To this continuation of the general review of grammar and vocabulary through conversation, we will begin to add a more complete review of certain elements, such as verbs.

Comhrá (KOH-raw*), conversation

Tadhg (teyeg): Dia dhuit, a Airt (DEE-uh git, uh AHRT). Hello, Art.

Art (ahrt): Dia's Muire dhuit, a Thaidhg (DEE-uhs MWIR-e git, uh heyeg). Cén chaoi bhfuil tú? (KAY-hee VWIL too) Hello, Tadhg. How are you today?

Tadhg: Go han-mhaith, go raibh maith agat (goh HAN-VWAH, gur-uh MAH huh-GUHT). Conas tá tú féin? (KUN-uhs taw* too fay*n) Very well, thank you. How are you yourself?

Art: Tá mé go maith leis (TAW* may* goh MAH lesh). Nach bhfuil tú ag obair inniu? (nahk* VWIL too eg OH-bir in-YOO) I am well, too. Aren't you working today?

Tadhg: Nílim (NEEL-im). Chuamar ar stailc - an tseachtain seo caite (K*OO-uh-muhr er STEYELK un TYAHK*T-in shuh KAH-tye). Ní dhéanaim rud ar bith anois - ach fanacht le socrú na stailce (nee YAY*N-im ruhd er BI uh-NISH ahk* FAHN-uhk*t le SOHK-roo nuh STEYELK-e). I am not. We went on strike last week. I don't do a thing now but wait for settlement of the strike.

Art: Cén fáth ar chuaigh sibh ar stailc? (kay*n faw* er K*OO-ee shiv er STEYELK) Why did you go on strike?

Tadhg: Méadú pá a bhí ag teastáil uainn (MAY*-doo paw* vee uh TAS-taw*-il WOO-ing). Ní bhfuaireamar ach aon mhéadú le linn dhá bhliain (nee VOO-ir-uh-muhr ahk* ay*n VAY*-doo le ling gaw* VLEE-in). A pay raise was what we wanted. We didn't get but one increase during two years.

Art: Is é an bolgadh an fáth (shay* un BOH-luh-guh un FAW*). An síneoidh na húnéiri - agus na stailceoirí - conradh nua go luath? (un sheen-YOH-ee nuh hoo-NAY*R-ee AH-guhs nuh steyel-KYOH-i-ree KOHN-ruh NOO-uh goh LOO-uh) The inflation is the reason. Will the owners and the strikers sign a new contract soon?

Tadhg: Cá bhfios domsa? (KAW* vis DUHM-suh) Aontófar le rud éigin, - sin nó dúnfar an mhonarcha (ay*n-TOH-fuhr le ruhd AY*-gin, shin noh DOON-fuhr un VWOHN-uhr-huh). How do I know? Something will be agreed upon, that or the factory will be closed.

Art: Nár dúnadh anuraidh í? (naw*r DOON-uh uh-NOOR-ee ee) Didn't they close it last year?

Tadhg: Dúnadh í (DOON-uh ee). Bhí sí dúnta cúpla mí (VEE shee DOON-tuh KOOP-luh mee). Ní bhfuarthas mórán orduithe - le linn na bliana (nee VOO-uhr-huhs muh-RAW*N OHRD-i-he le ling nuh BLEE-uh-nuh). They did. It was closed for a couple of months. Not many orders were received during the year.

Art: Bíonn a lán daoine dífhostaithe anois (BEE-uhn uh LAW*N DEEN-uh dee-OHS-ti-he uh-NISH). B'fhéidir go bhfaighfear orduithe nua - i gceann tamaill (BAY*-dir goh VWEYE-fuhr OHRD-i-he NOO-uh i GYOUN TAHM-il). Many persons are unemployed now. Perhaps new orders will be received in a while.

Tadhg: Dúradh go raibh an ceardchumann - agus an bainisteoir - ag dul i gcomhairle - le chéile - le linn an tsamhraidh go léir (DOO-ruh goh REV un kard-K*U-muhn AH-guhs un bwin-ish-TYOH-ir uh duhl i GOH-ir-le le HYAY*-le le ling uh TOU-ree goh LAY*R). It was said that the union and the manager were conferring (going in conference) with each other during the entire summer.

Art: Níl toradh ar bith air - pé scéal é (neel TOHR-uh er BI er, pay* SHKAY*L ay*). Is maith an rud é an fostú (is mah un RUHD ay* un FOHS-too). Cad a tharlóidh do na hoibritheoirí- má dhúnfar an mhonarcha? (kahd uh hahr-LOH-ee duh nuh hib-ri-HOH-i-ree maw* GOON-fuhr un VWOHN-uhr-huh) There's no result on it, anyway. Employment is a good thing. What will happen to the workers if the plant will be closed?

Art: Gheofar poist eile, is dóigh liom (YOH-fuhr pwist EL-e, is DOH-ee luhm). Other jobs will be found, I suppose.



Notes: "Cén chaoi bhfuil tú?" is another way to ask "How are you?" It means "What condition or manner are you in?" "Fuair" can mean "get, receive, find." "Ceardchumann" combines the words "ceard", a trade or craft, and "cumann", a society, to give a word meaning "trade union" or "union".



Grammar Review

Begin with the verb "mol" (muhl), meaning "praise". Say the present tense aloud: "I praise the work, you praise the work", etc. Then say the negative: "I don't praise the work", etc. Then the questions: "Do I praise the work", etc. and "Don't I praise the work", etc. See the key below to check your work.

Next come the free forms: "Someone praises the work; someone doesn't praise the work; Does someone praise the work?; doesn't someone praise the work?".

Repeat this for the past tense and the future tense.

Then review the verbal noun: "He is praising the man (an fhir), he is praising me, he is praising you", etc. Change these to past and future tenses to finish the review.

Key: Molaim an obair (MUHL-im un OH-bir), molann tú an obair, molaimid ; ní mholaim (nee VWUHL-im) ; an molaim nach molaim .

Moltar an obair; ní mholtar an obair; an moltar ; nach moltar

Mhol mé (VWUHL may*) , mholamar ; níor mhol mé ; nár mhol mé

Moladh an obair; níor moladh; ar moladh ; nár moladh

Molfaidh mé (MUHL-hee may*), molfaimid ; ní mholfaidh mé ; an molfaidh mé ; nach molfaidh mé

Molfar (MUHL-fuhr) an obair; ní mholfar ; an molfar ; nach molfar

Tá sé ag moladh an fhir; tá sé do mo mholadh; tá sé do do mholadh; tá sé a mholadh; tá sé a moladh; tá sé dár moladh; tá sé do bhur moladh (duh vwoor MUHL-uh); tá sé á moladh. Bhí sé Beidh sé