PRONUNCIATION REVIEW
Pronounce Irish "u" like English (oo) in "food" or
"tool" when a síneadh (SHEEN-uh) is over the letter "ú."
Protrude the lips farther than in the English sound, however, and hold the sound
longer. Examples: úll (ool), múin (MOO-in), brú, lú, éalú (AY*-loo).
If the "u" has no síneadh, pronounce it the same way, but do not hold
the sound as long. It will resemble the (u) in English "put" or
"foot". Examples: rug (rug), puball (PU-buhl), guth (gu).
When next to an "a", a "u" may be pronounced (oo), as in:
buail (BOO-il), nua (NOO-uh).
GRAMMAR
The saorbhriathra (say*r-VREE-uh-ruh), free forms, for "tá" in the
past are:
bhíothas (VEE-huhs), people were, etc.
ní rabhthas (nee ROU-huhs), people weren't, etc.
an rabhthas?, were people, etc?
nach rabhthas?, weren't people, etc?
Examples:
Bhíothas ag dul go dtí na pictiúir; people were going to the movies.
Nach rabhthas ag léamh an leabhair sin? (uh LAY*-uhv un LOU-wir shin); weren't
people reading that book?, wasn't that book being read?
In the future tense, the forms are:
beifear (BE-fuhr), people will be, etc.
ní bheifear (nee VE-fuhr), people will not be, etc.
an mbeifear? (un ME-fuhr), will people be, etc?
nach mbeifear?, won't people be, etc?
Examples:
Beifear ag caitheamh tobac arís (uh KAH-huhv toh-BAHK uh-REESH), people will be
smoking again.
An mbeifear ag teacht isteach go luath? (uh TYAHK*T ish-TYAHK* goh LOO-uh), will
people be coming inside soon?
VOCABULARY
ag ól bainne (eg OHL BAHN-ye), drinking milk
ag ól tae (tay*), drinking tea
ag ól beorach (BYOH-ruhk*), drinking beer
ag ól leanna (LAN-uh), drinking ale
ag ithe lóin (eg I-he LOH-in), eating lunch
ag ól caife (KAHF-e), drinking coffee
ag ól uisce (ISH-ke), drinking water
ag ól fíona (FEEN-uh), drinking wine
ag ól uisce beatha (ISH-ke BA-huh), drinking whiskey
ag ithe mo lóin, eating my lunch
Notes on vocabulary: Forms like"ag ól bainne" mean literally "at
drinking milk", and the word "bainne" is in the genative or
possessive case, as mentioned in Lesson 20. Often this case form is similar to
the nominative case, which is the form that you have been learning. Sometimes
there is more change, as in "beoir" (BYOH-ir), beer. It becomes "beorach"
(BYOH-ruhk*), of beer, in the genitive.
The nouns can be grouped in dependence on how their genitive case and plurals
are formed. We will be doing some of this in the next lessons, using phrases as
much as possible. You will learn how to work out what the forms should be for
many nouns.
CONVERSATION
Mícheál (MEE-haw*l): Céard a thabharfaidh (HOOR-hee) tú dom ---- le h-aghaidh
an dhinnéir (le HEYE-ee uh yin-YAY*R) ---- anocht? Michael: What will you give
me for dinner tonight?
Róisín (roh-SHEEN): B'fhéidir (BAY*-dir) go dtabharfaidh (DOOR-hee) mé duit
mairteoil (mahrt-YOH-il), a Mhíchil (uh VEE-hil). Rose: Perhaps I will give you
beef, Michael.
Mícheál: Beidh mé ag ól caife, freisin (eg OHL KAHF-e, FRESH-in). I will be
drinking coffee, too.
Róisín: Níl fhios agam faoi sin fós (NEEL is uh-GUHM fwee shin fohs). I
don't know about that yet.
Mícheál: Tá an caife ag éirí (eg EYE-ree) níos saoire (nees SEE-i-re) na
laethanta seo (LAY*-uhn-tuh shuh). Táthar ag ól a thuilleadh (uh HIL-uh) caife.
Coffee is getting cheaper these days. People are drinking more coffee.
Róisín: Ólfar tae agus uisce ---- sa teaghlach seo (suh TEYE-luhk* shuh). B'féidir
go gcuirfear braon (BRAY*N) bainne ---- ar an tae, ach ní fheicfear mórán (muh-RAW*N)
caife anseo go ceann tamaill (goh kyoun TAH-mil). Tea and water will be drunk in
this household. Perhaps a drop of milk will be put into the tea, but not much
coffee will be seen here for a while.
Mícheál: D'ólamar beoir ---- lenár ndinnéar (LEN-aw*r nin-YAY*R) ---- cúpla
bliain ó shin (KOOP-luh BLEE-in oh HIN) ---- ach ansin thosaíomar (hohs-EE-uh-muhr)
ag ól fíona (FEEN-uh). We drank beer with our dinner a few years ago, but then
we began to drink wine.
Róisín: Is fíor sin, ach tá an saol á athrú (un SAY*L aw* AH-roo), ar ndóigh
(er NOH-ee). Cén fáth nach mbeidh (me) tae maith go leor duit? That is true,
but the world is changing, of course. Why won't tea be good enough for you?
Mícheál: Beidh (be) sé maith go leor, mar shin. Beifear ag ól beorach agus fíona
ag an teach tábhairne (tahk* TAW*R-ne) ---- ar aon chuma (er ay*n K*UM-uh).
Caithimid dul ann (KAH-i-mid duhl oun) ---- anocht. It will be all right, then.
People will be drinking beer and wine at the tavern, anyway. We must go there
tonight.
Róisín: B'fhearr liom (bahr luhm) bheith ag féachaint ar an teilifís sa
bhaile. Craolfar (KRAY*L-fuhr) a lán clár maith anocht. I would prefer to be
watching television at home. Many good programs will be broadcast tonight.
Mícheál: Fanfaidh (FAHN-hee) mé istigh, mar sin. Tá súil agam nach mbeidh
ceoldrámaí gallúnaí iontu (KYOHL-DRAW*M-ee gahl-OON-ee IN-tuh). I will stay
inside, then. I hope they will not be soap operas.
Róisín: Ná bíodh imní ort (naw* BEE-ohk* IM-nee OH-ruht). Dráma den chéad
scoth (HYAY*-uhd skoh) ---- a bheidh ar bhealach a trí (ve er VAL-uhk* uh
tree). Don't be worried. It's a play of the first quality that will be on
Channel Three.
Mícheál: Agus cluiche peile, freisin? (KLI-hye PEL-e, FRESH-in). And a
football game, too?
(c) 1999 The Irish People. May be reprinted with credit.
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