Gàidhlig 8

Description of main language structure

What it does

Future tense structures of irregular verbs: all important forms, e.g. Chì; Am faic?; Chan fhaic; Nach fhaic?; a chì/nach fhaic; gum faic/nach fhaic; Cuin/Ciamar/Cò/Dè/Carson a chì?; Càite am faic?

To talk and ask about future events (for some Gaelic ‘doing’ words that don’t follow the usual patterns) in terms of what people ‘will or won’t do’ rather than what they ‘will or won’t be doing’, e.g. I will see; She won’t see; Will they see?; Won’t he see?; which someone will see; which someone won’t see; that someone will see; that someone won’t see; When/Where/Why/How/What will they see?; Who will see?

Nam/nad identity structures (na + mo/do): all variants nam, nad, na, nar, nur, nan/nam e.g. Bidh mi nam dhotair; A bheil i na seinneadair?; Cha robh iad nan oileanaich aig an àm sin; Tha an duine sin na amadan!

To use a familiar phrase meaning that something is “in” something else (where the next word is my, your, his, her, our, your or their) to offer a new way of talking about people’s jobs or their character traits, e.g. I’ll be a doctor; Is she a singer?; They weren’t students at that time; The man’s a fool!

Nam/nad structures (na + mo/do): all variants nam, nad, na, nar, nur, nan/nam, in abstract phrases, e.g. Tha sinn nar n-èiginn; Tha mi fada nad chomain; Nach eil iad nan cadal idir?; Tha mi an dòchas nach bi sibh nur n-aonar.

To use a familiar phrase saying that something is “in” something else (where the next word is my, your, his, her, our, your or their) to express more abstract ideas about people’s states of body and mind, e.g. We are in distress; I am much obliged to you; Are they not asleep yet?; I hope you won’t be there on your own.

Mo/do inversion structures (all variants: mo, do, a, ar, ur, an/am) with pronouns as objects, e.g. Tha mi airson a chuideachadh, Bha iad ag iarraidh ur cluinntinn, Am bu toil leat ar coinneachadh?; Cha bu toil leatha a faicinn.

To put actions such as doing, helping, seeing, hearing, together with me, you, him/it, her/it, us, you, them, in familiar phrases concerned with what people would like to do, in order to be able to say, e.g. I want to help him; They wanted to hear you, Would you like to meet us?; She wouldn’t like to see her/it.