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 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)

Broaden, suffix -d to forms ending in -aich (Mark's 11a)

Imperative verbal Noun verb meaning

For other examples see Verbal Nouns

Change -ich to -each and suffix -d (Mark's 11b)

Imperative verbal Noun verb meaning

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