Scottish Gaelic/Simple Sentences
Sentence structure and grammar
[edit | edit source]The simple sentence
[edit | edit source]In a simple English sentence, such as 'John drank milk' the subject comes first, then the verb, then the object. In Gaelic, however, the verb comes first, then the subject, then the object. An example of a sentence would therefore be:
- dh'òl Iain bainne
- John drank milk
- Iain /'iən/ John; dh'òl /γəl/ drank; bainne /'banjə/ milk;
| word | IPA pronunciation | meaning |
| Iain | 'iən | John |
| dh' òl | γəl | drank |
| dh' òl Iain | γəl 'iən | Iain drank |
| bainne | 'banjə | milk |
Other examples of the same type of sentence construction would be the following:
- tha Anna fuar
- /ha 'anə fuər/
- Anna is cold
- tha /ha/ is; Anna /'anə/ Anna; fuar /fuər/ cold;
- dh'òl i sùgh
- /γəl i su:/
- she drank juice
- i /i/ she; dh'òl /γəl/ drank; sùgh /su:/ juice
- dh'òl e tì
- /γəl e ti:/
- he drank tea
- e /e/ he; dh'òl /γəl/ drank; tì /ti:/ tea
- chluich ì anns an taigh
- /'xluix i 'awnsən təj/
- she played in the house
- ì /i/ she; chluich /'xluix/ played; anns an /'awnsən/ in the; taigh /təj/ house