ag + Verbal Noun
Actions in Progress
Bí plus ag and a verbal noun presents an ongoing activity: Tá mé ag léamh. The verbal noun is not a finite present-tense verb.
How It Works
Bí plus ag and a verbal noun presents an ongoing activity: Tá mé ag léamh. The verbal noun is not a finite present-tense verb.
Use a finite form of bí to locate the activity in time, followed by ag and the verbal noun. Tá mé ag léamh means I am reading now; Bhí mé ag léamh locates the activity in the past. The verbal noun itself does not acquire an English-style tense ending.
Examples (3)
- Tá mé ag léamh.
I am reading.
- Tá sí ag snámh.
She is swimming.
- Bhí siad ag obair.
They were working.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Bí supplies tense while the verbal noun names the ongoing activity.
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
- ganWithout and Negative Verbal NounsLevel 3
- ag mo / do / aPronoun Objects of Verbal NounsLevel 4
- is féidirPossibility with Is FéidirLevel 4
- Object + a + Verbal NounObjects Before Verbal NounsLevel 4
- tá ... ar tíBeing About toLevel 4
- tá ... déantaResult StatesLevel 4
- tá ... in annAbility with in AnnLevel 4
- tá ... tar éisRecent CompletionLevel 4
And 1 more in the full list.
Words in This Pattern
Practice ag + Verbal Noun in Bubblegum
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