Déan (to do, to make)
Complete conjugation of the irregular Irish verb déan (to do / make) across all tenses: past (rinne / dearna), present (déanann), future (déanfaidh), and verbal noun (déanamh).
The verb déan means “to do” or “to make” and is one of the most common irregular verbs in Irish. Its main irregularities are in the past tense, where it uses the stem rinne in independent statements and a different stem, dearna, in dependent contexts such as questions and negative statements.
Indicative Mood
Present Tense
The present tense is regular and follows the pattern of first-conjugation verbs.
- Déanann sí a cuid oibre gach lá. - She does her work every day.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| 1st sg. | déanaim |
| 2nd sg. | déanann tú |
| 3rd sg. | déanann sé/sí |
| 1st pl. | déanaimid |
| 2nd pl. | déanann sibh |
| 3rd pl. | déanann siad |
| Autonomous | déantar |
| Relative | a dhéanas |
Preterite (Past Tense)
In the past tense, déan uses the independent stem rinne. This form is used in simple affirmative statements. For questions and negative statements, see the dependent forms below.
- Rinne mé an ciste inné. - I made the cake yesterday.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| 1st sg. | rinneas |
| 2nd sg. | rinne tú |
| 3rd sg. | rinne sé/sí |
| 1st pl. | rinneamar |
| 2nd pl. | rinneabhair |
| 3rd pl. | rinneadar |
| Autonomous | rinneadh |
Imperfect Tense
The imperfect tense describes habitual or repeated actions in the past.
- Dhéanainn staidéar gach oíche. - I used to study every night.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| 1st sg. | dhéanainn |
| 2nd sg. | dhéantá |
| 3rd sg. | dhéanadh sé/sí |
| 1st pl. | dhéanaimis |
| 2nd pl. | dhéanadh sibh |
| 3rd pl. | dhéanaidís |
| Autonomous | dhéantaí |
Future Tense
The future tense is regular and follows the pattern of first-conjugation verbs.
- Déanfaidh mé é amárach. - I will do it tomorrow.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| 1st sg. | déanfad |
| 2nd sg. | déanfaidh tú |
| 3rd sg. | déanfaidh sé/sí |
| 1st pl. | déanfaimid |
| 2nd pl. | déanfaidh sibh |
| 3rd pl. | déanfaidh siad |
| Autonomous | déanfar |
| Relative | a dhéanfas |
Dependent Preterite Forms
In the past tense, déan uses the special stem dearna in dependent contexts. This includes negative statements with ní, questions with an, and clauses introduced by go or nach. Note that the past tense particle d' is not used with these forms.
- Ní dhearna mé an obair. - I did not do the work.
- An ndearna tú an ciste? - Did you make the cake?
| Person | Negative (ní) | Interrogative (an) |
|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | ní dhearnas | an ndearnas |
| 2nd sg. | ní dhearna tú | an ndearna tú |
| 3rd sg. | ní dhearna sé/sí | an ndearna sé/sí |
| 1st pl. | ní dhearnamar | an ndearnamar |
| 2nd pl. | ní dhearnabhair | an ndearnabhair |
| 3rd pl. | ní dhearnadar | an ndearnadar |
| Autonomous | ní dhearnadh | an ndearnadh |
Conditional Mood
The conditional mood expresses what would happen under certain conditions.
- Dhéanfainn é dá mbeadh am agam. - I would do it if I had time.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| 1st sg. | dhéanfainn |
| 2nd sg. | dhéanfá |
| 3rd sg. | dhéanfadh sé/sí |
| 1st pl. | dhéanfaimis |
| 2nd pl. | dhéanfadh sibh |
| 3rd pl. | dhéanfaidís |
| Autonomous | dhéanfaí |
Imperative Mood
The imperative is used for giving commands or instructions.
- Déan do chuid oibre anois! - Do your work now!
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| 1st sg. | déanaim |
| 2nd sg. | déan |
| 3rd sg. | déanadh sé/sí |
| 1st pl. | déanaimis |
| 2nd pl. | déanaigí |
| 3rd pl. | déanaidís |
| Autonomous | déantar |
Subjunctive Mood
The subjunctive mood is mainly used in certain set phrases and formal wishes.
- Go ndéana an Tiarna trócaire ort. - May the Lord have mercy on you.
| Tense | Person | Form |
|---|---|---|
| Present | 1st sg. | go ndéana mé |
| 2nd sg. | go ndéana tú | |
| 3rd sg. | go ndéana sé/sí | |
| 1st pl. | go ndéanaimid | |
| 2nd pl. | go ndéana sibh | |
| 3rd pl. | go ndéana siad | |
| Autonomous | go ndéantar | |
| Past | 1st sg. | dá ndéanainn |
| 2nd sg. | dá ndéantá | |
| 3rd sg. | dá ndéanadh sé/sí | |
| 1st pl. | dá ndéanaimis | |
| 2nd pl. | dá ndéanadh sibh | |
| 3rd pl. | dá ndéanaidís | |
| Autonomous | dá ndéantaí |
Verbal Noun and Adjective
Verbal Noun
The verbal noun is déanamh.
- Tá mé ag déanamh an dinnéir. - I am making the dinner.
The genitive of the verbal noun is
déanaimhwhen used as a noun (e.g.,fear déanaimh an bháid- the man who made the boat) anddéantawhen used as part of a verbal phrase (e.g.,chun é a dhéanamh- to do it).
Verbal Adjective
The verbal adjective is déanta.
- Tá an obair déanta. - The work is done.
Dialectal Variations
Historical Forms
Historically, Irish distinguished between absolute and dependent verb forms in most tenses. For déan, the absolute forms were derived from the older verb do-ghní. The forms based on déan- were originally only the dependent forms.
| Tense | Dependent | Absolute (Older Form) |
|---|---|---|
| Present | déanann | (do-)ghníonn |
| Imperfect | déanadh | (do-)ghníodh |
| Future | déanfaidh | (do-)ghéanaidh |
| Conditional | déanfadh | (do-)ghéanadh |
These absolute forms are now mostly obsolete in the standard language but have influenced some dialectal forms, particularly in Ulster.