Preverbal Particles
Irish uses a number of preverbal particles to modify the meaning of a sentence. In a positive statement, no particle is used and the verb comes first (except in Munster Irish where "Do" is placed before verbs in the past, habitual past and conditional, leniting the verb that follows). This is still seen in the Standard Language in said tenses, prefixed to verbs beginning with vowels, e.g., D'ól mé (D'ólas in Munster Irish) meaning "I drank":
- Tuigeann Seán Gaeilge. "Seán understands Irish."
- Thuig Seán Gaeilge. "Seán understood Irish."
- Thuigfeadh Seán Gaeilge. "Seán would understand Irish."
Read more about this topic: Irish Conjugation
Famous quotes containing the word particles:
“The atoms of Democritus
And Newton’s particles of light
Are sands upon the Red Sea shore,
Where Israel’s tents do shine so bright.”
—William Blake (1757–1827)