Defective verbs

 


Ars, arsa

Said

arsa Calum Figheadoir

said Calum the weaver

ars eisean, ars esan

He said

ars ise

She said

 

 


Faod (only in dh’fhaodadh)

might

Dh’fhaofadh a bhith

It might be

Dh’fhaodadh thu sin a rádh

You might say so

ma dh’fhaodas me

If I can

 

 


Féad (only in féadfhaidh)

Must

Féadfhaidh tu dol

You must go

An dtéid thusa leam? Féadaidh me

Will you go with me? If I can

 

 


fhéatar, in is fhéatar, B’fhéatar

Must, may

Is fhéatar domh

I must

B’fhéatar domh

I had better

B’fhéadar duit

You must

B’fhéatar gon innis

Maybe… will tell

B’fhéatar

maybe

Is méatar duit

You must

 

 


Urra, urraidh, urrain

can

Is urra leam

I can

Cho maith ‘s is urra leat

As well as you can

An urr’ leat?

Can you?

Chan urr’ leam

I cannot

Chan urr’ leithe iteogaigh

She cannot fly

Is urran domh

I can

Chan urrain

Cannot

B’urra leat a dhol i bhfalach annta

You could go and hide in them

Cha b’urraidh

Could not

Cha b’urra me

I could not

 


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