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Dè a' ghàidhlig a th' air...

Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2008 4:50 pm
by ScotiaBalach
dè a' ghàidhlig a th' air:

can you (or could you)??

Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2008 6:40 pm
by Seonaidh
dè a' ghàidhlig a th' air:

can you (or could you)??
A rèir "Stòr-Dàta Briathrachais SMO":-

can: canastair, faod
you: sibh(se), thu(sa)
or: (air) n(e)o
could: "Cha d’fhuaireadh facal Beurla mar “could*” sa Stòr-dàta Briathrachais Gàidhlig"

'S dòcha "Am faod thu" no "Am faod sibh" - "cuiribh fhèin ann an canastair"... Ach cha dèan sin an turas airson ceistean mar "Can you jump over a metre in the air?"

"An urrainn dhut" no "An urrainn dhuibh" airson "Can you jump over the moon?" no "Can you recite the whole of War and Peace in under 5 years?" [urrainn - able to - e.g. "is it possible for you..."]

"Am faod thu" no "Am faod sibh" airson "Can you pay by direct debit?" no "Can you get me a paper?" [faod - may, get to - e.g. "Will you..."

"Could you":-
a) "Were you able to" - "Am b' urrainn dhut/dhuibh"

b) "Would you" - "Am faod thu/sibh" - mar "Can you get me a paper" = "Could you get me a paper" is eile.

Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2008 7:25 pm
by neoni
'dè a' ghàidhlig a th' air...' means "what is the gaelic for..."

Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2008 7:52 pm
by ScotiaBalach
Seonaidh wrote:
dè a' ghàidhlig a th' air:

can you (or could you)??
A rèir "Stòr-Dàta Briathrachais SMO":-

can: canastair, faod
you: sibh(se), thu(sa)
or: (air) n(e)o
could: "Cha d’fhuaireadh facal Beurla mar “could*” sa Stòr-dàta Briathrachais Gàidhlig"

'S dòcha "Am faod thu" no "Am faod sibh" - "cuiribh fhèin ann an canastair"... Ach cha dèan sin an turas airson ceistean mar "Can you jump over a metre in the air?"

"An urrainn dhut" no "An urrainn dhuibh" airson "Can you jump over the moon?" no "Can you recite the whole of War and Peace in under 5 years?" [urrainn - able to - e.g. "is it possible for you..."]

"Am faod thu" no "Am faod sibh" airson "Can you pay by direct debit?" no "Can you get me a paper?" [faod - may, get to - e.g. "Will you..."

"Could you":-
a) "Were you able to" - "Am b' urrainn dhut/dhuibh"

b) "Would you" - "Am faod thu/sibh" - mar "Can you get me a paper" = "Could you get me a paper" is eile.
TAPADH LEIBH X 10000000!!

Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2008 7:53 pm
by ScotiaBalach
neoni wrote:'dè a' ghàidhlig a th' air...' means "what is the gaelic for..."
I am completely fine with that...

Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 2:38 pm
by Àdhamh Ó Broin
Ma thu thu às an t-èilean Ìle, bidh thu ag ràdh:

Tha mi a' mandadh!


If you're out of the island of Islay, you'll say:

I can! (I am managing)

Re: Dè a' ghàidhlig a th' air...

Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 1:49 pm
by Níall Beag
ScotiaBalach wrote:dè a' ghàidhlig a th' air:

can you (or could you)??
Well that depends which can or could you're talking about.

Can you <do>?
can mean
Are you able to <do>?
or can be a request to do X.

Could you <do>?
can mean:
would you be able to do X?
were you able to do X?
or again can be a request to do X.

Because words and phrases overlap differently in different languages, it is important that you give as good an explanation/demonstration of what you mean as possible, otherwise you might not get an answer that's of much use to you....

Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 8:27 pm
by Seonaidh
Tha sinn air a bhith tro sin, a Nellie.