Irish Lesson 116

GRAIMÉAR

An Aimsir Ghnáthchaite (EYEM-sheer gnaw*-K*AH-tye), or Past Habitual Tense, for Tá

To express “I used to be, you used to be”, etc., in Irish, these are the forms:

bhínn (veen), I used to be

bhíteá (VEE-taw*), you used to be

bhíodh sé (VEE-ohk* shay*), he used to be

bhíodh sé, she used to be

bhímis (VEE-mish), we used to be

bhíodh sibh, you-all used to be

bhídís (VEE-deesh), they used to be

bhítí (EE-tee), people used to be

Repeat this series several times, until you have thoroughly memorized it.

Now review the modh coinníolach for tá:

bheinn (ven), bheifeá (VE-faw*), bheadh sé, sí, (ve-YUHK*), bheimis (VE-mish), bheadh sibh, bheidís (VE-deesh), bheifí (VE-fee). Note that the forms somewhat resemble the ones for the aimsir ghnáthchaite.

At first, you will have to stop and think to avoid confusing the two tenses. Remember that the aimsir ghnáthchaite has a (vee) sound at the beginning of each form, but the conditional has a (ve) sound.

The negative forms for the past habitual (I didn’t used to be, etc.) begin with: ní bhínn (nee veen). Say all eight forms aloud, putting (nee) before each declarative form already learned in this lesson.

For questions, the series begins with:

an mbínn? (un meen), did I used to be?; nach mbínn? (nahk* meen), didn’t I used to be?

The last forms are:

An mbítí (un MEE-tee), did people used to be?; nach mbítí?, didn’t people used to be?

Indirect speech with an aimsir ghnáthchaite

“Go” and “nach” are the connecting words, and must always be there.

Examples:

Deir Áine (AW*-ne) go mbíodh a hathair ag obair roimh (rev) a seacht a chlog, Áine says that her father used to be working before seven o’clock.

Dúirt an dochtúir nach mbídís chomh (hoh) láidir sin, the doctor said that they didn’t used to be that strong.

With other verbs besides tá:

Déarfainn (DER-hin) go n-óladh na páistí uisce in áit bainne, I would say that the children used to drink water instead of milk.

Chualamar (K*OO-uh-luh-muhr) go gceannaítéa troscán sa siopa sin, we heard that you used to buy furniture in that store.

Síleann Séamas go ndúntaí na doirse (DIR-she) tar éis na ranganna, Séamas thinks that the doors used to be closed after the classes.

COMHRÁ

A return to the three associates of Lesson 112, who are one in their purpose of moving furniture into a dwelling.

Éamann: Cén t-urlár atá a teastáil (TAS-taw*-il) uait don tolg seo, a Phádraigín?

Pádraigín: Cuirigí sa seomra suite é, i lár an tseomra. Ba cheart dúinn an seantolg a chaitheamh (K*AH-huhv) amach gan mhoil, ach fanfaimid go ceann tamaill.

Mícheál: Cuir mata ar thaobh an toilg, sin nó scríobfaimid é ag gabháil (uh guh-VWAW*-il) tríd an doras.

Pádraigín: Déanta anois. Suas an staighre libh anois.

Éamann: Tarraing, a Mhícheál. Nílim in ann an meáchan (MYAW*K*-huhn) iomlán (UM-law*n) a thógáil.

Mícheál: Táim ag déanamh mo dhichill (YEE-hil). Brúigh ar an gcos dheiridh (YER-i), agus tarraingeoidh mé. Beimid tríd an doras gan stró.

Pádraigín: Ná tarraingigí trasna an urláir é! Tá mé direach tar éis céir (kay*r) a chuir air. Millfidh sibh an snas.

Éamann: Ná bí buartha, a Phádraigín. Táimid an-chúramach.

Mícheál: Cas ar chlé (hlay*) ar thaobh eile den chéad doras eile, a Éamainn. Ansin lig an tolg síos go curamach.

Éamann: Sin é é! Cad é an chéad rud eile anois? An leabhragán, b’fhéidir? Nó an cófra tarraiceán?

Pádraigín: Thug mé isteach liom an deasc agus sibhse ag déanamh síorchainte faoin mball troscáin beag sin.

Micheál: Ach níl ann ach cúpla maidí éadroma, cosúil le troscán go léir inniu.

Key

Éamann: What floor do you want for this sofa, Pádraigín?

Pádraigín: Put it in the sitting room, in the middle of the room. We should throw out the old sofa right away, but we will wait a while.

Micheál: Put a mat on the side of the sofa, or else we will scratch it going through the door.

Pádraigín: It’s done now. Up the stairs with you now.

Éamann: Pull, Micheál. I can’t lift the entire weight.

Micheál: I’m doing my best. Push on the back leg, and I will pull. We’ll be through the door without effort.

Pádraigín: Don’t pull it across the floor! I have just waxed it. You’ll ruin the polish.

Éamann: Don’t worry, Pádraigín. We are very careful.

Micheál: Turn to the left on the other side of the next door, Éamann. Then let down the sofa carefully.

Éamann: That’s it. What’s the next thing now? The bookcase, maybe? Or the chest of drawers?

Pádraigín: I brought in the desk while you were talking on and on about that little piece of furniture.

Micheál: But that’s only a couple of light sticks, like all the furniture today.

Notes: Irish often tends to use a verb and a noun instead of a verb alone. Examples are “cuir snas air” and “cuir céir air” for English “polish it” and “wax it”. “céir, an chéir, na céarach, na céaracha”, are the forms for “wax”. “Céirnín” means a record, which was of wax many years ago.

©1999 The Irish People

Irish Lesson 115 | Irish Lesson 117

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