Language/Irish/Grammar/Irregular-Verbs
Introduction
In this lesson, we will focus on the irregular verbs in Irish language. As we have previously learned in the lesson on regular verbs, verb conjugation is a critical aspect of grammar. In Irish, conjugation involves changing the form of the verb in relation to the tense, the person, and the number.
The irregular verbs are verbs that do not follow the regular pattern of conjugation. In other words, the forms of some of these verbs cannot be derived by simply adding a suffix to the stem of the verb. Instead, they have unique and irregular forms specific to each tense, person, and number.
Irregular verbs are an essential aspect of grammar, and learning them will enable you to communicate more effectively in Irish language. In this lesson, we will provide you with cultural information and interesting facts to make your learning experience more engaging and enjoyable. Let's dive in!
Common Irregular Verbs in the Present Tense
In this section, we will focus on the most common irregular verbs in the present tense in Irish language. It is important to note that the present tense has a strong influence on the forms of the other tenses, so mastering the present tense is vital in speaking Irish language fluently.
Tá (to be)
The verb "tá" means "to be." It is an essential irregular verb in Irish language, and you will encounter it frequently in everyday speech.
In the present tense, "tá" has the following forms:
| Irish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Tá mé | /tɑː meɪ/ | I am |
| Tá tú | /tɑː tuː/ | You are |
| Tá sé/sí | /tɑː ʃeː ʃiː/ | He/she is |
| Táimid | /tɑː mʲɪdʲ/ | We are |
| Tá sibh | /tɑː ʃɪvʲ/ | You (pl) are |
| Tá siad | /tɑː ʃiəd/ | They are |
Note that in Irish language, the forms of the verb "to be" are used differently from in English language. For instance, instead of saying "I am hungry" as it is in English, you would say "Tá ocras orm" in Irish language, which literally translates to "Hunger is on me."
Feic (to see)
The verb "feic" means "to see." It is another irregular verb in Irish language, and its present tense forms are as follows:
| Irish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Feicim | /fʲɛkʲɪm/ | I see |
| Feiceann tú | /fʲɛcʲæn tuː/ | You see |
| Feiceann sé/sí | /fʲɛcʲæn ʃeː ʃiː/ | He/she sees |
| Feicimid | /fʲɛkʲɪmɪdʲ/ | We see |
| Feiceann sibh | /fʲɛcʲæn ʃɪvʲ/ | You (pl) see |
| Feiceann siad | /fʲɛcʲæn ʃiəd/ | They see |
Déan (to do/make)
The verb "déan" means "to do" or "to make." It is a crucial irregular verb in Irish language, and its present tense forms are as follows:
| Irish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Déanaim | /deːnəm/ | I do/make |
| Déanann tú | /deːnən tuː/ | You do/make |
| Déanann sé/sí | /deːnən ʃeː ʃiː/ | He/she does/makes |
| Déanaimid | /deːnəmɪdʲ/ | We do/make |
| Déanann sibh | /deːnən ʃɪvʲ/ | You (pl) do/make |
| Déanann siad | /deːnən ʃiəd/ | They do/make |
Note that the verb "déan" is often combined with other verbs to create compound verbs in Irish language. For example, "déan chóir" means "to do justice," and "déan cion" means "to show kindness."
Abair (to say)
The verb "abair" means "to say." It is a vital irregular verb in Irish language used in everyday communication. The present tense forms of "abair" are as follows:
| Irish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Abairim | /abarʲɪm/ | I say |
| Abairt tú | /abarʲt tuː/ | You say |
| Abairt sé/sí | /abarʲt ʃeː ʃiː/ | He/she says |
| Abairimid | /abarʲɪdʲəm/ | We say |
| Abairt sibh | /abarʲt ʃɪvʲ/ | You (pl) say |
| Abairt siad | /abarʲt ʃiəd/ | They say |
Tar (to come)
The verb "tar" means "to come." It is another irregular verb in Irish, and its present tense forms are as follows:
| Irish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Tagaim | /tægəm/ | I come |
| Tagann tú | /tæɡən tuː/ | You come |
| Tagann sé/sí | /tæɡən ʃeː ʃiː/ | He/she comes |
| Tagaimid | /tæɡəmɪdʲ/ | We come |
| Tagann sibh | /tæɡən ʃɪvʲ/ | You (pl) come |
| Tagann siad | /tæɡən ʃiəd/ | They come |
Ith (to eat)
The verb "ith" means "to eat." It is a vital irregular verb in Irish language, and its present tense forms are as follows:
| Irish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ithim | /ɪhɪm/ | I eat |
| Itheann tú | /ɪhæn tuː/ | You eat |
| Itheann sé/sí | /ɪhæn ʃeː ʃiː/ | He/she eats |
| Ithimid | /ɪhɪmɪdʲ/ | We eat |
| Itheann sibh | /ɪhæn ʃɪvʲ/ | You (pl) eat |
| Itheann siad | /ɪhæn ʃiəd/ | They eat |
Conclusion
Irregular verbs are crucial in constructing sentences accurately in Irish language. The present tense forms of the irregular verbs mentioned above are a good starting point in building fluency in Irish. As a beginner, it is essential to devote enough time to practices, and over time, you will master the different forms of these irregular verbs. Keep in mind that learning a language is not only about grammar and vocabulary but also about the culture and lifestyle of speakers of that language. Therefore, you should seek to learn more about the Irish culture to have a full understanding of the language.
We hope you enjoyed this lesson, and see you in the next lesson!
Videos
IRREGULAR VERBS (past tense) in IRISH/ as GAEILGE - YouTube
IRISH IRREGULAR VERBS | as Gaeilge (PRESENT TENSE ...
Irregular Irish Verbs - How To Ask Questions And Answer Them ...
Other Lessons
- Adjectives
- Question Words
- Negation
- Personal pronouns
- Pronouns
- Questions
- Subject Verb Object
- Plurals
- Comparative and Superlative