is ea
/(i)sˠ a/word by word
The English phrase "it is" can be translated into Irish as is ea.
This phrase is used to identify or confirm that a specific person or thing is the one being discussed.
Which one should you use?
The form changes to is é when the person or thing being identified is grammatically masculine and is í when the person or thing being identified is grammatically feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
/(i)sˠ a/
Did you know?
- Because is ea focuses on identity, you cannot use it to say 'it is raining' or 'it is hot'. Those descriptions use a completely different verb system because weather is a state and not a permanent identity.
- The word ea in is ea is an ancient pronoun that is a direct linguistic cousin to the English word 'it' and the Latin word 'id'.
- The structure used in is ea allows for a 'copular' sentence where the subject and the predicate are flipped, which can change the emphasis of the sentence in a way English cannot.
Examples in context
- Is ea an fear sin.It is that man.
Example conversation
Saoirse and Cian are looking for a specific book.
- SaoirseAn leobhar seo é?Is it this book?
- CianIs ea, Saoirse.It is, Saoirse.
- SaoirseAn bhfuil sé nua?Is it new?
- CianTá sé nua go leor.It is quite new.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (is, ea) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ea, is, CC BY-SA 4.0.
