Second Conjugation

Learn how to conjugate regular Irish verbs of the second conjugation, which includes most polysyllabic verbs.

Verbs Conjugation Regular Verbs Second Conjugation

The second conjugation in Irish covers most regular verbs with two or more syllables. These verbs are often called “weak verbs” and are characterised by endings that contain a long í or aí vowel in the present and past tenses, and an ó or eo in the future and conditional.

Verbs in the Second Conjugation

The second conjugation includes several distinct groups of verbs.

Polysyllabic Verbs Ending in -igh

This is the largest group and includes all polysyllabic verbs ending in -igh. The final consonant cluster determines whether the endings are “slender” (front vowel) or “broad” (back vowel).

coinnigh (to hold)
ceannaigh (to buy)
fiafraigh (to ask)
salaigh (to soil)

Syncopated Polysyllabic Verbs

This group includes polysyllabic verbs ending in -il, -in, -ir, and sometimes -is (after l, n, or r). In most conjugated forms, the second syllable of the verb stem is dropped (a process called syncope) before the ending is added.

oscail (to open) becomes oscl-
seachain (to avoid) becomes seachn-
imir (to play) becomes imr-
inis (to tell) becomes ins-

The imperative 2nd person singular and the past tense 3rd person singular retain the full stem (e.g., imir, d'imir sé).

Historical note on `éirigh`

The verb éirigh (to rise) is now treated as a standard second conjugation verb ending in -igh (e.g., éiríonn sé). Historically, however, it was a syncopated verb (éirgh-), as seen in older spellings like éirgheann sé. It represents a link between the two groups.

Other Polysyllabic Verbs

A smaller group of polysyllabic verbs, often ending in -im or -ing, also belong to the second conjugation. In the standard language, these verbs do not undergo syncope.

foghlaim (to learn)
tarraing (to pull)
fulaing (to endure)

Verbs with an Epenthetic Vowel

The verb lorg (to search) belongs to the second conjugation because it is pronounced with two syllables ([lorəg]) due to an epenthetic vowel.

Verbs Not in the Second Conjugation

It is important to distinguish second conjugation verbs from two other groups:

Verbs ending in -áil: These are polysyllabic but belong to the first conjugation.
Monosyllabic verbs: All single-syllable verbs belong to the first conjugation, even those ending in -igh like nigh (to wash) or suigh (to sit).

Conjugation Patterns

The endings for second conjugation verbs depend on whether the final consonant of the stem is slender (palatalised) or broad (velarised).

Verbs with a Slender Ending (in -igh)

These verbs use endings with front vowels (i, e).

Endings

Indicative Tenses

Person	Present	Preterite	Imperfect	Future
1st Sg.	`-ím`	`-íos`	`-ínn`	`-eod`
2nd Sg.	`-íonn tú`	`-ís`	`-íteá`	`-eoidh tú`
3rd Sg.	`-íonn sé`	`-igh sé`	`-íodh sé`	`-eoidh sé`
1st Pl.	`-ímid`	`-íomar`	`-ímis`	`-eoimid`
2nd Pl.	`-íonn sibh`	`-íobhair`	`-íodh sibh`	`-eoidh sibh`
3rd Pl.	`-íonn siad`	`-íodar`	`-ídís`	`-eoidh siad`
Autonomous	`-ítear`	`-íodh`	`-ítí`	`-eofar`
Relative	`-íos`	—	—	`-eos`

Other Moods

Person	Conditional	Imperative	Present Subjunctive	Past Subjunctive
1st Sg.	`-eoinn`	`-ím`	`-í mé`	`-ínn`
2nd Sg.	`-eofá`	`-igh`	`-í tú`	`-íteá`
3rd Sg.	`-eodh sé`	`-íodh sé`	`-í sé`	`-íodh sé`
1st Pl.	`-eoimis`	`-ímis`	`-ímid`	`-ímis`
2nd Pl.	`-eodh sibh`	`-ígí`	`-í sibh`	`-íodh sibh`
3rd Pl.	`-eoidís`	`-ídís`	`-í siad`	`-ídís`
Autonomous	`-eofaí`	`-ítear`	`-ítear`	`-ítí`

Example: coinnigh (to hold)

Indicative Tenses

Person	Present	Preterite	Imperfect	Future
1st Sg.	`coinním`	`choinníos`	`choinnínn`	`coinneod`
2nd Sg.	`coinníonn tú`	`choinnís`	`choinníteá`	`coinneoidh tú`
3rd Sg.	`coinníonn sé`	`choinnigh sé`	`choinníodh sé`	`coinneoidh sé`
1st Pl.	`coinnímid`	`choinníomar`	`choinnímís`	`coinneoimid`
2nd Pl.	`coinníonn sibh`	`choinníobhair`	`choinníodh sibh`	`coinneoidh sibh`
3rd Pl.	`coinníonn siad`	`choinníodar`	`choinnídís`	`coinneoidh siad`
Autonomous	`coinnítear`	`coinníodh`	`choinnítí`	`coinneofar`
Relative	`a choinníos`	—	—	`a choinneos`

Other Moods

Person	Conditional	Imperative	Present Subjunctive	Past Subjunctive
1st Sg.	`choinneoinn`	`coinním`	`go gcoinní mé`	`dá gcoinnínn`
2nd Sg.	`choinneofá`	`coinnigh`	`go gcoinní tú`	`dá gcoinníteá`
3rd Sg.	`choinneodh sé`	`choinníodh sé`	`go gcoinní sé`	`dá gcoinníodh sé`
1st Pl.	`choinneoimis`	`coinnímis`	`go gcoinnímid`	`dá gcoinnímis`
2nd Pl.	`choinneodh sibh`	`coinnígí`	`go gcoinní sibh`	`dá gcoinníodh sibh`
3rd Pl.	`choinneoidís`	`choinnídís`	`go gcoinní siad`	`dá gcoinnídís`
Autonomous	`choinneofaí`	`coinnítear`	`go gcoinnítear`	`dá gcoinnítí`

Verbs with a Broad Ending (in -aigh)

These verbs use endings with back vowels (a, o).

Endings

Indicative Tenses

Person	Present	Preterite	Imperfect	Future
1st Sg.	`-aím`	`-aíos`	`-aínn`	`-ód`
2nd Sg.	`-aíonn tú`	`-aís`	`-aíteá`	`-óidh tú`
3rd Sg.	`-aíonn sé`	`-aigh sé`	`-aíodh sé`	`-óidh sé`
1st Pl.	`-aímid`	`-aíomar`	`-aímis`	`-óimid`
2nd Pl.	`-aíonn sibh`	`-aíobhair`	`-aíodh sibh`	`-óidh sibh`
3rd Pl.	`-aíonn siad`	`-aíodar`	`-aídís`	`-óidh siad`
Autonomous	`-aítear`	`-aíodh`	`-aítí`	`-ófar`
Relative	`-aíos`	—	—	`-ós`

Other Moods

Person	Conditional	Imperative	Present Subjunctive	Past Subjunctive
1st Sg.	`-óinn`	`-aím`	`-aí mé`	`-aínn`
2nd Sg.	`-ófá`	`-aigh`	`-aí tú`	`-aíteá`
3rd Sg.	`-ódh sé`	`-aíodh sé`	`-aí sé`	`-aíodh sé`
1st Pl.	`-óimis`	`-aímis`	`-aímid`	`-aímis`
2nd Pl.	`-ódh sibh`	`-aígí`	`-aí sibh`	`-aíodh sibh`
3rd Pl.	`-óidís`	`-aídís`	`-aí siad`	`-aídís`
Autonomous	`-ófaí`	`-aítear`	`-aítear`	`-aítí`

Example: salaigh (to soil)

Indicative Tenses

Person	Present	Preterite	Imperfect	Future
1st Sg.	`salaím`	`shalaíos`	`shalaínn`	`salód`
2nd Sg.	`salaíonn tú`	`shalaís`	`shalaíteá`	`salóidh tú`
3rd Sg.	`salaíonn sé`	`shalaigh sé`	`shalaíodh sé`	`salóidh sé`
1st Pl.	`salaímid`	`shalaíomar`	`shalaímis`	`salóimid`
2nd Pl.	`salaíonn sibh`	`shalaíobhair`	`shalaíodh sibh`	`salóidh sibh`
3rd Pl.	`salaíonn siad`	`shalaíodar`	`shalaídís`	`salóidh siad`
Autonomous	`salaítear`	`salaíodh`	`shalaítí`	`salófar`
Relative	`a shalaíos`	—	—	`a shalós`

Other Moods

Person	Conditional	Imperative	Present Subjunctive	Past Subjunctive
1st Sg.	`shalóinn`	`salaím`	`go salaí mé`	`dá salaínn`
2nd Sg.	`shalófá`	`salaigh`	`go salaí tú`	`dá salaíteá`
3rd Sg.	`shalódh sé`	`salaíodh sé`	`go salaí sé`	`dá salaíodh sé`
1st Pl.	`shalóimis`	`salaímis`	`go salaímid`	`dá salaímis`
2nd Pl.	`shalódh sibh`	`salaígí`	`go salaí sibh`	`dá salaíodh sibh`
3rd Pl.	`shalóidís`	`salaídís`	`go salaí siad`	`dá salaídís`
Autonomous	`shalófaí`	`salaítear`	`go salaítear`	`dá salaítí`

Syncopated Verbs

These verbs follow the slender ending pattern, but on a shortened (syncopated) stem.

Example: imir (to play)

The stem becomes imr- before endings are added.

Indicative Tenses

Person	Present	Preterite	Imperfect	Future
1st Sg.	`imrím`	`d'imríos`	`d'imrínn`	`imreod`
2nd Sg.	`imríonn tú`	`d'imrís`	`d'imríteá`	`imreoidh tú`
3rd Sg.	`imríonn sé`	`d'imir sé`	`d'imríodh sé`	`imreoidh sé`
1st Pl.	`imrímid`	`d'imríomar`	`d'imrímis`	`imreoimid`
2nd Pl.	`imríonn sibh`	`d'imríobhair`	`d'imríodh sibh`	`imreoidh sibh`
3rd Pl.	`imríonn siad`	`d'imríodar`	`d'imrídís`	`imreoidh siad`
Autonomous	`imrítear`	`imríodh`	`d'imrítí`	`imreofar`
Relative	`a imríos`	—	—	`a imreos`

Other Moods

Person	Conditional	Imperative	Present Subjunctive	Past Subjunctive
1st Sg.	`d'imreoinn`	`imrím`	`go n-imrí mé`	`dá n-imrínn`
2nd Sg.	`d'imreofá`	`imir`	`go n-imrí tú`	`dá n-imríteá`
3rd Sg.	`d'imreodh sé`	`imríodh sé`	`go n-imrí sé`	`dá n-imríodh sé`
1st Pl.	`d'imreoimis`	`imrímis`	`go n-imrímid`	`dá n-imrímis`
2nd Pl.	`d'imreodh sibh`	`imrígí`	`go n-imrí sibh`	`dá n-imríodh sibh`
3rd Pl.	`d'imreoidís`	`imrídís`	`go n-imrí siad`	`dá n-imrídís`
Autonomous	`d'imreofaí`	`imrítear`	`go n-imrítear`	`dá n-imrítí`

Non-syncopated Verbs

These verbs also follow the slender ending pattern, but the full stem is kept.

Example: foghlaim (to learn)

Indicative Tenses

Person	Present	Preterite	Imperfect	Future
1st Sg.	`foghlaimím`	`d'fhoghlaimíos`	`d'fhoghlaimínn`	`foghlaimeod`
2nd Sg.	`foghlaimíonn tú`	`d'fhoghlaimís`	`d'fhoghlaimíteá`	`foghlaimeoidh tú`
3rd Sg.	`foghlaimíonn sé`	`d'fhoghlaim sé`	`d'fhoghlaimíodh sé`	`foghlaimeoidh sé`
1st Pl.	`foghlaimímid`	`d'fhoghlaimíomar`	`d'fhoghlaimímis`	`foghlaimeoimid`
2nd Pl.	`foghlaimíonn sibh`	`d'fhoghlaimíobhair`	`d'fhoghlaimíodh sibh`	`foghlaimeoidh sibh`
3rd Pl.	`foghlaimíonn siad`	`d'fhoghlaimíodar`	`d'fhoghlaimídís`	`foghlaimeoidh siad`
Autonomous	`foghlaimítear`	`foghlaimíodh`	`d'fhoghlaimítí`	`foghlaimeofar`
Relative	`a fhoghlaimíos`	—	—	`a fhoghlaimeos`

Other Moods

Person	Conditional	Imperative	Present Subjunctive	Past Subjunctive
1st Sg.	`d'fhoghlaimeoinn`	`foghlaimím`	`go bhfoghlaimí mé`	`dá bhfoghlaimínn`
2nd Sg.	`d'fhoghlaimeofá`	`foghlaim`	`go bhfoghlaimí tú`	`dá bhfoghlaimíteá`
3rd Sg.	`d'fhoghlaimeodh sé`	`foghlaimíodh sé`	`go bhfoghlaimí sé`	`dá bhfoghlaimíodh sé`
1st Pl.	`d'fhoghlaimeoimis`	`foghlaimímis`	`go bhfoghlaimímid`	`dá bhfoghlaimímis`
2nd Pl.	`d'fhoghlaimeodh sibh`	`foghlaimígí`	`go bhfoghlaimí sibh`	`dá bhfoghlaimíodh sibh`
3rd Pl.	`d'fhoghlaimeoidís`	`foghlaimídís`	`go bhfoghlaimí siad`	`dá bhfoghlaimídís`
Autonomous	`d'fhoghlaimeofaí`	`foghlaimítear`	`go bhfoghlaimítear`	`dá bhfoghlaimítí`