Past tenseIrregular verbs

Learn how to put verbs into the past tense.

Part ofIrish – Learners (CCEA)Grammar

Irregular verbs

ith

There are eleven irregular in Irish. These verbs are called irregular because they do not follow the three rules of the past tense.

They are the most commonly used verbs and it is important to know them.

The table below shows these verbs in the positive, negative and question forms.

Past tense, irregular verbs - An aimsir chaite, briathra neamhrialta

VerbPositiveNegativeQuestion form
to gotéighchuaigh méní dheachaigh méan ndeachaigh tú
to bebíbhí méní raibh méan raibh tú?
to dodéanrinne méní dhearna méan ndearna tú?
to seefeicchonaic méní fhaca méan bhfaca tú?
to sayabairdúirt méní dúirt méan ndúirt tú?
to getfaighfuair méní bhfuair méan bhfuair tú?
to eatithd’ith méníor ith méar ith tú?
to hearclois / cluinchuala méníor chuala méar chuala tú?
to givetabhairthug méníor thug méar thug tú?
to cometartháinig méníor tháinig méar tháinig tú?
to catchbeir arrug mé arníor rug mé arar rug tú ar?
Verb
Positive
Negative
Question form
to go
téigh
chuaigh mé
ní dheachaigh mé
an ndeachaigh tú
to be
bí
bhí mé
ní raibh mé
an raibh tú?
to do
déan
rinne mé
ní dhearna mé
an ndearna tú?
to see
feic
chonaic mé
ní fhaca mé
an bhfaca tú?
to say
abair
dúirt mé
ní dúirt mé
an ndúirt tú?
to get
faigh
fuair mé
ní bhfuair mé
an bhfuair tú?
to eat
ith
d’ith mé
níor ith mé
ar ith tú?
to hear
clois / cluin
chuala mé
níor chuala mé
ar chuala tú?
to give
tabhair
thug mé
níor thug mé
ar thug tú?
to come
tar
tháinig mé
níor tháinig mé
ar tháinig tú?
to catch
beir ar
rug mé ar
níor rug mé ar
ar rug tú ar?

Let’s take a look at the first six irregular verbs. Can you see that the negative and question forms are different? They use ní in the negative and an in the question form.

VerbPositiveNegativeQuestion form
to gotéighchuaigh méní dheachaigh méan ndeachaigh tú
to bebíbhí méní raibh méan raibh tú?
to dodéanrinne méní dhearna méan ndearna tú?
to seefeicchonaic méní fhaca méan bhfaca tú?
to sayabairdúirt méní dúirt méan ndúirt tú?
to getfaighfuair méní bhfuair méan bhfuair tú?
Verb
Positive
Negative
Question form
to go
téigh
chuaigh mé
ní dheachaigh mé
an ndeachaigh tú
to be
bí
bhí mé
ní raibh mé
an raibh tú?
to do
déan
rinne mé
ní dhearna mé
an ndearna tú?
to see
feic
chonaic mé
ní fhaca mé
an bhfaca tú?
to say
abair
dúirt mé
ní dúirt mé
an ndúirt tú?
to get
faigh
fuair mé
ní bhfuair mé
an bhfuair tú?

Can you try to put these irregular verbs and sentences into Irish?

Question

I went - (téigh)

Question

we didn’t go - (téigh)

Question

I got - (faigh)

Question

you said - (abair)

Question

he didn’t see - (feic)

Question

I was - (bí)

Question

we did - (déan)

Question

they didn’t get - (faigh)

Question

you didn’t do - (déan)

Question

you (plural) didn’t say - (abair)

Let’s take a look at the other five irregular verbs. Can you see that the negative and question forms are níor in the negative form and ar in the question form, just as they are with regular verbs?

Can you try to put these irregular verbs and sentences into Irish?

Question

I ate - (ith)

Question

we didn’t catch - (beir ar)

Question

I gave - (tabhair)

Question

you came - (tar)

Question

he didn’t hear - (clois / cluin)

Question

I heard - (clois / cluin)

Question

we caught - (beir ar)

Question

they didn’t eat - (ith)

Question

you didn’t give - (tabhair)

Question

you (plural) didn’t come - (tar)

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Negative and question forms in the past tense

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