Bí: Dialect Forms
A reference for the non-standard and dialectal conjugations of the verb 'bí' (to be), particularly those found in Munster Irish.
The verb bí (to be) has several non-standard conjugations that are still used in some dialects, most notably in Munster Irish. These forms often differ from the Caighdeán Oifigiúil (Official Standard) and may include older features like the particle do with past tense verbs. This page provides a reference for these dialectal forms.
Munster Conjugations
The following tables show common non-standard conjugations for bí as used in Munster.
Indicative Tenses
| Person | Present | Past | Imperfect | Future |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | táim | do bhíos | do bhínn | bead |
| 2nd sg. | tá(nn) tú, tás tú, táir, taoi | do bhís | do bhíteá | beir |
| 3rd sg. | tá sé | do bhí sé | do bhíodh sé | beidh sé |
| 1st pl. | táimid | do bhíomair | do bhímis | beimid |
| 2nd pl. | tá(nn) sibh, tathaoi | do bhíobhair | do bhíodh sibh | beidh sibh, beithí |
| 3rd pl. | táid | do bhíodar | do bhídís | beid |
| Autonomous | táthar, táthars | do bhíothas | do bhítí | beifear |
Conditional and Imperative
| Person | Conditional | Imperative |
|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | do bheinn | bím |
| 2nd sg. | do bheifeá | bí |
| 3rd sg. | do bheadh sé | bíodh sé |
| 1st pl. | do bheimis | bímis |
| 2nd pl. | do bheadh sibh | bígí, bídh |
| 3rd pl. | do bheidís | bídís |
| Autonomous | do bheifí | bítear |
Subjunctive Mood
| Person | Present Subjunctive | Habitual Present Subjunctive | Past Subjunctive |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | go rabhad | go mbíod | dá mbínn |
| 2nd sg. | go raibhir | go mbír | dá mbíteá |
| 3rd sg. | go raibh sé | go mbí sé | dá mbíodh sé |
| 1st pl. | go rabhaimid | go mbímid | dá mbímis |
| 2nd pl. | go raibh sibh, rabhtaoi | go mbí sibh | dá mbíodh sibh |
| 3rd pl. | go raibhid | go mbíd | dá mbídís |
| Autonomous | go rabhthar | go mbítear | dá mbítí |
Habitual Present and Dependent Forms
Dialectal forms also exist for the habitual present and for dependent forms used after particles.
Habitual Present
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| 1st sg. | bím |
| 2nd sg. | bíonn tú, bír |
| 3rd sg. | bíonn sé |
| 1st pl. | bímid |
| 2nd pl. | bíonn sibh, bíthí |
| 3rd pl. | bíd |
| Autonomous | bítear |
Dependent Present Tense
These fuil forms are used after particles like an (question), go (that), nach (that…not), ní (not), and ná (negative question).
| Person | Positive (an/go/nach) | Negative (ní) | Negative Interrogative (ná) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | an bhfuilim | nílim | ná fuilim |
| 2nd sg. | an bhfuil(eann) tú, an bhfuilir | níl(eann) tú, nílir | ná fuil(eann) tú, ná fuilir |
| 3rd sg. | an bhfuil sé | níl sé | ná fuil sé |
| 1st pl. | an bhfuilimid | nílimid | ná fuilimid |
| 2nd pl. | an bhfuil(eann) sibh, an bhfuiltí | níl(eann) sibh, níltí | ná fuil(eann) sibh, ná fuiltí |
| 3rd pl. | an bhfuilid | nílid | ná fuilid |
| Autonomous | an bhfuiltear | níltear | ná fuiltear |
Dependent Past Tense
These raibh forms are used after particles in the past tense.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| 1st sg. | an rabhas |
| 2nd sg. | an rabhais |
| 3rd sg. | an raibh sé |
| 1st pl. | an rabhamair |
| 2nd pl. | an rabhabhair |
| 3rd pl. | an rabhadar |
| Autonomous | an rabhthas |
Pronunciation and Usage Notes
The use of ná as a negative interrogative particle is another feature of Munster Irish.