelic Verbs: Systemised and Simplified" 2nd Edition. Edinburgh: Steve Savage Publishers. http://www.savagepublishers.com/138.html
- Lamb, William (2003) Scottish Gaelic. 2nd edition. Munich: Lingcom Europa
