Editing Irish syntax (section)

==Forms meaning "to be"==
Irish, like [[Spanish language|Spanish]] and other languages, has two forms that can express the English verb "to be". The two forms perform different grammatical functions.

===Existential verb {{Lang|ga|bí}}===
The existential verb is {{Lang|ga|bí}}. It is an [[irregular verb]]; see [[Irish verbs#bí "to be"|Irish verbs]] for its conjugation.

====Existence, condition or location====
This verb expresses the absolute existence of something, its condition, or its location. When accompanied by the adverb {{Lang|ga|ann}} "there", it means "exist" or "there is/are". Otherwise, the verb is complemented by an adjective, an adverb or a prepositional phrase.
{{interlinear|lang=ga|number=(19)
| Tá Dia ann.
| EXIST.PRES God there
| God exists; There is a God.
}}
{{interlinear|lang=ga|number=(20)
| Tá an bosca folamh.
| EXIST.PRES the box empty
| The box is empty.
}}
{{interlinear|lang=ga|number=(21)
| Tá na húlla ar an mbord.
| EXIST.PRES the.PL apple.PL on the table
| The apples are on the table.
}}

====Definitions====
A [[noun phrase]] alone cannot form the predicate of the existential verb. Instead, the noun complement is preceded by a form meaning "in my, in your, in his", etc.
{{interlinear|lang=ga|number=(22)
| Tá Seán ina dhochtúir.
| EXIST.PRES Seán {in his} doctor
| Seán is a doctor.
}}

===The copula {{Lang|ga|is}}===
The Irish [[copula (linguistics)|copula]] is not a verb but a particle, used to express a definition or identification. It may be complemented by a [[noun]], a [[pronoun]], an [[adjective]], or a [[topic (linguistics)|topic]]alized phrase. Because it is not a verb, it does not inflect for [[grammatical person|person]] or [[grammatical number|number]], and [[Irish morphology#Personal pronouns|pronouns]] appear in the disjunctive form.

The copula, which has the [[realis]] form {{Lang|ga|is}}, is used for identification and definition:

'''Definition''': X is a Y. Here, the word order is "Is-Y-(pronoun)-X". X is a definite noun or a pronoun.
{{interlinear|lang=ga|number=(23)
| Is fear é.
| COP.PRES man 3S.DSJV
| It/he is a man.
}}
{{interlinear|lang=ga|number=(24)
| Is Sasanaigh iad.
| COP.PRES English-person.PL 3P.DSJV
| They are English.
}}

'''Identification''': X is the Y. Here the word order is "Is-pronoun-X-Y", or "Is-pronoun-Y-X". There must always be a pronoun between a definite noun and the copula. It would be wrong to say *''Is Seán an múinteoir'', which would mean "The teacher is a Seán".
{{interlinear|lang=ga|number=(25)
| Is é Seán an múinteoir.
| COP.PRES 3S.M.DSJV Seán the teacher
| Seán is the teacher.
}}

To identify a first or second person pronoun with a definite noun, it is usual to use the longer form of the personal pronoun, which comes immediately after the copula:
*(26a) {{Lang|ga|Is mise an múinteoir.}} "I am the teacher."
*(26b) {{Lang|ga|Is tusa an scoláire.}} "You are the student."
*(26c) {{Lang|ga|Is sinne na múinteoirí.}} "We are the teachers."
*(26d) {{Lang|ga|Is sibhse na scoláirí.}} "You are the students."

The long form of the personal pronoun is very emphatic and stressed and often ejects the copula entirely. Thus, in the previous four examples, it is possible to leave out the copula, which will then be understood: 
*(27a) {{Lang|ga|Mise an múinteoir.}}
*(27b) {{Lang|ga|Tusa an scoláire.}}
*(27c) {{Lang|ga|Sinne na múinteoirí.}}
*(27d) {{Lang|ga|Sibhse na scoláirí.}}

If a third-person pronoun with a definite noun is identified, the same construction may be used:
*(28a) {{Lang|ga|(Is) eisean an múinteoir.}} "He is the teacher."
*(28b) {{Lang|ga|(Is) ise an scoláire.}} "She is the student."
*(28c) {{Lang|ga|(Is) iadsan na saighdiúirí.}} "They are the soldiers".
However, in the third person, that is perceived to be much more emphatic than in the first and second persons. The usual way to say "He is the teacher" is
*(28d) {{Lang|ga|Is é an múinteoir é.}}
in which the definite noun is ''flanked'' by two personal pronouns agreeing with it in gender and number.

When saying "this is", or "that is", {{Lang|ga|seo}} and {{Lang|ga|sin}} are used, in which case {{Lang|ga|is}} is usually dropped:
*(29a) {{Lang|ga|Seo í mo mháthair.}} "This is my mother."
*(29b) {{Lang|ga|Sin é an muinteoir.}} "That's the teacher."

One can also add "that is in him/her/it", especially when an adjective is used if one wants to emphasise the quality: 
{{interlinear|lang=ga|number=(30)
| Is fear láidir atá '''ann'''.
| COP.PRES man strong EXIST.REL.PRES {in him}
| He's a strong man.
}}
{{interlinear|lang=ga|number=(31)
| Is cailín álainn atá '''inti'''.
| COP.PRES girl beautiful EXIST.REL.PRES {in her}
| She's a beautiful girl.
}}
That sometimes appears in [[Hiberno-English]], translated literally as "that is in it" or as "so it is".

The present tense of the copula can be used for the future:
*(32) {{Lang|ga|'''Is''' múinteoir é.}} "He will be a teacher."

The past tense of the copula can be used for the conditional:
*(33) {{Lang|ga|'''Ba''' mhúinteoir í.}} "She would be a teacher."

The forms {{Lang|ga|is}} and {{Lang|ga|ba}} are not used after [[Irish verbs#Preverbal particles|preverbal particles]].
*(34a) {{Lang|ga|An múinteoir thú?}} "Are you a teacher?"
*(34b) {{Lang|ga|Níor mhúinteoirí sinn.}} "We were not teachers."

If the predicate is definite, the copula is followed by a disjunctive personal pronoun, which may be repeated at the end of the sentence.
*(35a) {{Lang|ga|Is í Siobhán an múinteoir.}} "Siobhán is the teacher."
*(35b) {{Lang|ga|Is iad na daoine sin na múinteoirí.}} "Those people are the teachers."
*(35c) {{Lang|ga|Is é an múinteoir é.}} "He is the teacher."

If the predicate is indefinite, it follows the copula directly, with the disjunctive pronoun and subject coming at the end.
*(36a) {{Lang|ga|Is dalta mé.}} "I am a student."
*(36b) {{Lang|ga|Is múinteoir í Cáit.}} "Cáit is a teacher."

The copula can also be used to stress an adjective, as in the following instance:
{{interlinear|lang=ga|number=(37)
| Is breá an lá é.
| COP.PRES nice the day 3S.M.DSJV
| It's a ''nice'' day.
}}

====Topicalization====
[[Topic (linguistics)|Topicalization]] in Irish is formed by [[clefting]]: by fronting the topicalized element as the predicate of the copula, while the rest of the sentence becomes a relative clause. Compare {{Lang|ga|Dúirt mise é}} "I said it" with {{Lang|ga|Is '''mise''' a dúirt é}} "''I'' said it."

====Other uses for the copula====
There are other set idiomatic phrases using the copula, as seen in the following examples. Here the predicate consists mostly of either a prepositional phrase or an adjective.
*(38a) {{Lang|ga|Is maith liom}} "I like" (lit. "is good with me")
*(38b) {{Lang|ga|Ba mhaith liom}} "I would like" (lit. "would be good with me")
*(38c) {{Lang|ga|Is fearr liom}} "I prefer" (lit. "is better with me")
*(38d) {{Lang|ga|Is féidir liom}} "I can" (lit. "is possible with me")
*(38e) {{Lang|ga|Ba cheart}} "one should" (lit. "would be right")
*(38f) {{Lang|ga|Níor cheart}} "one shouldn't" (lit. "would not be right")
*(38g) {{Lang|ga|Is fuath liom}} "I hate" (lit. "is hatred with me")
*(38h) {{Lang|ga|Is cuma liom}} "I don't care" (lit. "is indifferent with me")
*(38i) {{Lang|ga|Is mian liom}} "I wish/would like" (lit. "is desire with me")
*(38j) {{Lang|ga|Is cuimhin liom}} "I remember" (lit. "is memory with me")

There are also the following constructions:
{{interlinear|lang=ga|number=(39)
| Is deacair an abairt seo a thuiscint.
| COP.PRES difficult the sentence this to understand-VN
| This sentence is hard to understand.
}}
{{interlinear|lang=ga|number=(40)
| Is le Cáit an gluaisteán.
| COP.PRES with Cáit the car
| The car belongs to Cáit.
}}
{{interlinear|lang=ga|number=(41)
| Is as {Baile Átha Cliath} Máire.
| COP.PRES from Dublin Máire
| Máire is from Dublin.
}}

====Answering questions with copula====
Since the copula cannot stand alone, the answer must contain either a part of the predicate or a pronoun, both of which follow the copula.
*(42) {{Lang|ga|An é Seán an múinteoir?}} "Is Seán the teacher?"
**(42.1) {{Lang|ga|Is é.}} "Yes, he is."
**(42.2) {{Lang|ga|Ní hé.}} "No, he isn't."
*(43) {{Lang|ga|An múinteoir é Seán?}} "Is Seán a teacher?"
**(43.1) {{Lang|ga|Is ea.}} "Yes, he is."
**(43.2) {{Lang|ga|Ní hea.}} "No, he isn't."

====Omission of {{Lang|ga|is}}====
In all dialects, the copula {{Lang|ga|is}} may be omitted if the predicate is a noun. ({{Lang|ga|Ba}} cannot be deleted.) If {{Lang|ga|is}} is omitted, the following {{Lang|ga|é, í, iad}} preceding the noun is omitted as well.
*(44a) {{Lang|ga|(Is) mise an múinteoir.}} "I am the teacher."
*(44b) {{Lang|ga|(Is é) Seán an múinteoir.}} "Seán is the teacher."
*(44c) {{Lang|ga|(Is) dalta mé.}} "I am a student."

===Comparison of the existential verb and the copula===
Both the existential verb and the copula may take a nominal predicate, but the two constructions have slightly different meanings: {{Lang|ga|Is dochtúir é Seán}} sounds more permanent: it represents something absolute about Seán; it is a permanent characteristic of Seán that he is a doctor. That is known as an '''individual-level predicate'''. In the sentence {{Lang|ga|Tá Seán ina dhochtúir}}, one says rather that Seán performs the job of a doctor, he is a doctor at the moment, or he has become a doctor. That is known as a '''stage-level predicate'''.