Formation of Verbal Nouns

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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 Cail --> Cr+adh, e.g., cobhair --> cobhradh
  • 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

for other examples see Verbal Nouns


Suffix -amh

Imperative verbal Noun verb meaning
dean deanamh do
seas seasamh sit


Suffix -t(a)inn

Imperative verbal Noun verb meaning
cluinn cluinntinn listen
seall sealltainn look

Suffix -e

Imperative verbal Noun verb meaning
ith ithe eat
suidh suidhe sit


Irregular non-suppletive changes

Suppletive verbal nouns

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