Introduction to Verbs

A verb expresses a wide range of meanings such as actions (run, jump, eat, drink), sensations (hurt, thirst, hunger) and states of being (is, was, will be).

It is very important that you can identify verbs, as they are the most important words in any sentence.

In English you can join two or three words together to make a verb group: I shall be going, I was running, I am thinking.

1. Bidh mi a’ falbh - I shall be going
2. Bha sibh a’ ruith – You were running
3. Tha e a’ smaoineachadh – He is thinking

A verb has a meaning, a person, and a tense.

1. We use the infinitive to show only the meaning. The infinitive in Gaelic always has the particle a or a dh’ in front of it (a choiseachd – to run; a dh’òl – to drink). The infinitive does not tell you who or when. It only tells you the meaning.
2. In the example, Tha e a’ smaoineachadh, there is meaning, person and tense.
1. You can tell from the use of the verb tha that the action is happening in the present.
2. You can tell from the use of the word e who is involved in the action.
3. You can tell from the verbal noun a’ smaoineachadh what the action is.
3. Verbs control the sentence: remember this.
4. When you look up a verb in the dictionary, you will find the root form. This is the part of the verb that is the command form.

In the dictionary you should also find the verbal noun form. From it you are able to obtain the infinitive form. Infinitives are derived by aspirating the verbal noun: a’ cur – a chur; a’ dùnadh – a dhùnadh; a’ pòsadh – a phòsadh; ag òl – a dh’òl; a’ fuireach – a dh’fhuireach. Note that a dh’ is used with verbs beginning with a vowel or f+ vowel.