Scottish Gaelic/Simple Sentences

Sentence structure and grammar

The simple sentence

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