ABSTRACT
Irish has two non-finite verb forms that serve various functions. The primary such forms, known as verbal nouns, can function as regular nouns, but also fulfill the roles of the verb forms known in other languages as gerunds, infinitives, and participles. The second non-finite form, the verbal adjective, likewise has a dual function, as an ordinary adjective in some instances, but also as a verbal form equivalent to the past participle in English and other European languages. The form of a verbal noun may vary from region to region, according to the dialect of the speaker. Learners are advised to learn the verbal noun along with the verb stem when it is first introduced, because it is highly useful and arguably the most frequently occurring of all verb forms. The verbal adjective, as it is known in Irish grammatical tradition, is the equivalent of a past participle in other Indo-European languages.
