6: Ordering drinks
Chapter 6 Audio File as MP3
Information Text from the Workbook
ASKING SOMEONE WHAT THEY WANT
Cad é ba mhaith leat? What would you like?Cad é ba mhaith leatsa? What would you like?
Cad é ba mhaith libh? What would you like? (when speaking to more than one person)
You can use the following when addressing a friend or family member:
Cad é atá de dhíth ort? What do you want?
Cad é atá de dhíth oraibh? What do you want? (when speaking to more than one person)
SAYING WHAT YOU WANT
Ba mhaith liom ... I'd like ...Ba mhaith liom cupa tae. I'd like a cup of tea.
When responding to the question Cad é ba mhaith leat? you can drop Ba mhaith liom and simply say the name of the thing you want.
If you're in company and the question Cad é ba mhaith libh? is being addressed to the group as a whole, than you can use domhsa and liomsa to answer specifically for yourself:
Caife dubh domhsa. A black coffee for me.
Ba mhaith liomsa tae le bainne. I'd like tea with milk.
DEOCHANNA Drinks
| caife | coffee |
| caife dubh | black coffee |
| caife bán | white coffee |
| tae | tea |
| tae láidir | strong tea |
| tae lag | weak tea |
| sú oráiste | orange juice |
| uisce | water |
| beoir | beer |
| fíon bán | white wine |
| fíon dearg | red wine |
| uisce beatha | whiskey |
BEING COURTEOUS
... le do thoil. ... please.Go raibh maith agat. Thank you.
Maith thú. Thanks.
Tá fáilte romhat. You're welcome.
Tá fáilte romhaibh. You're welcome. (when speaking to more than one person)
ASKING SOMEONE IF THEY TAKE MILK OR SUGAR
An dtógann tú bainne? Do you take milk?An dtógann tú siúcra? Do you take sugar?
Tógaim. I do.
Ní thógaim. I don't.
BEING MORE PRECISE
| cupa | a cup |
| muga | a mug |
| pota tae | a pot of tea |
| gloine uisce | a glass of water |
| pionta beorach | a pint of beer |
| leathphionta | half a pint |
| buidéal | a bottle |
ASKING SOMEONE IF THEY WANT A PARTICULAR THING
Ar mhaith leat ...? Would you like ...?Ar mhaith libh ...? Would you like ...? (when speaking to more than one person)
| pionta beorach | a pint of beer |
| deoch | a drink |
| uisce beatha | (a) whiskey |
| leac oighir | ice |
GIVING YOUR REPLY
Ba mhaith. Yes (I would).Níor mhaith. No (I wouldn't).
SAYING YOU WOULD PREFER SOMETHING
B'fhearr ... I'd prefer ...B'fhearr liom gloine uisce. I'd prefer a glass of water.
COUNTING THINGS
In aonad 4 you learnt how to count up to six things. You saw how the numbers 2-6 cause a séimhiú in words beginning with a consonant (except l, n, and r):
trí chaife
cúig phionta
sé ghloine
The numbers 7-10 cause an urú in words beginning with a consonant (except l, m, n, r, and s) and in all words beginning with a vowel:
seacht mbuidéal
ocht bpionta
naoi ngloine
deich bpionta
but
seacht sú oráiste
SAYING CHEERS
Sláinte! Cheers! (literally, Health!)TELLING SOMEONE THAT A DRINK IS THEIRS
... duitse. ... for you.Pionta beorach duitse. A pint of beer for you.
Seo do ... Here's your ...
Seo do phionta Here's your pint.
TRADITIONAL TOASTS
Sláinte mhaith agat i bhfad ó bhrón.
Good health, free from sorrow.
Sláinte do bheo agus tróicaire do mharbh.
Health to the living and mercy on the dead.
Go mba fada a mhairfidh tú.
Long life to you
The word duitse means 'for you' or 'to you' and is made up of the following:
do (for / to) + tú (you) + se (which is used to add emphasis to tú).
Earlier we saw the word domhsa, which means 'for me' or 'to me' and is a combination of the following elements:
do (for / to) + mé (me) + sa (which is used to add emphasis to mé).
7: Saying where you're going
Chapter 7 Audio File as MP3
Information Text from the Workbook
ASKING SOMEONE WHERE THEY ARE GOING
Cá bhfuil tú ag dul? Where are you going?Cá bhfuil túsa ag dul? Where are you going?
SAYING WHERE YOU ARE GOING
Tá mé ag dul ... I'm going ...Tá mé ag dul go ... I'm going to ...
Tá mé ag dul go Leitir Ceanainn. I'm going to Letterkenny.
Tá muid ag dul go dtí an garáiste. We're going to the garage.
FACILITIES
| banc | bank | teach an phobail | church |
| oifig an phoist | post office | caife | cafe |
| garáiste | garage | teach tábhairne | pub |
| siopa | shop | tithe tábhairne | pubs |
| siopaí | shops | bialann | restaurant |
| siopa búistéara | butcher's shop | siopa poitigéara | chemist shop |
| siopa bróg | shoe shop | páirc | park |
| siopa éadaigh | clothes shop | ionad spóirt | sports centre |
| ollmhargadh | supermarket | ionad siopadóireachta | shopping center |
There are different ways of saying 'to' in Irish, depending on where you're going. Go is used in front of names of places and other nouns that are not preceded by the article an (the):
Go Baile Átha Liath To dublin
Go hArd Mhaca* To Armagh
Go Dún Pádraig To Downpatrick
*Go doesn't affect words that begin with a consonant, but if the name begins with a vowel, h is placed before it.
Go dtí is used before nouns that are precede by the article:
Tá mé ag dul go dtí an t-ospidéal. I am going to the hospital.
The word chuig is used instead of go or go dtí when you're talking about going to an event or to see a person. We'll deal with chuig in more detail in Aonad 11.
Masculine and feminine nouns behave in different ways when they're preceded by the definite article an. Look at the examples below:
| Masuline | Feminine |
| Words beginning with a consonant: | |
| an banc | an bhialann |
| Words beginning with s: | |
| an siopa | an tsráid |
| Words beginning with a vowel: | |
| an t-ollmhargadh | an oifig |
| Keep an eye out for this, but don't worry to much about it at this stage! | |
ASKING SOMEONE WHAT TIME OR WHEN THEY'RE GOING SOMEWHERE
Cad é an t-am? What time?Cad é an t-am atá tú ag dul go Dún Geanainn? What time are you going to Dungannon?
Cá huair? When?
Cá huair atá tú ag dul go Corcaigh? When are you going to Cork?
SAYING WHEN YOU'RE GOING SOMEWHERE
Tá mé ag dul go Gaillimh... I'm going to Galway...- ag a dó a chlog at two o'clock
- i gceann leathuair an chloig in half an hour
- i gceann uair an chloig in an hour's time
- i gceann trí huair go leith in three-and-a-half hours' time
- anois now
- níos moille later
- i gceann tamaill in a while
- tráthnóna in the evening
- anocht tonight
- ar maidin in the morning
- amárach tomorrow
The word uair is irregular when preceded by numbers:
uair an hour
dhá uair two hours
trí ... sé huair three ... six hours
seacht ... deich n-uair seven ... ten hours
This word occurs quite frequently in everyday speech, so it is well worth learning the different forms.
SAYING IT'S ALMOST A CERTAIN TIME
Tá sé choir a bheith ... It's almost ...Tá sé choir a bheith a dó a chlog. It's almost two o'clock.
Tá sé choir a bheith a seacht. It's almost seven.
Tá sé choir a bheith leath i ndiaidh a haon. It's almost half one.
8:Discussing Jobs
Chapter 8 Audio File as MP3
Information Text from the Workbook
SAYING WHAT JOB YOU DO
Is ... mé.or
... atá ionam I'm a ...
Is feirmeoir mé. I'm a farmer.
Siopadóir atá ionam I'm a shopkeeper.
ASKING SOMEONE WHAT JOB THEY DO
Cad é an post atá agat? What job do you do?Cad é an tslí bheatha atá agat? What do you do for a living?
POSTANNA
| búistéir | butcher |
| meicneoir | mechanic |
| rúnaí | secretary |
| oibrí monarchan | factory worker |
| banaltra | nurse |
| dochtúir | doctor |
| tiománaí | driver |
| bainisteoir | manager |
| freastalaí | waiter |
| tógálaí | builder |
ASKING SOMEONE WHERE THEY WORK
Cá bhfuil tú ag obair? Where do you work?SAYING WHERE YOU WORK
Tá mé ag obair... I work...- i monarcha in a factory
- in oifig in an office
- i siopa in a shop
- i mbunscoil in a primary school
- i meánscoil in a secondary school
- in otharlann in a hopsital
- in óstán in a hotel
- i gcaife in a cafe
- i mbialann in a restaurant
- i ngaráiste in a garage
SAYING WHAT TYPE OF BUSINESS YOU HAVE
Tá siopa bróg agam. I have a shoe shop.Tá siopa leabhar agam. I have a bookshop.
Tá bácús agam. I have a bakery.
Tá teach lóistín agam. I have a guesthose.
ASKING SOMEONE IF THEY LIKE THEIR JOB
An maith leat ... Do you like ...... do phost? ... your job?
... do chuid oibre? ... your work?
SAYING YOU ARE NOT WORKING
Níl mé ag obair I'm not working... faoi láthair. ... at the moment.
Tá mé dífhostaithe. I'm unemployed.
Tá mé éirithe as. I'm retired.
ASKING SOMEONE WHAT JOB THEY HAD
Cad é an post a bhí agat? What job did you have?SAYING WHAT JOB YOU HAD
Ba ... mé.or
... a bhí ionam I was a ...
Ba mhúinteoir mé. I was a teacher.
Rúnaí a bhí ionam. I was a secretary.
You use Is to refer to the job you have at the moment but Ba when you are talking about the work you did in the past:
| Present tense | Past tense |
| Is dochtúir mé. | Ba dhochtúir mé. |
| Ba causes a séimhiú in words beginning with a consonant (except l, n, and r). It is shortened to B' before a vowel or fh + vowel. | |
| Bá mheicneoir mé. | |
| B'oibrí monarchan mé. | |
| B'fheirmeoir mé. | |
ASKING SOMEONE IF THEY DO A SPECIFIC JOB
An dochtúir tú? Are you a doctor?An rúnaí tú? Are you a secretary?
You can answer this question in the following ways:
Is ea. Yes (I am).
Ní hea. No (I'm not).
9: Giving orders and instructions
Chapter 9 Audio File as MP3
Information Text from the Workbook
TELLING SOMEONE TO COME IN
Tar isteach. Come in.Tagaigí isteach.
(plural)
or Taraigí isteach. Come in.
(plural)
TELLING SOMEONE TO SIT DOWN
Suigh síos. Sit down.Suígí síos. Sit down.
(plural)
WARNING SOMONE
Coimhéad! Look out! or Be careful!Coimhéadaigí! Look out! or Be careful!
(plural)
Coimhéad an phéint! Mind the paint!
The instructions above are neutral and can be used when speaking to children and adults, formally or informally.
The remaining phrases in this unit, however, are usually only used when addressing children or a close friend. (They are also used occasionally when someone is too annoyed to use the more polite form!)
So don't use the orders and instructions below when you are speaking to someone who isn't a member of the family or a friend, because you might cause offence.
TELLING SOMEONE TO WAIT
Fan bomaite. Wait a minute.Fanaigí bomaite.
(plural)
TELLING SOMEONE TO STOP
Stad! Stop!Stadaigí!
(plural)
Ná déan sin. Don't do that.
Ná déanaigí sin.
(plural)
TELLING SOMEONE TO BE QUIET
Ciúnas! Quiet!Bí ciúin! Be quiet!
Bígí ciúin!
(plural)
Bí suaimhneach! Be quiet!
Bígí suaimhneach!
(plural)
Fan socair! Stay quiet!
Fanaigí socair!
(plural)
TELLING SOMEONE TO GO OR TO CARRY ON
Gabh amach! Get out!Gabhaigí amach!
(plural)
Imigh leat! Go away!
Imigí leat!
(plural)
If you want to let someone go ahead of you (in a queue, for example) or if you don't want to interupt someone, you can use the following:
Lean ort. Carry on.
Leanaigí oraibh.
(plural)
CALLING SOMEONE
Tar anseo. Come here.Tagaigí anseo.
(plural)
or
Taraigí anseo. Come here.
(plural)
Goitse. Come here.
Goitsigí Come here.
(plural)
Goitse can also be used when you are leaving and when you want someone to come with you.
Goitse. Come on.
AOUND THE HOUSE
Druid an doras. Shut the door.Druidigí an doras.
(plural)
Oscail an fhuinneog. Open the window.
Osclaigí an fhuinneog.
(plural)
In Donegal an f is placed before oscail in everyday speech but it is generally not written.
Gabh a luí. Go to bed.
Gabhaigí a luí.
(plural)
Éirigh! Get up!
Éirígí!
(plural)
Déan deifir! Hurry up!
Déanaigí deifir!
(plural)
SPELLING: THE GOLDEN RULE
The following rule applies when you are spelling in Irish:
Caol le caol agus leathan le leathan.
(Slender with slender and broad with broad.)
This refers to the type of vowel on each side of a consonant or group of consonants. The broad vowels are a, o, and u, and the slender consonants ones are e and i.
Therefore, the vowels on each side of a consonant must match in words made up of more than one syllable:
| Broad vowels | Slender vowels |
| fanaigí | imigí |
| ólaigí | goitsigí |
10: The family part 1
Chapter 10 Audio File as MP3
Information Text from the Workbook
SAYING WHAT YOUR MARITAL STATUS IS
Tá mé pósta. I'm married.Níl mé pósta. I'm not married.
Tá mé singil. I'm single.
Tá mé scartha I'm separated
... ó mo bhean (chéile). ...from my wife.
... ó m'fhear (céile). ... from my husband.
Is baintreach mé. I'm a widow/widower.
ASKING SOMEONE WHAT THEIR MARITAL STATUS IS
An bhfuil tú pósta? Are you married?Here are some possible answers:
Tá. Yes.
Níl. No.
Níl go fóill. Not yet.
Tá mé geallta. I'm engaged.
ASKING SOMEONE IF THEY HAVE CHILDREN
An bhfuil clann agat? Have you children?or
An bhfuil páistí agat?
An bhfuil clann agaigh?
(plural)
SAYING THAT YOU HAVE OR HAVEN'T CHILDREN
Tá clann agam/againn. I/we have children.mac a son.
iníon a daughter
Níl páistí ar bith agam/againn. I/we have no children.
Tá mé ag súil le páiste. I'm expecting a child.
Tá mé ag súil le leanbh. I'm expecting a baby.
Tá mé torrach. I'm pregnant.
BOYS AND GIRLS
The following words are used to refer to boys and girls:
| cailín | girl |
| cailíní | girls |
| or | |
| girseach | girl |
| girseachaí | girls |
| buachaill | boy |
| buachaillí | boys |
| or | |
| gasúr | boy |
| gasúraí | boys |
ASKING SOMEONE HOW MEMBERS OF THEIR FAMILY ARE
Cad é mar atá do chlann? How are your children?(when speaking to one person)
or
Cad é mar atá do chuid páistí?
This is how you return the question:
Cad é mar atá do chlannsa? How are your children?
or
Cad é mar atá do chuid páistíse?
The Irish equivalents of word like 'my' and 'your' that denote possession affect words in different ways:
| mo(my) | mo mhac | m'iníon |
| do(your) | do mháthair | d'athair |
| a(his) | a bhean | a iníon |
| a(her) | a fear | a hathair |
| ár(our) | ár bpáistí | ár n-athair |
| bhur(your) | bhur gclann | bhur n-iníon |
| a(their) | a bpáistí | a n-athair |
| mo mhacsa | my son |
| do mháthairse | your mother |
| d'iníonsa | your daughter |
ASKING SOMEONE HOW MANY CHILDREN THEY HAVE
Cá mhéad páiste atá agat? How many children have you?Note that the sigular form of the noun is used after Cá mhéad?
Cá mhéad cáilín atá agat? How many girls have you?
COUNTING PEOPLE
| duine amháin | one person |
| beirt | two people |
| triúr | three people |
| ceathrar | four people |
| cúigear | five people |
| seisear | six people |
| ochtar | eight people |
| naonúr | nine people |
| deichnúr | ten people |
The nouns following the personal numbers are usually in the genitive plural (although some of the nouns look exactly as they do in the nominative singular). Just learn the following examples for now:
seisear iníonacha
triúr mac
ceathrar buachaillí
cúigear cailíní
One last thing to remember: words beginning with a consonant take a séimhiú after beirt.
beirt mhac
This rule doesn't apply to the other personal numbers.
SAYING WHAT YOUR CHILDREN ARE DOING
Tá ... acu ar an scoil. ... of them are at school.Tá beirt acu ar an scoil. Two of them are at school.
Tá duine amháin acu sa naíonra. One of them is in playschool.
Tá Síle ar an bhunscoil. Síle is at primary school.
Tá Aodh ar an mheánscoil. Aodh is at secondary school.
Tá Nóra ar an ollscoil. Nóra is at university.
To save bandwidth and improve load times for mobile devices. Only 5 lessons are presented on a page (which is the same way the old cassette tapes were arranged).