Gramadach

1. Gramadach cuid a haon

2. Cad is briathar? What is a verb? A verb is a doing or action word. For example: run, talk, dance, shout, clean etc. These are examples of the stem or root of a verb. We can change these verbs into different tenses e.g. ran = past, will run = future. We can also add a possessive to show who is carrying out the action e.g. He cleaned. We can also conjugate a verb in a certain tense. This means to list all forms of a verb in that tense.

3. Conjugate a verb To conjugate the verb glan (to clean), we would write it as follows: Ghlan mé I cleaned Ghlan tú You cleaned Ghlan sé He cleaned Ghlan sí She cleaned Ghlanamar We cleaned Ghlan sibh You(pl)* cleaned Ghlan siad They cleaned Ar ghlan tú? Did you clean? Níor ghlan mé I didn’t clean *In English, there is no plural of You. In some parts of the country, people may say Ye or Yous. In Irish, the plural of You is Sibh. You in the plural form is indicated by You(pl).

4. Syntax (Order of Words) The syntax or order of words in a sentence is very important. In English, we put the person first and then the verb. For example, we say “I cleaned”. In Irish, the syntax is reversed. We put the verb first and then the person. For example, we said “Ghlan sé”. So the sentence “I cleaned my room yesterday” would be “Glan mé mo sheomra inné”.

5. Briathra Rialta Briathra rialta (regular verbs) are verbs that follow a set of rules. For example, if you learn how to conjugate a verb in the past, present or future tense, the briathra rialta will follow the rules. Some examples of briathra rialta are: cuir– to put tóg – to take fág– to leave ceannaigh – to buy dún – to close éist – to listen fan – to wait ól – to drink bailigh – to collect tosaigh – to start caill – to lose buaigh– to win glan – to clean éirigh – to get up ceap – to think

6. Briathra Neamhrialta Briathra neamhrialta (irregular verbs) are verbs that do not follow a set of rules. Each verb has different endings and does not follow a pattern or the normal rules. They may also use a different stem or root. Fortunately, there are only 11 briathra neamhrialta. The briathra neamhrialta are: abair– to say beir - to catch bí– to be clois– to hear déan– to make/do faigh- to get feic– to see ith– to eat tabhair– to give tar – to come téigh– to go

7. Broad & Slender Verbs Before we conjugate a verb, we must determine whether it is a broad verb or a slender verb. The broad vowels in Gaeilge are a, o and u. The slender vowels in Gaeilge are i and e. If the last vowel in a one syllable verb is a, o or u, the verb is broad e.g. glan is a broad verb. If the last vowel is i or e, it is slender e.g. bris is a slender verb. If the last vowel in the 1st syllable of a two syllable verb is a, o or u, the verb is broad e.g. tosaigh is a broad verb. If the last vowel in the 1st syllable of a two syllable verb is ior e, the verb is slender e.g. bailigh is a slender verb. Remember the rule – “Caol le caol, leathan le leathan” (Slender with slender, broad with broad)

8. Briathra Leathana(Broad Verbs) pioc – to pick tóg – to take fan – to waitól – to drink glan – to clean ceap – to think tosaigh – to start rothaigh – to cycle brostaigh – to hurry gortaigh – to hurt las – to light críochnaigh – to finish ceannaigh – to buy cabhraigh – to helpdún – to close sleamhnaigh – to slip

9. Briathra Caol(Slender Verbs) bris – to break caill – to lose lig – to let fill – to return éist – to listen buail – to hit goid – to steal bailigh – to collect/gather dúisigh – to wake oibrigh – to work imir – to play litrigh – to spell éirigh – to get up deisigh – to fix sroich – to reach múin – to teach