Rach (irregular verb)
The irregular verb Rach means "to go". rach is one of 11 irregular verbs in Gaelic.
Contents
Uses
Summary of forms
- Independent forms of the verb rach are used without any particles.
- Dependent forms of the verb rach are used after an, nach, gun and other verbal particles.
- Unlike regular verbs, the dependent past tense particle do is never used with abair.
| context | independent | Dependent | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| basic forms | active | past | chaidh | deach or deachaidh | |
| Future | thèid | tèid | |||
| Relative Future | --- | thèid | |||
| impersonal1 | past | chaidheas or rachar | deachas or d'rachar | ||
| future | thèidear | tèidear | |||
| relative future | --- | thèidear | |||
| Conditional Mood | active | rachadh2 (rachainn1 in 1st sing) (rachamaid1 in 1 pl) | |||
| impersonal | rachte or reighte or dheighte | rachte or d'reighte or deighte | |||
| Imperative Mood | 2nd person | singular | technically Rach however thalla is more common | --- | |
| plural | technically rachaibh however thallaibh' is more common1 | ||||
| verbal noun | dol | ||||
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.
Non Conditional Moods (indicative, interrogative, negative)
Active Voice
Past tense
| Declarative | Question | Negative | Negative Question | embedded | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | chaidh mi | an tuirt mi | cha tuirt mi | nach tuirt mi | gun tuirt mi |
| 2 | chaidh thu | an deach(aidh) thu | cha deach(aidh) thu | nach deach(aidh) thu | gun deach(aidh) thu |
| 3 masc | chaidh e | an deach(aidh) e | cha deach(aidh) e | nach deach(aidh) e | gun deach(aidh) e |
| 3 fem | chaidh i | an deach(aidh) i | cha deach(aidh) i | nach deach(aidh) i | gun deach(aidh) i |
| 1 pl | chaidh sinn | an deach(aidh) sinn | cha deach(aidh) sinn | nach deach(aidh) sinn | gun deach(aidh) sinn |
| 2 pl | chaidh sibh | an deach(aidh) sibh | cha deach(aidh) sibh | nach deach(aidh) sibh | gun deach(aidh) sibh |
| 3 pl | chaidh iad | an deach(aidh) iad | cha deach(aidh) iad | nach deach(aidh) iad | gun deach(aidh) iad |
Present tense
As is common in Gaelic, there is no present tense form of the verb. When a simple present meaning ("I say something") or a progressive meaning (I am saying something) 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 ag ràdh be.pres 1s prog say.vn I'm saying/I say
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 | thèid mi | an tèid mi | cha tèid mi | nach tèid mi | a thèid mi |
| 2 | thèid thu | an tèid thu | cha tèid thu | nach tèid thu | a thèid thu |
| 3 masc | thèid e | an tèid e | cha tèid e | nach tèid e | a thèid e |
| 3 fem | thèid i | an tèid i | cha tèid i | nach tèid i | a thèid i |
| 1 pl | thèid sinn | an tèid sinn | cha tèid sinn | nach tèid sinn | a thèid sinn |
| 2 pl | thèid sibh | an tèid sibh | cha tèid sibh | nach tèid sibh | a thèid sibh |
| 3 pl | thèid iad | an tèid iad | cha tèid iad | nach tèid iad | a thèid 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. Instead the passive is typically represented through a periphrastic construction using the verbs Rach or Tha + the passive marker air. It does, however, have an impersonal form. The Impersonal is used to indicate an indeterminate subject. Rachar
Since go is an intransitive verb you'll never find these forms with a pronoun
Past tense
| !Declarative | Question | Negative | Negative Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| rachar chaidheas |
an d'rachar an deachas |
cha d'rachar cha deachas |
nach d'rachar nach deachas |
Present tense
The use of a passive in the present tense is odd, even in English. We leave this blank here.
Future tense
| Declarative | Question | Negative | Negative Question | Relative Future1 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 masc | theirear e | an abrar e | chan abrar e | nach abrar e | a theirear e |
| 3 fem | theirear i | an abrar i | chan abrar i | nach abrar i | a theirear i |
| 3 pl | theirear iad | an abrar iad | chan abrar iad | nach abrar iad | a theirear iad |
Notes
- the relative future is used after certain particles such as a the particle used with questions, or ma "if".
Conditional Mood
Active
| Declarative | Question | Negative | Negative Question | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | theirinn1 | an abrainn | chan abrainn | nach abrainn |
| 2 | theireadh tu2 | an abradh tu | chan abradh tu | nach abradh tu |
| 3 masc | theireadh e | an abradh e | chan abradh e | nach abradh e |
| 3 fem | theireadh i | an abradh i | chan abradh i | nach abradh i |
| 1 pl | theireadh sinn (theireamaid3) | an abradh sinn (an abramaid3) | chan abradh sinn (chan abramaid3) | nach abradh sinn (nach abramaid3) |
| 2 pl | theireadh sibh | an abradh sibh | chan abradh sibh | nach abradh sibh |
| 3 pl | theireadh iad | an abradh iad | chan abradh iad | nach abradh 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.
passive
| Declarative | Question | Negative | Negative Question | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 masc | theirte e | an abairte e | chan abairte e | nach abairte e |
| 3 fem | theirte i | an abairte i | chan abairte i | nach abairte i |
| 3 pl | theirte iad | an abairte iad | chan abairte iad | nach abairte iad |
Imperative Mood
The imperative of abair is rarely used to mean "say!". Instead it often has the meaning of "What an X" Abair an duine What a guy!".
To express an imperative meaning say, most speakers will use the regular verb can instead.
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
