---
layout: postag
title: 'AUX'
shortdef: 'auxiliary verb'
# The filename "aux" is not allowed on Windows, so we redirect instead
# (see https://github.com/UniversalDependencies/docs/issues/20)
redirect_from: "ga/pos/AUX.html"
---

There are no auxiliary verbs in Irish.

---
layout: postag
title: 'AUX'
shortdef: 'auxiliary verb'
# The filename "aux" is not allowed on Windows, so we redirect instead
# (see https://github.com/UniversalDependencies/docs/issues/20)
redirect_from: "ga/pos/AUX.html"
---

Irish does not have auxiliary verbs per se. However, the v2 guidelines posit that Copula verbs should be labelled as AUX instead of VERB. Copula usage is extremely frequent in Irish.

In English, the copula is the verb _to be_. In Irish, however, there is a distinction between the substantive verb bí _to be_, which
inflects for tense, mood and person as per all Irish verbs, and the copula is, which only has two tensed forms - present/future and past/conditional.

Bí, as a verb, uses separate particles in negative and interrogative constructions with all tense and mood forms.
However, the copula does not inflect for mood, gender and number in the same way the substantive verb does.

The copula is uses its own forms in these constructions:.
The main forms are: 
* _is_ (positive - present/ future)
* _ní_ (negative - present/ future)
* ba (positive - conditional/ past)
* níor (negative - conditional/ past)
* _an_ (interrogative/ positive - present/ future)
* _ar_ (interrogative/ positive - conditional/ past)
* _nach_ (interrogative/ negative - present/ future)
* _nár_ (interrogative/ negative - conditional/ past).


Our analysis follows a copula-predicate-subject analysis as per Uí Dhonnchadha (2009), which applies to other constructions that we list here: 
* Classificatory constructions: _Is lá deas é_ "It is a nice day"
* Ownership constructions: _Is liomsa é_ "It is mine"
* Fronting constructions: _Is ise a chonaic sé_ "It is she whom he saw"
* Identification constructions: _Is iad na buaiteoirí_ "They are the winners"
* Idiomatic use: _Is maith liom tae_ "I like tea"

Update AUX.md to include Copula verbs
Update AUX.md to include Copula verbs