Inversion

Iomlaid

Watch as Joy explains iomlaid (inversion).

Learning point:  inversion

There's a number of verbs in English like 'I must', 'I may', 'I can' that to make sense need to be followed by another verb: I must go, I can swim. We've come across these in Gaelic:

Feumaidh mi, I must,

Faodaidh mi, I may,  and now

'S urrainn dhomh, I can.

Something interesting happens with word order when we bring in a noun.

'I must buy food': Feumaidh mi biadh a cheannach. I must…. food to buy,

Feumaidh mi biadh a cheannach. The noun first and then the verb.

'I can play guitar' 'S urrainn dhomh giotàr a chluich, guitar to play, 'S urrainn dhomh giotàr a chluich.