Verbal Nouns as Subjects

Level 5

A verbal-noun phrase can act as a subject or topic: Tá sé deacair an obair a chríochnú. Object position and mutation remain those of the verbal-noun phrase.

How It Works

A verbal-noun phrase can act as a subject or topic: Tá sé deacair an obair a chríochnú. Object position and mutation remain those of the verbal-noun phrase.

A verbal-noun phrase can name an action for evaluation, rather than asserting that the action is happening. In Tá sé deacair an obair a chríochnú, the action is what is difficult. The object still appears in the object-plus-a frame; the surrounding evaluation does not erase that internal structure.

Examples (3)

  1. Tá sé deacair an obair a chríochnú.

    It is difficult to finish the work.

  2. Tá sé éasca an leabhar a léamh.

    It is easy to read the book.

  3. Is maith an rud cabhrú le daoine.

    Helping people is a good thing.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Verbal Nouns as SubjectsLevel 5

Learn This First

Recognize the complete object-plus-action phrase as the thing being evaluated.