Clíodhna Campbell
HEILEO! Cad é mar atá sibh? Tá mise go maith. Bhí mé ar saoire sa bhaile an seachtain seo chuaigh thart agus anois tá mé scriosta. Ach sásta.
How are you (plural)? I’m good. I was on staycation last week and now I’m wrecked. But happy.
It’s funny how small phrases in English tend to be longer in Irish, sometimes twice as long.
| Tá mise go maith | Tah mish-e go my-h | I’m good |
| an seachtain seo chuaigh thart | ann shocked-in shaw who-ee heart | last week |
| saoire sa bhaile | seer-a sah wall-a | staycation |
An raibh duine ar bith eile ar saoire ar bith?
Was anybody else on holiday?
| Tá mé ag dul ar saoire | tah may igg gul air see-ra | I’m going on holiday |
| Bhí mé ar saoire | Vee may air see-ra | I was on holiday |
| Tá mé ag dul ar saoire sa bhaile | tah may igg gul air see-ra sah wall-a | I’m going on a staycation |
| Bhí mé ar saoire sa bhaile | vee may air see-ra sah wall-a | I went on a staycation |
| Beidh mé ar shiúl ar feadh coicís | bay may air hew-ll ar f-eye cuh-kish | I’ll be away for a fortnight |
| Bhí mé ar shiúl ar feadh coicís | vee may air hew-ll ar f-eye cuh-kish | I was away for a fortnight |
| Tá mé ag dul go Contae an Chláir | tah may igg gul go cun-day ann h-larr | I’m going to County Clare |
| Bhí mé i gContae an Chláir | vee may ih gun-day ann h-larr | I was in County Clare |
| Beidh mé ag taistil ar bád | bay may igg tash-til air bad | I’ll be travelling by boat |
| Thaistil mé ar bád | hash-til may air bad | I travelled by boat |
| Beidh muid ag tiomáint | bay m-widge igg chum-ant | We’ll be driving |
| Thiomáin muid | hum-ann m-widge | We drove |
| mé | may | me |
| tú | too | you |
| sé/sí | shay/she | he/she |
| muid | m-widge | us |
| sibh | shiv | you plural |
| siad | shade | them |
To re-iterate some phrases I mentioned last month, I want add to a few phrases to help you get chatting about holidays.
An bhfuil tú ag dul ar saoire i mbliana?
Ann will too igg gul air seer-a ih m-lane-a?
Are you going on holiday this year?
Tá, beidh mé ag dul ar saoire sa bhaile.
Tah, bay may igg gul air see-ra sah wall-a.
Yes, I will be going on a staycation.
Níl, beidh mé ag fánacht sa bhaile.
Nail, bay may igg fan-ocht sah wall-a.
No, I’ll be staying at home.
Bhí mé ar saoire cheanna féin.
Vee may air see-ra hanna fain.
I was on holiday already.
An raibh sé grianmhar?
Ann row shay grain-war?
Was it sunny?
Bhí sé grianmhar in Aontroin ach bhí sé ag cur fearrthaine i nDúlainn.
Vee shay grain-war in ian-trim awk vee shay igg curr far-han-ya ih nool-ann.
It was sunny in Antrim but it was raining in Doolin.
Bhí ceol den scoith i nDúlainn
Vee ke-all den scoh ih nool-ann
There was great music in Doolin
Bhí muid ag rothaíocht.
Vee m-widge igg roh-ee-ocht.
We were cycling.
Bhain na páistí an-sult as an saoire.
Win nah pwaish-chee ann-sult ass ann see-ra.
The children really enjoyed the holidays.
Tá súil agam go raibh cuid agaibh abálta rudaí deasa a dhéanamh le linn Mí Iúil.
I hope some of you have been able to do nice things in the month of July.
Le dea-ghuí, Clíodhna!
Clíodhna Campbell is a teacher, language enthusiast and mother. If you would like to get in touch with her with any linguistic queries, e-mail: cliodhnamorgan@live.co.uk
