Irish verb forms are constructed either synthetically or analytically.
Synthetic forms express the information about person and number in the ending: e.g., molaim "I praise", where the ending -aim stands for "1st person singular present". In this case, a pronoun is not allowed: * molaim mé is ungrammatical.
Analytic forms are those whose endings contain no information about person and number, and a pronoun is necessary: e.g., molann sibh "you (pl.) praise", where the ending -ann expresses only the present tense, and the pronoun sibh "you" (pl.) must accompany it in order to express "2nd person plural".
In addition to the three persons, Irish also has an impersonal form (also called the "autonomous" form), which is used in forming passives and can conveniently be translated with "one" or "someone" as the subject. Shown below are the distribution of synthetic and analytic forms in the standard language; in the dialects, other patterns may be found.
See Irish orthography for a discussion of how verb endings are pronounced.
Contents |
There are two conjugation classes of regular verbs, as illustrated below. Note that in the "historical" tenses (the imperfect, preterite, and conditional), a consonant-initial stem undergoes lenition, while a vowel-initial stem is prefixed by d’. A stem beginning with f plus vowel takes both, e.g., fan "wait", d'fhan sé "he waited". (Exception: the preterite impersonal neither undergoes lenition nor receives d’.)
In the present tense of the 1st conjugation, endings are added directly to the root. Only the 1st person singular and plural and the impersonal have synthetic endings. Otherwise the analytic ending -(e)ann is used in combination with a pronoun.
Endings | "praise" | "understand" | |
---|---|---|---|
1sg | -(a)im | molaim | tuigim |
1pl | -(a)imid | molaimid | tuigimid |
Impersonal | -t(e)ar | moltar | tuigtear |
Analytic | -(e)ann | molann | tuigeann |
Forms like molann muid and tuigeann muid instead of molaimid or tuigimid are frequently encountered but do not technically belong to the standard language. On the other hand, Munster Irish uses molair and molaid instead of molann tú and molann siad.
Synthetic endings are used except in the 3rd person singular, 2nd person plural, and impersonal. Otherwise the analytic form is used in conjunction with a pronoun.
Endings | "used to praise" | "used to understand" | |
---|---|---|---|
1sg | -(a)inn | mholainn | thuiginn |
2sg | -t(e)á | mholtá | thuigteá |
1pl | -(a)imis | mholaimis | thuigimis |
3pl | -(a)idís | mholaidís | thuigidís |
Impersonal | -t(a)í | mholtaí | thuigtí |
Analytic | -(e)adh | mholadh | thuigeadh |
The analytic form, used together with a pronoun for all persons except the 1st person plural and the impersonal, has a zero ending.
Endings | "praised" | "understood" | |
---|---|---|---|
1pl | -(e)amar | mholamar | thuigeamar |
Impersonal | -(e)adh | moladh | tuigeadh |
Analytic | ∅ | mhol | thuig |
The future stem is formed by adding f (pronounced [h] except in the impersonal) to the root. Synthetic endings exist only for the 1st person plural and impersonal.
Endings | "will praise" | "will understand" | |
---|---|---|---|
1pl | -f(a)imid | molfaimid | tuigfimid |
Impersonal | -f(e)ar | molfar | tuigfear |
Analytic | -f(a)idh | molfaidh | tuigfidh |
The conditional is formed by taking the stem of the future tense (f, pronounced /h/ except in the 2nd person singular and the impersonal) and adding endings similar to the imperfect.
Endings | "would praise" | "would understand" | |
---|---|---|---|
1sg | -f(a)inn | mholfainn | thuigfinn |
2sg | -f(e)á | mholfá | thuigfeá |
1pl | -f(a)imis | mholfaimis | thuigfimis |
3pl | -f(a)idís | mholfaidís | thuigfidís |
Impersonal | -f(a)í | mholfaí | thuigfí |
Analytic | -f(e)adh | mholfadh | thuigfeadh |
Singular: simple root | Plural: root + -(a)igí |
---|---|
mol! "praise!" (sg.) | molaigí! "praise!" (pl.) |
tuig! "understand!" (sg.) | tuigigí! "understand!" (pl.) |
In the second conjugation, the present stem ends in -(a)í-, to which are added the synthetic or analytic endings. Roots ending in a slender consonant (e.g., inis "to tell") undergo syncope before the addition of -í-.
The endings are the same as in the 1st conjugation, but without the -(a)i- vowel found there.
Endings | "bless" | "tell" | |
---|---|---|---|
1sg | -(a)ím | beannaím | insím |
1pl | -(a)ímid | beannaímid | insímid |
Impersonal | -(a)ítear | beannaítear | insítear |
Analytic | -(a)íonn | beannaíonn | insíonn |
The endings of the imperfect (again the same as in the 1st conjugation, but without the -(a)i- vowel) are added to the present stem.
Endings | "used to bless" | "used to tell" | |
---|---|---|---|
1sg | -(a)ínn | bheannaínn | d'insínn |
2sg | -(a)íteá | bheannaíteá | d'insíteá |
1pl | -(a)ímis | bheannaímis | d'insímis |
3pl | -(a)ídís | bheannaídís | d'insídís |
Impersonal | -(a)ítí | bheannaítí | d'insítí |
Analytic | -(a)íodh | bheannaíodh | d'insíodh |
As in the first conjugation, the bare root is used as the analytic form. The synthetic forms of the 1st plural and the impersonal attach their ending to the present stem.
Endings | "blessed" | "told" | |
---|---|---|---|
1pl | -(a)íomar | bheannaíomar | d'insíomar |
Impersonal | -(a)íodh | beannaíodh | insíodh |
Analytic | ∅ | bheannaigh | d'inis |
The future stem consists of the root followed by the suffix -ó-/-eo-. This -ó-/-eo- replaces the -(a)í- of the present tense. The endings are almost as in the 1st conjugation. Synthetic endings are found only in the 1st person plural and the impersonal.
Endings | "will bless" | "will tell" | |
---|---|---|---|
1pl | -óimid/-eoimid | beannóimid | inseoimid |
Impersonal | -ófar/-eofar | beannófar | inseofar |
Analytic | -óidh/-eoidh | beannóidh | inseoidh |
As in the 1st conjugation, the conditional is formed by adding endings similar to those of the imperfect to the future stem.
Endings | "would bless" | "would tell" | |
---|---|---|---|
1sg | -óinn/-eoinn | bheannóinn | d'inseoinn |
2sg | -ófá/-eofá | bheannófá | d'inseofá |
1pl | -óimis/-eoimis | bheannóimis | d'inseoimis |
3pl | -óidís/-eoidís | bheannóidís | d'inseoidís |
Impersonal | -ófaí/-eofaí | bheannófaí | d'inseofaí |
Analytic | -ódh/-eodh | beannódh | d'inseodh |
Singular: simple root | Plural: present stem + ending -gí |
---|---|
beannaigh! "bless!" | beannaígí! "bless!" (pl.) |
inis! "tell!" | insígí! "tell!" (pl.) |
There are eleven irregular verbs in Irish. Most of them are characterized by suppletion, that is, different roots are used to form different tenses. Analytic forms are indicated by the symbol +. The preterites of many irregular verbs take the nonpreterite forms of preverbal particles, e.g., an (interrogative particle) and ní (negative particle), instead of ar (pret. interrogative particle) and níor (pret. negative particle). Some verbs have different independent and dependent forms in certain tenses; the independent forms are used when no particle precedes the verb, and also after má "if" (open conditional) and the direct relative particle a, while the dependent forms are used after all other particles.
The d- in this verb is not lenited.
Present | deir +, deirim, deirimid, deirtear |
Imperfect | deireadh + etc. |
Preterite | dúirt (an ndúirt/ní dúirt) +, dúramar, dúradh |
Future | déarfaidh + etc. |
Conditional | déarfadh + etc. |
Imperative | abair, abraigí |
Verbal noun | rá |
Present | beireann + etc. (regular) |
Imperfect | bheireadh + etc. (regular) |
Preterite | rug +, rugamar, rugadh. (ar/níor rug + etc.) |
Future | béarfaidh + etc. |
Conditional | bhéarfadh + etc. |
Imperative | beir, beirigí |
Verbal noun | beirthe |
Present | independent | tá +, táim (also tá mé), táimid, táthar |
dependent1 | fuil +, fuilim (also fuil mé), fuilimid | |
Habitual present | bíonn +, bím, bímid, bítear | |
Imperfect | bhíodh +, bhínn, bhíteá, bhímis, bhídís, bhítí | |
Preterite | independent | bhí +, bhíomar, bhíothas |
dependent | (an/ní) raibh +, rabhamar, rabhthas | |
Future | beidh +, beimid, beifear | |
Conditional | bheadh +, bheinn, bheifeá, bheimis, bheidís, bheifí | |
Imperative | bí, bígí | |
Verbal noun | bheith |
1The negative particle ní lenites fuil to fhuil; the two are then fused to form níl +; cf. also nílim, nílimid, and níltear.
Present | cloiseann + etc. (regular)/cluineann + etc. (regular) |
Imperfect | chloiseadh + etc. (regular)/chluineadh etc. (regular) |
Preterite | chuala +, chualamar, chualathas. (ar/níor chuala + etc.) |
Future | cloisfidh + etc. (regular)/cluinfidh + etc. (regular) |
Conditional | chloisfeadh + etc. (regular)/chluinfeadh + etc. (regular) |
Imperative | clois, cloisigí/cluin, cluinigí |
Verbal noun | cloisteáil/cluinstin |
Present | déanann + etc. (regular) | |
Imperfect | dhéanadh + etc. (regular) | |
Preterite | independent | rinne +, rinneamar, rinneadh |
dependent | dearna +, dearnamar, dearnadh (an ndearna/ní dhearna + etc.) | |
Future | déanfaidh + etc. (regular) | |
Conditional | dhéanfadh + etc. (regular) | |
Imperative | déan, déanaigí | |
Verbal noun | déanamh |
The f- in this verb is eclipsed rather than lenited after ní.
Present | faigheann + etc. (regular) | |
Imperfect | d'fhaigheadh + etc. (regular) | |
Preterite | fuair +, fuaireamar, fuarthas. (an/ní bhfuair + etc.) | |
Future | independent | gheobhaidh +, gheobhaimid, gheofar |
dependent | faighidh +, faighimid, faighfear (an/ní bhfaighidh + etc.) | |
Conditional | independent | gheobhadh +, gheobhainn, gheofá, gheobhaimis, gheofaí |
dependent | faigheadh +, faighinn, faighfeá, faighimis, faighfí (an/ní bhfaigheadh + etc.) | |
Imperative | faigh, faighigí | |
Verbal noun | fáil |
Present | feiceann + feicimid. (regular) | |
Imperfect | d'fheiceadh + etc. (regular) | |
Preterite | independent | chonaic +, chonaiceamar, chonacthas |
dependent | faca +, facamar, facthas (an bhfaca/ní fhaca) | |
Future | feicfidh + feicfimid. (regular) | |
Conditional | d'fheicfeadh + etc. (regular) | |
Imperative | feic, feicigí | |
Verbal noun | feiceáil |
Present | itheann + etc. (regular) |
Imperfect | d'itheadh + etc. (regular) |
Preterite | d'ith + etc. (regular) (ar/níor ith + etc.) |
Future | íosfaidh + etc. |
Conditional | d'íosfadh + etc. |
Imperative | ith, ithigí |
Verbal noun | ithe |
Present | tugann + etc. |
Imperfect | thugadh + etc. |
Preterite | thug + etc. (ar/níor thug) |
Future | tabharfaidh + etc. |
Conditional | thabharfadh + etc. |
Imperative | tabhair, tugaigí |
Verbal noun | tabhairt |
Present | tagann + etc. |
Imperfect | thagadh + etc. |
Preterite | tháinig +, thángamar, thángthas (ar/níor tháinig) |
Future | tiocfaidh + etc. |
Conditional | thiocfadh + etc. |
Imperative | tar, tagaigí |
Verbal noun | teacht |
Present | téann +, téim, téimid, téitear | |
Imperfect | théadh +, théinn, théiteá, théimis, théidís, théití | |
Preterite | independent | chuaigh +, chuamar, chuathas |
dependent | deachaigh +, deachamar, deachthas (an ndeachaigh +/ní dheachaigh + etc.) | |
Future | rachaidh +, rachaimid, rachfar | |
Conditional | rachadh +, rachainn, rachfá, rachaimis, rachaidís, rachfaí | |
Imperative | téigh, téigí | |
Verbal noun | dul |
Irish has no infinitive and uses instead the verbal noun. The verbal noun can be formed using different strategies (mostly suffixes). The most common of these are:
The verbal noun is used as the infinitive would be used in English.
A progressive can be expressed with the preposition ag and is equivalent to the English present participle.
A perfect tense can be formed with either of the compound prepositions tar éis or i ndiaidh and the verbal noun.
Irish uses a number of preverbal particles to modify the meaning of a sentence. In a positive statement, no particle is used and the verb comes first (except in Munster Irish where "Do" is placed before verbs in the past, habitual past and conditional, leniting the verb that follows). This is still seen in the Standard Language in said tenses, prefixed to verbs beginning with vowels, e.g., D'ól mé (D'ólas in Munster Irish) meaning "I drank":
To negate a statement, the particle ní is used, which causes lenition; a d’ before a vowel or lenited f is omitted:
In the preterite, the particle níor is used . There is lenition but no d’.
(In Ulster, the negative particles cha(n), pret. char are also used)
To pose a simple yes/no question, the particle an is used, which causes eclipsis (no eclipsis of vowels, because an already ends with n). In the preterite ar (+ lenition) is used. The prefix d’ is omitted:
These particles are also used to introduce an indirect question:
To pose a negative yes/no question, the particle nach is used, which causes eclipsis (in preterite: nár + lenition):
(In Munster ná is used instead of nach.)
To pose a wh-question, one of the interrogative particles cá, cad a/céard a, cathain a, cé a, conas a etc. is used.
The subjunctive covers the idea of wishing something and so appears in some famous Irish proverbs and blessings. It's considered an old-fashioned tense for daily speech (except in set phrases) but still appears often in print.
The subjunctive is normally formed from "Go" (which eclipses, and adds "n-" to a verb beginning with a vowel), plus the subjunctive form of the verb, plus the subject, plus the thing being wished for. For instance, the subjunctive form of "teigh" (go) is "té":
(lit: may you go well)
Or again, the subjunctive of "tabhair" (give) is "tuga":
Or to take a third example, sometimes the wish is also a curse, like this one from Tory Island in Donegal:
The subjunctive is generally formed by taking the present indicative tense of the verb and adding on the appropriate subjunctive ending depending on broad or slender, and first or second conjugation. For example, the present tense first person singular of bog (to move) is bog mé and its subjunctive in the same person is boga mé:
1st Conjugation:
mol (to praise) | mola mé | mola tú | mola sé/sí | molaimid | mola sibh | mola siad |
bris (to break) | brise mé | brise tú | brise sé/sí | brisimid | brise sibh | brise siad |
2nd Conjugation:
beannaigh (to bless) | beannaí mé | beannaí tú | beannaí sé/sí | beannaímid | beannaí sibh | beannaí siad |
bailigh (to collect) | bailí mé | bailí tú | bailí sé/sí | bailímid | bailí sibh | bailí siad |
E.g., "go mbeannaí Dia thú" -- May God bless you.
There is also some irregularity in certain verbs in the subjunctive. The verb bí (to be) is the most irregular verb in Irish (as in most Indo-European languages):
Present Indicative | tá mé/táim | tá tú | tá sé/sí | tá muid/táimid | tá sibh | tá siad |
Present Subjunctive | raibh mé | raibh tú | raibh sé/sí | rabhaimid | raibh sibh | raibh siad |
The Irish phrase for "thank you" -- go raibh maith agat—uses the subjunctive of "bí" and literally means "may there be good at-you".
Please note that some verbs don't follow the conjugation of the subjunctive exactly as conjugated above. These irregularities apply to verbs whose stem ends already in a stressed vowel and thus due to the rules of Irish orthography and pronunciation, can't take another. For example:
Present Indicative | Present Subjunctive | |
---|---|---|
téigh (to go) | téann tú | té tú |
sáigh (to stab) | sánn tú | sá tú |
luigh (to mention; cite) | luíonn tú | luí tú |
*feoigh (to decay; wither) | feonn tú | feo tú |
It is important to note that where the subjunctive is used in English, it may not be used in Irish and another tense might be used instead. For example:
|