Editing Language/Irish/Grammar/Irish-Modal-Verbs-(need,-want,-must,-can)

{{DISPLAYTITLE:Language/Irish/Grammar/ModalVerbs}}
[[Category:Modal]]
[[Category:Modal verbs]]
[[Category:Irish]]
[[Category:To have]]
[[Category:Need]]
[[Category:Must]]
[[Category:Can]]
[[Category:May]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Language/Irish/Grammar/ModalVerbs}}
==Introduction==
Here is an introduction to expressing need, obligation, possession, permission and desire in Irish.
I want to keep this simple. If you want alternative ways to express the same thing, or other examples, you can check this page [http://www.nualeargais.ie/gnag/modal.htm] (which I am using as a model). <br />
For those among us who speak French, Spanish or Russian, I will give rough equivalents so that you can understand better.

==Pre-requisites==
# You need to have an idea about Irish prepositional pronouns (have a look at my lesson there first).
# You need to understand the different forms of "to be" in Irish. Bí is expressed either as ''tá'' or ''is'' (something similar to ''estar'' and ''ser'' in Spanish). ''Is'' is called the "copula" in grammar.

==Modal verbs==
===Possession (have)===
Irish has no verb for "to have" (even less than Russian). 

As a substitute of the verb have one uses the verb bí and the preposition ''ag'' (=at/by) or sometimes ''ar'' (on)

In Irish one "has" nothing, but it "is by or on one" 

Ownership is expressed via the copula with the preposition le , "one owns" nothing, it "is with one"

There are 3 ideas expressed with have in English, which are different in Irish. Note that for compound tenses in English (I ''have'' done, etc.), this is not used like that in Irish. 

====I have====
form of <code>bí + object + ag + subject</code>

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; background:#90ee90;"
|-
| Tá teach agam || I have a house (lit.: "is house by-me") || j'ai un maison ||tengo una casa || У меня есть дом
|-
|Níl carr againn || We have no car (lit.: "not-is car by-us") || Nous n'avons pas de voiture || No tenemos carro ||У нас нет машины
|-
| An bhfuil airgead agat? ||Do you have money (lit.: "is there money with you?")  || As tu de l'argent? || Tienes dinero? ||у тебя есть деньги?
|}

====I have...(phys./psych. conditions, emotions, sicknesses, parts, names)====
form of <code>bí + object + ar + subject</code>

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; background:#90ee90;"
|-
| Níl ocras orm || I have no hunger (lit.: "not-is hunger on-me") ||Je n'ai pas faim ||no tengo hambre ||я не хочу есть
|-
| Tá slaghdán ar an gcailín || The girl has a cold 
|-
| Tá féasóg ar an seanfhear || The old man has a beard 
|-
| Tá doirse móra ar an teach || The house has big doors (lit.: "are doors big on the house") 
|-
| Cén t-ainm atá ort? || What is your name? (lit.:"which name, that-is on-you?")
|}
NB: There are very many ways to say your name. The one above is just one option. The most common is: Pól is ainm dom<br /><br />

====I have...I possess, own====
form of <code>is + le + subject + object</code>

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; background:#90ee90;"
|-
| Is liom an carr seo || This car is mine (lit.: "is with me the car this")  || Je possède cette voiture || yo poseo este carro || владею эту машину
|-
| Is le Pól an teach || The house belongs to Paul (lit.: "is with Paul the house")
|}
To say "it's mine", the prepositional pronoun takes on a emphatic aspect, becoming: liomsa, leatsa.

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; background:#90ee90;"
|-
| Is liomsa é || it's mine
|}
'''Listening activity 1'''. Here is a little video of low quality, of what appears to be school kids singing an Irish version of a popular song. Listen for the sound of liomsa. Can you understand any other words? [https://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCtXWR9otek?t=10]

===I like and I would like===
There are several ways to say I like, I enjoy, I would like in Irish. Here we will not address I love. That's for another lesson (but it does look similar, somewhat).<br />
====I like====
form of <code>is + maith + le + subject* + object/VN/go</code> 

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; background:#90ee90;"
|-
| Is maith liom an tae || I like the tea (lit.: "is good by me the tea) || j'aime bien le thé || me gusto el té || мне нравится чай
|-
| Ní maith linn sucra || we don't like sugar.
|-
| An maith leat ceol? || do you like music?
|}

'''Listening activity 2'''. Here is a little video of a boy talking about things he likes. Listen and try to understand what he likes and the thing he doesn't "Ní maith liom": [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utZznUMyIlw]<br /><br />

====I would like====
as above, but put ''is'' into conditional - ba (and maith takes a h)

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; background:#90ee90;"
|-
| Ba mhaith liom fuisce a ól || I would like to drink whiskey (lit.: "would be good with-me whiskey to drink") || j'aimerais boire du whiskey || Me gustaria tomar whiskey || Я хотел бы выпить виски
|}

====To emphasise====
one can use ''breá'' instead of ''maith''. <br />

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; background:#90ee90;"
|-
| Is breá liom an airgead || I really like the money (lit.: Is (really) nice with-me the money) || J'aime beaucoup l'argent¦me gusta mucho el dinero || мне очень нравится деньги
|-
| Ba bhreá liom fuisce a ól || I would like a lot to drink whiskey (lit.: "would be nice with-me whiskey to drink")
|}

====I like/enjoy====
form of <code>verb taitin + object + le + subject</code><br />
Note that taitin is the verb to shine, so you are saying the object shines with you (i.e. you enjoy it).<br />

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; background:#90ee90;"
|-
| Taitníonn do chomhluadar liom || I enjoy your company (companionship) || Ta compagnie me fait plaisir (ou j'apprécie ta compagnie) || disfruto tu compañía || мне нравится твоя компания (общество)
|-
| Taitníonn iasc liom || I like/enjoy fish (lit.: "pleases fish with-me")
|-
| Thaitin an capall leis || He liked the horse (past tense)
|}

====I prefer...I would rather====
<code>form of is + fearr + le + subject* + object/VN/go </code><br />

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; background:#90ee90;"
|-
| Is fearr liom tae ná caife || I like/would rather tea than coffee (lit.: "is better with me tea than coffee")
|-
| Is maith liom Bearla, ach is fearr liom Gaeilge || I like English, but I prefer Irish.
|}

Careful not to confuse this with "is féadir liom" (I can...) below.<br />
Memory aid: the word <code>fearr</code> is pronounced like the English word ''far''. So, imagine the idiomatic sentence in English "I prefer ... by far", and you will remember how to say it in Irish.<br />
'''Listening activity 3'''. Here is a little video of a boy talking about his favourite TV shoes. Listen and try to pick out the uses of "is fearr liom": [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qZda_LO9IU]
<br />

===Need and Want===
To need and want things are sometimes interchangeable in Irish. If you are thirsty, you both need and want water. Tá uisce uait.<br />
====Need====
form of <code>bí + gá + ag + subject* + le + object OR copula is + gá + do + subject* + VN/go </code><br />

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; background:#90ee90;"
|-
| Tá gá aige leis an bpeann || He needs the pen (lit.: "is necessity by-him with the pen")
| Is gá dom é a dhéanamh || I must do it (lit.: "is necessity to-me, it to do")
|-
| Ní gá duit é a dhéanamh || You must/need not do it (lit.: "not-is necessity to-you, it to do") (see also Must in the next section)
|}

====Teastaíonn for need or want====
<code>Teastaíonn + object + ó + subject OR Teastaíonn + ó + subject* + VN/go </code><br />

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; background:#90ee90;"
|-
| Teastaíonn arán uaidh || He wants/needs bread (lit.: "is need of bread from him")
|-
|Teastaíonn uaim fuisce a ól || I want to drink whiskey (lit.: "need from me, whiskey to drink")
|}

====Want====
form of <code>bí + object + ó + subject OR form of bí + ó + subject* + VN/go </code><br />

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; background:#90ee90;"
|-
|Tá braon uisce uaim || I want some water (lit.: "is a drop of water from me")
|-
|Tá uaim uisce a ól || I want to drink water (lit.: "is from me, water to drink")
|}
Note that this construction is similar to [2], but with Tá instead of Teastaíonn. The nuances are slight.<br /><br />
====Desire====
<code>copula is + mian / áil + le + subject* + object/VN/go </code>

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; background:#90ee90;"
|-
| Is mian liom é a dhéanamh || I want/wish, to do it (lit.: "is desire with-me, it to do") || J'ai envie de faire ceci || Tengo ganes de hacer eso || Мне хочется это делать
|}

===Must===
There are several ways to express must in Irish, but the simplest is with ag/ar, as follows:
<code>bí + ar + subject + VN</code>

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; background:#90ee90;"
|-
|Tá orm imeacht || I must go (lit. "is on me to go") || Il faut que j'y aie/je dois m'en aller
|-
|Tá ort éisteacht leis na scéalta || you must listen to the stories.
|}
Also <code>bí + ag + subject + le + VN</code>, but this is less common.

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; background:#90ee90;"
|-
| Tá agam le dul || I must go ("I have to go")
|}

===Could/Can (Possibility)===
The main, and simplest, way to express possibility and ability in Irish is with féidir<br />
====Possibility/ability ====
<code>form of is + féidir + le + subject* + VN/go</code><br />

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; background:#90ee90;"
|-
| Is féidir liom Gaeilge a scríobh || I can write Irish (lit. "is possible with me Irish to write") 
|-
|Ach ní féidir liom Rúisis a scríobh || But I can not write Russian 
|}

====Could be (adv)====
<code>Féidir</code> is also used in the conditional mood to express maybe/could be - when you don't know for certain.<br />

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; background:#90ee90;"
| B'fhéidir go bhfuil sé ann || It could be (= maybe) it's here
|}

====Strictly ability==== 
<code>bí + subject + in ann / in acmhainn / in inmhe / '''abalta''' + VN</code><br />

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; background:#90ee90;"
| Tá mé abalta Gaeilge a scríobh || I can write Irish (in Ulster and Munster). Think of it as literally: I am able to write Irish.  || je suis capable d'écrire Irlandais)
|}
For Connaght use ''in ann'' instead: Tá mé in ann Gaeilge a scríobh)<br />
Certain abilities, in Irish, are not a matter of can, but of having (see below: have): <code>form of bí + object + ag + subject </code>(see the section on possession above).<br />

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; background:#90ee90;"
|Tá Gaeilge agam || I can speak Irish (lit.: "is Irish by me / I have Irish") 
|-
|Tá léamh / snámh agam || I can read / swim
|}

===May (Permission)===
The main way to express permission in Irish, is with the word "cead" [kyad].<br />
<code>Form of bí + cead + ag + subject + VN</code><br />

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; background:#90ee90;"
| Tá cead ag an bhfear fuisce a ól || the man may drink whiskey (lit.: "is allowance by the man whiskey to drink")
|-
| An bhfuil cead agam dul go dtí an leithreas || may I go to the toilet (this is the sentence that every child in primary school in Ireland must know, otherwise the teacher will be cross (crosta) if they ask in English).
|}

<hr>
Now, have you read all that and understood? Well done. Here is a little reward. Sit back and enjoy the scenes of beautiful Connemara from above [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHOgDLVUJls] :-)