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

[coempa]

The following structures are going to be somewhat difficult to be, so forgive me if the Gaelic is not cutting edge.

Tha na ceannan-teagaisg seo doirbh. Tha mi a' leughadh ann am Gouda, aig àrd-sgoil. Leughaidh mi feallsanachd ann an Utrecht an ath-bhliadhna, agus tha mi a' bochdainn gu leughadh ann an Cill Rìmhinn an trì bhliadhna, airson iar-cheumnaiche.

These subjects are difficult. I am studying in Gouda, at high school. I will study philosophy in Utrecht next year, and I wish to study in St Andrews in three years. for postgraduate.

Please do correct anything.

[Teddie]

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

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

I meant that I also encounter the problem of trying to find words in dictionaries and tending to pick the wrong one.

Tha Cill Rimhann aite brèagha! Bhiodh toigh leat an seo.

St Andrews is a beautiful place! you would like it here. (I hope )

[coempa]

I thought you were talking about the studying at first, later, I indeed noticed that you were referring to the dictionary.

I am quite certain that I will like St Andrews. It's a small city, which I like. It seems like a great place to live life and meet people. I might emigrate and live there permanently, in Scotland, at least.

[Zwalla28]

I meant that I also encounter the problem of trying to find words in dictionaries and tending to pick the wrong one.

Tha Cill Rimhann aite brèagha! Bhiodh toigh leat an seo.

St Andrews is a beautiful place! you would like it here. (I hope )

"Tha Cill Rimhann àite brèagha" is incorrect. Gaelic has two verbs for to be. "bi" like what you just used, and "is" ('S e, 'S i, B' e, B' i, etc.)
Since both of the thing's you're "linking" if you will, are nouns, rather than one noun and a description, you need to use "is", or turn one of the nouns into something of a description by using an "in its" construction.
These would be correct:
'S e Cill Rimhann àite brèagha
'S e àite brèagha a th' ann an Cill Rimhann
Tha Cill Rimhann na (ann an + a; in its) àite brèagha

I hope that made sense.

[b"]Bhiodh toigh leat an seo."[/b] This is incorrect for the same reason. This construction uses "is" rather than "bi". The conditional form of "is" is "bu", so...
Bu toigh leat an-seo.

[Mairead]

O glè mhath, òraideach na Ghàidhlig eile ann an Cìll Rimhinn! Faodaidh thu Gàidhlig a leughadh an-seo cuideachd. 'S toil leam Cìll Rimhinn.

Oh very good, another Gaelic speaker in St Andrews! You can study Gaelic here too. I love St Andrews.

[Teddie]

I meant that I also encounter the problem of trying to find words in dictionaries and tending to pick the wrong one.

Tha Cill Rimhann aite brèagha! Bhiodh toigh leat an seo.

St Andrews is a beautiful place! you would like it here. (I hope )

"Tha Cill Rimhann àite brèagha" is incorrect. Gaelic has two verbs for to be. "bi" like what you just used, and "is" ('S e, 'S i, B' e, B' i, etc.)
Since both of the thing's you're "linking" if you will, are nouns, rather than one noun and a description, you need to use "is", or turn one of the nouns into something of a description by using an "in its" construction.
These would be correct:
'S e Cill Rimhann àite brèagha
'S e àite brèagha a th' ann an Cill Rimhann
Tha Cill Rimhann na (ann an + a; in its) àite brèagha

I hope that made sense.

[b"]Bhiodh toigh leat an seo."[/b] This is incorrect for the same reason. This construction uses "is" rather than "bi". The conditional form of "is" is "bu", so...
Bu toigh leat an-seo.

Ah, Tapadh leibh! I've never understood the difference between Tha and Is. So Tha is used when linking with verbs?

[coempa]

In three years I might call myself a gaelic speaker. De ‘n aois a tha sibh, a Theddie is a Mhairead?
Also, I haven't seen any corrections to what I said, does that mean it was correct?

[Zwalla28]

The following structures are going to be somewhat difficult to be, so forgive me if the Gaelic is not cutting edge.

Tha na ceannan-teagaisg seo doirbh. Tha mi a' leughadh ann am Gouda, aig àrd-sgoil. Leughaidh mi feallsanachd ann an Utrecht an ath-bhliadhna, agus tha mi a' bochdainn gu leughadh ann an Cill Rìmhinn an trì bhliadhna, airson iar-cheumnaiche.

These subjects are difficult. I am studying in Gouda, at high school. I will study philosophy in Utrecht next year, and I wish to study in St Andrews in three years. for postgraduate.

Please do correct anything.

Subjects - cuspairean

Are we sure that "leughadh" is the right word for "studying" rather than meaning "reading"? Perhaps "sgrùdadh" would be better? Don't take my word on it, however, I've only been at this a little over a year.

"bochdainn" means poverty. It's a noun, but I think more along the lines of "the state of being poor", as the word "bochd" means "poor".

What you're looking for is "iarraidh".
"tha mi ag iarraidh a leughadh"
(I believe the above is grammatically correct, but the Gaels I've spoken to would use "airson", "Tha mi airson leughadh" if there was no object. If there was, then it would be "Tha mi ag iarraidh leabhar Gàidhlig a leughadh".)
Once again I'm going to tag a big 'ol disclaimer on this because I could very well be wrong.


"aon bliadhna"
"dà bhliadhna"
"trì bliadhnaichean"

In three years I might call myself a gaelic speaker. De ‘n aois a tha sibh, a Theddie is a Mhairead?
Also, I haven't seen any corrections to what I said, does that mean it was correct?

Dè na h-aoisean a tha oirbh?

Ages are on you, and you're speaking to more than one person, so "What are the ages that are on you(s)?"

[Zwalla28]

@Teddy
"Bi"/"Tha" is used for more than just verbs. Much more. It would probably be more helpful to think about it as "is" linking two nouns, and everything else (almost) being with "bi". That said, it is possible to use "bi" to link two nouns, by using a preposition + possessive combo to turn one of them into an attribute of the other, in a way:

"Tha e saor" - wrong. "He is a carpenter", sure, in English, but the wrong verb because "e" and "saor" are both nouns.

"Tha e na shaor" - right. "He is in his carpenter". This works because "tha" is used to say "e" is IN something rather just IS something.

I'm sorry if that made no sense.

[Màiri na Coille]

Obh, obh. Bha mi glè thrang (ro thrang airson mòran Gàidhlig) agus a-nochd tha mi a' fàs nas trainge! Tha mo chlasaichean draibheadh a' tòiseachadh. Gach oidhche eadar Diluain agus Diardaoin.

Oh, dear. I was already very busy and tonight I'm getting busier! My driving classes are starting. Every night Monday through Thursday.

[Mairead]

Zwalla:
- My teacher is from Harris and she uses "leughadh" to mean both reading and studying. I have not heard the word "sgrùdadh" but perhaps it is common in other dialects. It's like how the British often say you read the subject that you're studying at university, eg "I read Classics at Cambridge."
- My Teach Yourself Gaelic book and my teacher both taught "How old are you?" as "Dè 'n aois a tha sibh?" aois is left in the singular even though multiple people are being addressed. To answer is the format "Tha mi trì bliadhna (a dh'aois)."

A Choempa, tha mi fichead bliadhna. Dè 'n aois a tha thu fhèin? Agus a Mhàiri, gun déid leat! Bha mi glè trang san giblean, ach chan eil sa' chèitean a-nis.

Coempa, I'm twenty. How old are you? And Mary, good luck! I was very busy in April, but not now in May.

[coempa]

Gur math a thèid leat, a Mhàiri! Chan eil clasaichean draibheadh agam, ach tha mi a' feumachdainn clasaichean. Tha mi dòchasach airson an ath-bhliadhna.

Good luck, Mary! I don't have driving classes, but I need classes. I am hopeful for next year.

A Mhairead, tha mi theab fichead bliadhna, ro shean airson àrd-sgoil.
Dè tha thu a' leughadh?

I am nearly twenty years old, too old for high school.
What do you study?

[Teddie]

A Mhàiri, faigh spòrs! (I couldn't decide what the correct way to say 'have fun' was, i hope this is fine.). Fhaigh mi mo ceadachas ann am Màrt an-uiridh!

Have fun! I got my license last march.

A Mhairead, Biodh thu glè thrang ath-bliadhna, a' leughadh mar mise! :p

You'll be very busy next year, studying like me!

A Choempa, Tha mi naoi-deach bliadhna. Tha mi òg airson an treas bliadhna!

I'm nineteen. I'm a little young for third year of university.

[Màiri na Coille]

Tapadh leibh, a h-uile duine! Bha an clas math a-raoir, ach bha e fada cuideachd agus dh'fhàs mo cheann glè sgìth. A Choempa, tha dòchas agam gum bi thu a' draibheadh a dh'aithghearr! Tha e feumail, nach eil? Agus gur math thèid leatsa, cuideachd, a Theddie.

A-nis, 's e madainn bhrèagha a th'ann. Tha a' ghrian soilleir agus tha flùraichean cùbhraidh geala aig na craobhan. Tha iad mar sgòthan air fleòdradh faisg air a' ghrunnd. Glè bhòidheachd!


Thanks, everyone! The class last night was good, but it was also long and my head got very tired. Coempa, I hope you'll be driving soon! It's useful, isn't it? And good luck to you too, Teddie.

Right now it's a gorgeous morning. The sun is bright and there are white sweet-smelling flowers on the trees. They look like clouds floating near the ground. Very beautiful!

[coempa]

Tha e òg! Dè tha thu a' leughadh, a Theddie? Càit a bheil thu a' leughadh?

That is young! What do you study, Teddie. Where do you study?

Tapadh leat, a Mhàiri. Tha dòchas agam cuideachd!

Thank you, Mary. Hope is with me too.