Bí vs copula

the copula

an chopail

(arn khupol)

tá goes with

adjectives

e.g., tá mé go maith = I am good

is goes with

nouns

e.g., is mise Amanda = I am Amanda/ it’s me Amanda

we use the copula for ______

introductions

e.g., Amanda is ainm dom = Amanda is my name; is mise Amanda = I am Amanda

agus is often shortened to ____ in introductions and when telling your age.

is

e.g., Dia is Muire Duit.
Tá sé trí bliana is fiche = he is three years and twenty.

Copula is used for ____ and ______

likes
dislikes

e.g., is maith liom cáis. = it is good with me cheese.

the negative of is is ____

ní

e.g., ní maith liom peil. (pronounced pell) = I don’t like football.

it is

is

(it classifies what something is = it is + noun, e.g.,n it is a pen, it is Molly)

I am a teacher (lit. it is a teacher me)

is múinteoir mé

I am from Dublin (lit. it is out of Dublin me)

is as Baile Átha Cliath mé

I am Irish (lit. it is Irish me)

is Éireannach mé

there is; is/am/are

tá

tá is from the verb ‘to be’

I am here

tá mé anseo

(tar may unsho)

The difference between tá and is:
___ is used with adjectives / adverbs
___ is used with nouns

tá
is

she is clever

tá sí cliste

(taw shee clishta)

she is a woman

is bean í

(iss ban ee)

we can use ____ + adjectives to emphasise quality.

is

e.g., is fíor é = it’s true (iss feeur ay)
an rud is annamh is iontach = the thing that is rare is wonderful. (un rud iss annuv iss intukh)

We can use also ____ with ownership

is

e.g., is liomsa é = it’s with me/ it’s mine.
is le Seán an rothar = it is with Sean/ it’s Sean’s bike

who is with it?
It’s with me/ it’s mine

cé leis é? (cay lesh ay)
Is liomsa é (iss lomsa ay)

We cannot use _____ with nouns

tá

e.g., is uisce é = it is water; NOT tá sé uisce

It’s a man (lit. it’s a man he is)

is fear é

(iss far ay)

It’s me Amanda

is mise Amanda

We use the bí verb with:

qualities (adjectives)
weather
time
location
possession
feelings
ongoing action
state of being

*State of being:
I am here now

tá mé anseo anois

(taw may unsho anish)

*Adjectives/qualities
The day is good
You’re beautiful
They are big
She is clever

tá an lá go maith (tar un lar gu mah)
tá tú go hálainn (tar too gu hawlin)
tá siad mór (tar sheeid mor)
tá sí cliste (tar shee clishta)

*The Weather
It is cloudy
It is not cold
It was sunny

An Aimsir
tá sé scamallach
níl sé fuar
bhí sé grianmhar (vee shay greeanvur)

*An t-am = the time
It is 6:30
It is 3 in the morning
It is a quarter to seven

tá sé leathuair tar éis a sé
tá sé a trí a chlog ar maidin
tá sé ceathrú chun a seacht

*Location
I was there (lit. I was in it)
Are you in Spain?
I am here
He is in the kitchen

Bhí mé ann (vee may ow-n)
An bhfuil tú sa Spáinn? (arn will too sa spine)
Tá mé anseo (tar may unsho)
Tá sé sa chistin (tae shar sa khishtin)

possession

seilbh

(sheliv)

*Possession
I have a car/ There is a car is at me
I don’t have a car/ there is no car at me.
Do you have a question?
Will you have a tea?

Tá carr agam
Níl carr agam
An bhfuil ceist agat? (cesht)
An mbeidh tae agat? (arn my tay ugut)

Feelings

mothúcháin

(ma-hoo-khine)

*Feelings
I am happy/ happiness is on me
Was hunger on you?
I will not be tired/ there will not be tiredness on me
I am sad/ Sadness is on me/sorry

Tá áthas orm (taw awhus orim)
An raibh ocras ort? (un rev ocrus urt)
Ní bheidh tuirse orm (nee vy teersha orim)
Tá brón orm (taw brone orim)

on me
on you

orm
ort

*Ongoing Action
I am reading/ I am at read
I will be running
I was eating

Tá mé ag léamh (taw may eg layiv)
Beidh mé ag rith (by may eg reh)
Bhí mé ag ithe (vee may eg i-ha)

at

ag

*Occupation or State of Being
I am in my teacher/ I am a teacher
He is in his standing/ He is standing
She is in her sitting/ She is sitting
We are in our lying down/ We are lying down
I am on my own/ I am in my one-ness.

Tá mé i mo mhúinteoir (taw may i muh woonchort)
Tá sé ina sheasamh (taw shay ina ya-siv)
Tá sí ina suí (Taw she ina see)
Táimid inár luí (tawmeej inaw lee)
Tá mé i m’aonar (Tá may i mayinur)

We use the copula when:

Classifying what a thing is.
Emphasising the quality of something
Using fixed Phrases
Equating two things.

*Classifying what a thing is:
The copula works as an equals sign. X = Y.
I am Irish/ It is Irish me.
I’m a girl/ I’m a boy.
She’s a nice person./ It is a person nice she
That is a school.
He is a lawyer.

Is Éireannach mé. (Iss air-anokh may)
Is cailín/buachaill mé. (Iss coleen/boo-kholl may
Is duine deas í. (Iss dinne jass ee)
Is scoil í sin. (Iss scull ee shin)
Is dlíodóir é. (Iss dleahdor ay)

I am a teacher
I am not a teacher
Are you a teacher?/ Is it a teacher you?
Aren’t you a teacher?

Is múinteoir mé (Iss moonchor may)
Ní múinteoir mé (Nee moonchor may)
An múinteoir thú? (un moonchor hoo)
Nach múinteoir thú? (Nukh moonchor hoo)

When we use a noun we can answer with _____ (it is so) or _____ (it is not so).

is ea (sha)
ní hea (nee ha)

Are you a student? It is so. (lit. Are you a son of learning?)
Are you a learner? It is so.
Are you English? It is not so.

An mac léinn thú? Is ea. (arn muc layin hoo? Sha)
An foghlaimeoir thú? Is ea. (arn foal-a-more hoo? Sha)
An Sasanach thú? Ní hea. (Arn sussanukh hoo? Nee ha)

Are you a doctor?
I am a doctor/ it is so.

An dochtúir thú? (arn dooktur hoo)
Is dochtúir mé/ is ea

Are you a priest?
I am not a priest/ it is not so.

An sagart thú? (arn sugert hoo)
Ní sagart mé/ ní hea.

Copula pronouns
I
you (sg.)
he/it
she
we
you (pl.)
they

Is… mé
Is… thú
Is… é
Is… í
Is… muid
Is… sibh
Is… iad

I am a teacher
You are Irish
He is English
She is Brazilian
We are Americans
You (pl.) are students
They are Italians

Is múinteoir mé
Is Éireannach thú
Is Sasanach é
Is Brasaíleach í (braseelukh)
Is Meiriceánaigh muid (mericawnig moij)
Is daltaí sibh (daltee shiv)
Is Iodálaigh iad (Idolig ied)

What is this?

Cad é seo?

(cod ay sho)

When emphasising quality, we can put the adjective after ‘is’. E.g., He is cute the dog, so he is.

Is gleoite an madra é.

(glowcha)

She is nice the woman

Is deas an bhean í

(iss jass arn van ee)

It is good the book it
It is a good book
The book is good

Is maith an leabhar é
Is leabhar maith é
Tá an leabhar go maith.

(lyower)

Do you like tea? lit. is good with you tea?
Yes/ is good.
No/ is not good.

An maith leat tae?
Is maith.
Ní maith.

I like cheese (lit. is good with me cheese)
I love coffee (lit. is great with me coffee).
I don’t care about cabbage (lit. is no bother with me cabbage)
I prefer milk (lit. is better with me milk)
I love chicken (lit. is delightful with me chicken)
I hate football (lit. is hatred with me football)

Is maith liom cáis
Is breá liom caife (braw)
Is cuma liom cabáiste
Is fearr liom bainne
Is aoibhinn liom sicín
Is fuath liom peil

I must = lit. It’s not big for me OR it’s necessary for me

Ní mór dom (nee mor dom)
Is gá dom (is gaw dom)

I must do my homework (lit. it is necessary for me my homework to do)

Is gá dom m’obair bhaile a dhéanamh

(iss gaw dom mobur warlya a yaynuv)

Can you? (lit. is it possible with you?)
Do you remember?
Do you wish/want? (lit. is it a wish with you?)
Do you mind?

An féidir leat? (arn fayjer lat)
An cuimhin leat? (arn cwivin lat)
An mian leat?
An miste leat? (mishta)

Can you help me?
I can
I can’t

An féidir leat cabhrú liom? (arn fayjer lat cowroo lom)
Is féidir liom
Ní féidir liom

Do you remember the word?
I remember
I don’t remember

An cuimhin leat an focal? (arn cwivin lat arn fucol)
Is cuimhin liom
Ní cuimhin liom

Do you want homework?
I want
I dont want

An mian leat obair bhaile? (arn mien lat obur wahlya)
Is mian liom
Ní mian liom

Do you mind helping me?
I mind
I don’t mind

An miste leat cabhrú liom? (arn mishta lat cowroo lom)
Is miste liom
Ní miste liom

Do you like? (lit. Is it good with you?)
It is good
It is not good

An maith leat?
Is maith liom
Ní maith liom

Would you like (lit. Would it be good with you?)
It would be good
It would not be good

Ar mhaith leat? (air wah lat)
ba mhaith liom (buh wah lom)
níor mhaith liom (neear wah lom)

Are you a teacher?
I am a teacher
I am not a teacher

An múinteoir thú?
Is múinteoir mé
Ní múinteoir mé.

Were you/ would you be a teacher?
I would be a teacher
I would not be a teacher

Ar mhúinteoir thú? (air woonchore hpp)
ba mhúinteoir mé (buh woonchore hoo)
níor mhúinteoir mé

It is so
it is not so
it was so/would be so
it wasn’t so/wouldn’t be so

is ea/ ‘sea/ sea (sha)
ní hea (nee ha)
ba ea (b a)
níorbh ea (nee-erv a)

Past and Conditional copula
I was a teacher/ I would be a teacher
I was not a teacher/ I would not be a teacher
Were you a teacher/ would you be a teacher?
Weren’t you a teacher/ would you not be a teacher?

Ba mhúinteoir mé (b woonchore may)
Níor mhúinteoir mé (neeor)
Ar mhúinteoir thú? (air)
Nár mhúinteoir thú? (naw)

Equational copula (e.g. Is mise Mollie - it is me Mollie) have a _______ straight after ‘is’.

pronoun

Emphatic form of the pronouns:
me/myself
you/yourself
he/himself
she/herself
we/ourselves
you (pl.)/yourselves
they/themselves

mé/mise
thú/tusa
é/eisean (eshan)
í/ise (isha)
muid/muidne (moij/moijna)
sibh/sibhse (shiv/shivsha)
iad/iadsan (ied/iedsun)

Equational copula
I am your teacher (lit. it is me your teacher)
You are my student
They are my friends
You are my love

Is mise do mhúinteoir (iss misha duh woonchore)
Is tusa mo dhalta (iss tuhsa muh ghulta)
Is iad mo chairde (iss ied muh kharja)
Is tusa mo grá (iss tuhsa muh graw)

Equational copula
Is he your teacher?
it is he
he is not
Classifying copula
Is he a teacher?
It is so
It is not so

An é do mhúinteoir?
Is é/ sé (iss ay/ shay)
ní hé (nee hay)
An múinteoir é?
Is ea/ sea (sha)
ní hea (nee ha)

Omit the copula
He’s a fisherman (lit. fisherman he)

iascaire é

(iascerra ay)

Omit the copula
You’re a good girl (lit. good girl yourself)
She is American (lit. out of America she)

maith an cailín thú (mah harn culeen hoo)
as Meiriceá í (uss mericaw ee)

Who is he?
Who is she?
Who are you?

cé hé? (cay hay)
cé hí (cay hee)
cé tusa?

The castle is big
It is a big castle

tá an caisleán mór
(tar arn cashlawn more)
Is caisleán mór é

The town is small
It is a small town

tá an bhaile beag (tar arn baliya byug)
is bhaile beag é

The world is small
It is a small world

tá an domhan beag (dowan)
is domhan beag é