See Lesson Content

Day-to-day

A1
Dashboard
sg-star
Complete for 2 points

Ainmearan gnìomhaireach

Verbal nouns

What is a verbal noun?  

The verbal noun is a Gaelic part of speech that is used in many similar ways as participles in other languages. A good example of this in English are the verbs ending in – ing, (looking working, eating). It can be used as either a verb OR a noun. 

Does every Gaelic verb have a verbal noun?

Yes, apart from tha!

How do I form the verbal noun?

Add the following endings to the verb. This only applies to what we have learnt so far.

VerbVerbal noun 
verb + adh Leugh, sgrìobh Leughadh, sgrìobhadh 
Verb Obair, dannsa, ruith Obair, dannsa, ruith 

When do I use the verbal noun? 

Combine it with tha / bha and other forms of bidh to say when you are, were, will be or regularly engage in doing something. You need to add ag before a word beginning with a vowel or a’ before a word beginning with a consonant.

Dè bhios tu a’ leughadh?

What do you read?

Dè bhios tu a’ dèanamh?

What do you do?

Dè bhios tu ag ithe?

What do you eat?

Bhios is one of the instances you use tu instead of thu.