Grammer Flashcards
Modh Coinníollach endings
D’ +h -fadh/-feadh/-eodh/-ódh
Aimsir fháistineach endings
-faidh/-fidh/-eoidh/-óidh
Aimsir Láithreach endings
-ann/-eann/-aíonn/-íonn
Aimsir Chaite endings
D’ +h
Aimsir Chaite Ceisteanna
ar +h
Aimsir Chaite negative endings
níor +h
Ceisteanna sa AL agus AF
an +urú
Negative sa AL agus AF
ní +h
Briathra neamhrialta
Abair/beir/bí/clois/déan/faigh/feic/ith/tabhair/tar/téigh
BN sa AC
Dúirt/Rug/Bhí/Chuala/Rinne/Fuair/Chonaic/D’ith/Thug/Tháinig/Chuaigh
BN sa AL
Deir/Beireann/Tá/Cloiseann/Déanann/Faigheann/Feiceann/Itheann/Tugann/Tagann/Téann
BN sa AF
Déarfaidh/Béarfaidh/Beidh/Cloisfidh/Déanfaidh/Gheobhaidh/Feicfidh/Íosfaidh/Tabharfaidh/Tiocfaidh/Rachaidh
Tá vs Is
Tá tells us ABOUT something
Is tells us WHAT something is
-ach
____ person
-oir/óir
profession
-aí
profession
BN sa AC negative
Ní dúirt, níor rug, ní raibh, níor chuala, ní dhearna, ní bhfuair, ní bhfaca, níor ith, níor thug, níor tháinig, ní dheachaigh
BN sa AC ceisteanna
An ndúirt, ar rug, an raibh, ar chuala, an ndearna, an bhfuar, an bhfaca, ar ith, ar thug, ar tháinig, an ndeachaigh
Word after i effect
Always takes an urú
Word after mar
Always takes shéimhú
Word after faoi
Always takes shéimhú
Word after le
Stays the same
Word after ó
Always takes shéimhú
Word after ag
No shéimhú
in the [vowel]
san
[grammar]
In the f-[vowel]
san +h
In the [consonant]
sa (+mutation)
In the [plural]
sna
When sa adds a shéimhú
after m- b- c- g- or p-
[grammar]
Sa effects
shéimhu after (m b c g p) and t- to the beginning of feminine s nouns
[grammar]
The name of a language
generally preceded by definite article (imagine it is said as the [language])
[grammar]
How to say
The____of the____
not possible in Irish so no definite article before a genitive.
Word after na
h____ if begins with vowel
Words after definitive artical
an _____
- if feminine: shéimhú or t before s
- if masculine and vowel: t-
[grammar]
When is An in the genitive
only before masculine singular nouns
Word effects after an in genitive
shéimhú if begins with consonant and t before s
Singular Word after na in genitive
h before vowels
Plural word after na in genitive
consonants get urú.
Vowels get n-
B urú
mb-
g urú
ng-
c urú
gc-
d urú
nd-
t urú
dt-
p urú
bp-
f urú
bhf-
When words don’t take urú
when word before ends in dntls and word starts with one of the dntls.
An is most common time this happens
Go grammar
- when with a verb takes an urú or n-.
- But makes no change when combined with a noun
Question grammar
an adds an urú to verb
Nach grammar
- nach adds urú to consonant verbs
- when used as “that (negative go/a)” adds n- to vowel verbs
in grammar
i before vowels or titles
ina grammar
i before possesive a or ár. E.g. in his hers theirs or ours
Go vs. a before verbs
both mean that but go relates to verbs and a relates to noun. A can usually be replaced with who
Atá vs a bhfuil
- atá is who/that is.
- A bhfuil is whose or who/that has
- Same thing applies to a bhí vs. a raibh
A bhfuil is for when you start talking about a second noun
[Whose is a bhfuil too but it’s easier to think of it as who has]
a grammar
[not the possessive]
adds a shéimhiú
also adds d’ when used as that/who
[n] who was
____ a bhí
[n] who is
____ atá
[n] that was
_____ a bhí
I hope that it will be
Tá súil agam go mbeidh sé
[vb] that it was
____ go raibh sé
[vb] that I am
___ go bhfuil mé
[vb] that I got
go bhfuair mé
[vb] that it will get
go bhfaighidh sé
[vb] that it does
go ndéanann sé
[n] that makes
a dhéanann
[vb] that it will take
go dtógfaidh sé
_____ whose ____ is
_____ a bhfuil a ____
____ whose ____ was
____ a raibh a _____
Verbal noun uses
- ____ing [ag ____]
- To ____ [_____]
- To ____ something [something a ____]
- something being _____ [something á ____]
- Something being ____ by someone [something á _____ ag ____]
- Something is to be ____ [something le ____]
- Person is _____ing pronoun [Tá person do pronoun’s _____]
- Person is/was/will be ____ing it/that [Tá/Bhí/Beidh person á dhéanamh /sin]
- the ____ing [an _____]
You are a _____
Is _____ thú
Is ____ pronoun vs. Is pronoun ____
- Is ____ mé is for classification
- Is mise is for definitive
I am a _____
I am [the] ____
Is pronoun tends to use emphatical forms but I’m not sure if you have to
She is the ____
Is í an _____ í
[She-un / Ish-uh]
He is the ___
Is é an _____ é
[Shay-un / Esh-un]
We are the ____
Is muidne na _____
Is sinne na ____
Yous are the ____
Is sibhse na ____
They are the ____
Is iad na _____ iad
[She-id]
Ba vs ab vs b’
- all past tense of Is
- Ab and b’ are for vowels
- Use B’ if it’s at the start of a sentence except if the word that follows is a pronoun [í, é, iad]
- Use B’ if something used to be smaller/taller/better/etc. but not when it was the smallest/tallest/best/etc.
-Bhí an bord ní b’fhearr
-Ba í Máire an cailin ab fhearr sa rang
You are the _____
Is tusa an ______
He is a _____
Is _____ é
I am [habitually]
Bím
It is [habitually]
Bíonn sé
They are _____s
Is _____ iad
She is a _____
Is _____ í
We are _____s
Is _____ muid
Yous are ____s
Is _____ sibh
You have work to do
Tá obair le déanamh agat
I have a lot of study to do
Tá go leor staidéir le déanamh agam
I am beating him
Tá mé á bhualadh
He is hitting her
Tá sé á bualadh
It is hurting them
Tá sé á ngortú
It is hurting us
Tá sé dár ngortú
I am doing it
Tá mé á dhéanamh/déanamh
We are doing them
Táimid á ndéanamh
I am doing that
Tá mé á dhéanamh sin
They are building it
Tá siad á thógáil
It is starting
Tá sé ag tosú
to build a house
teach a thógáil
I would like to do that
Ba mhaith liom sin a dhéanamh
He would like to stay
Ba mhaith leis fanacht
I would like to leave
Ba mhaith liom imeacht
Fág vs imigh
Fág is to leave something behind
Imigh is to leave a place
I would like to leave here
Ba mhaith liom imeacht anseo
I would like to start taking lessons
Ba mhaith liom tosú ag cur ceachtanna
I would like to start studying
Ba mhaith liom tosú ag staidéar
Roads are being built
Tá bóithre á dtógáil
á grammar
Changes verb depending on noun being discussed
1. shéimhiú when sing. masc noun
2. h before when sing. fem noun AND the verb after starts with noun(e.g. éirí)
3. urú when plural
history is being made
Tá stair á déanamh
Lives are being taken
Tá saolta á dtógáil
[n] that had [something]
____ a raibh ____ ag[pronoun]
the woman who had everything
An bhean a raibh gach rud aici
The game that the referee was going to finish
An cluiche a raibh an réiteoir chun críochnú
The game that was going to finish
An cluiche a bhí chun críochnú
[noun] was going to [verb]
Bhí [noun] chun [verbal noun]
She was going to buy the food
Bhí sí chun an bia a cheannach
[noun] was about to [verb]
Bhí [noun] ar tí [verbal noun]
He was about to marry her
Bhí sé ar tí í a phósadh
He was a man who had a family
Ba fear é a raibh teaghlach aige
The door that has paint on it
An doras a bhfuil péint air
The fridge that has sausages in it
An cuisneoir a bhfuil ispíní ann
a bhí ann
This seems to mean it was but there’s a bit more emphasis than Ba ___ é
Questions and Negatives conjugation in Past
- Ar - adds shéimhiú but not the d’
- Nár - is for negative questions does the same as ar
- Níor - is for negative statements and also does the same as ar
Questions and Negatives conjugation in Present
- An - adds urú
- Nach - negative questions and adds urú
- Ní - negative statement and adds shéimhiú but not d’
Questions and Negatives conjugation in Future
- An - adds urú
- Nach - negative questions and adds urú
- Ní - negative statement and adds shéimhiú but not d’
Ansin vs. ann
Ansin is more precise “there”
Ann literally means “in it” but is a more general there
negative of a/go [verb] in the past
nár [question form of verb (usually +h)]
Verbs that use irregular negative of a/go [verb] in the past
téigh
bí
déan
feic
faigh
-use nach instead of nár-
The man who didn’t come
an fear nár tháinig
The man that didn’t go
An fear nach ndeachaigh
The man who didn’t eat
An fear nár ith
the boy that didn’t get
An buachaill nach bhfuair
I think the boy didn’t get
Ceapaim nach bhfuair an buachaill
I like that the story wasn’t
Is maith liom nach raibh an scéal
The woman that wasn’t
an bhean nach raibh
I think that the man didn’t do
Ceapaim nach ndearna an fear
The business that didn’t make
An gnó nach ndearna
They said he didn’t see
Dúirt siad nach bhfaca sé
The man who didn’t say
An fear nár dúirt
It seems like they didn’t say anything
Is cosúil nár dúirt siad aon rud
The man that didn’t get a prize
An fear nach bhfuair duais
I thought that he didn’t get
Ceapaim mé nach bhfuair sé
I hope that they didn’t see it
Tá súil agam nach bhfaca siad é
The boy who didn’t hear
An buachaill nár chuala
She thought that he didn’t give her it but he did
Cheap sí nár thug sé di é ach thug sé
The man who was not born here
An fear nár rugadh anseo
The woman who didn’t take it
An bhean nár thóg é
The boy who didn’t drink it
An buachaill nár ól é
I like that he didn’t drink it
Is maith liom nár ól sé é
negative of a/go [verb] in the present + future
nach [ +urú / n- ]
The woman who is not here
An bhean nach bhfuil anseo
She realizes he doesn’t love her at all
Tuigeann sí nach bhfuil grá aige di ar chor ar bith
She thinks it will not be better for her daughter
Ceapann sí nach mbeidh sé níos fearr dá hiníon
I’m glad that the boy doesn’t drink
Tá áthas orm nach n-ólann an buachaill
for her ____
dá ____
[do + a so h before vowel]
for his ____
dá _____ [+h to consonant]
for their ____
dá _____ [+urú or n-____]
for my ____
do mo ____ [+h]
for your _____
do do ____[+h]
for our ____
dár _____ [+urú or n-____]
possessive pronouns and effects
mo +h
do +h
(his) a +h
(her) a
ár +urú
bhur +urú
(their) a +urú
my (vowel)
m’____
your (vowel)
d’____
his (vowel)
a _____
her (vowel)
a h____
our (vowel)
ár n-____
y’alls (vowel)
bhur n-____
their (vowel)
a n-____
idir grammar
+h
faoi grammar
+h
na grammar (not in tuiseal ginideach)
word after doesn’t change
they have
acu
she has
aici
he has
aige
we have
againn
with you
leat
with her
léi
with us
linn
with them
leo
before him
roimhe
before them
rompu
on me
orm
on you
ort
on him
air
on her
uirthi
on us
orainn
on yous
oraibh
on them
orthu
for me
dom
for you
duit
for him
dó
for her
di
for us
dúinn
for yous
daoibh
for them
dóibh
from me
uaim
from you
uait
from him
uaidh
from her
uaithi
from us
uainn
from them
uathu
under him
faoi
under her
fúithi
under them
fúthu
in me
ionam
in you
ionat
in him
ann
in her
inti
in us
ionainn
in them
iontu
In his
Ina [+h]
In her ____
Ina [h____]
In their ___
Ina [urú or n-]
In our
Inár [urú or n-]
the things that are happening
na rudaí atá ag tarlú
I have ____ed it
Tá sé (verbal adjective) agam
I have left it
Tá sé fágtha agam
She has spoilt the children
Tá na páistí millte aici
masculine noun general indicator
last vowel is broad (leathan)
ends in vowel
plural nouns that end in consonants
feminine noun general indicator
last vowel is slender (caol)
masculine rule common exceptions that are masculine
-jobs ending in -ir
-ín ending
feminine rule common exceptions that are feminine
-eog / óg
-lann
-acht / ocht
athair gender
masculine
buachaill gender
masculine
comhlacht gender
masculine
bean gender
feminine
deirfiúr gender
feminine
im gender
masculine
mí gender
feminine
oíche gender
feminine
tine gender
feminine
leaba gender
feminine
bunreacht gender
masculine
léine gender
feminine
banríon gender
feminine
numbers that add urú or n-
seacht gcapall “seven horses”
ocht n-asal “eight donkeys”
naoi gcat “nine cats”
deich bpeann “ten pens”
genitive urús and n-
urús and n- are added to plural genitive forms for both masculine and feminine. Therefore when you see an urú/n- in the genitive you know that the word is plural
numbers that add shéimhiú
aon bhó amháin “one cow”
an chéad bhliain “the first year”
dhá theach “two houses”
beirt fhear “two men”
trí bhád “three boats”
ceithre bhó “four cows”
cúig phunt “five pounds”
sé mhí “six months”
adjective + noun grammar
words that combine an adjective(sean) with a noun(bean) the noun gets a shéimhiú
e.g. seanbhean
ardbhrú
ógfhear
drochdhuine
prefix grammar
after prefixes word gets séimhiú
e.g. an-, ró-, mí, do, príomh, neamh, ath, leas
an-bheag “very small”
ró-bheag “too small”
athbhliain “new year”
dobhréagnaithe “undeniable”
idirchreidmheach “interconfessional”
forbhríste “overalls”
míshásta “unhappy”
neamhchodladh “insomnia”
príomhchathair “capital city”
adjective of sa/den/don word
when sa/san are used for a word that has an adjective the adjective also gets a shéimhiú
den grammar
gets a shéimhiú
don grammar
gets a shéimhiú
adjectives after fem. singular nouns
get a shéimhiú
preposition and article singular grammar
(faoin, ag an, ar an, chuig an)
Applies to most prepositions (except don, den, chun, sa)
1. adds urús except for d and t
-faoin gcíos
-ag an doras
-ar an mbord
2. also removes the t- that goes before an + masculine sing. starting with vowel.
-an t-éan -> leis an éan
3. the usual t before s on feminine sing. still applies
-an tsráid -> ar an tsráid
prepositions
ag -
ar -
faoi -
as -
chuig -
chun -
de -
do -
i -
le -
ó -
ar grammar
- adds shéimhiú most of the time except for when referring to abstract state
-on the horses back = “ar mhuin an chapaill”
-on horseback = “ar muin chapaill” - but there are also some further exceptions to this
-in a way = “ar dhóigh”
-excellent = “ar dóigh” “ar fheabhas”
-of course = “ar ndóigh”
-happening = “ar súil” “ar cois” “ar obair”
as grammar
no change
chuig grammar
no change
chun grammar
means “to” or in “in order to”
when as “to” turns a noun to genitive version
1. chun an bharra = to the bar
2. chun boird = to table
3. chun na hoibre = for the job
“in order to” version is generally interchangeable with similar use of “le”
go[preposition] grammar
adds h____ before vowels
go Ceanada, go hUíbh Fhailí
generally used for towns, counties and countries
to Ireland
go hÉirinn
(breaks grammar rules)
go dtí grammar
no change
chun vs chuig vs go
chun/go dtí is for when place has an article (to the ___)
chuig is for events, people
go is for when place no article (to ____)
de grammar
adds shéimhiú and t before s
do (not your) grammar
adds shéimhiú and t before s
faoin grammar
urú except for t and d
ag an grammar
urú except for t and d
as an grammar
urú except for t and d
ar an grammar
urú except for t and d
chuig an grammar
urú except for t and d
den grammar
Shéimhiú [unless d n t l s]
means off / from / (attached) to
don grammar
shéimhiú [unless d n t l s]
leis an grammar
urú except for d and t
ón grammar
urú except for t and d
ar meaning
- on
- for (a price)
- emotion/disease
- at
niche meanings: - of (authority)
- about
- about
- other specific meanings with verbs or in certain phrases
negative of “is”
ní
negative of “ba”
“níor”
“níorbh” before vowels
question of “ba”
“ar”
“arbh” before vowels
question of “is”
“an” (does not cause urú after)
negative question of “ba”
“nár”
“nárbh” before vowels
negative question of “is”
“nach”
cé hí
who is she?
cé hé
who is he?
cé hiad
who are they?
cér
who was?
cérbh
who was? (before vowel)
cérbh iad
who were they?
gur vs gurb
gurb is for pronouns or adjectives starting with vowels
gur in the past
gur in the past adds a shéimhiú to the next word
gur in the present doesn’t affect the next word
when gurbh ea is used
gurbh is for pronouns or adjectives starting with vowels or fh in the past
in the past tense to emphasize
emphatics of mé, tú, é, í, muid, sibh, iad
mise
tusa
eisean
ise
sinne / muidne
sibhse
iadsan
emphatics of mé, tú, sé, sí, muid, sibh, siad
mise
tusa
seisean
sise
sinne / muidne
sibhse
siadsan
Adjective singular grammar rules
Agrees with the noun
1. Masc. sing: no change
2. Fem. sing: +h
4. adjectives that begin with vowels don’t change
Adjective plural grammar rules
Add a or e to the end of the adjective for all plurals
1. plural nouns ending with slender ending: + h
2. plural nouns ending in vowel : no change
3. adjectives ending in air change to ra
4. adjectives ending in úil change to úla
These changes are regardless of gender
Adjective with numbered nouns grammar rules
- singular form for 1
- plural form for 2 - 19
- singular form for 20+
When adjective is telling that something is/was/will be as opposed to being part of the noun
You leave it in it’s basic form
1. [fem. sing]
tá an bhean mhór = the big woman is
tá an bhean mór = the woman is big
2. [masc. plural]
tá na cait bheaga = the small cats are
tá na cait beag = the cats are small
Nouns with multiple adjectives
- If there are multiple adjectives they all adjectives get the same affects they would get if they were on their own.
- Certain adjectives need to be ordered
[Size - Qualities - Origin] is the general rule
-na himreoirí beaga[S] cineálta[Q] Spáinneacha[O]
Adjectives as adverbs rule
go is applied before adjective in two scenarios
1. when saying I do something adjectively e.g. I work fast
-D’oibrigh mé go sciobtha
2. when bí is with adjectives of opinion [good, bad, beautiful]
-Tá sé go hiontach/dona/hálainn
go adds a h before adjectives starting with a vowel
Chomh with adjectives uses
- Chomh [adj] le = as [adj] as
- Chomh [adj] is a bhí/tá [noun] = as [adj] as [noun] was/is. NOTE: not copula is but instead the shortened agus
- Chomh [adj] sin = all that [adj] / so [adj] that
- Chomh [adj] céanna = just as [adj]
- Cé chomh [adj] le? = How [adj] is?
chomh mór le
as big as
Níl Seán chomh sásta is a bhí Máire
Seán wasn’t as satisfied as Máire was
Níl sí chomh maith sin
It isn’t all that good
Tá Síle chomh beag céanna.
Síle is just as small
Bhí sé chomh beag sin nach bhféadfaí é a fheiceáil
He was so small that it couldn’t be seen
Cé chomh ard le Colm?
How tall is Colm?
Adjectives in genitive with male singular nouns
- +h
- if adjective is one syllable add i after the final vowel unless it ends in ll, rr, nn or m
- if adjective ending in:
-[ach change to aigh] obair an duine bhradaigh
-[each change to igh] hata an fhir uaignigh
Adjectives in genitive with female singular nouns
- no change
- if adjective ending in:
-[ach change to aí] crainn na coille craobhaí
-[each change to í] caint na mná uaigní
Adjectives in genitive with plural nouns
- never add +h
- nouns in genitive almost always are identical to their nominative singular or plural forms
- if plural noun in genitive is the same as nominative singular then use that corresponding version of the adjective
- if plural noun in genitive is the same as nominative plural then use that corresponding version of the adjective
