Noun Clauses with 'Go' in Irish

Overview

Noun clauses are subordinate clauses that function as the object of a verb — they express what someone said, thought, or knew. In Irish, noun clauses are introduced by the particle go (that), which triggers eclipsis on the following verb. The negative counterpart is nach (that...not), which also triggers eclipsis.

These clauses appear after verbs of saying, thinking, knowing, and believing: Ceapaim go bhfuil sé ceart (I think that he is right), Dúirt sé nach raibh sé ag teacht (He said that he wasn't coming). Unlike English, where "that" can often be omitted, go/nach is required in Irish.

Mastering noun clauses is essential for expressing opinions, reporting what others have said, and stating what you know or believe. They are among the most common subordinate clause types in everyday Irish.

How It Works

Structure

Component	Form
Main clause verb	Ceapaim (I think)
Particle	go (+ eclipsis)
Subordinate clause	bhfuil sé ceart
Full sentence	Ceapaim go bhfuil sé ceart.

Go (that) — Positive

Main Verb	+ go + eclipsis	English
Ceapaim	go bhfuil sé ceart	I think he is right
Dúirt sé	go raibh sé tuirseach	He said he was tired
Tá a fhios agam	go bhfuil sí tinn	I know she is sick
Creidim	go dtiocfaidh sé	I believe he will come

Nach (that...not) — Negative

Main Verb	+ nach + eclipsis	English
Ceapaim	nach bhfuil sé ceart	I think he is not right
Dúirt sé	nach raibh sé ag teacht	He said he wasn't coming
Tá a fhios agam	nach dtuigeann sé	I know he doesn't understand

Common Verbs Used with Go/Nach

Irish	English
ceapaim go...	I think that...
dúirt sé go...	he said that...
tá a fhios agam go...	I know that...
creidim go...	I believe that...
is dóigh liom go...	I suppose that...
cloisim go...	I hear that...
feicim go...	I see that...

Examples in Context

Irish	English	Note
Ceapaim go bhfuil sé ceart.	I think that he is right.	"go" + eclipsis on "fuil"
Dúirt sé nach raibh sé ag teacht.	He said he wasn't coming.	"nach" + dependent past
Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil sí tinn.	I know that she is sick.	Common expression
Creidim go dtiocfaidh sé.	I believe he will come.	Future after "go"
Is dóigh liom go bhfuil sé sin fíor.	I suppose that is true.	Tentative statement
Dúirt sí go mbeadh sí ann.	She said she would be there.	Conditional after "go"
Chuala mé go bhfuil sé tinn.	I heard he is sick.	Reporting information
Ní cheapaim nach dtuigeann sé.	I don't think he doesn't understand.	Double negative
Tá súil agam go n-éireoidh leat.	I hope you will succeed.	"go" before vowel: go n-
Bhí a fhios againn go raibh sé ann.	We knew he was there.	Past tense main clause

Common Mistakes

Forgetting eclipsis after go

• Wrong: Ceapaim go fuil sé ceart
• Right: Ceapaim go bhfuil sé ceart.
• Why: Go triggers eclipsis on the following verb: fuil → bhfuil, tiocfaidh → dtiocfaidh.

Using the independent form of the verb after go

• Wrong: Dúirt sé go tá sé tuirseach
• Right: Dúirt sé go bhfuil sé tuirseach (or go raibh in past reporting).
• Why: After go/nach, the dependent form of the verb is used. For bí, the dependent present is bhfuil, not tá.

Omitting go/nach

• Wrong: Ceapaim bhfuil sé ceart
• Right: Ceapaim go bhfuil sé ceart.
• Why: Unlike English, where "that" can be dropped, the particle go cannot be omitted in Irish.

Usage Notes

The distinction between independent and dependent verb forms is particularly important with bí: the independent forms are tá/ní/an, while the dependent forms (after go/nach/a) are bhfuil/raibh. This distinction applies in all tenses and is one of the trickiest aspects of Irish verb usage. Some irregular verbs also have distinct dependent forms.

Practice Tips

1. Practice reporting what people said using Dúirt sé/sí go... with at least five different sentences.
2. Express your opinions about five different topics using Ceapaim go... and Ní cheapaim go....

Related Concepts

• Basic Relative Clauses — a different clause type using "a" instead of "go"
• Purpose and Result — purpose clauses that build on go/nach
• Reported Speech — extended use of go/nach for indirect speech
• Cause, Purpose, and Concessive Clauses — other clause types using go