Verbs

=0. Contents=

1. Imperative and indicative verb-forms 2. Generic and specific verb-forms 3. Dependent and independent verb-forms 4. Tense - Past, future and conditional verb-forms 5. Relative and absolute verb-forms 6. First-singular, first-plural and unconjugated verb-forms 7. Conjugation of imperative verb-forms 8. Verb-roots and suffixes 9. Fortis and lenis verb-forms

This page is for facts relating to Gaelic verb-forms. You can also find pages on verb inflection, defective verb-roots, and irregular verbs.

**This page is permanently under construction. Feel free to add stuff, or to comment.**

Here is a tabular summary of the taxonomy of verb-forms presented here, using the verb //falbh// (to go away) as a model:


 * ~ INDICATIVE ||||~ specific ||||~ generic ||
 * ~  ||~ dependent ||~ independent ||~ dependent ||~ independent ||
 * ~ past ||= //do dh'fhalbh// ||= //dh'fhalbh// ||= //do dh'fhalbhach// ||= //dh'fhalbhadh// ||
 * ~ future ||= //f(h)albh// ||= //falbhaidh//, //dh'fhalbhas// ||= //f(h)albhar// ||= //falbhar// , //dh'fhalbhar// ||
 * ~ conditional ||= //f(h)albhadh//, //f(h)albhainn// , //f(h)albhamaid// ||= //dh'fhalbhadh// , //dh'fhalbhainn// , //dh'fhalbhamaid// ||= //f(h)albhteadh// ||= //dh'fhalbhteadh// ||


 * ~ IMPERATIVE ||||~ first ||||~ second ||~ third ||
 * ~  ||~ singular ||~ plural ||~ singular ||~ plural ||~   ||
 * ~ specific ||= //falbham// ||= //falbhamaid// ||= //falbh// ||= //falbhaibh// ||= //falbhadh// ||
 * ~ generic ||||||||||= //falbhtear// ||

=1. Imperative and indicative verb-forms=

a. Every Gaelic verb-form is either **imperative** or **indicative**.

b. **Imperative** verb-forms are used in commands and entreaties.

c. For example, the verb-forms in the following sentences (all of which are forms of the verb //ceannaich// - "to buy") are all imperative:
 * //**Ceannaich** an taigh!// (Buy the house!)
 * //**Ceannaicheamaid** an taigh!// (Let's buy the house!)
 * //**Na ceannaicheadh** iad an taigh!// (May they not buy the house!)
 * //**Ceannaichtear** an taigh!// (May the house be bought! May someone buy the house! May the house sell!)

d. **Indicative** verb-forms are used in statements, questions and relative clauses.

e. For example, the verb-forms in the following sentences are all indicative:
 * //**Cheannaich** mi an taigh.// (I bought the house.)
 * //An **ceannaicheadh** sibh an taigh?// (Would you buy the house?)
 * //Cha **cheannaichear** an taigh.// (The house won't be bought. Nobody will buy the house. The house won't sell.)
 * //am fear a **cheannaicheas** an taigh// (the man who'll buy the house)

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=2. Generic and specific verb-forms=

a. Every Gaelic verb-form is either **generic** or **specific**.

b. **Generic** verb-forms have an assumed, generic subject.

c. For example, the verbs in the following sentences are all generic:
 * [imperative generic] //**Ceannaichtear** an taigh!// (May the house be bought! May someone buy the house! May the house sell!)
 * [imperative generic] //Na **ceannaichtear** an taigh!// (May the house not be bought! May nobody buy the house! May the house not sell!)
 * [indicative generic] //**Cheannaicheadh** an taigh.// (The house was bought; Someone bought the house. The house sold.)
 * [indicative generic] //Nach **ceannaichear** an taigh?// (Won't the house be bought? Will nobody buy the house? Won't the house sell?)

d. **Specific** verb-forms do not.

e. For example, the verb-forms in the following sentences are all specific:
 * [imperative specific] //**Ceannaicheadh** iad an taigh!// (May they buy the house!)
 * [imperative specific] //Na **ceannaichibh** an taigh!// (Don't buy the house!)
 * [indicative specific] //**Ceannaichidh** i an taigh.// (She'll buy the house.)
 * [indicative specific] //Cha **cheannaichinn** an taigh.// (I wouldn't buy the house.)

f. Note that generic verb-forms are sometimes called "passive" or "impersonal", and specific verb-forms are often labelled as "active".

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=3. Dependent and independent verb-forms=

a. Every **indicative** Gaelic verb-form is either **dependent** or **independent**.

b. **Dependent verb-forms** are found after verbal particles like ** //cha// **, ** //aN// ** and //**nach**//.

c. For example, the verb-forms in the following sentences are all dependent:
 * [dependent specific] //Cha **cheannaich** mi an taigh.// (I won't buy the house.)
 * [dependent specific] //Am **ceannaicheadh** iad an taigh?// (Would they buy the house?)
 * [dependent generic] //Nach **ceannaichear** an taigh?// (Won't the house be bought? Will nobody buy the house? Won't the house sell?)
 * [dependent generic] //Cha **cheannaicheadh** an taigh.// (The house wasn't bought; Nobody bought the house; The house didn't sell.)

d. **Independent verb-forms** can be used in direct statements, without requiring a preceding verbal particle, as well as after the relative clause particles //**a**// and //**na**//.

e. For example, the verb-forms in the following sentences are all independent:
 * [independent specific] //**Ceannaichidh** iad an taigh.// (They'll buy the house.)
 * [independent specific] //**Cheannaich** sinn an taigh.// (We bought the house.)
 * [independent specific] //am fear a **cheannaicheas** an taigh// (the man who'll buy the house)
 * [independent generic] //**Cheannaicheadh** an taigh.// (The house was bought. Someone bought the house. The house sold.)
 * [independent generic] //**Ceannaichear** an taigh.// (The house will be bought. Someone will buy the house. The house will sell.)
 * [independent generic] //an taigh a **cheannaichteadh**// (the house that would be bought; the house that someone would buy; the house that would sell)

f. Note that the distinction between dependent and independent is irrelevant to imperative verb forms.

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=4. Tense - Past, future and conditional verb-forms=

a. Every **indicative** Gaelic verb-form has a **tense** - either **past**, **future** or **conditional**.

b. Here are some examples of **past-tense** verb-forms (using forms of the verb //faic// - "to see", since the verb //ceannaich// - "to buy" - does not have a simple past dependent form):
 * [past dependent specific] //Chan **fhaca** mi an taigh.// (I didn't see the house.)
 * [past dependent generic] //Chan **fhacas** an taigh.// (The house wasn't seen. Nobody saw the house.)
 * [past independent specific] //**Chunnaic** mi an taigh.// (I saw the house.)
 * [past independent generic] //**Chunnacas** an taigh.// (The house was seen. Someone saw the house.)

c. Here are some examples of **future-tense** verb-forms:
 * [future dependent specific] //Cha **cheannaich** mi an taigh.// (I won't buy the house.)
 * [future dependent generic] //Cha **cheannaichear** an taigh.// (The house won't be bought. Nobody will buy the house. The house won't sell.)
 * [future independent specific] //**Ceannaichidh** mi an taigh.// (I'll buy the house.)
 * [future independent generic] //**Ceannaichear** an taigh.// (The house will be bought. Someone will buy the house. The house will sell.)

d. Here are some examples of **conditional-tense** verb-forms:
 * [conditional dependent specific] //Cha **cheannaichinn** an taigh.// (I wouldn't buy the house.)
 * [conditional dependent generic] //Cha **cheannaichteadh** an taigh.// (The house wouldn't be sold. Nobody would buy the house. The house wouldn't sell.)
 * [conditional independent specific] //**Cheannaichinn** an taigh.// (I would buy the house.)
 * [conditional independent generic] //**Cheannaichteadh** an taigh.// (The house would be bought. Someone would buy the house. The house would sell.)

e. Again note that the category of tense is irrelevant to imperative verb-forms.

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=5. Relative and absolute verb-forms=

a. Every **future-tense independent specific** verb-form is either **relative** or **absolute**.

b. The **relative** verb-forms are only used after the relative clause particles **//a//**, //**na**// and and //**ma**//.

c. For example, the following future-tense independent specific verb-forms are relative:
 * //am fear a **cheannaicheas** an taigh// (the man who'll buy the house)
 * //na **sgrìobhas** mi// (the one I will write)
 * //ma **ghearras** e am feur// (if he cuts the grass)

d. And the following ones are absolute:
 * //**Cheannaichidh** mi an taigh.// (I'll buy the house.)
 * //**Sgrìobhaidh** mi leabhar.// (I'll write a book.)
 * //**Gearraidh** e am feur.// (He'll cut the grass.)

e. Note that the distinction between relative and absolute is irrelevant to: imperative verb-forms; indicative generic verb-forms (including future independent ones); past- and conditional-tense verb forms; and dependent verb forms (even future specific ones).

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=6. First-singular, first-plural and unconjugated verb-forms=

a. Every **conditional-tense specific** verb-form is either **conjugated** or **unconjugated**.

b. For example:
 * [conjugated conditional dependent specific] //Cha **cheannaichinn** an taigh.// (I wouldn't buy the house.)
 * [unconjugated conditional dependent specific] //Cha **cheannaicheadh** e an taigh.// (He wouldn't buy the house.)
 * [conjugated conditional independent specific] //**Cheannaicheamaid** an taigh.// (We would buy the house.)
 * [unconjugated conditional independent specific] //**Cheannaicheadh** sibh an taigh.// (You would buy the house.)

c. In addition, every **conjugated** conditional-tense specific verb-form is either **first-singular** or **first-plural**.

d. For example:
 * [first-singular conditional dependent specific] //Cha **cheannaichinn** an taigh.// (I wouldn't buy the house.)
 * [first-singular conditional dependent specific] //Cha **cheannaicheamaid** an taigh.// (We wouldn't buy the house.)
 * [first-singular conditional independent specific] //**Cheannaichinn** an taigh.// (I would buy the house.)
 * [first-singular conditional independent specific] //**Cheannaicheamaid** an taigh.// (We would buy the house.)

e. Note that the distinction between conjugated and unconjugated is irrelevant to generic verb-forms, since they already contain an implicit third person subject.

f. Note also that there are no conjugated conditional verb forms for second- or third-person subjects.

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=7. Conjugation of imperative verb-forms=

a. Every **imperative specific** verb-form has a **person** - either **first**, **second** or **third**.

b. For example:
 * [first-person] //**Ceannaicheam** an taigh!// (May I buy the house!)
 * [second-person] //Na **ceannaichibh** an taigh!// (Don't buy the house!)
 * [third-person] //**Ceannaicheadh** i an taigh!// (May she buy the house!)

c. In addition, every **first- or second-person** imperative specific verb-form has a **number** - either **singular** or **plural**.

d. For example:
 * [first-person singular] //**Ceannaicheam** an taigh!// (May I buy the house!)
 * [first-person plural] //Na **ceannaicheamaid** an taigh!// (Let's not buy the house!)
 * [second-person singular] //**Ceannaich** an taigh!// (Buy the house!)
 * [second-person plural] //Na **ceannaichibh** an taigh!// (Don't buy the house!)

e. Note that **imperative generic** verb-forms do not conjugate in this way (since they all contain an implicit, generic third-person subject).

f. Note also that the grammatical categories of person and number are irrelevant to indicative verb-forms in Gaelic, modulo the first-person conditional specific forms discussed above.

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=8. Verb-roots, prefixes and suffixes=

a. Gaelic verb-forms consist of up to three parts:
 * 1) an optional ** //dh'// prefix**;
 * 2) an obligatory **verb-root**;
 * 3) an optional **verb-suffix**.

b. For example:
 * //**Ceannaichidh** mi bradan.// (I will buy a salmon.) - the verb-form //ceannaichidh// consists of the verb-root //ceannaich// (buy) and the suffix //-idh// (future-tense absolute independent indicative specific).
 * //**Dh'fhosgailteadh** an doras.// (The door would close.) - the verb-form //dh'fhosgailteadh// consists of the //dh'// prefix, the (lenis variant of the) verb-root //fosgail// (open), and the suffix //-teadh// (conditional-tense independent indicative generic).
 * //**Chaidh** mi dhan bhaile.// (I went into town.) - the verb-form //chaidh// (went) consists of a (defective) verb-root and nothing else.
 * //**Dh'ith** iad na h'ùbhlan.// (They ate the apples) - the verb-form //dh'ith// consists of the //dh'// prefix, and the verb-root //ith// (eat), but no suffix.

c. The **//dh'//** prefix can only be added to a verb-root starting with a vowel, or with //**fh-**// followed by a vowel.

d. You can read more about verb suffixes here.

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=9. Fortis and lenis verb-forms=

a. **Past-** and **conditional-tense independent** verb-forms are always (morphosyntactically) **lenis**.

b. For example:
 * [past independent specific] //**Cheannaich** mi an taigh.// (I bought the house.)
 * [past independent generic] //**Cheannaicheadh** an taigh.// (The house was bought. Someone bought the house. The house sold.)
 * [conditional independent specific] //**Cheannaichinn** an taigh.// (I would buy the house.)
 * [conditional independent generic] //**Cheannaichteadh** an taigh.// (The house would be bought. Someone would buy the house. The house would sell.)

c. As are **future-tense independent** verb-forms which are preceded by one of the **relative particles** ( //**a**//, //**na**// or //**ma**// ).

d. For example:
 * [future independent specific] //an taigh a **cheannaicheas** iad// (the house that they will buy)
 * [future independent generic] //ma **cheannaichear** an taigh// (if the house is bought; if someone buys the house; if the house sells).

e. In addition, a (morphosyntactically) **lenis independent** verb-form cannot start with a (surface) vowel. In these cases, a //**dh'**// prefix must be added.

f. For example:
 * [past independent specific] //**Dh'òl** mi am bainne.// (I drank the milk.)
 * [past independent generic] //**Dh'òladh** am bainne.// (The milk was drunk. Someone drank the milk.)
 * [conditional independent specific] //**Dh'fhosglainn** an doras.// (I would open the door.)
 * [conditional independent generic] //**Dh'fhosgailteadh** an doras.// (The door would be opened. Someone would open the door. The door would open.)
 * [future independent specific] //na h-ùbhlan a **dh'itheas** iad// (the apples that they will eat)
 * [future independent generic] //ma **dh'ithear** an t-ubhal// (if the apple is eaten; if someone eats the apple)

g. **Future-tense independent** verb-forms are otherwise almost always (morphosyntactically) fortis.

h. For example:
 * [future independent specific] //**Ceannaichaidh** mi an taigh.// (I will buy the house.)
 * [future independent generic] //**Ceannaichear** an taigh.// (The house will be bought. Someone will buy the house. The house will sell.)
 * [future independent specific] //**Òlaidh** mi am bainne.// (I will drink the milk.)
 * [future independent generic] //**Fosglar** an doras.// (The door will be opened. Someone will open the door. The door will open.)

i. However, there are a handful of exceptions, all of which involve irregular future-tense verb-roots which are **obligatorily lenis** -
 * //**their**// (will say), //**chith**// (will see), //**nith**// (will do), //**gheibh**// (will get), //**thèid**// (will go), //**thig**// (will come), //**bheir**// (will give).

j. For example:
 * //**Thèid** mi dhan bhaile.// (I will go into town.)
 * //**Chithear** an taigh.// (The house will be seen. Someone will see the house.)
 * //**Thig** iad a-steach.// (They will come in.)
 * //**Bheirear** dhomh an t-òr.// (The gold will be given to me. I will be given the gold. Someone will give me the gold. )

k. Imperative verb-forms are almost always fortis.

l. Exceptions - thig, thoir.

m. Dependent verb-forms are either fortis or lenis, depending on the preceding particle.

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