[Learning Irish as an Adult] 2. The Present Tense
Like most languages, to be (bΓ) is one of the most important verbs, and describes the state of something that is right now. As in English, this verb only ever has a subject(s) and never has an object.Β
ΒΉIn the present tense of bΓ, the pronouns mΓ© and muid are often not used; they are incorporated into the verb tΓ‘ instead, to make what is known as the βsynthetic formβ.
The Present Tense
Irish has two present tenses, theΒ present habitual which describes what one does on a regular basis, and ___ Β what one is doing right now.Β Verbs in Irish are split into three main groups: the first conjugation, the second conjugation and the irregular verbs.
The verb endings depend upon if the root of the verb is broad or slender.Β For example, take the verbs dΓΊn and bris. The last vowel in dΓΊn is broad, so you would use broad endings when conjugating this verb. Similarly you would use slender endings when conjugating bris.
1. The First Conjugation
These verbs have only one syllable. In the present tense the ending is, for the most part, added directly onto the root of the verb. Examples are dΓΊn close, Γ³l drink, bris break.
ΒΉIn present tense verbs, muid is often not used; it is incorporated into the verb that precedes it instead, to make what is known as the βsynthetic formβ.
2. The Second ConjugationΒ
These verbs have more than one syllable. Many second conjugation verbs end in -gh; when writing these in the present tense, the last syllable of the word is removed to get a root and the endings are then added to that root. Examples are ceannaigh buy, bailigh collect. The roots for these would be ceann-, bail-.
Other second conjugation verbs end in -il, -in, -is or -ir. To write these in the present tense the last syllable is removed except for the very last letter, and then the appropriate ending is added. Examples include inis tell, oscail open. The roots for these would be ins-, oscl-.
3. Irregular Verbs
The last group of verbs in Irish are the irregular verbs, of which there are only 11.
abair to say
beirΒ to bear/carry/bring
bΓΒ to be
clois to hear
dΓ©anΒ to do/make
feic to see
faighΒ to get
ith to eat
tabhairΒ to give
tar to come
tΓ©ighΒ to go
To have
There is no verb meaning to have in Irish. Instead the verb bΓ (be) is used, together with the preposition ag (at). So, to express that you have something, you say that it is βat youβ - implying that it is close by you, in your possession. This is similar to Ρ ΠΌΠ΅Π½Ρ in Russian.
Thus, tΓ‘ orΓ‘iste agam = I have an orange.
The copula
The copula is a special third form ofΒ to be. It is a defective verb, and it is used to say that two things are equal, or to describe that one thing belongs to a class or category of other things.
For example, is fear mΓ© (I am a man), it links the subject of a sentence with a subject complement, such as a noun or pronoun. Therefore,Β bΓΒ is not used in sentences like these.Β Like the verbΒ to beΒ in English, the copula only ever has subjects and never has an object. In the sentenceΒ I am a man, bothΒ IΒ andΒ a manΒ refer to the same person who is the subject of the sentence.
