Language/Scottish-gaelic/Vocabulary/Basic-Verbs

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Scottish Gaelic → Vocabulary → 0 to A1 Course → Everyday Objects and Common Verbs → Basic Verbs

Basic Verbs

Verbs are essential to every sentence. They express actions, being, or states of being. Using verbs correctly in a sentence is an important part of any language learning process. In this lesson, we will learn the most common verbs in Scottish Gaelic.

To Be

To Be is one of the most important verbs in any language. It is used to describe a state of being or an identity. In Scottish Gaelic, the verb to be is expressed through two different verbs depending on the tense:

Scottish Gaelic	Pronunciation	English
Tha	/ha/	To be (present tense)
Bha	/və/	To be (past tense)

Note that in Scottish Gaelic, to be is often omitted when it's obvious from the context.

• Tha mi - I am
• Tha thu - You are (singular)
• Tha e - He is
• Tha i - She is
• Tha sinn - We are
• Tha sibh - You are (plural)
• Tha iad - They are

Example:

• Tha mi glè phòsda. - I am very married.
• Am bheil thu fileanta sa' Ghàidhlig? - Are you fluent in Gaelic?
• Tha sinn a' fuireach anns an taigh ùr. - We are living in the new house.

To Have

To Have expresses possession in Scottish Gaelic. The verb is expressed as tha in the present tense and bha in the past tense in the same way as the verb to be.

• Tha cuideigin a' tighinn - Someone has arrived
• Bha mi air mo thuras - I had been on my journey

To Do

To Do is expressed by the verb dèan in Scottish Gaelic. It is used as a substitute or auxiliary verb for other verbs like in English 'to do' and it has various meanings. It's also used to make questions and negative statements.

• Dèan ol - Drink up
• Dèan fiosrachadh - enquire
• Dèan do chorp na beatha - take care of yourself
• Dèan an rud ceart - Do the right thing

Example:

• Dèan fiosrachadh aig an oifis phuist. - Enquire at the post office.
• Dèan teagasg sa' Ghàidhlig. - Teach in Gaelic.
• An dèan thu an nighe? - Will you wash the dishes?

To Go

To Go is expressed by the verb rach in Scottish Gaelic. It is a stem-changing verb, meaning that its vowel changes from an a to an e in the second and third person singular.

• Rach a-mach leam - Come out with me
• Chaidh lou misneach gam dhìon - His courage failed him

Example:

• Rachaidh mi an déidh do dhaoine ceart a dhìon. - I will go after protecting the right people.
• Cad e/Am faigh mi bus a-rithist a-màireach? - Will I get the bus again tomorrow?

Table of Contents - Scottish Gaelic Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

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Nouns and Articles

• Definite and Indefinite Articles
• Noun Gender and Plurals

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Everyday Objects and Common Verbs

• Common Household Items
• Basic Verbs

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Pronouns and Verb Conjugation

• Personal Pronouns
• Conjugating Regular Verbs

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Numbers, Time, and Dates

• Numbers 1-20
• Telling Time
• Days, Months, and Seasons

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Questions and Negation

• Forming Questions
• Negating Sentences

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Food and Drink

• Fruits and Vegetables
• Meals and Beverages

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Adjectives and Adverbs

• Describing with Adjectives
• Using Adverbs

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Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Describing Relationships

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Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Using Prepositions
• Linking with Conjunctions

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Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel-Related Phrases

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Scottish Gaelic Culture and Traditions

• History of Scottish Gaelic
• Traditional Music and Dance
• Festivals and Celebrations
• Literature and Poetry

Other Lessons

• Geometry
• Travel Related Phrases
• Family
• Post Office
• Months of the Year
• Dates
• Colors
• Clothes
• Transport

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Next Lesson — Personal Pronouns ▶️