Learning Scots Gaelic, anybody want to try?

Bliadhna mhath ùr dhuibh uile!

Bliadhna mhath ur Cu Dubh! Ciamar a tha sibh? Tha mi gu math.

I received my Scots Gaelic/English dictionary in the mail yesterday. I was pretty excited about that. I don't know why they didn't send the Teach Yourself Gaelic book in with the package!

I also joined a Gaidhlig speaking course on yahoo groups and hopefully that will help me too.

How do you say yes or no in Gaidhlig? Would yes be seadh? but I can't find anything for the word "no."

Mar sin leibh!

IIRC, there is no one word for 'yes'. You mention one I'm not familiar with, but in most contexts I have seen so far, 'tha' fills the slot. As for no, the closest I have seen so far is 'chan eil' But I'm sure there is probably an easier way. I guess my answer here should come of little surprise =)

Aaediwen! In my little dictionary it said, like you did, there is no word strictly for yes in Gaelic. But it did mention that the word seadh could be used. Strictly speaking there is no word for "no" either, but was wondering what one might use close to it. I was thinking of Chan eil, but wanted to make sure. Like if you were asking a question to somebody. Do you like living in Glasgow and if the reply was no. They probably would answer Chan eil I suppose. What do you and others think? Thanks for your help!

Scots Gaelic doesn't really have a single word for yes or no as English does. Although Seadh can mean yes. Instead in Gaelic for example if someone asked you: A bheil thu fuar? - are you cold? You could reply Tha - is or Chan eil - Isn't. In the past tense someone could say: An robh thu fuar - Were you cold? Possible answers being Bha - was or Cha robh - wasn't. Another example would be if you were asked An do dh'ith thu e? - Did you eat it? Dh'ith - Yes (literally ate) Cha do dh'ith - No (did not eat). So you don't really say yes or no. Instead you say: is. isn't, was, wasn't, would, wouldn't, ate, did not eat...etc...get the idea?

An toil leat a bhith a' fuireach ann an Glaschu?
Do you like living in Glasgow?
Is toil - Yes (like)
Cha toil - No (don't like)


Oidhche mhath leibh.

Oh Cu Dubh! Thank you, thank you! I appreciate it immensely. Will add it to my notebook now.

Interesting concept to know tapadh leat

here is somemore lessons for those of us who need them.



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Mun BhBC

Ur Beachdan

Taic


An toil leat an duilleag-sa?
Cuir gu caraid i!


Here are some phrases used in everyday Gaelic, ordered alphabetically by the English translation. Each phrase has been taken from one of the sections in Beag air Bheag, and you can link from here to see it being used in context.


and agus

and is (abbreviated form of 'agus')

are you a doctor? an e dotair a th?annad?

are you happy? a bheil thu toilichte?

are you hungry? (informal) abheil an t-acras ort?

are you not? nach eil thu?

are you thirsty? (informal) a bheil am pathadh ort?

aye seadh




blonde, fair bàn

bye! beannachd leibh!



certainly not chan eil, gu dearbh.

close the door dùin an doras

come in thig a-steach

counting people

two people dithis
three people triùir
six people sianar
ten people deichnear




Days of the week - Làithean na Seachdaine
Sunday - Didòmhnaich or Là na Sabaid
Monday - Diluain
Tuesday - Dimàirt
Wednesday - Diciadain
Thursday - Diardaoin
Friday - Dihaoine
Saturday - Disathairne

Dear Mr Smith A Mhaighstir Mhic a' Ghobhainn, a charaid

do you live in England? a bheil sibh?/thu* a? fuireach ann an Sasainn?

do you have children? a bheil clann agaibh?

do you play basketball? am bi thu a' cluich ball-basgaid?

drink deoch



e-mail post-dealain

excuse me gabhaibh/gabh mo leisgeul.



food biadh.

foot, leg cas

football, soccer ball-coise



goalkeeper (male) fear-glèidhidh

good morning madainn mhath

goodbye mar sin leibh?/leat*



hair falt

hand làmh

head ceann

heritage dualchas

how are you? ciamar a tha sibh?/thu*?

how many children do you have? cia mheud duine cloinne a th?agad?




I am hungry tha an t-acras orm

I am in the house tha mi anns an taigh

I am reading a book tha mi a? leughadh leabhar

I am thirsty tha am pathadh orm

I drank wine dh'òl mi fìon

I live in Edinburgh tha mi a? fuireach ann an Dùn Eideann

I go swimming every Saturday bidh mi a? snàmh a h-uile Disathairne

I hope so tha mi an dòchas gum bi

I hope it'll be good tha mi an dòchas gum bi e math

I will be busy tomorrow bidh mi trang a-màireach

I'll be playing football bidh mi a? cluich ball-coise

I'll have an orange juice gabhaidh mi sùgh-orainds

I'll make a cup of tea Nì mi cupa tì

I?m from the United States tha mi às na Stàitean Aonaichte

I'm James is mise Seumas

I?m learning Gaelic tha mi ag ionnsachadh Gàidhlig

I'm well tha mi gu math

Information fiosrachadh

It is a big house 's e taigh mòr a th? ann

It is warm tha e blàth

It was Sunday yesterday 's e Didòmhnaich a bha ann an-dè

It sure is ?s e, gu dearbh

It's cold tha e fuar

It's Monday today 's e Diluain a th' ann an-diugh

It's a nice day 's e là math a th? ann

I am a student ?s e oileanach a th?annam

I'm married tha mi pòsta

It's a cold day ?s e là fuar a th?ann

It's wet tha i fluich

It's fine tha i brèagha

It's raining tha an t-uisge ann

I was on the internet bha mi air an eadar-lìon

I was phoning you last night bha mi a' fònadh thugad a-raoir

I will play / I will be playing / I habitually play bidh mi a' cluich

I will send them a message cuiridh mi teachdaireachd thuca



not much chan eil mòran

not yet chan eil fhathast

numbers

one aon
two dhà
three trì
four ceithir
five còig
six sia
seven seachd
eight ochd
nine naoi
ten deich
eleven aon deug
twelve dhà deug
fifteen còig deug
twenty fichead
twenty-one aon ar fhichead/ fichead ?s a h-aon
thirty deich ar fichead/ trithead
forty dà fhichead/ ceathrad
fifty leth-cheud/ caogad
sixty trì fichead/ seasgad
eighty ceithir fichead/ ochdad
one hundred ceud
one thousand mìle



Oh dear! O mo chreach!

open fosgailte



pardon? bàillibh?

phoning a' cur fòn gu

player cluicheadair

please ma 's e ur toil e



referee rèitire.




shinty iomain

sit at the table suidh aig a? bhòrd

sit down suidh sìos

sport, fun spòrs

stop that! sguir dheth sin!




teacher neach-teagaisg

teachers luchd-teagaisg

team sgioba.

thank you tapadh leibh?/leat*

that's right tha sin ceart

that's good is math sin

that would be very good bhiodh sin uabhasach math

the internet an t-eadar-lìon

the weather an aimsir

the weather is bad tha droch shìde ann

the weather is good tha deagh shìde ann

they are lawyers ?s e luchd-lagha a th?annta

to me thugam

tourists luchd-turais




uh-huh? seadh?



visitor centre ionad-tadhail



we are Scots ?s e Albannaich a th?annainn

website làrach-lìn

we don't have children at all chan eil clann againn idir

were you? an robh thu?

were you at home yesterday? an robh sibh?/thu* aig an taigh an-dè?

what are you doing today? dè tha sibh?/thu* a' dèanamh an-diugh?

what day is it? dè an là a tha ann?

what fun! abair spòrs!

what's doing with you? (lit. "at you") dè tha a' dol agad?

what sport do you like best? dè spòrs as fheàrr leat?

what's your name? dè an t-ainm a th? oirbh?/th? ort*?

what will you have? dè ghabhas tu?

where are you from? cò às a tha sibh?/thu*?

where are you? càit? a bheil sibh?/thu*?

where is the toilet? càite a bheil an taigh beag?

where will I sit? càit? an suidh mi?

whisky uisge-beatha

will I open the window? am fosgail mi an uinneag?

will it be Tuesday tomorrow? an e Dimàirt a bhios ann a-màireach?

will you be in church tomorrow? am bi sibh?/thu* anns an eaglais a-màireach?

will you be working tomorrow? am bi sibh?/thu* ag obair a-màireach?

will you have anything to eat? an gabh sibh dad ri ithe?

with best wishes le deagh dhùrachd



you speak Gaelic tha Gàidhlig agaibh?/agad*



?you (formal,polite,plural)
*you (informal,singular)

Is mise Karen NicMhathain agus is mi am prìomh sheinneadair aig a? chòmhlan Capercaillie. Tha m?ùidh anns a? chànan agus anns na h-òrain Ghàidhlig a? dol air ais gu m?òige ann an Taigh an Uillt, ann an Earraghaidheal.

Anns a? bhaile bheag sin bha sinn air ar cuairteachadh le dualchas is cultar nan Gaidheal. B?e mòdan ionadail agus cèilidhean cur-seachadan a bha fìor chudromach as a? choimhearsnachd mar a bha cèilidhean-taighe aig àm nuair nach robh TBh cho bitheanta ?s a tha e an-diugh.


I am Karen Matheson, lead singer with the band Capercaillie. My interest in the language and the songs stems from a childhood steeped in the Gaelic culture while growing up in the small village of Taynuilt, Argyllshire.

Local ceilidhs and mods were the backbone of community life as were sessions in peoples' homes in an era when TV wasn't quite so prevalent.

Hi all

I have seen posts about learning materials, Teach Yourself Gaelic . I have this one

For Christmas I received Colliquial Scottish Gaelic, its a book CDs and Cassettes.

Does anyone know about this material?


Thanks for putting this thread together. Finding someone in my region of 3 million people who speak Gaelic is the same as looking for a green goose that talks. Well maybe the goose is a better chance at seeing Lol.

thanks
knightly knightly

Fàilte blàth dhut Knightly Knight, 'S math d' fhaicinn an seo. I've heard of this book although I haven't seen it, so sorry I can't help you. Maybe someone else here knows more about it.

Mòran taing, Bliadhna mhath ùr dhut Celtic-Rose. Tha mi a' cumail gu math cuideachd.
Did your other book come yet?

Co-dhiù, Oidhche mhath is beannachd leibh uile.

Hi Knightly Knight! Glad to see you here. I am not familiar with that book you got. What do you think of it so far? maybe it might be something others would be interested in. I am a very beginner learner. Knew more about a year ago but seemed to have forgotten a lot of it. Hopefully we can all learn together There are couple Gaelic speakers in here that are very good!

Halo Cu Dubh! No, my other books hasn't arrived yet....boo hoo. Will let you know when it does.

Tha mi sgith an-diugh. I keep staying up late doing family ancestry.

oidche mhath ah-uile duine! Tapadh leibh Cu Dubh.

Hi CelticRose

speaking of Colloquial Scotish Gaelic
I very much enjoy this book and Cds. It also has the tapes which are actually a copy of the Cds. Im just lamenting not having someone to speak with to practice.
Cultural Immersion is also as important when learning a language. Its important to understand how a person of a region thinks to help understand the language to the fullest. I guess if are trying to learn a language that only 60,000 people on the Earth speak it would be best to get closer to them. I feel very close in the music for sure.

By the way CelticRose, I have my own CelticRose of sorts. My wife Rose (Hagan)
, just a bit Irish by way of blood not birth. Each time I see your name I also think of her, which is a good thing

Halo Knightly Knight! Ciamar a tha sibh? Is mise Rosemary and a lot of times I go by Rose too, which is why I picked CelticRose. Not to mention the fact that I love all things Celtic and wear all Celtic jewelry.

Your book, tapes and CD sound really great. I just ordered the Teach Yourself Gaelic through Amazon.com but have yet to receive it. I am really anxious to though. Right now I am such a beginner in Gaelic that I wish we could all write in Gaelic and put in the English translation too. but I know that must be tough for those who are much more advanced. so I would like to have someone to practice with too, but also be able to understand and learn from too. Does that make sense? Maybe I am asking for too much.

I think I understand your comment about cultural immersion. Kind of hard to get that here in the states for us. However, my favorite musical bands are Runrig and Capercaillie. I wonder if I will ever get to the part where I can sing along. would be nice. Right now the whole language seems really overwhelming to me right now. The reason why I started this thread is hoping we could learn from one another.

Slainte mhor agad
(Great health to you -- cheers!)