1. Using the verb tá

If you want to make a simple statement about something that is happening you start the statement with tá.

The next part of the statement should refer to the subject of the sentence, and should be a noun. This could be a definite thing like 'the boat' or an indefinite thing like 'a boat'. It could also be a person's name or pronoun (he or she: there is no 'it' in modern Irish - in grammatical terms everything is either masculine or feminine.)

So, tá mé = I am.

If you want to say 'you are', you keep the tá and replace mé with tú.

So, tá tú = you are.

You can see how to use tá in the box on the right. Remember, the order of words in Irish is reversed: the tá is 'am' and the mé is 'I'.

The passive and impersonal form of tá is táthar. So, for example, if you want to say 'it is being worked on' you would say: táthar ag obair air.

2. Personal pronouns

Opposite you can see what the personal pronouns are in Irish.

There is one thing you might or might not want to bother with right now, we'll tell you about it anyway.

Originally verbs (doing words) in the Irish language were one word with the personal pronoun as part of the verb. With the introduction of the Caighdeán, the Official Language, the verbs and personal pronouns appeared as two separate words.

NB. Tá sé and Tá sí are often said nowadays but strictly speaking they are included in tá.

The passive form táthar is the same as above.

3. Verbal nouns

Now, in order to form a simple sentence you could add a so-called verbal noun to any of the above forms of tá.

A verbal noun (Irish: ainmbhriathar), together with tá describes:

• process currently taking place, or
• a condition which is in place.

The Irish verbal noun corresponds to the english 'ing' form like 'working', 'travelling' 'learning', and can be recognized easily by the preceding word ag.