Books and other items printed in Gaelic from 1841 to 1870 > Stéidhean a' Ghràmair Ghaëlig

82 ETYMOLOGY.
FOCLACHADH.
Obs. — Both the Infinitive and Present or Imperfect Parti-
ciple of every Verb terrainate alike, but the participle requires
" a'" before it when it begins with a consonant, and "ag"
when it begins with a vowel ; as, " a' pasgadh," folding, or at
folding ; " ag ìocadh," paying, or atpaying.
t. The Interrogative form
simply asks a question ; as,
Am beil thu an-sin ? Are you
there ?
2. The Negative is used to
deny a thing ; as, Cha n-eil
mì fuar," / am not cold.
3. The Conditional is used
to express conditional or con-
tingent action or existence ; as,
"raa mhàrbh è ròn gheibh è
guna."
The Participle is a part of a
verb, itpartakesof theproperties
of an adjective, and expresses
òeing, action, or suffering.
TENSES OR TIMES.
Verbs have two simple
Tenses,* the Past and the
Future ; ancl three com-
pound Tenses, the Present,
the Perfect, and Pluperfect.
The Present Tense signifies
that the verbal action or state
is going on just now, or in pre-
sent time ; as, " Tha mì," /
am. " Tha na fir a' bualadh,"
the men are striking.
The Past Tense signifies
that the verbal action or state
is past and gone, or in past
time ; as, " Bhuail mì," /
struclc.
1. Tha'n staid Chèisteach a-
mhàin a' faighneachd cèiste ;
mar, An èisd sìbh ? Will ye
hear ?
2. Gnàthaichear an Diùltach
a dh'-àicheadh nì ; mar, " Cha
robh è gHc," he was not wise.
3. Gnàthaichear an Teagach
a dh-aithris gnìomha, no bith
fo theagamh, no fo thuiteamas ;
mar, " mur fàg thu sin buailear
thu."
Is pàirt de ghnìomhar, am
Pàirtear, tha rdinn de'nàdur a'
bhuadhair ànn, agus tha è 'noch-
dadh, bìth, gnìomha, no fulang.
TIMEAN NO TRÀTHAN.
Tha dà thìm singilt aig
gnìomharàn, Seachad, agus
Teacail. Agus trì tìmean
measgte, an Làthair, an Làn
agus an Roi-làn.
Tha 'n tìm Làthair a' nochd-
adh gu'm beil gnìomh, no
staid a' ghnìomhair a' dol air an
àm so, no 's an tìm à ta làthair ;
mar, " Tha ìad ag òl," they are
drinJcing.
Tha 'n tim Seachad a' noch-
dadh gu 'm beil gnìomh, no
staid a' ghnìomhair, seachad,
no 's an tìm à dh'-f halbh ; mar,
" Thuit è," hefell.
* There are only two verbs in Gaelic, viz. Br and is, to be, that have a simple
present tense ; but this seeming defect is nicely supplied by the future, or the
present tense of the verb bi combined with the present or past participle. The want
of a simple present tense is not peculiar to the Gaelic language, the Hebrew and
other Oriental languages want it also.