Page:Graimear na Gaedhilge.djvu/247

They are coming to wound us.

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Tá siad ag teaċt dár ngonaḋ. Tá siad at teaċt le sinn do ġonaḋ.

If we used the autonomous form in this last sentence we would get—

They are coming to wound us.

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Táṫar ag teaċt dár ngonaḋ. Táṫar ag teaċt le sinn do ġonaḋ.

574. The English present participle is usually translated by the verbal noun preceded by the preposition ag. If the English present participle expresses “rest” (e.g., standing, sitting, lying, sleeping, &c.), the verbal noun must be preceded by the preposition i (= in) compounded with a suitable possessive adjective (§ 186).

Tá siad ag teaċt.	They are coming.
Ḃí an buaċaill ’na ṡeasaṁ.	The boy was standing.
Tá an ḃean na seasaṁ.	The woman is standing.

575. The verbal noun in each of the above is dative case, governed by the preposition ag.

576. When the English present participle governs an objective case, the object if a noun will follow the verbal noun in Irish and will be in the genitive case.

He is cutting the grass.	Tá sé ag baint an ḟéir.
She was stretching out her hand.	Ḃí sí ag síneaḋ a láiṁe amaċ.