Today we’re looking at the verbs to be and to see, and related words, in Celtic languages. This verb is one of the few irregular verbs in the Celtic languages. Different parts of the conjugated forms come from different roots.
| Proto-Celtic |
*buyeti = to be, become |
| Gaulish |
biiete = to be |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) |
bí [bʲiː] = to be |
| Irish (Gaeilge) |
bí [bʲiː] = to be, exist (conjugation) |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) |
bi [bi] = to be, exist (conjugation) |
| Manx (Gaelg) |
bee [biː] = to be |
| Proto-Brythonic |
*bujɨd = to be, become |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) |
bot = to be |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) |
bod [boːd] = to be (conjugation)
bodaeth = existence, the state of being, ontology; a being, living creature
bodiad = (the state of) being, existence
bodiadol = being, existing, present (tense) |
| Cornish (Kernewek) |
bos [ˈbɔːz] = to be, become, exist (conjugation) |
| Old Breton |
bout/bud/but = to be |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) |
bezañ [ˈbe.zɑ̃] = to be (conjugation) |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (to become, grow, appear) [source], which is also the root of such English words as wise, wit, view, vision, video, guide, druid and history [source].
| Proto-Celtic |
*tāti = to be (stative) |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) |
at·tá [atˈtaː] = to be, have |
| Irish (Gaeilge) |
tá [t̪ˠæː] = am/is/are (present tense of the verb bí (to be) in the affirmative form) |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) |
tha [ha] = am/is/are (present tense of the verb bi (to be) in the affirmative form) |
| Manx (Gaelg) |
ta [ta] = am/is/are (present tense of the verb bee (to be) in the affirmative form) |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) |
tau = to be |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) |
taw [taːu̯ / tau̯] = that, being, existing, present (tense) |
| Middle Cornish |
otte/atta [ˈbɔːz] = that (?) |
| Old Breton |
to = that (?) |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *steh₂-(t) (to stand (up)) [source].
| Proto-Celtic |
*weleti = to see
*wele = see (imperative)
*weless = seer, poet |
| Primitive Irish |
ᚃᚓᚂᚔᚈᚐᚄ (velitas) = poet |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) |
fil [fʲilʲ] = am/is/are (present progressive conjunct of at·tá)
fili [ˈfʲilʲi] = poet, seer
filidecht / filedacht [ˈfʲilʲəð(ʲ)əxt] = poetry, divination |
| Irish (Gaeilge) |
bhfuil [vˠɪlʲ / wɪlʲ] = am/is/are (present affirmative form of the verb bí)
níl [n̠ʲiːlʲ] = am not/is not/are not (present negative form of the verb bí) – from ní fhuil
file = poet, satirist, scold
filíocht = poetry |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) |
bheil [vel] = am/is/are (present affirmative form of the verb bi)
chan eil [xan̪ʲ el] = am not/is not/are not (present negative form of the verb bi)
filidh [filɪ] = poet, bard, minstrel
filidheachd [filɪjəxg] = poetry, versification, rhyming |
| Manx (Gaelg) |
vel [vel] = am/is/are (present affirmative form of the verb bee)
cha nel = am not/is not/are not (present negative form of the verb bee)
feelee [ˈfʲilʲi] = poet
feeleeaght = poetry |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) |
gwelet / guelud = to see |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) |
gweld [ɡwɛld] = to see, behold, perceive with the eyes, grasp intellectually, understand, visualize, imagine, view, inspect, interview, visit, inquire (conjugation)
gweledydd = seer, prophet, beholder
gweledig = in sight, visible, perceptible, seen, perceived
anweledig = invisible |
| Cornish (Kernewek) |
gweles [‘gwɛlɛs / ‘gwɛlɐz] = to see (conjugation)
gweladow = visible
anweladow = invisible |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) |
gwelet = to hear, keep an eye on, watch (conjugation)
gwelapi = visible
disgwel / diwel = invisible
rakwelet = to foresee, predict, preview |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *wel- (to see). This verb came to mean “there is” in Old Irish and its descendents, but continued to mean to see in the Brythonic languages [source].
| Proto-Celtic |
*ad-kʷis-o- = to see |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) |
aicci = sees |
| Irish (Gaeilge) |
feic [fʲɛc] = to see |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) |
faic [fɛçgʲ] = to see, look, behold, observe |
| Manx (Gaelg) |
faik = to see |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *kʷey- (to observe), or from *kʷes- (see) [source].
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, logainm.ie, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old Irish glossary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, Le dictionnaire diachronique du breton, Geriafurch, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic
