Read the Irish passage below slowly without looking at the key below it. Then read it a second time, making use of the key if you are unsure. Do not try to make sense of the words; concentrate on the pronunciation and on grouping the words into phrases:

Má tá am agus dúthracht fagadh, an méid a fuair siad, tamall gearr ó shin. Rinne go leor daoine, as ceantair éagsúla, an ráta malartáin gan an bealach a oscailt. Maraíodh le déanaí, strainséirí agus céad acra faoi ghlasraí, ag tagairt don chuairt. Aeráid chineálta mhuirí agus ordóg airtríteach ag mo chomharsa béal dorais. Más monarchana bróg go dtí fuinneog lán píosaí práis, beartaithe ag cuairteoirí.

Key: maw* taw* oum AH-guhs DOO-hrahk*t FAW*G-uh, un may*d uh FOO-ir SHEE-uhd, TAH-muhl gyahr oh hin. RIN-ye goh lohr DEEN-uh, as KYAN-tir ay*g-SOOL-uh, un RAW*-tuh mah-luhr-TAW*-in guhn un BAL-uhk* uh OH-skilt. MAHR-ee-oh le DAY*N-ee, strahn-SHAY*R-ee AH-guhs kay*d AHK-ruh fwee GLAHS-ree, uh TAHG-irt duhn K*OO-ahrt. ay*r-AW*-id hyin-AW*L-tuh VWIR-ee AH-guhs ohr-DOHG ar-TREE-tuhk* ag muh K*OH-uhr-suh bay*l DUH-rish. maw*s MUHN-uhr-k*ahn-uh brohg goh dee fwin-YOHG law*n PEES-ee praw*sh, BYAR-ti-he eg KOO-ahr-TYOH-ree.

If you are working with someone else, a possible exercise for you is to listen to the other person reading from the original or the key, and to write in Irish what you hear. This will improve your perception of the language as it is spoken to you.

Go through the present and past tenses of these verbs:

Bailigh (BAHL-ee), gather

Cuimil (KIM-il), rub

Seachain (SHAK*-hin), avoid

Freagair (FRAG-ir), answer

For example: Bailím (BAHL-eem), I gather; bailíonn tú (bahl-EE-uhn too), you gather, etc. Bailímid (bahl-EE-mid), we gather; bailíonn sibh, etc. Ní bhailím (nee VWAHL-eem), I don’t gather, etc. An mbailím? (un MAHL-eem), do I gather?, etc. Nach mbailím? (nahk* MAHL-eem), don’t I gather?, etc.

Bhailigh mé (VWAHL-ee may*), I gathered; bhailigh tú (VWAHL-ee too), you gathered, etc. Bhailíomar (vwahl-EE-uh-muhr), we gathered, etc. Níor bhailigh mé, etc. Ar bhailigh mé?, etc. Nár bhailigh mé?, etc.

The next three “syncopate”, that is, a syllable drops out as you say the forms. It is easier to say the words when this syllable is absent, as you will readily determine.

Cuimlím (KIM-leem), I rub; cuimlíonn tú (kim-LEE-uhn too), you rub, etc. Cuimlímid (kim-LEE-mid), we rub, etc.

Chuimil mé (K*IM-il may*), I rubbed, etc. Chuimlíomar (k*im-lee-uh-muhr), we rubbed, etc.

Seachnaím (SHAK*-neem), I avoid; seachnaíonn (shak*-NEE-uhn) tú, you avoid, etc. Seachnaímid (shak*-NEE-mid), we avoid, etc.

Sheachain mé (HAK*-in may*), I avoided, etc. Sheachaíomar (hak*-NEE-uh-muhr), we avoided, etc.

Freagraím (FRAG-reem), I answer; freagraíonn (frag-REE-uhn) tú, you answer, etc. Freagraímid (frag-REE-mid), we answer, etc.

D’fhreagair mé (DRAG-ir may*), I answered, etc. D’fhreagraíomar (drag-REE-uh-muhr), we answered, etc.

This finishes the extensive drill for the present and past tenses. We will do work on the irregular verbs in present and past tenses next.

Pól (pohl): Dia duit, a Úna.

Úna (OON-uh): Dia’s Muire duit, a Phóil (FOH-il). Conas tá tú inniu?

Pól: Bhí slaghdán (sleye-DAW*N) trom (truhm) orm inné, ach anois tá biseach (BI-shahk*) orm. Conas tá tú féin?

Úna: Tá mé go maith, buíochas le Dia. Tá súil agam (SOO-il) uh-GUHM) go bhfaca tú an díospóireacht (dee-SPOH-i-rahk*t) mhór (vwohr) ar an teilifís aréir.

Pól: Ní fhaca mé rud ar bith, Bhí mé i mo chodladh (muh K*UH-luh) ó sheacht a chlog go maidin. Cad a tharla sa díospóireacht mhór?

Úna: Ó, labhair an feirmeoir (FER-i-moh-ir) leis an aisteoir (ash-TYOH-ir) le linn (le lin) uaire fada (OO-ir-e FAH-duh), ach níor thuig (hig) mé mórán de. Chuir (k*ir) siad tinneas cinn (TIN-yuhs kin) orm leis na focail mhóra (FOH-kil VWOHR-uh), na smaointe casta (SMWEEN-te KAHS-tuh), agus na figiúirí fada (fig-YOO-i-ree FAHD-uh).

Pól: Ná bac leis. Tuigim iad, ar ndóigh (er NOH-ee), agus míneoidh mé (meen-YOH-ee may*) duit gach rud.

Úna: Go raibh maith agat (GU-ruh mah huh-GUHT), a Phóil. Fear cliste tusa, gan amhras (OU-ruhs) ar bith.

Hello, Una.

Hello, Paul. How are you today?

I had a heavy cold yesterday, but now there’s improvement on me. How are you?

I am well, thank God. I hope that you saw the big debate on television last night.

I didn’t see a thing. I was asleep from seven o’clock until morning. What happened in the big debate?

Oh, the farmer talked with the actor during a long hour, but I didn’t understand much of it. They gave me a headache with the big words, the involved thoughts, and the long figures.

Don’t worry about it. I understand them, of course, and I will explain everything to you.

Thank you, Paul. A clever man you are, without any doubt.

Notes: A headache is “put on” a person, rather than “given” to him.

“Focal mór”, a big word, but “focail mhóra” (VWOHR-uh), big words.