Verbs
Verbs indicate
an action, occurance or state. Events can be placed:
-
in present time i.e. the present tense e.g. is
(is).
-
in past time i.e. the past tense e.g. wis
or hae / hiv (was or
have).
as
having taken place in the past but are relevant to the present time,
the perfect. e.g. haes (has).
-
Scots often uses the continuous tense
where English would have a simple tense.
A'm thinkin means much
the same as 'I imagine' in English.
A'm doutin means much the same as 'I'm
afraid' in English.
A'm thinkin we wad been telt
tae gang
I imagine we would have been
told to leave. |
A'm doutin that thare will be
wittins anent the mishanter.
I'm afraid there will be news
about the accident. |
This also occurs with other tenses
and verbs.
A'll pit ma buits on the morn,
an be rinnin ower the muir.
I'll put my boots on tomorrow
and run over the moor. |
Ye wad git a sair fricht, gin
he wis comin alive again.
You would get a terrible fright
if he came back to life. |
-
The past tense and the past perfect
of strong verbs.
Strong verbs form the past and past
perfect by changing their vowels.
In some verbs the past perfect is formed by adding
n after aw and r.
| Infinitive |
Past |
Past perfect |
| (Present tense) |
|
(Past tense) |
(past participle) |
| be |
be |
wis, war |
been |
| beat |
beat |
bate |
bate |
| bear |
bear, carry |
bure |
born |
| begin |
begin |
begoud |
began |
| bend |
bend |
bent |
bent |
| bid |
bid |
baud, bade |
bidden |
| bind |
bind |
band |
bund |
| blaw |
blow |
blew |
blawn |
| bluid |
bleed |
bled |
bled |
| bide |
endure |
bade |
bidden |
| can |
can |
coud |
|
| cast |
cast |
cuist |
cuisten |
| ding |
strike |
dang |
dung |
| draw |
draw |
drew |
drawn |
| drink |
drink |
drank |
drucken, drunken |
| drive |
drive |
druive |
druive, driv |
| faw |
fall |
fell |
fawn |
| fesh |
fetch |
fuish |
fuishen |
| find |
find |
fand |
fund |
| flee |
fly |
flew |
flewen |
| fling |
fling |
flang |
flung |
| forgit |
forget |
forgat |
forgotten |
| freeze |
freeze |
fruize |
frozen |
| git |
got |
gat |
gotten |
| greet |
cry |
grat |
grutten |
| hide |
hide |
hade, hod |
hidden, hodden |
| hit |
hit |
hat |
hutten |
| lat |
let |
luit |
lutten |
| leap |
leap |
lap(e) |
luppen |
| mistak |
mistake |
misteuk |
mistaen |
| quit |
rid, quit |
quat |
quat, quitten |
| read |
read |
rade |
read(en) |
| rin |
run |
ran |
run |
| ride |
ride |
rade |
ridden |
| shae |
shoe |
shod |
shoddit |
| shall* |
shall |
shoud |
|
| shear |
shear, clip |
shuir |
shorn |
| sit |
sit |
sat |
sutten |
| speak |
speak |
spak |
spoken |
| spit |
spit |
spat |
sputten |
| staund |
stand |
stuid |
stuiden |
| stick |
stick / stab |
stack, stickit |
stucken |
| straw |
strew |
strew |
strawn |
| strick |
strike |
strack |
strucken |
| strive |
strive |
strave |
striven |
| sweir |
swear |
swuire |
sworn |
| tak |
tak |
teuk |
taen |
| teir |
tear |
tuir |
torn |
| thresh |
thrash |
thruish |
thruishen |
| thrive |
thrive |
thrave |
thri'en, thriven |
| weed |
weed |
wed |
wed |
| weir |
wear |
wuir |
worn |
| win |
reach / won |
wan |
wun |
| write |
write |
wrat(e) |
written |
* Also older forms sall
and s(o)ud
/suld.
-
The past tense and the past perfect
of weak verbs.

Verbs that end with b, d, g,
k, p and t by adding
it.
Verbs that end with il, en,
ch, sh, ss
and f by adding t.
Verbs that end with a consonant followed by le
change their ending to elt.
Verbs that end with r have either t
or (e)d, especially in
the south.
Otherwise by the addition of ed or d
where the infinitive ends with a vowel sound or silent
e.
Verbs that end with ee by adding 'd.
Verbs of French or Latin origin do not add t,
it, d or ed
in the past perfect.
The past perfect of some verbs is formed by adding ed,
en or n after aw.
In some dialects the ending (e)d
may be pronounced /t/.
| Infinitive |
Past |
Past perfect |
| |
|
|
|
| acquent |
acquaint |
acquentit |
acquent |
| awe |
owe |
aucht |
aucht |
| bend |
bend |
bent |
bent |
| birrie |
bury |
birriet |
birriet |
| bou |
bow, bend |
boud |
boud |
| burn |
burn |
brunt |
brunt |
| buy |
buy |
bocht |
bocht |
| byle |
boil |
bylt |
bylt |
| caw |
call |
cawed |
cawed |
| cairy |
carry |
cairit |
cairit |
| caw |
drive |
cawed |
cawed |
| dee |
die |
dee'd |
dee'd |
| dow |
to be able to |
docht |
docht |
| drap |
drop |
drappit |
drappit |
| droun |
drown |
drount |
drount, droundit |
| fear |
fear / scared |
feart |
feart |
| fill |
fill |
filt |
fult |
| gae* |
go |
gaed |
gane, went |
| gar |
compel |
gart |
gart |
| gaither |
gather |
gaithert |
gaithert |
| hae |
have |
haed |
haen |
| hing |
hang |
hingit |
hingit |
| hurt |
hurt |
hurtit |
hurtit |
| keep |
keep |
keepit |
keepit |
| keek |
peep |
keekit |
keekit |
| ken |
know |
kent |
kent |
| kill |
kill |
kilt |
kilt |
| laid |
load |
laiden |
laiden |
| lear |
learn |
leart |
leart |
| leave, lea' |
leave |
left |
left |
| lee |
lie (fib) |
lee'd |
lee'd |
| licht |
light |
lichtit |
lichtit |
| lift |
lift |
liftit |
liftit |
| lig |
lay |
liggit |
liggit |
| loss |
lose |
lost |
lost |
| loue |
love |
loued |
loued |
| lowse |
loosen |
lowsed |
lowsed |
| leuk |
look |
leukit |
leukit |
| like |
like |
likit |
likit |
| mairy |
marry |
mairit |
mairit |
| mean |
mean |
meant |
meant |
| mend |
mend, repair |
ment |
ment |
| mey |
may |
micht |
|
| miss |
miss |
misst |
misst |
| mynd |
mind, remember |
mynt |
mynt |
| need |
need |
nott |
nott |
| pent |
paint |
pentit |
pentit |
| pey |
pay |
peyed |
peyed |
| pou |
pull |
poud |
poud |
| rap |
rap |
rappit |
rappit |
| redd |
arrange |
redd |
redd |
| rot |
rot |
rottit |
rotten |
| rowe |
roll |
rowed |
rowen |
| saw |
saw (wood) |
sawed |
sawn |
| say |
say |
said |
sain |
| see** |
see |
see'd, saw |
seen |
| seek |
seek |
socht |
socht(en) |
| sell |
sell |
selt |
selt |
| send |
send |
sent |
sent |
| ser |
serve |
ser |
serred |
| shae |
shoe |
shod |
shoden |
| shairp |
sharp |
shairpit |
shairpit |
| shuit |
shoot |
shuiitt |
shotten |
| singe |
singe |
singed |
singed |
| skail |
spill |
skailt |
skailt |
| sleep |
sleep |
sleepit |
sleepit |
| slup |
slip |
sluppit |
slippit |
| snaw |
snow |
snawed |
snawn |
| souk |
suck |
soukit |
soukit |
| soum |
swim |
soumed |
soumed |
| soop |
sweep |
soopit |
soopit |
| speir |
inquire, ask |
speirt |
speirt |
| spyle |
spoil |
spylt |
spylt |
| stang |
sting |
stangt |
stangt |
| stap |
step |
stappit |
stappit |
| stop |
stop |
stoppit |
stoppit |
| streek |
stretch |
straucht |
straucht |
| taigle |
hinder |
taigelt |
taigelt |
| think |
think |
thocht |
thocht |
| traivle |
travel, walk |
traivelt |
traivelt |
| tred |
tred |
tredit |
tredden |
| tuim |
empty |
tuimt |
tuimt |
| uise*** |
use |
uised |
uised |
| wad |
wed |
wad |
wad |
| wale |
choose |
waled |
waled |
| wirk**** |
work |
wrocht |
wrocht |
| worth |
to befall |
worthed |
worthed |
| wiss |
wish |
wust |
wust |
| yird |
bury |
yirdit |
yirdit |
*
Gang (Often written gan)
are alternatives for gae.
** The verb see is
used colloquially to indicate a desire to be handed
something.
See's ower thon jurnal.
Pass me that magazine over. |
Coud ye see's the teapat.
Could you pass me the teapot. |
*** Note the difference between the
verb uise (use) and the noun uiss
(use).
Uisst tae means
'used to'.
**** Note the difference between the verb wirk
(work) and the noun wark (work).
-
Some verbs have both strong and weak
forms, especially in the past perfect.
| Infinitive |
Past |
Past perfect |
| eat |
eat |
eatit, ett |
eaten, ett |
| bake |
bake |
bakit, beuk |
bakit, baken |
| bid |
bid |
baud, bade |
bidden |
| big |
build |
biggit, bug |
biggit, biggen |
| brak |
break |
brak, breuk |
brak, brucken |
| bring |
bring |
brocht, brang |
brochten, brung |
| bide |
stay |
bid, bade |
bidden |
| burst |
burst |
burstit, brast |
bursten |
| catch |
catch |
catcht, cuitch |
catcht, catchen |
| chuise |
choose |
chuist, chase |
chuist, chosen |
| cleid |
clothe |
cleidit, cled |
cleidit, cled |
| cleek |
hook, link |
cleekit, claucht |
cleekit, claucht |
| craw |
crow |
crawt, crew |
crawn |
| creep |
creep |
creepit, crap |
creepit, cruppen |
| come |
come |
cam, comed |
come(n), comed |
| dae |
do |
did, duin |
duin |
| daur* |
dare |
durst |
durst, daurd* |
| dreid |
dread |
dreidit, drade |
dreidit, drade |
| drink |
drink |
drank |
drucken, drunken |
| fash |
trouble, bother |
fasht, fuish |
fasht, fuishen |
| fecht |
fight |
focht, feuch |
fochten, feuchen |
| flit |
move home |
flittit |
flittit, flitten |
| flyte |
scold |
flytit, flait |
fleitit, flyten |
| gie |
give |
gied, gae |
gien |
| growe |
grow |
growed, grew |
growed, grawn |
| grip |
sieze |
gruppit, grap |
gruppit, gruppen |
| hae |
have |
haed |
haen, haed |
| haud |
hold |
haudit, helt |
haudden |
| hear |
hear |
haurd, heard
[hi:rd or he:rd] |
haurd |
| lauch |
laugh |
laucht, leuch |
laucht,leuchen |
| lowp |
jump |
lowpit |
lowpit, lowpen |
| mak |
make |
makkit, made |
makkit, made |
| maw |
mow |
mawed, mew |
mawn, mawed |
| pit |
put |
pat |
pitten |
| pruive |
prove |
pruived |
pruiven |
| quit |
rid, quit |
quat |
quut, quutten |
| rive |
tear |
rived, rave |
rived, riven |
| sawe |
sow |
sawed, sew |
sawn |
| sclim |
climb |
sclimmt, sclam |
sclimmt, sclum |
| set |
set |
set, suit |
setten |
| shak |
shake |
shakkit, sheuk |
shakken, sheuken |
| shape |
shape |
shup |
shuppit, shapen |
| shue |
sew |
shued |
shued, shuen |
| sing |
sing |
singit, sang |
singit, sung |
| slide |
slide |
slidit, slade |
slidden |
| spleet |
split |
spleetit, splat |
spleetit, splet |
| spreid |
spread |
spreidit, sprad |
spreidit, sprad |
| stick |
stick |
stickit, stack |
stickit, stucken |
| steal |
steal |
stealt, staw |
stealt, stowen |
| sweit |
sweat |
sweitit, swat |
sweitit, swutten |
| teach |
teach |
teacht, taucht |
teacht, taucht |
| tell |
tell |
telt, tauld |
telt, tauld |
| thraw |
throw, twist |
thrawed, threw |
thrawn |
| threid |
thread |
threidit, thrad |
threidit, thred |
| treat |
treat |
treat |
treat |
| tyne |
lose |
tint, tyned |
tint, tyned |
| wash |
wash |
washt, wuish |
washt, wuishen |
| weet |
wet |
weetit, wat |
weetit, wat(ten) |
| wind |
wind |
wundit, wand |
wundit, wund |
*The past perefect of daur
when followed by a noun or complex verb phrase is daurd.
-
In simple sentences Scots prefers
the word order Subject - verb - adverb - (adjective)
object.
He sneckit aff the licht.
He switched the light off. |
She hingit oot the washin.
She hung the washing out. |
The warkers heezed up the wechty
stanes.
The workers hoisted the heavy
stones up. |
English prefers Subject - verb -
(adjective) object - adverb.
-
The infinitive marker, for
tae (used with verbs) means 'in order to'.
He cam for tae eat his
denner.
He came to eat his dinner. |
A gaed for tae git it.
I went to get it. |
The war room
for tae git yer haund in.
There was space to get your
hand in. |
Ye'll come for
tae mak up a gemme.
You'll come to make up a game. |
He ettelt for tae gang.
He meant to go. |
Thay aw gaed for tae
see't.
They all went to see it. |
-
Note that want and
need are regularly followed by a past
participle (refering to an action that is past).
The bairn wants taen
hame at fower oors.
The child would like to be
be taken home at four o' clock. |
Ma caur needs washt.
My car needs to be washed. |
In Scots want also
has the meaning 'to be lacking'.
A didna want the will
but A wantit the means.
I didn't lack the will but
I lacked the means. |
Sae lang's fowk's born barefit
the souter winna want a job.
As long as people are born
barefoot the cobbler won't lack a job. |
The young bride disna want
tae dae wantin the new shuin an muntin.
The young bride doesn't want
to do without the new shoes and trousseau. |
-
Note the uses of leuk
and seem.
It leuks like thay winna
come.
It looks as if they won't come. |
It seems like naebody's
hame.
It seems as if no one is at
home. |
-
The prefix be can be
used before verbs to strengthen them and to make nouns
into verbs.
A begrudge
no gaun tae see ma grannie.
I regret not going to visit
my grandmother. |
The Pape's gaun
tae besaunt thon mairtyr.
The Pope is going to canonise
that martyr. |
She beteatcht
aw her siller til the man frae the insurance.
She entrusted all her money
to the insurance agent. |
Ye'll hae tae besmairten
yersel afore ye gae oot.
You'll have to tidy yourself
up before you go out. |
The rievers bewaves
thair veectims.
The robbers lay in wait for
their victims. |
Dinna ettle tae
begowk me.
Don't attempt to fool me. |
-
The verb inflexion
s. (Northern Subject Rule)
When a verb immediatly follows a
personal pronoun in the present tense, the verb remains
the same.
A come first.
I come first. |
We gang thare.
We go there. |
A ken that fine.
I know that well. |
We ken that fine.
We know that well. |
Thay come for tae dae't.
They come to do it. |
Thay say he's ower auld.
They say he is too old. |
Thay are comin an aw.
They are coming too. |
The laddies? Thay'v went.
The boys? They have gone. |
The verb ending s,
occurs:
In all persons of the plural
except immediately following a personal pronoun
(see above).
Thaim that
says he's ower auld.
Those who say he is too
old. |
It's us that
gangs til the schuil.
It's us who go to school. |
You anes says that
ilka day.
You ones say that every
day. |
Us auld fowk kens
that fine.
We old people know that
well. |
That's whit thay caws
it here.
That is what they call
it here. |
It's us that says
sae.
It's us who say so. |
Thaim that
dis thair hamewark gits sweeties
efter.
Those who do their homework
receive sweets afterwards. |
It's thaim
an us that haes aw the graith.
It's us and them who have
all the equipment |
Where the subject of the verb
includes two pronouns.
Me an you kens that
fine.
You and I know that well. |
Thaim an us gangs
thegither.
Us and them go together. |
Him an her
gies nae grief.
Him and her don't cause
trouble. |
Me an her dis
bonnie pentins.
Her and I paint nice paintings. |
Thaim an him
haes braw motors.
He and they have nice cars. |
Where the subject is a plural
noun.
Weemen kens that
fine.
Women know that well. |
Ma brakes haes went.
My brakes have gone. |
Fowk that comes
unbidden, sits unserred.
People who come uninvited,
sit unserved . |
Auld men dees
an bairns suin forgits.
Old men die and children
soon forget. |
Whan the kye
comes hame.
When the cows come home. |
As the days
lenthens the cauld strenthens.
As the days get longer
the cold gets stronger. |
Fowk that haes
sair feet canna daunder.
People who have sore feet
can't go for walks. |
Bairns that
dis guid gangs tae hieven.
Children who do good go
to heaven. |
Where the plural pronoun is separated
from the verb by some other word or words.
Us twa whiles gangs
thare.
Us two sometimes go there. |
Us three whiles haes
pizza.
Us three sometimes have
pizza. |
Youse anes says whit
youse means.
You ones say what you mean. |
Youse anes aye dis
that on a Seturday.
You ones always do that
on a saturday; |
Some fowk frae Jeddart thinks
he's richt, but ithers frae here mainteens
the contrar.
Some people from Jedburgh
thinks he's right, but others from here maintain
the opposite. |
Where the infinitive is used
for a narrative past the verb sometimes takes
the ending s even in the first person
singular and after a single personal pronoun.
A niver sees
him nou.
I never see him now. |
An in we comes.
And in we came. |
Cut that oot
the nou A says.
Stop that now I said. |
A says
no tae come the morn.
I said not to come tomorrow. |
-
The present indicative (the mood
of the present tense expressing fact).
The present indicative is usually
formed by adding s to the infinitive.
| Infinitive |
Present indicative |
| eat |
eat |
eats |
eats |
| gie |
give |
gies |
gives |
| greet |
cry |
greets |
crys |
| hae |
have |
haes |
has |
| juidge |
judge |
juidges |
judges |
| lowp |
leap |
lowps |
leaps |
| pech |
pant |
pechs |
pants |
| skail |
spill |
skails |
spills |
| skelloch |
scream |
skellochs |
screams |
| shak |
shake |
shaks |
shakes |
| smou |
smile |
smous |
smiles |
| smourich |
kiss |
smourichs |
kisses |
| wirk |
work |
wirks |
works |
| wiss |
wish |
wisses |
wishes |
She dis that aw the time.
She does that all the time. |
He kens whaur tae gang.
He knows where to go. |
She washes
the fluir ilka Monanday.
She washes the floor every
Monday. |
It peys
tae tak tent o yer caur.
It pays to look after your
car. |
-
Interrogative sentences (questions)
may begin with a verb instead of an auxiliary.
Think ye sae?
Do you think so? |
Cam ye by Athol?
Did you come past Athol? |
-
Negative verbs.
Single syllable verbs used to be
negated by affixing na or nae.
A carena a tait.
I don't care a bit. |
He kensna whaur she is.
He doesn't know where she is. |
A amna duin yit.
I'm not finished yet.
| He'll carena a tait.
He won't care a bit. |
These are now usually replaced by
modal verb forms or no.
A dinna care a tait.
I don't care a bit. |
He disna ken whaur she
is.
He doesn't know where she is. |
A'm no duin yit.
I'm not finished yet. |
He'll no care a tait.
He won't care a bit. |
The usual negative with past tense
verbs is niver.
A naurhaund coft the haliday, but
A coudna gang till the hinend o Augist sae A niver
coft it.
I nearly bought the holiday,
but I couldn't go until the end of August so I
didn't buy it. |
A niver gotten stairtit
till nine.
I didn't get started until
nine. |
A will niver iver dae
drogs.
I will at no time take drugs. |
Negative or unpleasant attributes
may be indicated by the prefix mis.
That wickit man mislippens
his bairns.
That wicked man neglects his
children. |
The medicinar miskent
the seemptoms.
The physician mistook the simptoms. |
A misdout wir lads'll
win the gemme.
I doubt our boys will win the
game. |
The penter wis sair mistrystit
wi the onding.
The painter was extremely dismayed
by the downpour. |
-
In middle Scots the present participle
(referring to an action that is roughly contemporaneous
) was formed by adding and to the verb.
By the twentieth century the pronunciation had become
indistinguishable from that of the verbal noun in
most dialects. During the Scots revival some Scots
writers started to revive the older form spelling
the present participle an. In line with
modern pronunciation the form in is
used here.
In words like bide,
side, ride and hate
the final e is dropped when forming
the present participle. Where the verb ends with ie
the ie changes to y.
He cam bearin praisents.
He came bearing presents. |
He wis bidin ootby.
He was staying outside. |
He wis hatin
haein tae wirk on the Sawbath.
He hated having to work on
Sunday. |
She wis beatin
the dug.
She was beating the dog. |
He's aye cairyin
on lik a daft fuil body.
He's always behaving like a
stupid fool person. |
The dug wis cooryin
doun whan the thunner clappit.
The dog was cowering when the
thunder clapped. |
One common word survives with a form
of the older participle.
He wis aye willint
tae dae't.
He was always willing to do
it. |
The laums willintly
gaed til the slauchter.
The lambs willingly went to
the slaughter. |
Note that the irregular present participle
of gae is gaun.
A'm gaun hame, thare's
nocht tae dae.
I'm going home, there is nothing
to do. |
Some writers also use an apostrophe
in the present participle in verbs ending with an
ae, aw or ee
sound, in order to represent the colloquial pronunciation.
| Verb |
Present Participle |
| hae |
hae'n |
having |
| dae |
dae'n |
doing |
| faw |
faw'n |
falling |
| lea' |
lea'n |
leaving |
| lee |
lee'n |
lying |
| gie |
gie'n |
giving |
Note the present participle of tak
(take) - takkin can also be taen.
Progressive use of the present participle.
He wisna likin it an
the lassie he wis wi wisna likin it.
He didn't like it and the girl
he was with didn't like it. |
We warna wantin tae big
a new hoose.
We didn't want to build a new
house. |
Ye're no intendin tae
open thon bottle o wine the nicht, are ye?
You don't intend to open that
bottle of wine tonight, do you? |
He's no liftin a wird
ye say.
He doesn't understand a word
you say. |
Scots prefers the use of present
participle to the infinitive.
Thay aye conteena wirkin
till the whistle blaws.
They always continue to work
until the whistle blows. |
He stertit speakin til
his feres.
He started to speak to his
comrades. |
It wis glaikit lea'in
the dug in the hoose its lane.
It was thoughtless to leave
the dog in the house on its own. |
Ettle at eatin less gin
ye're ower wechty.
Try to eat less if you're over
weight. |
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