Thig (irregular verb)

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The irregular verb thig means "to come". Thig is one of 11 irregular verbs in Gaelic.

Uses

Summary of forms

  • Independent forms of the verb thig are used without any particles.
  • Dependent forms of the verb thig are used after an, nach, gun, "cha" and other verbal particles.


context independent Dependent
basic forms active past thàinig tàinig
Future thig tig
Relative Future --- thig
impersonal1 past thàinigeadh or thàinigeas tàinigeadh or tàinigeas
future thig(t)ear tig(t)ear
relative future --- thig(t)ear
Conditional Mood active thigeadh2
(thiginn1 in 1st sing)
(thigeamaid1,3 in 1 pl)
tigeadh2
(tiginn 1 in 1st sing)
(tigeamaid1,3 in 1pl)
impersonal thigte tigte
Imperative Mood 2nd person singular thig ---
plural thigibh1
verbal noun tighinn

Notes:

  • 1 these forms are not used with any subject, they contain the subject in the inflection of the verb (Pro-Drop)
  • 2 takes tu rather than thu in the 2nd person.
  • 3 1 pl inflected forms are archaic and are rarely used anymore.

Non Conditional Moods (indicative, interrogative, negative)

Active Voice

Past tense

Declarative Question Negative Negative Question embedded
1 thàinig mi an tàinig mi cha tàinig mi nach tàinig mi gun tàinig mi
2 thàinig thu an tàinig thu cha tàinig thu nach tàinig thu gun tàinig thu
3 masc thàinig e an tàinig e cha tàinig e nach tàinig e gun tàinig e
3 fem thàinig i an tàinig i cha tàinig i nach tàinig i gun tàinig i
1 pl thàinig sinn an tàinig sinn cha tàinig sinn nach tàinig sinn gun tàinig sinn
2 pl thàinig sibh an tàinig sibh cha tàinig sibh nach tàinig sibh gun tàinig sibh
3 pl thàinig iad an tàinig iad cha tàinig iad nach tàinig iad gun tàinig iad


Present tense

As is common in Gaelic, there is no present tense form of the verb. When a simple present meaning ("I come") or a progressive meaning (I am coming) is intended, the periphrastic construction is used with the present tense of the verb bi (be), i.e., tha, along with the verbal noun.

Tha mi a' tighinn
be.pres 1s prog come.vn
I'm coming/I come


Future tense

The future tense in Gaelic is used to express the idea that an event will happen sometime after the speech time. Unlike English, the future tense can also be used with a present tense meaning, to express the idea that an action is habitual.

Declarative Question Negative Negative Question Relative Future1
1 thig mi an tig mi cha tig nach tig mi a thig mi
2 thig thu an tig thu cha tig thu nach tig thu a thig thu
3 masc thig e an tig e cha tig e nach tig e a thig e
3 fem thig i an tig i cha tig i nach tig i a thig i
1 pl thig sinn an tig sinn cha tig sinn nach tig sinn a thig sinn
2 pl thig sibh an tig sibh cha tig sibh nach tig sibh a thig sibh
3 pl thig iad an tig iad cha tig iad nach tig iad a thig iad

Note:

  1. the relative future is used after certain particles such as ma or the particle used with questions a.



Impersonal/Passive Voice

Gaelic verbs don't technically have a Passive verb form. It does, however, have an impersonal form. The Impersonal is used to indicate an indeterminate subject, so thàinigeadh means "someone came"


Past tense

Note: these forms are archaic and almost never used anymore

Declarative Question Negative Negative Question
thàinigeadh an tàinigeadh cha tàinigeadh nach tàinigeadh


Present tense

The use of a passive in the present tense is odd, even in English. We leave this blank here.


Future tense

The future tense impersonal independent and relative future form is thigear or thigtear, with particles this become tig(t)ear eg. an tigear.


Conditional Mood

Active

Declarative Question Negative Negative Question
1 thiginn1 an tiginn1 cha tiginn1 nach tiginn1
2 thigeadh tu2 an tigeadh2 tu cha tigeadh2 tu nach tigeadh2 tu
3 masc thigeadh e an tigeadh e cha tigeadh e nach tigeadh e
3 fem thigeadh i an tigeadh i cha tigeadh i nach tigeadh i
1 pl thigeadh sinn (thigeamaid3) an tigeadh sinn (an tigeamaid3) cha tigeadh sinn (cha tigeamaid3) nach tigeamaid sinn (nach tigeamaid3)
2 pl thigeadh sibh an tigeadh sibh cha tigeadh sibh nach tigeadh sibh
3 pl thigeadh iad an tigeadh iad cha tigeadh iad nach tigeadh iad

Notes:

  1. The 1st person singular form is never used with an overt pronoun, the verb contains the pronoun already.
  2. The pronoun tu is used here instead of thu
  3. The 1st person plural has a special inflected form, which like the first person singular is never used with a pronoun. This 1st person plural form is rarely used anymore.


impersonal

Declarative Question Negative Negative Question
thigte an tigte cha tigte nach tigte


Imperative Mood

  • singular: thig
  • plural: thigibh



References

  • Black, Ronald (2006) Cothrom Ionnsachaidh Peebles: Self-published.
  • Byrne, Michel (2002) Gràmar na Gàidhlig. Eilean Leòdhais: Stòrlann-Acair.
  • Deiseal Earranta tta (2006) Reference Cards: Sealbhairean Roimhearach/Riochdairean Roimhearach.
  • Mark, Colin (2004) The Gaelic-English Dictionary/Am faclair Gàidhlig-Beurla. London: Routledge
  • Mark, Colin (2006), Gaelic Verbs: Systemised and Simplified" 2nd Edition. Edinburgh: Steve Savage Publishers. http://www.savagepublishers.com/138.html
  • Lamb, William (2003) Scottish Gaelic. 2nd edition. Munich: Lingcom Europa