Compound Tenses

Compound Tenses

Perfect Tenses

The verb **To Be** provides all the compound active tenses. The preposition **air** (historically meaning **after**) replaces the ag or a' of the present participle. This changes the meaning from a continuous mood to an action completed in the past :
Tenses	Examples
Present >> Perfect	Tha iad a' leughadh - They are reading >> Tha iad air leughadh - They have read
Past >> Past Perfect	Bha iad a' leughadh - They were reading >> Bha iad air leughadh - They had read
Future >> Future Perfect	Bidh iad a' leughadh - They will be reading >> Bidh iad air leughadh - They will have read
Conditional >> Conditional Perfect	Bhiodh iad a' leughadh - They would be reading >> Bhiodh iad air leughadh - They would have read

When the verbal noun takes a direct object word order reversal occurs. Here the object comes first followed by **a + lenited verbal noun**. The a is dropped before verbal nouns beginning with vowel or beginning with **f + vowel** :
Tha iad air am post a leughadh - They have read the mail
Tha iad air an litir a fhreagairt - They have answered the letter
Bha mi air am balach fhaicinn † - I had seen the boy
Bidh i air am mìlsean ithe † - She will have eaten the sweet
Bhiodh iad air an càr a ghlanadh † - They would have cleaned the car

† The noun remains nominative after air

When the object of the sentence is a pronoun then the pronoun is replaced by its possessive adjective placed before the verbal noun. The possessive adjectives mo, do and a (his/its) lenite the verbal noun whenever possible :
Tha mi air do thogail - I have lifted you
Bha i air a fhaicinn - She had seen him
Bidh iad air a h-ithe - They will have eaten it (reòiteag (f) - ice-cream)
Bhiomaid air am bualadh - We would have hit them

Negatives and interrogatives are formed as for the verb **To Be** :
Cha robh mi air sgrìobhadh - I had not written
Am biodh iad air ruith? - Would they have run?
Nach eil i air coiseachd? - Has she not walked?

The verbs **To Be** (a bhith), **To Go** (a dhol) and **To Come** (a thighinn) remain in the infinitive after **air** :
Chan eil mi air a bhith tinn - I have not been ill
Am biodh iad air a thighinn? - Would they have come?
Nach bi iad air a dhol? - Will they not have gone?

Continuous Perfect Tenses

The Continuous Perfect Tenses are formed by placing **air a bhith** before the present participle :
Tenses	Examples
Present >> Continuous Perfect	Tha iad a' leughadh - They are reading >> Tha iad air a bhith a' leughadh - They have been reading
Past >> Continuous Past Perfect	Bha iad a' leughadh - They were reading >> Bha iad air a bhith a' leughadh - They had been reading
Future >> Continuous Future Perfect	Bidh iad a' leughadh - They will be reading >> Bidh iad air a bhith a' leughadh - They will have been reading
Conditional >> Continuous Conditional Perfect	Bhiodh iad a' leughadh - They would be reading >> Bhiodh iad air a bhith a' leughadh - They would have been reading

When a direct object follows the verbal noun the pattern is the same as the root tenses :
Tha iad air a bhith a' leughadh leabhar - They have been reading a book
Bha mi air a bhith a' faicinn a' bhalaich † - I had been seeing the boy
Bidh i air a bhith ag ithe a' mhìlsein † - She will have been eating the sweet
Bhiodh iad air a bhith a' glanadh a' chàir† - They would have been cleaning the car

† described how, except for an indefinite singular noun, a noun following a verbal noun is in the genitive case

When a direct pronoun follows the verbal noun the pattern is the same as the root tenses. As described in Augmented Prepositions must be used :
Tha iad air a bhith ga leughadh - They have been reading it (leabhar (m) - book)
Bha mi air a bhith ga fhaicinn - I had been seeing him (balach (m) - boy)
Bidh i air a bhith ga h-ithe - She will have been eating it (briosgaid (f) - biscuit)
Bhiodh iad air a bhith ga ghlanadh - They would have been cleaning it (seòmar (m) - room)

All augmented prepositions are shown in

NEW WORDS

**Adjectives**
reamhar - fat, obese

**Adverbs**
air mhisg - drunk	o chionn - ago, since, for
turas - once / dà thuras - twice / &c

**Nouns**
aodach (m) - clothes, cloth	cus (m) - excessive amount = too much
fònadh (m) - phone call	post (m) - mail, post
greis (f) - short time, short while	lite (f) - porridge
reòiteag (f) - ice-cream

**Pronouns**
an dà chuid - both

**Verbs**
còrd, còrdadh (ri) - please, agree	fritheil, frithealadh (air) - attend, wait (on)
riaraich, riarachadh - satisfy, set table	sguab, sguabadh - sweep, brush
tiormaich, tiormachadh - dry	fòn, fònadh (gu) - phone

**Verbal Phrases**
Tha am biadh a' còrdadh rium / riut / ris / &c - I am / you are / he is / &c enjoying the food

**EXERCISE 1 Translate into English**
1.Chan eil mi air m' athair fhaicinn o chionn bliadhna	2.Tha a' bhanais air còrdadh gu mòr rium
3.An robh e air dìnnear a dhèanamh mus d'ràinig thu?	4.Tha mi air feitheamh ort fada gu leòr
5.Nan robh airgead aca, bhiodh iad air càr na b' fheàrr a cheannach	6.A bheil sibh air a chluinntinn? Bha e air mhisg a-rithist
7.Dh'fhaighnich mi dhith an robh i air bainne a chur anns an lite	8.Cha bhithinn air sin a chreidsinn mura robh mi-fhìn ann
9.Bha an dà chuid a' ghaoth is a' ghrian air na h-aodaich a thiormachadh	10.Tha mi air an làr a sguabadh agus na soithichean a nighe
11.Tha mi air a bhith a' càradh a' chàir	12.Bhiodh e air a bhith ochdad bliadhna a dh'aois an t-seachdain seo
13.Chan eil thu air ar riarachadh le d' fhreagairt	14.Cò tha air a bhith ag ithe mo lite?
15.'S mise tha air am bòrd a riarachadh	16.Cò na leabhraichean a tha sibh air leughadh às an leabharlann sin?
17.Tha sinn air cus ciùil pop a chluinntinn	18.Bha iad air mo mhealladh gu dona
19.Tha sinn air flùraichean ùra a chur anns a' ghàrradh	20.Cò bhiodh air a leithid de rud a dhèanamh?

**EXERCISE 2 Translate into Gàidhlig**
1.She has heard that the mountains are a beautiful sight	2.Have you learnt Gàidhlig?
3.If we were richer we would have built a bigger house	4.I have attended three meetings already
5.He said he had written a letter home everyday he was away	6.They told me they had seen a monster in the loch
7.The children have grown so tall since I last (previously) saw them	8.He told his friends that he had caught three fat trout
9.I am sure I've broken my right hand	10.I don't think you have entirely understood me
11.We have been in America twice	12.We would have visited them, but the weather was rotten
13.Who has seen my purse?	14.They have bought a new boat
15.Have you not cleaned your teeth yet?	16.She has not been well lately (for a short while)
17.Have you eaten all the biscuits?	18.They said they had been too busy to phone you
19.Have you spent my money?	20.We have painted the wall

**ANSWERS - EXERCISE 1**
1.I haven't seen my father for (since) a year	2.I have enjoyed the wedding immensely
3.Had he made dinner before you arrived?	4.I have waited on you long enough
5.If they had money, they would have bought a better car	6.Have you heard, he was drunk again
7.I asked her if she had put (any) milk in the porridge	8.I wouldn't have believed that if I hadn't been there myself
9.Both the wind and sun had dried the clothes	10.I have swept the floor and washed the dishes
11.I have been repairing the car	12.He would have been eighty years old this week
13.You have not satisfied us with your answer	14.Who has been eating my porridge?
15.I have set the table	16.Which book have you read from that library?
17.We have heard too much pop music	18.They had deceived me badly
19.We have planted new flowers in the garden	20.Who could (would) have done such a thing?

**ANSWERS - EXERCISE 2**
1.Tha i air cluinntinn gu bheil na beanntan nan sealladh bòidheach	2.A bheil sibh air Gàidhlig ionnsachadh?
3.Nan robh sinn na bu bheartaiche bhiodh sinn air taigh na bu mhotha a thogail	4.Tha mi air trì coinneamhan fhrithealadh cheana
5.Thuirt e gun robh e air litir a sgrìobhadh dhachaigh gach là a bha e air falbh	6.Dh'innis iad dhomh gun robh iad air uilebheist fhaicinn anns an loch
7.Tha a' chlann air fàs cho àrd on a chunnaic mi roimhe iad	8.Dh'innis e do na caraidean aige gun robh e air trì bric reamhar a ghlacadh
9.Tha mi cinnteach gu bheil mi air mo làmh dheas a bhriseadh	10.Chan eil mi a' smaointinn gu bheil sibh air mo thuigsinn air fad
11.Tha sinne air a bhith ann an Aimeireaga dà thuras	12.Bhiomaid air tadhal orra, ach bha an t-sìde grod
13.Cò tha air mo sporan fhaicinn?	14.Tha iad air bàta ùr a cheannach
15.Nach eil thu air d' fhiaclan a ghlanadh fhathast?	16.Chan eil i air a bhith math o chionn greis
17.A bheil sibh air na briosgaidean air fad ithe?	18.Thuirt iad gun robh iad air a bhith ro thrang airson fònadh thugad
19.A bheil thu air an t-airgead agam a chosg?	20.Tha sinn air am balla a pheantadh

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