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585. Whenever a definite noun is the subject of a verb in English, and the verb is is employed in translating into Irish, a personal pronoun must immediately precede the definite noun in Irish.
- John is the man. Is é Seaghán an fear
WHEN TO USE THE VERB IS.
586. (a) When the verb "to be" in English is followed by a definite noun, use is: as,
| I am John. | Is mise Seaġán. |
| It is the man. | Is é an fear é. |
| You are my brother. | Is tú mo ḋearḃráṫair. |
| James is the man. | Is é Seumas an fear. |
| It is the woman of the house. | Is í bean an tiġe í. |
| Are you not my friend? | Naċ tú mo ċara? |
| He is not my father. | Ní h‑é sin m’aṫair. |
All sentences of this class are called “Identification sentences.”
He, she and they in sentences of identity have usually the force of demonstrative pronouns, and are translated by é sin, í sin, iad san.
(b) When the verb “to be” in English is followed by an indefinite noun is or tá may be used, but with very different meanings. Whenever we use the verb is in such a sentence we convey the idea of “classification,” or species: as, Is
