Language/Breton/Grammar/Future-Tense

Breton Grammar - Future Tense

Hi Breton learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will be exploring the future tense in Breton grammar.

What is the Future Tense in Breton?

The future tense is used to express actions that will take place at some point in the future. In Breton, the future tense is created by using the verb a vo followed by the infinitive of the main verb.

Here is an example:

Breton	Pronunciation	English
Ec'h adskoaz da labourat	[ɛx adskwa:z da labo'rat]	I will start working

In this example, the future tense is created by using the verb a vo followed by the infinitive labourat, meaning "to work".

How to Form the Future Tense in Breton

To form the future tense in Breton, follow these steps:

1. Take the verb you want to use in the future tense and remove the endings (such as -an or -ez).

2. Add a vo to the stem of the verb. For example, for labourat (to work), the stem would be labour.

3. Add the personal endings for the future tense:

Person	Breton	Pronunciation	English
1st singular	Ec'h vene da ...	[ɛx ve:'ne da ...]	I will ...	2nd singular	Ec'h vini da ...	[ɛx vi:'ni da ...]	You will ...	3rd singular	Ec'h voe da ...	[ɛx vo:'e da ...]	He/She/It will ...	1st plural	Ec'h vonit da ...	[ɛx vo'niːt da ...]	We will ...	2nd plural	Ec'h vonoc'h da ...	[ɛx vo'no:x da ...]	You all will ...	3rd plural	Ec'h vonont da ...	[ɛx vo'nont da ...]	They will ...

4. Add the infinitive of the main verb after the personal ending.

Here are some more examples:

Breton	Pronunciation	English
Da vont amañ	[da von't amaɲ]	I will come here
Ec'h vonene da gervel	[ɛx vo'neː.ne da ɡɛr'vel]	We will try
Ec'h vonoc'h da gousket	[ɛx von'o:x da ɡuskɛt]	You all will sleep

As you can see, the future tense in Breton is relatively straightforward once you understand the pattern.

Irregular Future Tense Verbs in Breton

While the majority of verbs in Breton follow the regular pattern when it comes to forming the future tense, there are a few irregular verbs that require a different approach. Here are a few examples:

• Bezañ (to be):

Person	Breton	Pronunciation	English
1st singular	Ec'h vo pevar	[ɛx vo 'pɛvɑr]	I will be	2nd singular	Ec'h vo pevas	[ɛx vo 'pɛvɑs]	You will be	3rd singular	Ec'h vo peus	[ɛx vo 'pøːs]	He/She/It will be	1st plural	Ec'h vo pemdez	[ɛx vo 'pɛmdɛs]	We will be	2nd plural	Ec'h vo pevomp	[ɛx vo 'pɛvɔ̃np]	You all will be	3rd plural	Ec'h vo penaos	[ɛx vo pɛˈnows]	They will be

• Kaout (to have):

Person	Breton	Pronunciation	English
1st singular	Ec'h vo kavet	[ɛx vo ka:'vɛt]	I will have	2nd singular	Ec'h vo kavas	[ɛx vo ka:'vɑz]	You will have	3rd singular	Ec'h vo kav	[ɛx vo ka:v]	He/She/It will have	1st plural	Ec'h vo kavomp	[ɛx vo ka'vɔmp]	We will have	2nd plural	Ec'h vo kavoc'h	[ɛx vo ka'vo:x]	You all will have	3rd plural	Ec'h vo kavont	[ɛx vo ka'vɔnt]	They will have

• Ober (to do):

Person	Breton	Pronunciation	English
1st singular	Ec'h vo graet	[ɛx vo 'grɛːt]	I will do	2nd singular	Ec'h vo graet	[ɛx vo 'grɛːt]	You will do	3rd singular	Ec'h vo graet	[ɛx vo 'grɛːt]	He/She/It will do	1st plural	Ec'h vo graet	[ɛx vo 'grɛːt]	We will do	2nd plural	Ec'h vo graet	[ɛx vo 'grɛːt]	You all will do	3rd plural	Ec'h vo graet	[ɛx vo 'grɛːt]	They will do

Using the Future Tense in Conversation

Let's take a look at a dialogue to see how the future tense can be used in context:

• Person 1: Ec'h adskoaz da labourat. ([I will start working])
• Person 2: Mat eo, me zo o vont da varc'hiañ dre an douar hiziv. ([Ok, I'm going to walk around the countryside today.])

In this example, person 1 uses the future tense to express their intention to start working. Person 2 then responds with a plan to walk around the countryside, also using the future tense with me zo o vont da (I am going to...).

Remember, the Breton language is not only a tool for communication, but also a way to understand the Breton culture and its traditions.

To improve your Breton Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

Sources

• Breton Language wiki page
• Breton Grammar wiki page