Wouldn’t … usually?
Nach b’ àbhaist (do)?
Can you think of some more questions and answers using these verbs. Or can you do this with a friend? If you can, gabhaibh turas mu seach (take turn about) to ask each other the questions.
B' àbhaist
We can also use the gnìomhair fillte (compound verb) B' àbhaist to talk about the past.
As we saw with Bu chòir (should), and B' urrainn (could) we use B' àbhaist with the preposition do :
| do + mi | dhomh |
| do + thu | dhut |
| do + e | dha |
| do + i | dhi |
| do + sinn | dhuinn |
| do + sibh | dhuibh |
| do + iad | dhaibh |
As with the compound verbs we have already seen: Bu toil le , Bu mhiann le , Bu chòir do , and B' urrainn do , we often use a bhith (to be) with B' àbhaist do .
A bhith
As we learned in A1 Cuspair 11 , we can use a bhith in sentences to give them a 'progressive' meaning.
Learners can use a bhith to 'reset' the grammar of a sentence as it is always followed by the simple progressive verbal noun, rather than iomlaid (inversion).
| B' àbhaist dhomh rugbaidh a chluiche. | I used to play rugby. | [It was usual for me rugby to play.] |
| B' àbhaist dhomh a bhith a' cluiche rugbaidh. | I used to play rugby. | [It was usual for me to be playing rugby.] |
| B' àbhaist dha litrichean a sgrìobhadh. | He used to write letters | [It was usual for him letters to write.] |
| B' àbhaist dha a bhith a' sgrìobhadh litrichean. | He used to write letters | [It was usual for him to be writing letters.] |