Irish Lesson 88

Here is more review of grammar and vocabulary through conversation. Read and pronounce each sentence phrase by phrase until you can say the entire sentence without hesitation or error. Again, try to form variations of the sentences after you have learned them thoroughly. Start with the negative forms, then change the person and number of the verb; for example, from “I” to “we” or “they”.

COMHRÁ, CONVERSATION

Cormac (KOHR-muhk): Dia dhuit, a Úna (DEE-uh git, uh OON-uh).   Hello, Una.

Úna: Dia’s Muire dhuit, a Chormaic (DEE-uhs MWIR-e git, uh K*OHR-mwik). Conas tá tú inniú? (in-YOO)   Hello, Cormac. How are you today?

Cormac: Tá mé go maith (taw* may* goh MAH). Conas tá tú féin (fay*n), agus cad tá tú a dhéanamh inniu? (uh YAY*N-uhv in-YOO)   I am well. How are you yourself, and what are you doing today?

Úna: Tá mé ag siopadóireacht ó mhaidin (taw* may* uh shohp-uh-DOH-i-rahk*t oh VWAH-din). Fuair mé airgead ón mbanc agus ansin chuaigh mé isteach i siopa troscáin (FOO-ir may* AR-i-guhd ohn mahnk, AH-guhs un-SHIN K*OO-ee may* ish-TYAHK* i SHOHP-uh trohs-KAW*-in).   I am shopping since morning. I got money from the bank, and then I went into a furniture store.

Cormac: Troscán atá ag teastáil uaibh? (trohs-KAW*N taw* uh TAS-taw*-il WOO-iv) Ba mhaith liomsa cathaoir chompordach nua (buh VWAH LUHM-suh KAH-heer k*uhm-pohr-dahk* NOO-uh).   Is it furniture that you want? I myself would like a comfortable new chair.

Úna: Tá gá againn le cuid troscáin (taw* gaw* uh-GIN le kwid trohs-KAW*-in). Faighim ball troscáin anois agus arís (FEYE-im boul trohs-KAW*-in uh-NISH AH-guhs uh-REESH). Ceannaímid cuid de ar cairde ach íocaimid an t-airgead ar an mball le haghaidh na coda eile de (kan-EE-mid kwid de er KAHR-de ahk* EEK-i-mid un TAR-i-guhd er un MOUL le HEYE-ee nuh KOH-duh EL-e de).   We need some furniture. I get a piece of furniture every now and then. We buy some of it on credit, but we pay cash for the rest of it.

Cormac: Déanaimid an rud céanna (DAY*N-i-mid un ruhd KAY*-uh-nuh). Déantar go minic é (DAY*N-tuhr goh MIN-ik ay*). Cén saghas troscáin a cheannaíonn tú? (kay*n seyes trohs-KAW*-in uh hyan-EE-uhn too)   We do the same thing. It’s done often. What sort of furniture do you buy?

Úna: Cheannaigh mé foireann troscáin le haghaidh seomra an bhia an tseachtain seo caite (HYAN-ee may* FWIR-uhn trohs-KAW*-in le HEYE-ee SHOHM-ruh uh VEE-uh un TYAHK*T-in shuh KAHT-ye).   I bought a suite of furniture for the dining room last week.

Cormac: Nach saibhir an teaghlach sibh anois? (nahk* SEYE-vir un TEYE-luhk* shiv un-NISH) Shíl mé go bhfuair sibh ceann anuraidh (HEEL may* goh VOO-ir shiv kyoun uh-NOOR-uh).   Aren’t you the rich family, now? I thought that you got one last year.

Úna: Ní bhfuaireamar ar chor ar bith (nee VOO-ir-uh-muhr er HUHR er bi). Ní bhfuarthas mórán anuraidh le haghaidh ár dtí (nee VOO-uhr-huhs muh-RAW*N uh-NOOR-ee le HEYE-ee aw*r DEE). Fuarthas aon leaba amháin agus cuireadh sa seomra beag leapa í (FOO-uhr-huhs ay*n LA-buh uh-WAW*-in AH-guhs KIR-uh suh SHOHM-ruh byuhg LA-puh ee).   We didn’t at all. Not much was gotten last year for our house. Only one bed was gotten, and it was put in the small bedroom.

Cormac: An gceannófar brat urláir i mbliana? (un gan-OH-fuhr braht oor-LAW*-ir im LEE-uh-nuh)   Will a carpet be bought this year?

Úna: Ní cheannóimid a leithéid sin (nee hyan-OH-i-mid uh LE-hay*d shin). Tá ár sean-bhrait urláir chomh maith agus a bhí siad riamh (taw* aw*r shan VRAHT oor-LAW*-ir hoh MAH AH-guhs vee SHEE-uhd reev). Cuirtíní agus taipéisí – sin iad na rudaí atá ag teastáil go géar uainn (koor-TEEN-ee AH-guhs ta-PAY*SH-ee – shin EE-uhd nuh RUHD-ee taw* uh TAS-taw*-il goh GAY*r WOO-in).   We won’t buy the likes of that. Our old carpets are as good as they ever were. Curtains and drapes – those are the things that we need urgently.

Cormac: Táthar á ndíoladh ag praghsanna an-ísle sa siopa ilranna sin ar Sráid Liam (TAW*-huhr aw* NEEL-uh eg PREYE-suh-nuh AHN-EESH-le suh SHOHP-uh il-RAHN-uh shin ar sraw*d LEE-uhm).   They are being sold at very low prices in that department store on William Street.

Úna: Ní fheictear dom gur díoladh go saor aon rud san áit sin riamh (nee EK-tyuhr duhm gur DEE-luh goh SAY*R ay*n ruhd suhn aw*t shin reev).   It doesn’t seem to me that anything was ever sold cheaply in that place.

Cormac: Ná habair é sin (naw* HAH-bir ay* shin). Gheobhaidh mé culaith éadaigh agus cóta mór ann i gcúpla mí (YOH-ee may* KU-luh AY*-dee AH-guhs KOH-tuh mohr oun i GOOP-luh mee). Gheofar éadach ann an-saor de bhrí na saor-reiceanna tar éis na laethanta saoire (YOH-fahr AY*-duhk* oun AHN-say*r de vree nuh say*r REK-uhn-nuh tuhr AY*SH nuh LAY*-uhn-tuh SEE-i-re).   Don’t say that. I am going to get a suit and an overcoat there in a few months. Clothes will be gotten very cheaply there because of the sales after the holidays.

Notes: “Ball” means “member”, “article” “place”, or “spot”, so “airgead ar an mball” is ” money on the spot” or “spot cash”. “Cairde” means “credit”, and selling on credit would be “díoladh ar cairde”. “Teaghlach” is “family” in the sense of “household” rather than solely relationship or genealogy. “Le haghaidh”, meaning “for” or “for the purpose of”, is a compound preposition taking the genitive. For “an chuid”, meaning “the part”, the genitive is “na coda”.

©1999 The Irish People

Irish Lesson 87 | Irish Lesson 89

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