The Irish equivalent of the verb "to be" has two present tenses, one (the present tense proper or "") for cases which are generally true or are true at the time of speaking and the other (the habitual present or "") for repeated actions. Thus, "you are [now, or generally]" is , but "you are [repeatedly]" is . Both forms are used with the verbal noun (equivalent to the English present participle) to create compound tenses. This is similar to the distinction between and in Spanish or the use of the "habitual be" in African-American Vernacular English.
The Irish equivalent of the verb "to be" has two present tenses, one (the present tense proper or "") for cases which are generally true or are true at the time of speaking and the other (the habitual present or "") for repeated actions. Thus, "you are [now, or generally]" is , but "you are [repeatedly]" is . Both forms are used with the verbal noun (equivalent to the English present participle) to create compound tenses. This is similar to the distinction between and in Spanish or the use of the "habitual be" in African-American Vernacular English.