Dè tha thu a' dèanamh? / What are you doing?

[coempa]

I've been studying too much

Tha dith dhan leann ann!

There is need for a strong drink

[Zwalla28]

@faoileag:
Ach an robh mi ceart mu "agus" idir? Am biodh mi ceart a bhith a' cleachdadh "is" eadar gnìomhairean, neo clàsan?

Was I right at all about "agus"? Would I be right if I were to use "is" between verbs, or clauses?

[Zwalla28]

@faoileag:
Ach an robh mi ceart mu "agus" idir? Am biodh mi ceart a bhith a' cleachdadh "is" eadar gnìomhairean, neo clàsan?

Was I right at all about "agus"? Would I be right if I were to use "is" between verbs, or clauses?

[Mairead]

Halò, a fhòram! Tha mi air bhith glè trang. Sheinn mi ann an cuirm-chiùil ann an Cill Rìmhinn di-Sathurna. Tha mi agus mo mhàthair anns an Gàidhealtachd a-nis, ach cha chreid mi gun tha Gàidhlig aca an-seo. Tha sinn ann an Siorrachd Obar Dheathain aig an crìoch an Aonghais. Tha i brèagha!

A Choempa, tha thu a' leughadh mòran!

Hello, forum! I have been very busy. I sang in a concert in St Andrews on Saturday. My mother and I are in the Highlands now, but I don't think they speak Gaelic here. We are in Aberdeenshire at the border of Angus. It is lovely!

Coempa, you're studying a lot!

[coempa]

Tha, tha mi (a' Ghaidhlig cuideachd). Tha e deatamach dhan ceumnachadh. Ged a tha mi glè shgìth, sgrùdidh mi! Chan eil leann ann.

Yes, I am (the Gaelic also). It is necessary to graduate. Although I am very tired, I will study! There is no beer.

Please note that the studying of Gaelic is done for fun, and not out of school based compulsion

[faoileag]

@faoileag:
Ach an robh mi ceart mu "agus" idir? Am biodh mi ceart a bhith a' cleachdadh "is" eadar gnìomhairean, neo clàsan?

Was I right at all about "agus"? Would I be right if I were to use "is" between verbs, or clauses?

If in doubt, use 'agus', but in spoken Gaelic it will depend on things like the rhythm, the surrounding sounds, the speed of speech etc, and whether things are commonly bracketed together (pairs or related lists etc). It doesn't matter whether they are verbs or nouns or even pronouns.

I too have seen 'rules', whereby the 'is' is restricted to lists, pairs etc, but in fact in at least colloquial use, it's clear it has a much wider currency.

Is mise fadalach a-rithist, a' sgrìobhadh 's a' sgrìobhadh, is mo làmh cho goirt.... and there was I, late again, writing and writing, and my hand so sore.

(All perfectly OK with 'agus' too.)


There are also grammatical constructions which require 'agus' in non-'and' meanings, and are usually shortened radically, like fiù 's.. and cho fad 's a tha thu ann... but that's another story....

[coempa]

That's a story we'll get to later. I first wish to learn how to form sentences with other verbs than just 'to be'.

[Mairead]

A Choempa, dè tha thu a' leughadh eile?

Coempa, what else are you studying? [besides Gaelic for fun]
* Also, I think it's "glè sgìth" rather than "glè shgìth"-- If I'm correct, "sg" doesn't lenite. A few letter combinations are like that.

[coempa]

Tha mi a' leughadh ceimigeachd agus bith-eòlas agus fiosaigs. Tha fiosaigs glè dhoirbh, ach thigaidh mi beò. Tha ceannan-teagaisg eile ann cuideachd.

I am studying chemistry and biology and physics. Physics is very difficult, but I will survive. There are other subjects also.

[coempa]

Cuideachd, tha Là a' Chuimhneachaidh an-diugh.

Also, it's memorial day today

[faoileag]

Mairidh mi beò - I will survive. (I will remain alive)

The verb 'tighinn' is irregular - the future is 'thig'.
Thig mi ann - I will come here / I regularly come here

In the sense of survive, 'tighinn' is usually used with 'air' - 'to survive on'* (nuts and berries, bread and water,etc.):
tighinn beo air ...
Bha iad a' tighinn beo air aran is uisge - they were surviving on bread and water


Subjects (at Uni etc) : cuspairean. If required for clarification: cuspairean-teagaisg. (teaching-subjects)

[coempa]

So the corrected form would be:
Tha mi a' leughadh ceimigeachd agus bith-eòlas agus fiosaigs. Tha fiosaigs glè dhoirbh, ach mairidh mi beò. Tha cuspairean-teagaisg eile ann cuideachd.

Thanks for the clarification on thiginn, for words I don't know I use a dictionary, so I might not always be accurate in the choosing of the correct vocabulary.

[Teddie]

for words I don't know I use a dictionary, so I might not always be accurate in the choosing of the correct vocabulary.

Tha am pian agad agam cuideachd!

I Share your pain.

[coempa]

Chan eil pian ann. Dè tha sibh a' dèanamh, a Theddie?

There is no pain. What are you doing, Teddie?

[Mairead]

Tha thu a' leughadh ceannan-teagaisg dhoirbhean, a Choempa! Uill, tha iad dhoirbhean rium. Càite am bheil thu a' leughadh?

Chaidh mi a Lundin Links an-diugh airson a bhith a' faicinn na tursachan. Tha trì ann. 'S toil leum! Chaidh mi a Elie cuideachd. Bha féille bodaich-starraig ann. :)

You're studying difficult subjects, Coempa! Well, they are difficult for me. Where are you studying?

I went to Lundin Links to see the standing stones. There are three. I love it! I went to Elie too. There was a scarecrow festival. :)