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Jonas:
How would you say: Could you? I could, you could, he/se/it could, we could , you pl could, they could.
Thanks
FéabarI usually just use tá + ábalta when I’m speaking in the past or future.
mar shampla:
Ní raibh mé ábalta an rud a dhéanamh. I wasn’t able to do the thing.
Ní bheidh mé ábalta an rud a dhéanamh. (or I’ll say…. “ní bheidh mé in ann an rud a dhéanamh.” I won’t be able to do the thing.
Yes…. sorry I should have written “Ar an tSaol” Both “Ar an Saol” and “ar an tsaol” sound right to me. (saoil is the genitive) I probably don’t know the pronunciation difference in “saol” and “saoil” In time I’ll be able to hear the distinction.
Seraphel; Don’t worry…… we have not forgotten you!
Daltaí is way bigger than any one person so don’t worry about a squabble between a couple of members. As we’ve explained, you’ve given us words in English that individually have meaning but they don’t mean anything in the English language when they’re put together. Did you visit the site to which I referred you? That is what they do routinely. I would suggest you post there in German and see what they can come up with. I am a member on that site as well. This is by definition an Irish-Learning site and although this site does many things well, perhaps a tattoo translation is done better in another place.
If I were the only person in the world with any Irish, I might translate it something like:
“Déanann soilse cur síos ar an tShaoil” (literally: “Lights make description on life”) : Lights describe Life
Does this help?
FéabarPs: I am a mere intermediate speaker of Irish (only about 4 years learning) so tattoo yourself with caution
Both of you are stubborn but you are passionate, learned, and of great value to this forum. You are both critically important to my furtherance in the Irish language. I started my journey getting on this forum over 4 years ago. It was helpful to me then and it is helpful to me now. Please don’t either of you go anywhere.
JUST “GET ALONG !!!’ and ” BEHAVE ”
Ps: I’m glad I’m not married to either of you! I don’t think I would enjoy never winning at an argument.
I probably caused part of the problem in saying that the statement doesn’t mean anything. I can understand the words in English, but as I said earlier they really don’t mean anything. It can be translated into Irish word for word and it will still mean nothing. That is why I suggested that Helmut should leave it in German. There is no reason to try to push it through the “English” middle-step.
I am not an experienced translator but I am an educated English speaker. As a lawyer, I spoke and wrote words as my profession for decades. Helmut, I think I would encourage you again to put it into German and then translate directly into Irish. I would caution you however that it may have the unintended effect of being one of those weird tattoos that doesn’t mean anything like one I saw on Facebook that says “Teaghlach Céad”. Helmut those words literally mean “Household” and “First”, but in Irish they do not mean “Family First” which I think the person had intended. I did a quick “Google Translator” search and it says that is the meaning.
I’ll give you another example. In colloquial English “get along” can mean different things. If I say to Carmanach and Héilics “Get along”. It means: Stop arguing and find a point to agree on. The Google translator says “Holen Sie sich entlang”. Does that say, “move on somewhere”, or “be at peace with each other”? If I put that on a tattoo on my arm would all understand that it is my desire for all peoples to live together in harmony? I don’t mean to be ridiculous but it may help you to see part of the problem. It has definite meaning in colloquial Texan English, but it may be meaningless when put into other languages. Now, having said all that, Carmanach and Héilics do need to “get along”. We need to focus on helping you, but remember that our site is really to assist people to learn Irish. We are not really perhaps your best source for a tattoo translation. There are groups that do that. Try http://irishlearner.awyr.com/phpBB3/ and I wish you the best of luck! :coolsmile:
This has no meaning in English. Perhaps you should put what you want to communicate in your mother language. There are polyglots on this form who can help you. I believe there may be German speakers on the Irish Learners Forum. Ádh mór ort!
Wee Falorie Man:
These audio files are fabulous. I wonder if such files exist for Ulster Irish. This is a wonderful resource.
I think I would decide which part of the country you would like to visit, and investigate what real opportunities you would have to speak Irish in the various places. i think I would think in terms of enrolling in an adult learners’ course somewhere for a week or so and then you’d have the opportunity to use your bit of Irish in the community which you visit. I know of Oideas Gael in Donegal and I know there is a comparable place in Connemara. I don’t know much about classes in Munster. Ádh mór ort! Good luck to you.
I personally studied with the “Tús Maith” CD set and then went to Oideas Gael summer school for a couple of years. It is definitely Ulster influenced, but covers and is written in the Caidgheán Oifigiúil which is the national standard writing system for the language. It will give you a bit of a base to be able to then jump off from and listen to materials from native Donegal speakers. (I am in that point of my journey) It’s a jump to do that, but there really aren’t any dialectical beginners’ courses. A few people on this forum are talking about developing such beginner courses. The Caighdeán Oifigiúil is not a dialect per se but is spoken by the majority of learners who have learned in the Gaelscóileanna and in Adult learning classes, and in Urban areas.
Please come on to the forum and enjoy posting. Don’t get side-tracked and consumed in on-line arguments about the survival of the language. Just get into the water and speak some Irish. Learn what you can and do the best that you can with the best materials you can get ahold of. Daltaí is a great organization dedicated to helping you!
I had a teacher from County Down last year on Skype, and she pretty much insisted that I always used “ag labhairt” when speaking. She never told me why, but I think she felt it was a little shabby to say “ag caint”. She learned her Irish on Toraigh Island in the 1960s so maybe that had something to do with her attitude. Her family was from out there, so maybe it’s an Ulster thing. Lughaidh could comment. I usually just do what my teacher asks especially so I can learn more of whatever they’re graciously willing to teach me. She is an official translator of Irish as well. (i.e…. post graduate degrees in Irish)
Níl fhíos ar bith agam a chara. Cad deireann an dlí fostaíochta i dTexas? B’fheidir mar deireann tú go cineál bonus atá sé, in áit bpá? Nó pá fá choinne obair eile (an caint)?
Nach mbeidh d’oibrithe eile mí-shásta? Agus, an bhfuil tú sásta seo a dheanamh do achan oibrí eile má bhíonn siad sásta labhairt leat?
Scéal suimiúil atá sé. An bhfuil mórán Gaeilge aige? An raibh sé ag caint Gaeilge leat i roimhe seo?
Bhuel Crotach:
Go raibh mile maith agat as do chomhairle. Níl fadhb ar bith leis an dlí fostaíochta i dTexas. Bhí mé i mo dhlíodóir tamall ar fad. D’éiri mé as an dlí cúpla bhliain ó shin. “Danny” is ainm dó, agus táim ag smaoineamh a thabhairt “Dónall” air. Is é an oibrí lánaimseartha amháin ar an rainse. Creidim go mbeidh spraoi againn nuair a rachaid muid eallach a chennach, dhíol, srl, agus ba mhaith linn labhairt gan duine eile a thuiscint. (ag plé ar an praghas, srl). Ar a laghad, thiocadh liom an nGaeilge a chluinstin achen lá ar an rainse. Agus, tá sé ceart go leor liom a íoc í a chloisteáíl.
Well Crotach:
Thanks a million for the advice. There’s no problem with the employment laws here in Texas. I was a lawyer for quite a while. I retired from law a couple of years ago. Danny is the name of the guy, and I’m thinking about calling him “Dónall”. He’s the only full-time worker on the ranch. I think we’ll have fun when we go to buy or sell cattle, etc. and we’d like to speak without anyone else understanding us. (discussing price, etc). At least , I could hear Irish on my ranch every day. And, it’s okay with me to pay to hear it.
Ps. WARNING TO LEARNERS Thought it would be fun to put something in Irish and English so it could be studied. I am a basic intermediate speaker (studying little over 4 years) Hopefully it’s not too too rife with errors.
