There are two ways in Gaelic to describe a completed action. In A1 Cuspair 6 we learned the adjectives dùinte (closed), fosgailte (open(ed)) and dèanta (done). These kind of adjectives are only used with some verbs. The other way, which can be used with any number of verbs, is to use the verbal noun with the ubiquitous preposition air (on), here used more in the sense of ‘after’. We use bha (was), tha (is) or bidh (will be) with air and the possessive pronouns to form a sentence.
possessive adjective with air / Buadhair seilbheach le air | Lenites Sèimheachadh /? | |
air mo | on my | Yes / Tha |
air do | on your | Yes / Tha |
air a | on his | Yes / Tha |
air a (before vowel) air a h- | on her | No / Chan eil |
air ar (before vowel) ar n- | on our | No / Chan eil |
air ur (before vowel) air ur n- | on your (plural) | No / Chan eil |
air an (before b, f, m, p) air am | on their | No / Chan eil |
air mo
on my
air do
on your
air a
on his
air a / air a h‑
on her
air ar / air ar n-
on our
air ur / air ur n-
on your (plural)
air an / air am
on their
Tha | an obair | air | a | dèanamh. | the work is done (literally the work is on its/her doing) |
Is | the work | on | its/her | doing. | |
Tha | am biadh | air | a | dhèanamh. | The food is made/done (literally the food is on its/his making) |
Is | the food | on | its/his | doing/making. |
The possessive adjectives refer back to the gender of the noun or pronoun. In the first example obair is feminine and so dèanamh is not lenited after a (her). In the second example biadh is masculine so dèanamh is lenited after a (his): dhèanamh.
Tha an doras dùinte
The door is closed
Tha e air a dhùnadh
It is closed
Tha an uinneag fosgailte
The window is open
Tha i air a fosgladh
It is open
Tha an t-aran dèanta
The bread is made
Tha e air a dhèanamh
It is made
Tha na bùithtean dùinte
The shops are closed
Tha iad air an dùnadh
They are closed
Play with the sentences below. There are no wrong answers!
Tha an oifis air a glanadh
Bidh an doras air a pheantadh a-màireach