atáim(more generally táim). See parad.; substantive verb, I am, I live, I stay, am found, exist in a particular condition, there is, there exists. This verb is not used as a simple copula like is in the phrase John is a man, a king, etc., we cannot say *tá Seaghán fear, *tá Seaghán rí, we must say tá Seaghán i n-a fhear, tá Seaghán i n-a rígh. The state or condition which the verb de notes is variously expressed, 1st by adject, or past part., or adverb, as atá sé saidhbhir, he is rich; atá sé breoidhte, he is sick; atá sé creachta, he is robbed; táim go maith, I am well; tá sé go hálainn, it is splendid, he is well (i.e. in the best of health); 2nd, by the use of prepositional clauses formed chiefly with the props, i (a), as, tar (ar), ag, fá, tré, etc. With i it expresses the precise state or condition in which the subject is tá sé 'n-a chodladh, he is asleep; tá sé 'n-a shuidhe, he is sitting up; tá sé i n-a fhear, he is a man, has grown to be a man, he is not a mere boy; but is fear é, he is a man essentially, abstracting from all changes and developments; tá sé 'na fhear, seems to imply progress and development or transformation, the result of which it expresses; with ar, in phrases like bheith ar fóghnamh, to be well; bheith ar fiuchadh, to be in a boiling state; bheith ar meisce, to be drunk; with iar (ar), atáim ar n-a m' choimhmeas ré lathaigh, I am put in comparison with mud (Kea.); atáim ar n-a m' chur i neimhní, I am brought to nought (Kea.); with ag it denotes the possessing or having a thing; tá airgead agam, I have money; bíodh deoch agat, have a drink; with verbal nouns after ag it expresses an action just going on; tá sé ag cur sheaca, it is freezing; tá sí ag gol, she is crying; with fá, tré, etc.: atá an áit fá uisce, the place is covered with water; atá an choill tré theinidh, the wood is on fire; with ar, a variety of superlative copula-phrase(?), tá sé ar an bhfile is feárr i n-Éirinn, he is the best poet in Ireland.