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B' urrainn | Cha b' urrainn

Could | couldn't

We first saw urrainn (ability, power) in A2 Cuspair 12 when we learned about iomlaid (inversion) with abairtean mòdail (modal phrases). These are the phrases where we say there is a miann (desire), comas (ability) or riatanas (necessity) to do something.

Am bi thu a’ cleachdadh coimpiutair?

Do you use a computer?

An urrainn dhut coimpiutair a chleachdadh?

Can you use a computer?

Tha mi a’ faighinn an eadar–lìn.

I am getting/get the internet

Remember we only get inversion after modal phrases like ‘S urrainn if the verbal noun and noun are directly linked, with no preposition between them. If a preposition is needed to connect them, then there is no inversion.

An urrainn dhut Gàidhlig a bhruidhinn?

Can you speak Gaelic?

An urrainn dhut bruidhinn ri Màiri?

Can you speak to Màiri?

Cha b’ urrainn

As we saw in Cuspair 2 with ‘S e and B’ e, there are only two tenses of Is, the present tense form Is | Cha and the conditional or past tense form Bu | Cha bu.

These are the forms we combine with urrainn to get its present and conditional or past tense forms.

Here is the gnìomhair fillte (compound verb) urrainn in the present tense is

IS URRAINN

An urrainn?Can, be able?✅ Is urrainnCan, be able
Nach urrainn?Can’t, not be able?⛔ Chan urrainnCan’t, not be able

and in the conditional or past tense b’:

B’ URRAINN

Am b’ urrainn?Could, would be able?✅ B’ urrainnCould, would be able
Nach b’ urrainn?Couldn’t, wouldn’t be able?⛔ Cha b’ urrainnCouldn’t, wouldn’t be able

Is urrainn dhomh fòn–làimhe glic [fòn glic] a chleachdadh.

I can use a smartphone.

B’ urrainn dhomh fòn–làimhe glic [fòn glic] a chleachdadh nam biodh fear agam.

I could use a smartphone if I had (would have) one.

Dè an teicneòlas nach b’ urrainn dhut a bhith às aonais?

What technology couldn’t you do without?

Am b’ urrainn dhut a’ chùis a dhèanamh às aonais an eadar–lìn?

Could you do without the internet?