Conditional Tense - Regular Verbs

The formation of the Conditional Tense of regular verbs is identical to that seen in for the verb **To Be**. As you discovered the Conditional Tense of the verb **To Be** is used with the **present participle** to express either a continuous conditional action or a repeated past action :
Bhiodh e a' cluich anns a' phàirc - He would be playing in the park
Bhiodh e a' cluich anns a' phàirc a h-uile là - He played in the park every day

The formation of the Conditional Tense of regular verbs is identical to that seen in

for the verb To Be. As you discovered the Conditional Tense of the verb To Be is used with the present participle to express either a continuous conditional action or a repeated past action :

Bhiodh e a' cluich anns a' phàirc - He would be playing in the park

Bhiodh e a' cluich anns a' phàirc a h-uile là - He played in the park every day

To get the dependent form of the verb take the root of the verb, and add :
1 -inn / -ainn according to the spelling rule for the first person singular
2 -eamaid / -amaid according to the spelling rule for the first person plural *
3 -eadh / -adh all other persons

To get the dependent form of the verb take the root of the verb, and add :

1 -inn / -ainn according to the spelling rule for the first person singular

2 -eamaid / -amaid according to the spelling rule for the first person plural *

3 -eadh / -adh all other persons

The independent form of the verb is produced by lenition, whenever possible, of the dependent. Verbs beginning with a vowel (and lenited fh - which is silent) are preceded by an initial dh' :
Verbal Noun	Root	Independent	Dependent
bualadh - hitting	buail	bhuailinn / bhuaileamaid/ bhuaileadh	buailinn / buaileamaid/ buaileadh
fàgail - leaving	fàg	dh'fhàgainn / dh'fhàgamaid / dh'fhàgadh	fàgainn / fàgamaid / fàgadh
leughadh - reading	leugh	leughainn / leughamaid / leughadh	leughainn / leughamaid / leughadh
ruith - running	ruith	ruithinn / ruitheamaid/ ruitheadh	ruithinn / ruitheamaid/ ruitheadh
seasamh - standing	seas	sheasainn / sheasamaid / sheasadh	seasainn / seasamaid / seasadh
sgrìobhadh - writing	sgrìobh	sgrìobhainn / sgrìobhamaid / sgrìobhadh	sgrìobhainn / sgrìobhamaid / sgrìobhadh
togail - lifting / building	tog	thogainn / thogamaid / thogadh	togainn / togamaid / togadh
òl - drinking	òl	dh'òlainn / dh'òlamaid / dh'òladh	òlainn / òlamaid / òladh

The independent form of the verb is produced by lenition, whenever possible, of the dependent. Verbs beginning with a vowel (and lenited fh - which is silent) are preceded by an initial dh' :

Verbal Noun

Root

Independent

Dependent

bualadh - hitting

buail

bhuailinn /
bhuaileamaid/
bhuaileadh

buailinn /
buaileamaid/
buaileadh

fàgail - leaving

fàg

dh'fhàgainn /
dh'fhàgamaid /
dh'fhàgadh

fàgainn /
fàgamaid /
fàgadh

leughadh - reading

leugh

leughainn /
leughamaid /
leughadh

ruith - running

ruith

ruithinn /
ruitheamaid/
ruitheadh

seasamh - standing

seas

sheasainn /
sheasamaid /
sheasadh

seasainn /
seasamaid /
seasadh

sgrìobhadh - writing

sgrìobh

sgrìobhainn /
sgrìobhamaid /
sgrìobhadh

togail - lifting / building

tog

thogainn /
thogamaid /
thogadh

togainn /
togamaid /
togadh

òl - drinking

òl

dh'òlainn /
dh'òlamaid /
dh'òladh

òlainn /
òlamaid /
òladh

Dh'fhàgainn - I would leave

Dh'fhàgamaid - We would leave

Dh'fhàgadh tu / etc - You / etc would leave

Chan fhàgainn - I would not leave

Chan fhàgamaid - We would not leave

Chan fhàgadh tu / etc - You / etc would not leave

Am fàgainn? - Would I not leave?

Am fàgamaid? - Would we not leave?

Am fàgadh tu? / etc - Would you / etc not leave?

Nach fhàgainn? † - Would I not leave?

Nach fhàgamaid? - Would we not leave?

Nach fhàgadh tu? / etc - Would you not leave?

**With the Dependent Clause**
Some examples are given below.
The pattern is the same as the verb **To Be** (see ) :
Tha e ag ràdh gum buaileadh e - He says that he would strike
Tha e ag ràdh nach buaileadh e - He says that he would not strike
Tha e ag ràdh gum fàgadh e - He says that he would leave
Tha e ag ràdh nach fhàgadh e - He says that he would not leave

With the Dependent Clause
Some examples are given below.
The pattern is the same as the verb To Be (see

) :

Tha e ag ràdh gum buaileadh e - He says that he would strike

Tha e ag ràdh nach buaileadh e - He says that he would not strike

Tha e ag ràdh gum fàgadh e - He says that he would leave

Tha e ag ràdh nach fhàgadh e - He says that he would not leave

**The Relative Verb**
Some examples are given below.
The pattern is the same as the verb **To Be** (see ) :
Is mise a bhuaileadh e - It is I who would hit him
Is esan a bhuaileadh mi - It is he who would hit me
Is mise nach fhàgadh thu - It is I who would not leave you
Is mise nach fhàgadh tu - It is I who you would not leave
Seo leabhar a leughainn - Here's a book I would read
Agus seo leabhar nach leughainn - And here's a book I would not read

The Relative Verb
Some examples are given below.
The pattern is the same as the verb To Be (see

) :

Is mise a bhuaileadh e - It is I who would hit him

Is esan a bhuaileadh mi - It is he who would hit me

Is mise nach fhàgadh thu - It is I who would not leave you

Is mise nach fhàgadh tu - It is I who you would not leave

Seo leabhar a leughainn - Here's a book I would read

Agus seo leabhar nach leughainn - And here's a book I would not read

**With Interrogative Pronouns**
Some examples are given below.
The pattern is the same as the verb **To Be** (see ) :
Dè thogadh tu air an talamh? - What would you build on the land?
Cò sgrìobhadh litir thugam? - Who would write me letter? (lit. Who would write a letter to me?)
Carson a bhuaileadh tu am balach? - Why would you hit the boy?
Ciamar a sheasadh i? - How would she stand?
Cuin a dh'fhàgadh tu? - When would you leave?
Càit an òladh iad? - Where would they drink?

With Interrogative Pronouns
Some examples are given below.
The pattern is the same as the verb To Be (see

) :

Dè thogadh tu air an talamh? - What would you build on the land?

Cò sgrìobhadh litir thugam? - Who would write me letter? (lit. Who would write a letter to me?)

Carson a bhuaileadh tu am balach? - Why would you hit the boy?

Ciamar a sheasadh i? - How would she stand?

Cuin a dh'fhàgadh tu? - When would you leave?

Càit an òladh iad? - Where would they drink?

**With Conjunctions**
**Nan** / **nam - if** replaces ma in the Conditional tense *
This and some other examples are given below.
The pattern is the same as the verb **To Be** (see ) :
Bhithinn toilichte nam fàgadh tu - I would be happy if you would leave
Bhiodh i as aonais mus òladh i an t-uisge salach - She would be without before she would drink the dirty water
Bhiodh tu duilich nan togadh tu taigh an sin - You would sorry if you built (would build) a house there

With Conjunctions
Nan / nam - if replaces ma in the Conditional tense *
This and some other examples are given below.
The pattern is the same as the verb To Be (see

) :

Bhithinn toilichte nam fàgadh tu - I would be happy if you would leave

Bhiodh i as aonais mus òladh i an t-uisge salach - She would be without before she would drink the dirty water

Bhiodh tu duilich nan togadh tu taigh an sin - You would sorry if you built (would build) a house there

* Nan can also be used conditionally with the Past Tense of the verb **To Be**, much the same way as in English :
Nan robh an t-airgead agam, thogainn taigh ùr - If I had the money, I would build a new house

**Saying Yes and No**
The pattern is the same for the verb **To Be**. You need to use the positive or negative forms of the verb in the Conditional Tense :
An sgrìobhadh tu litir thugam?- Would you write me a letter?	Sgrìobhadh - Yes	Cha sgrìobhadh - No
Nach òladh tu am bainne? - Would you not drink the milk?	Dh'òladh - Yes	Chan òladh - No

Saying Yes and No
The pattern is the same for the verb To Be. You need to use the positive or negative forms of the verb in the Conditional Tense :

An sgrìobhadh tu litir thugam?- Would you write me a letter?

Sgrìobhadh - Yes

Cha sgrìobhadh - No

Nach òladh tu am bainne? - Would you not drink the milk?

Dh'òladh - Yes

Chan òladh - No

**Repeated Actions in the Past**
The meaning is understood from the context :
Ghabhadh e bracaist a h-uile madainn - He took breakfast ever morning
Sgrìobhamaid litir thuige a h-uile là - We wrote (to) him a letter every day

Repeated Actions in the Past
The meaning is understood from the context :

Ghabhadh e bracaist a h-uile madainn - He took breakfast ever morning

Sgrìobhamaid litir thuige a h-uile là - We wrote (to) him a letter every day

**Able To Do**
As with the Future Tense the Conditional Tense may also convey the idea of being able to do something. This meaning is understood from the context :
Tha fios agamsa far an seasainn - I know where I would (could) stand
An sgrìobhadh tu d' ainm dhomhsa? - Would (could) you write you name for me?

Able To Do
As with the Future Tense the Conditional Tense may also convey the idea of being able to do something. This meaning is understood from the context :

Tha fios agamsa far an seasainn - I know where I would (could) stand

An sgrìobhadh tu d' ainm dhomhsa? - Would (could) you write you name for me?

**Adjectives**
glan - clean, fresh	salach - dirty

**Compound Prepositions**
as aonais - without

**Conjunctions**
nan / nam - if

**Nouns**
coigreach (m) - stranger	dorchadas (m) - darkness
talamh (m) - land, ground

Nouns

coigreach (m) - stranger

dorchadas (m) - darkness

talamh (m) - land, ground

**Verbs**
atharraich, atharrachadh - change, alter	diùlt, diùltadh - deny, refuse
innis, innse (do) - tell, relate (to)	loisg, loisgeadh - burn
reic, reic (ri) - sell (to)

Verbs

atharraich, atharrachadh - change, alter

diùlt, diùltadh - deny, refuse

innis, innse (do) - tell, relate (to)

loisg, loisgeadh - burn

reic, reic (ri) - sell (to)

**EXERCISE 1 Translate into English**
1.Dh'fhàgadh e an taigh sin a-màireach	2.Thuirt mi nach bruidhninn riutha a-rithist
3.Bha fios aice nach ruitheadh e air falbh	4.Dè a sgrìobhadh sibh anns an litir?
5.Cha choisichinn dhachaigh anns an dorchadas	6.Shaoil i gun tilleadh iad ro mheadhan-là
7.Chan òlainn a-riamh a-mach à botal	8.Dh'innis e dhomh gun loisgeadh e na pàipearan
9.Cha ghabhadh i airgead bho choigreach	10.Càit an togadh sibh ur taigh ùr?

EXERCISE 1 Translate into English

1.Dh'fhàgadh e an taigh sin a-màireach

2.Thuirt mi nach bruidhninn riutha a-rithist

3.Bha fios aice nach ruitheadh e air falbh

4.Dè a sgrìobhadh sibh anns an litir?

5.Cha choisichinn dhachaigh anns an dorchadas

6.Shaoil i gun tilleadh iad ro mheadhan-là

7.Chan òlainn a-riamh a-mach à botal

8.Dh'innis e dhomh gun loisgeadh e na pàipearan

9.Cha ghabhadh i airgead bho choigreach

10.Càit an togadh sibh ur taigh ùr?

**EXERCISE 2 Translate into Gàidhlig**
1.Would you buy that house? Yes	2.You didn't think that you would catch (any) fish in that loch?
3.I wouldn't stay in Glasgow at all	4.He said he would sell his car tomorrow
5.Would you change anything in the room? No	6.She wouldn't drink anything but fresh water
7.I wouldn't deny that he was looking guilty	8.She said she would write a letter to (gu) the newspaper
9.They hoped that everything would work correctly	10.I wouldn't say she was pretty

EXERCISE 2 Translate into Gàidhlig

1.Would you buy that house? Yes

2.You didn't think that you would catch (any) fish in that loch?

3.I wouldn't stay in Glasgow at all

4.He said he would sell his car tomorrow

5.Would you change anything in the room? No

6.She wouldn't drink anything but fresh water

7.I wouldn't deny that he was looking guilty

8.She said she would write a letter to (gu) the newspaper

9.They hoped that everything would work correctly

10.I wouldn't say she was pretty

**ANSWERS - EXERCISE 1**
1.He would leave the house tomorrow	2.I said that I wouldn't speak to them again
3.She knew that he wouldn't run away	4.What would you write in the letter?
5.I wouldn't walk home in the dark	6.She thought that they would return before midday
7.I would never drink out of a bottle	8.He told me he would burn the papers
9.She wouldn't accept money from a stranger	10.Where would you build your new house?

ANSWERS - EXERCISE 1

1.He would leave the house tomorrow

2.I said that I wouldn't speak to them again

3.She knew that he wouldn't run away

4.What would you write in the letter?

5.I wouldn't walk home in the dark

6.She thought that they would return before midday

7.I would never drink out of a bottle

8.He told me he would burn the papers

9.She wouldn't accept money from a stranger

10.Where would you build your new house?

**ANSWERS - EXERCISE 2**
1.An ceannaicheadh tu an taigh sin? Cheannaicheadh	2.Cha do shaoil thu gun glacadh tu iasg anns an loch sin?
3.Chan fhuirichinn ann an Glaschu idir	4.Thuirt e gun reiceadh e an càr aige a-màireach
5.An atharraicheadh sibh càil anns an rùm? Chan atharraicheadh	6.Chan òladh i càil ach uisge glan
7.Cha diùltainn gun robh e a' coimhead ciontach	8.Thuirt i gun sgrìobhadh i litir gun phàipear-naidheachd
9.Bha dòchas aca gun obraicheadh a h-uile rud gu ceart	10.Chan chanainn gun robh i bòidheach

ANSWERS - EXERCISE 2

1.An ceannaicheadh tu an taigh sin? Cheannaicheadh

2.Cha do shaoil thu gun glacadh tu iasg anns an loch sin?

3.Chan fhuirichinn ann an Glaschu idir

4.Thuirt e gun reiceadh e an càr aige a-màireach

5.An atharraicheadh sibh càil anns an rùm? Chan atharraicheadh

6.Chan òladh i càil ach uisge glan

7.Cha diùltainn gun robh e a' coimhead ciontach

8.Thuirt i gun sgrìobhadh i litir gun phàipear-naidheachd

9.Bha dòchas aca gun obraicheadh a h-uile rud gu ceart

10.Chan chanainn gun robh i bòidheach