Sentential possession

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Gaelic has no verb 'have' . Instead sentential possession is indicated by using the verb Bi (Tha, Bha, Beidh etc) followed by the possessed element followed by the preposition aig and then the possessor:

(1)

Tha leabhar aig Calum
Be.pres book at Calum
Calum has a book

When the possessor is pronominal one of the inflected forms of aig (e.g. agam, agad, aige, etc.) is used:

(2)

Tha leabhar aige
Be.pres book at.3sm
He has a book


see also

  • how to indicate the perfect (I have eaten): Viewpoint Aspect
  • how to indicate obligation (I have to go/I need to go): Modality
  • Idioms using Tha X aig Y structures: