An Cùrsa Inntrigidh

Aonad a h-Aon

In this unit you will learn how to do the following:

• Asking someone's name
• Asking more than one person their names
• Introducing yourself
• Addressing someone by name
• Greeting someone
• Introducing someone else
• Wishing someone a good evening
• Welcoming someone
• Saying what your name is (in a group of people)
• Pointing someone out
• Asking how someone is
• Saying that you are fine
• Thanking someone
• Using people's surnames
• Saying it is a good evening
• Saying farewell
• Agreeing with someone
• Bidding someone a good night
• Begging someone's pardon
• Asking what people's names are
• Telling other people's names

Fàilte gu Aonad a h-Aon

In this Unit you will hear some short conversations which took place between guests at a party.
In Còmhradh a h-Aon (Conversation One) James introduces himself and asks Thomas's name.

Duilleag a h-Aon (1)
In this section you will learn how to:
* ask someone's name;
* introduce yourself;
* address someone by name.


Read Còmhradh a h-Aon
Còmhradh a h-Aon

James: Hallo.
Thomas: Hallo.
James: Dè an t-ainm a tha oirbh?
Thomas: Tòmas.
James: Hallo, a Thòmais.
Thomas: Hallo.
James: Is mise Seumas.
Thomas: Hallo, a Sheumais.


Obair

Jot down your answers to the following questions.

1. What phrase do you use to ask someone's name?
2. How would you say hello to someone called Thomas?
3. How would someone called James introduce himself in Gaelic?
4. How would you say hello to someone called James?

Mìneachadh

Did you notice the form of someone's name changes when you address them directly? "Seumas" became "a Sheumais", and "Tòmas" became "a Thòmais". The pattern is:

Seumas > a Sheumais
Tòmas > a Thòmais

Duilleag a h-Aon A (1A)
Obair (a-rithist)

Perhaps you already knew that the name "Hamish" comes from "a Sheumais".

5. Write down how you would say hello to "Peadar", "Seòras" and "Murchadh".

When you are ready to go on to the next section

In this section you will hear how to:
* introduce someone else;
* wish someone a good evening;
* address someone by name.

Read Còmhradh a Dhà

Còmhradh a Dhà

Thomas: A Sheumais, seo Mòrag.
James: Feasgar math, a Mhòrag.
Morag: Feasgar math.

Obair

Jot down your answers to these questions. Tha na Freagairtean air Duilleag a h-Aon-Deug.

1. What short phrase would you use to introduce someone called Morag?
2. Write down the phrase which means good evening.

Mìneachadh

Do you remember how James's and Thomas's names changed from "Seumas" to "a Sheumais" and from "Tòmas" to "a Thòmais" when they were addressed directly in Còmhradh a h-Aon? This time Morag's name changed from "Mòrag" to "a Mhòrag", following a different pattern.
Mòrag > a Mhòrag

This is because female names change where possible only at the beginning, where an h is inserted. The characters we met before were all male, and their names change differently.

Obair
3. How would you say good evening to women called "Catrìona", "Seonag" and "Mairead"? Remember the pattern and jot down your answers.

Duilleag a Dhà A (2A)
Obair (a-rithist)
4. Based on Còmhradh a Dhà write down a conversation where Margaret (Mairead) introduces Murdo (Murchadh) to Joan (Seonag) one evening.

Margaret: ………
Joan: ………
Murdo: ………

5. Look back at Còmhradh a h-Aon and replace James and Thomas with Margaret and Joan. Also join it up with Còmhradh a Dhà by having Joan introduce Murdo to Margaret following the pattern of Còmhradh a Dhà. Write out the conversation which would take place.

Margaret: …………
Joan: ………
Margaret: ………
Joan: …………
Margaret:…………
Joan: …………
Margaret: …………
Joan: …………
Margaret: ………
Murdo: …………

Duilleag a Trì (3)
In this section you will hear how to:

* welcome someone;
* ask someone's name in a slightly different way;
* say what your name is.

Read Còmhradh a Trì

Còmhradh a Trì

Hector: Fàilte. Is mise Eachann. Dè an t-ainm a tha ort?
James: 'S e Seumas a tha orm.
Hector: Feasgar math, a Sheumais.
James: Seo Tòmas agus Mòrag.
Hector: Hallo, a Thòmais, a Mhòrag. Is mise Eachann.
Mòrag: Feasgar math, Eachainn.

Obair
Jot down your answers to these questions. This time they may not appear in the same order as in Còmhradh a Trì. Tha na Freagairtean air Duilleag a h-Aon-Deug.

1. How would a boy called Hector say what his name is, using the phrase James used?
2. Which word would you use to welcome someone?
3. How would you introduce Thomas and Morag to someone?
4. How would you introduce James and Hector to someone?
5. How would you ask someone younger than you what their name is?

Mìneachadh
Hector began his introduction with the word "Fàilte". Anyone who has driven into Highland Region will have seen this word on the road signs. It is seen on pub signs, tourist information offices and major railway stations and means "Welcome". You will also have heard it on tape as we welcome you back saying "Fàilte air ais".

In Còmhradh a Trì, Hector asked James's name saying "Dè an t-ainm a tha ort?" whereas in Còmhradh a h-Aon James asked "Dè an t-ainm a tha oirbh?". James used "oirbh" because he did not know Thomas, and was being formal. Hector used "ort" because he is older than his guests, and possibly more "important". This is a convention which Gaelic shares with many other European languages.

Duilleag a Trì A (3A)

Mìneachadh (a-rithist)
When Morag addressed Hector, she changed the form of his name from "Eachann" to "Eachainn". Since it is a male name, the letter i goes in after the last vowel as before, but, because the name starts with a vowel, it does not change at the start in any way. Remember that changes occur only where possible and some combinations of letters won't allow these changes, as will become clear later.

Obair Tha na Freagairtean air Duilleag a h-Aon-Deug.
6. Write down how you might welcome men called "Eòghann" and "Iagan".
7. How would the mens’ names "Donnchadh", "Tormod" and "Dòmhnall" change when being welcomed? Remember the patterns and jot down your answers.

Duilleag a Ceithir

In this section you will hear how to:
* ask more than one person what their names are.

Read Còmhradh a Ceithir

Còmhradh a Ceithir

Catherine: Hallo.
Alistair: Feasgar math.
Hector: Feasgar math, is mise Eachann. Dè na h-ainmean a tha oirbh?
Catherine: 'S e Catrìona a tha orm.
Alistair: 'S e Alasdair a tha orm.
Hector: Feasgar math, a Chatrìona agus Alasdair.


In Còmhradh a Ceithir Hector says "Dè na h-ainmean a tha oirbh?" because he is talking to more than one person, in this case Catherine and Alistair. In other words, use "oirbh" when you are being polite or formal (as in Còmhradh a h-Aon) and when you are talking to more than one person. Hector says "na h-ainmean" here because there is more than one name involved.

It is worth noting that sometimes you might not be sure whether to use "ort" or "oirbh" in a given situation, and some people are just not as formal as others. However, it is probably best when in doubt to try and be polite rather than familiar.

You probably noticed that Alistair's name didn't change when Hector addressed him.This is because his name starts with a vowel and already has the letter i as the last vowel. We discussed the question of letter combinations in the Mìneachadh on Duilleag a Trì.

Obair
Tha na Freagairtean air Duilleag a h-Aon-Deug (11).

1. You are going to meet different people. What phrase would you use in each case to ask their names? Jot down your answers.

a. your new boss
b. a young child
c. two young children
d. a friend's grandmother
e. your friend's parents
f. your child's school friend
g. a friend of a friend

Fèin-mheasadh (Self assessment)

In this section you will hear how to:
* point someone out;
* ask a friend how s/he is;
* say that you are fine;
* thank someone you know.

Read Còmhradh a Còig

Còmhradh a Còig

Catherine: Sin Seumas.
Alistair: A Sheumais! Ciamar a tha thu?
James: Tha gu math, tapadh leat. Ciamar a tha thu fhèin, Alasdair?
Alistair: Tha gu math.
James: Agus a Chatrìona?
Catherine: Chan eil dona, tapadh leat.

Obair
Tha na Freagairtean air Duilleag a Dhà-Dheug.

Jot down answers to these questions.
1. How would you ask a friend how she or he is?
2. What phrase would you use to point out Catherine?
3. How would you say thank you to someone you know?
4. Find two phrases you could use to say that you are fine?

Mìneachadh
Alistair said "Ciamar a tha thu?" to James to ask how he was. This is an informal way of speaking to someone. James replied "Ciamar a tha thu fhèin?". You have seen "fhèin" in a slightly different form on Duilleag a Ceithir when you did "Fèin-mheasadh" (Self-assessment), where "fèin" or "fhèin" stands for "self".
James said "tapadh leat" to thank Alistair. Again this is the informal way of thanking someone. You will meet the formal, polite forms later.
James and Catherine are both feeling fine, but they used different phrases to express this. James said "Tha gu math" and Catherine said "Chan eil dona". Just as in English, there are many ways of expressing this in Gaelic.

All information on these pages supplied by Maitland Kelly, student at
Sabhal Mòr Ostaig
Sleat Isle of Skye
IV44 8RQ

Tel: 01471 888 449
Fax: 01471 888 002
Please contact Sabhal Mòr Ostaig (click on link above) for further information on Gaelic courses.