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Updated Apr 19, 2026
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Learn About An Aimsir Fháistineach: Forming Future Tense in Irish
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An Aimsir Fháistineach - Getting Started
Think of the future tense as your planning language - it's how you say "I will go" or "they will play" in Irish. The trick is knowing which ending to stick on your verb, and that depends on the vowels inside it.
Before diving in, you need to master broad and slender vowels. Broad vowels are a, o, u (remember: "Are Owls Ugly?") and slender vowels are i, e ("Is Everyone Ill?"). This matters because of the golden rule: leathan le leathan, caol le caol - broad with broad, slender with slender.
The verb root is your starting point - it's the basic form without any endings. For example, glanann (cleans) has the root glan. Once you've got your root, check its last vowel to decide which ending fits.
Quick tip: Master the vowel types first - they're used throughout Irish grammar, not just the future tense!
First Conjugation Verbs - The One-Syllable Gang
First conjugation verbs have just one syllable in their root - words like dún (close), glan (clean), bris (break), and ól (drink). These are actually the easiest once you get the pattern.
Here's the system: if your verb root ends with a broad vowel (a, o, u), you add -faidh. If it ends with a slender vowel (i, e), you add -fidh. So glan becomes glanfaidh and bris becomes brisfidh.
The endings work perfectly for sé, sí, and siad (he, she, they). For other pronouns like mé and tú, you just add the pronoun after: glanfaidh mé, glanfaidh tú. The only special case is sinn (we) - it gets its own endings: -faimid for broad roots and -fimid for slender ones.
Remember: The broad/slender rule applies to every single verb - there are no exceptions here!
Second Conjugation Verbs - The Multi-Syllable Squad
Second conjugation verbs have two or more syllables and usually end in -igh. Think ceannaigh (buy), bailigh (collect), or éirigh (get up) - they're longer words that need a different approach.
The process is straightforward: chop off the -igh ending first. Then check what vowel you're left with at the end. If it's broad (a, o, u), add -óidh. If it's slender (i, e), add -eoidh.
So ceannaigh loses its -igh to become ceanna (ending in broad 'a'), then gets -óidh to make ceannóidh. Bailigh becomes bail (ending in slender 'i'), then gets -eoidh to make baileoidh.
Just like first conjugation, sinn (we) is special again. It uses -óimid for broad roots and -eoimid for slender ones instead of the regular endings.
Pro tip: Most verbs you'll meet ending in -igh follow this pattern - it's more common than you might think!
Working Through Examples
Let's tackle some exam-style questions to see how this works in practice. Take ól (drink) with mé (I) - it's one syllable, so it's first conjugation. The 'o' is broad, so we add -faidh: ólfaidh mé (I will drink).
For something trickier, try críochnaigh (finish) with sinn (we). It's multi-syllable and ends in -igh, so it's second conjugation. Drop the -igh to get críochn, which ends in broad 'o'. Since it's sinn, we use -óimid: críochnóimid (we will finish).
The key is taking it step by step: identify the conjugation type, find the root, check the vowel type, pick the right ending. Once you've done a few, the pattern becomes automatic.
Questions and negatives change things slightly - they start with An (will...?) or Ní (will not...), but the verb endings stay the same. An ólfaidh tú? (Will you drink?) and Ní ólfaidh mé (I will not drink).
Exam hack: Always identify conjugation type first - it saves you from mixing up the ending patterns!
Quick Revision Summary
You've got two main patterns to remember. First conjugation : broad vowel gets -faidh, slender vowel gets -fidh. Second conjugation : drop the -igh, then broad gets -óidh, slender gets -eoidh.
The pronoun sinn (we) always gets special treatment with its own endings: -faimid/-fimid for first conjugation, -óimid/-eoimid for second conjugation. Every other pronoun just tags along after the main verb form.
Remember that irregular verbs like téigh (go) completely ignore these rules - téigh becomes rachaidh mé (I will go), not téighfidh mé. You'll need to learn those 11 irregular verbs separately.
The leathan le leathan, caol le caol rule is your safety net - if your vowels don't match up, you've made a mistake somewhere. This future tense system works for the vast majority of Irish verbs once you've mastered the basics.
Final reminder: Practice with regular verbs first - once these patterns are automatic, irregular verbs become much easier to handle!
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This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
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very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
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I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
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Elisha
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This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE Knowunity AI. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
Learn About An Aimsir Fháistineach: Forming Future Tense in Irish
The Irish future tense (an aimsir fháistineach) is your tool for talking about things that will happen - from tomorrow's plans to next year's goals. It's built on a simple system of adding specific endings to verb roots, but you... Show more
An Aimsir Fháistineach - Getting Started
Think of the future tense as your planning language - it's how you say "I will go" or "they will play" in Irish. The trick is knowing which ending to stick on your verb, and that depends on the vowels inside it.
Before diving in, you need to master broad and slender vowels. Broad vowels are a, o, u (remember: "Are Owls Ugly?") and slender vowels are i, e ("Is Everyone Ill?"). This matters because of the golden rule: leathan le leathan, caol le caol - broad with broad, slender with slender.
The verb root is your starting point - it's the basic form without any endings. For example, glanann (cleans) has the root glan. Once you've got your root, check its last vowel to decide which ending fits.
Quick tip: Master the vowel types first - they're used throughout Irish grammar, not just the future tense!
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First Conjugation Verbs - The One-Syllable Gang
First conjugation verbs have just one syllable in their root - words like dún (close), glan (clean), bris (break), and ól (drink). These are actually the easiest once you get the pattern.
Here's the system: if your verb root ends with a broad vowel (a, o, u), you add -faidh. If it ends with a slender vowel (i, e), you add -fidh. So glan becomes glanfaidh and bris becomes brisfidh.
The endings work perfectly for sé, sí, and siad (he, she, they). For other pronouns like mé and tú, you just add the pronoun after: glanfaidh mé, glanfaidh tú. The only special case is sinn (we) - it gets its own endings: -faimid for broad roots and -fimid for slender ones.
Remember: The broad/slender rule applies to every single verb - there are no exceptions here!
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Second Conjugation Verbs - The Multi-Syllable Squad
Second conjugation verbs have two or more syllables and usually end in -igh. Think ceannaigh (buy), bailigh (collect), or éirigh (get up) - they're longer words that need a different approach.
The process is straightforward: chop off the -igh ending first. Then check what vowel you're left with at the end. If it's broad (a, o, u), add -óidh. If it's slender (i, e), add -eoidh.
So ceannaigh loses its -igh to become ceanna (ending in broad 'a'), then gets -óidh to make ceannóidh. Bailigh becomes bail (ending in slender 'i'), then gets -eoidh to make baileoidh.
Just like first conjugation, sinn (we) is special again. It uses -óimid for broad roots and -eoimid for slender ones instead of the regular endings.
Pro tip: Most verbs you'll meet ending in -igh follow this pattern - it's more common than you might think!
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Working Through Examples
Let's tackle some exam-style questions to see how this works in practice. Take ól (drink) with mé (I) - it's one syllable, so it's first conjugation. The 'o' is broad, so we add -faidh: ólfaidh mé (I will drink).
For something trickier, try críochnaigh (finish) with sinn (we). It's multi-syllable and ends in -igh, so it's second conjugation. Drop the -igh to get críochn, which ends in broad 'o'. Since it's sinn, we use -óimid: críochnóimid (we will finish).
The key is taking it step by step: identify the conjugation type, find the root, check the vowel type, pick the right ending. Once you've done a few, the pattern becomes automatic.
Questions and negatives change things slightly - they start with An (will...?) or Ní (will not...), but the verb endings stay the same. An ólfaidh tú? (Will you drink?) and Ní ólfaidh mé (I will not drink).
Exam hack: Always identify conjugation type first - it saves you from mixing up the ending patterns!
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
Quick Revision Summary
You've got two main patterns to remember. First conjugation : broad vowel gets -faidh, slender vowel gets -fidh. Second conjugation : drop the -igh, then broad gets -óidh, slender gets -eoidh.
The pronoun sinn (we) always gets special treatment with its own endings: -faimid/-fimid for first conjugation, -óimid/-eoimid for second conjugation. Every other pronoun just tags along after the main verb form.
Remember that irregular verbs like téigh (go) completely ignore these rules - téigh becomes rachaidh mé (I will go), not téighfidh mé. You'll need to learn those 11 irregular verbs separately.
The leathan le leathan, caol le caol rule is your safety net - if your vowels don't match up, you've made a mistake somewhere. This future tense system works for the vast majority of Irish verbs once you've mastered the basics.
Final reminder: Practice with regular verbs first - once these patterns are automatic, irregular verbs become much easier to handle!
We thought you’d never ask...
What is the Knowunity AI companion?
Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
Where can I download the Knowunity app?
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Is Knowunity really free of charge?
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
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The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE Knowunity AI. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE Knowunity AI. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user