Here is Scottish Gaelic Lesson 2. As always, these lessons come from www.taic.btinternet.co.uk/taic.htm, where you will sound files for each lesson. I encourage you to visit it!
Enjoy!
Lesson 2
1. Some Simple Adverbs
The adjective uabhasach - terrible / awful is often used to convey the meaning very when used with another adjective : Tha e uabhasach mòr - He is awfully big Tha e uabhasach fliuch - It is terribly wet
Similarly the words glè - very and ro - too are used with adjectives to emphasise qualities. The two words glè and ro lenite* the following adjective whenever possible : Tha iad glè mhòr - They are very big T ha e ro fhuar - It is too cold
* As you can see lenition means the introduction of a letter h after the first letter of the adjective. This always results in a slight change in sound at the beginning of the adjective.
However, words beginning with l, n, r, sg, sp, st or a vowel cannot be lenited in their spelling. L, n and r are affected, but only in their pronunciation.
Another useful little word is cho - so. It is used like glè and ro, but luckily you do not have to worry about leniting the next word : Tha thu cho snog - You are so nice
NEW WORDS
Adjectives àrd - tall, high uabhasach - terrible, awful, very
Adverbs cho - so glè - very ro - too, excessively
Conjunctions ach - but agus - and
EXERCISE 1 Translate into English 1.Tha am fear glè thrang 2.Tha an là glè fhliuch 3.Nach eil am fear àrd? 4.A bheil i ro fhuar? 5.A bheil thu uabhasach sgìth? 6.Tha e ro bheag 7.Tha sin uabhasach 8.Tha mi fuar agus fliuch
EXERCISE 2 Translate into Gàidhlig 1.I am so cold 2.The man is very lazy 3.Isn't she awful? 4.We are too tired 5.They're not very wet 6.He isn't too pleased 7.She isn't wet but she is cold 8.They're not so nice
2. Past Tense of the Verb TO BE
The independent form is Bha, the dependent form is Robh. Like the present tense these are used to provide the four distinct forms of the past tense of the verb To Be: Bha for positive statements: Bha e fuar - It was cold Cha robh for negative statements: Cha robh e fuar - It was not cold An robh? for asking a question (interrogative): An robh e fuar? - Was it cold? Nach robh? for a negative question (negative interrogative): Nach robh e fuar? - Wasn't it cold?
Saying Yes and No Gàidhlig has no single word for yes or no. The positive or negative forms of the verb need to be used in responding to a question.
In the present tense: A bheil thu fliuch? - Are you wet? Chan eil - No Tha - Yes Nach eil iad àrd - Aren't they tall? Chan eil - No Tha - Yes
In the past tense: An robh sibh trang? - Were you busy? Cha robh - No Bha - Yes Nach robh i leisg? - Wasn't she lazy? Cha robh - No Bha - Yes
EXERCISE 3 Translate into English 1.Bha iad glè thoilichte 2.Cha robh i ro shnog 3.An robh iad sgìth? Cha robh 4.A bheil i tioram? Tha 5.Nach robh am fear leisg? 6.Bha iad trang agus toilichte 7.Bha an là fliuch ach blàth 8.An robh thu blàth? Bha 9.Nach eil iad snog? Chan eil
EXERCISE 4 Translate into Gàidhlig 1.The man wasn't tired 2.Aren't you warm? No 3.Wasn't she very wet? Yes 4.Am I not nice? Yes 5.She wasn't busy, she is lazy 6.He was too tall 7.We were very pleased 8.The day wasn't so warm 9.They weren't terribly pleased, were they? No
--------------------
Slàn agus beannachd, Allen R. Alderman
'S i Alba tìr mo chridhe. 'S i Gàidhlig cànan m' anama. Scotland is the land of my heart. Gaelic is the language of my soul.
|