Changes in spelling
On the previous page, did you notice that the spelling of the A word used to describe an action or state of being. also changed?
Déan became déanamh.
To change the spelling of the verb, follow the rules below.
A. Short verbs
If the verb is In Irish, a short verb has one syllable., add –eadh / –adh, depending if it is In Irish, a verb is broad if the last vowel is a, o or u. or In Irish, a verb is slender if the last vowel is i or e..
For example:
| bris | ag briseadh |
| dún | ag dúnadh |
| mol | ag moladh |
| fill | ag filleadh |
| glan | ag glanadh |
| bris |
| ag briseadh |
| dún |
| ag dúnadh |
| mol |
| ag moladh |
| fill |
| ag filleadh |
| glan |
| ag glanadh |
B. Long verbs
If the verb is In Irish, a long verb has more than one syllable (ends with –igh / –aigh). For example éirigh and ceannaigh., add –iú / -ú, depending if it is broad or slender.
For example:
| críochnaigh | ag críochnú |
| ainmnigh | ag ainmniú |
| ullmhaigh | ag ullmhú |
| ceartaigh | ag ceartú |
| léirigh | ag léiriú |
| críochnaigh |
| ag críochnú |
| ainmnigh |
| ag ainmniú |
| ullmhaigh |
| ag ullmhú |
| ceartaigh |
| ag ceartú |
| léirigh |
| ag léiriú |
C. Verbs that take ‘t’
For example:
| bain | ag baint |
| labhair | ag labhairt |
| oscail | ag oscailt |
| eitil | ag eitilt |
| imir | ag imirt |
| tiomáin | ag tiomáint |
| imigh | ag imeacht |
| bain |
| ag baint |
| labhair |
| ag labhairt |
| oscail |
| ag oscailt |
| eitil |
| ag eitilt |
| imir |
| ag imirt |
| tiomáin |
| ag tiomáint |
| imigh |
| ag imeacht |
D. Verbs that do not follow the rules
For example:
| caith | ag caitheamh |
| ceannaigh | ag ceannach |
| cuir | ag cur |
| éirigh | ag éirí |
| éist le | ag éisteacht le |
| foghlaim | ag foghlaim |
| léigh | ag léamh |
| nigh | ag ní |
| oibrigh | ag obair |
| ól | ag ól |
| scríobh | ag scríobh |
| siúil | ag siúl |
| caith |
| ag caitheamh |
| ceannaigh |
| ag ceannach |
| cuir |
| ag cur |
| éirigh |
| ag éirí |
| éist le |
| ag éisteacht le |
| foghlaim |
| ag foghlaim |
| léigh |
| ag léamh |
| nigh |
| ag ní |
| oibrigh |
| ag obair |
| ól |
| ag ól |
| scríobh |
| ag scríobh |
| siúil |
| ag siúl |
E. Irregular verbs
For example:
| téigh | ag dul | (going) |
| faigh | ag fáil | (getting) |
| tar | ag teacht | (coming) |
| ith | ag ithe | (eating) |
| tabhair | ag tabhairt | (giving) |
| abair | ag rá | (saying) |
| feic | ag feiceáil | (seeing) |
| déan | ag déanamh | (doing) |
| clois / cluin | ag cloisteáil / cluinstin | (hearing) |
| beir ar | ag breith ar | (catching) |
| bí | bheith | (being) |
| téigh |
| ag dul |
| (going) |
| faigh |
| ag fáil |
| (getting) |
| tar |
| ag teacht |
| (coming) |
| ith |
| ag ithe |
| (eating) |
| tabhair |
| ag tabhairt |
| (giving) |
| abair |
| ag rá |
| (saying) |
| feic |
| ag feiceáil |
| (seeing) |
| déan |
| ag déanamh |
| (doing) |
| clois / cluin |
| ag cloisteáil / cluinstin |
| (hearing) |
| beir ar |
| ag breith ar |
| (catching) |
| bí |
| bheith |
| (being) |
Let’s try some examples.
Question
bris
ag briseadh
Question
glan
ag glanadh
Question
múch
ag múchadh
Question
aistrigh
ag aistriú
Question
ardaigh
ag ardú
