Verb Inflection
Contents
Past Tense
Declarative
With regular verbs in declarative context, the past tense is formed by leniting the first consonant of the imperative. With vowel initial forms, one prefixes an orthographic <dh'> (pronounced as [ɣ] before broad vowels and [j] before slender ones). Forms beginning with f, are both lenited and preceded by <dh'>
| Imperative | Past Tense | English |
|---|---|---|
| fàg! | dh'fhàg | left |
| ionnsaich | dh'ionnsaich | learnt |
| pòg! | phòg | kissed |
| obair! | dh'obair | worked |
| sabaid! | shabaid | fought |
| sgrìobh! | sgrìobh | wrote |
| ruith | ruith | run |
| seas! | sheas | sat |
| teasgaisg! | theagaisg | taught |
| tog | thog | lifted |
- chart based on a similar one in Fisher (2004)
In Negatives, Questions and Embedded Clauses
In negatives, questions and declarative embedded clauses, the verb takes its dependent form. In the past tense the dependent form is usually identical to the normal past, but preceded by the particle do. Do is required in formal speech and in prescriptive writing but is often left out in rapid speech. Some dialects (e.g. Lewis) tend to leave the particle off more frequently.
| Past Tense | Question | Negation | Negative Question | Embedded clause | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| phòg | an do phòg | cha do phòg | nach do phòg | gun do phòg | kissed |
| dh'obair | an do dh'obair | cha do dh'obair | nach do dh'obair | gun do dh'obair | worked |
| shabaid | an do shabaid | cha do shabaid | nach do shabaid | gun do shabaid | fought |
| sheas | an do sheas | cha do sheas | nach do sheas | gun do sheas | sat |
| thog | an do thog | cha do thog | nach do thog | gun do thog | lifted |
- chart based on a similar one in Fisher (2004)
Present Tense
Future Tense
Relative Future
-Future: Yes form: suffix -idh (ithidh òlaidh) No form: DON'T suffix -idh: Chan ith -Cha is chan before vowels, and lenites but not d and t. Chan fhag Question form: DON'T suffix -idh, no lenition after "an" and "Nach"
see also Relative Future
Conditional Mood
Imperative Mood (commands)
The formation of verbal noun
See Also
External Links
References
- Fisher, Muriel (2004) Scottish Gaelic Level 2. Each-Mara Productions.
- Mark, Colin (200X) Gaelic Verbs: Systemised and Simplified. Savage Publishers.
- https://listserv.heanet.ie/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0809&L=GAIDHLIG-B&D=0&P=81674
