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 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

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)

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)

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning

For other examples see Verbal Nouns

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

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning

For other examples see Verbal Nouns

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

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

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning

For other examples see Verbal Nouns

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

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning

For other examples see Verbal Nouns

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

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning

For other examples see Verbal Nouns

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

Imperative	verbal Noun	verb meaning
abair	ràdh	say
rach	dol	go
thàladh	falbh	leave