Present tenseThe present tense using I / first person

A recap of the rules on verbs

• broad - the last vowel is a, o, u
• slender - the last vowel is i, e
• short - one syllable
• long - more than one syllable
• syncopated - more than one syllable, not ending with –igh /-aigh

Let’s try to use these rules to put verbs into the present tense when talking about I / myself.

Examples of this in English are I go, I put, I clean, I eat.

Step 1

To put a verb into the present tense for ‘I’, remove the ending –igh / –aigh / –ai / –i if there is one. For example:

Step 2

Add -im to short verbs.

Add -ím to long / syncopated verbs.

Remember

im / -ím represents I in English

im / -ím replaces the word mé

Do not use mé in the present tense (except with tá mé)

Step 3

Decide if the verb is broad or slender.

If it is broad, add an a before the –im / –ím.

If it is slender do not change anything.

Can you try to put the following into the present tense in Irish?

If unsure, follow the three steps above.