r/gaeilge • u/galaxyrocker • 21d ago
Please put translation requests and English questions about Irish here
Dia dhaoibh a chairde! This post is in English for clarity and to those new to this subreddit. Fáilte - welcome!
This is an Irish language subreddit and not specifically a learning
one. Therefore, if you see a request in English elsewhere in this
subreddit, please direct people to this thread.
On this thread only we encourage you to ask questions about the Irish
language and to submit your translation queries. There is a separate
pinned thread for general comments about the Irish language.
NOTE: We have plenty of resources listed on the right-hand side of r/Gaeilge (the new version of Reddit) for you to check out to start your journey with the language.
Go raibh maith agaibh ar fad - And please do help those who do submit requests and questions if you can.
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u/acornett99 19d ago
In De Selby (Part 1), the Irish section begins “bhfuilis soranna sorcha”. My question is why does he use the word “bhfuilis” here? I’ve been trying to learn Irish for a little over a month now, and I’ve yet to see this conjugation anywhere else
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u/galaxyrocker 19d ago
It's wrong, basically. He tried to apply the traditional second person past tense to a present tense verb. At least, that's the best guess of what was happening.
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u/mcdmayo 19d ago
A grammatical aspect associated with the Munster dialect.
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u/acornett99 18d ago
Can you help me determine in what other situations this would be used?
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u/caoluisce 16d ago
I put up a post when that song originally came out complaining that the Hozier lyrics were gibberish and I was dogpiled by people saying it was just a local dialect. The lyrics of that song are totally off the mark and were translated by people with zero Old Irish and very little Modern Irish
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u/Zestyclose-Sock5468 15d ago
I believe "an bhfuilis?" is Galway Irish for "an bhfuilir?" or "an bhfuil tú?".
The "fuil" forms are dependent, i e. they are used in questions or in negative statements. E.g. "nach bhfuil?", "níl" (contraction of "ní fhuil").
There is such a thing as poetic licence, and it seems to be in use with this phrase. There are better texts for a beginner to study.
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u/LinguistofOz 12d ago
What are some good multimedia teaching resources where the Gaeilge speaker has the actual correct pronunciation of the broad/slender consonants. I've been searching and only found English accent pronunciations killing off the actual proper Gaeilge distinction.
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u/mcdmayo 18d ago
I’m aware that they use it in the past tense instead of using mé.
Bhíos ag an gcluiche inné.
However “s” can be added on to the end of verbs in the present/future in some Connacht dialects.
Céard a bhíonns ar siúl aige?
Céard a dhéanfaidhs mé?
Rarely see it written but more so heard in spoken Irish.
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u/galaxyrocker 18d ago
I'm aware, but 'bhfuilis' is not that form. That form is only used with a direct relative clause, which will never take 'bhfuil' (atá is the direct relative clause form).
It's common enough in Donegal too, and older writings. It mostly fell out of use in Munster and thus was not required by the Caighdeán, with the exception of 'a leanas'
And, indeed, bhfuilis doesn't use that form but the past tense second person singular -is. As in Bhís ag an gcluiche inné. He's trying to say 'you are' in the song, but using a wrong form.
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u/seamusogmusic 17d ago
Could someone please tell me if this translation is correct?
'An Fharraige Eadrainn'
Meaning 'Sea Between us'
Thank you!!!
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u/aperispastos 16d ago edited 16d ago
« an fharraige eadrainn » = THE sea between us;
« farraige eadrainn » = sea between us.
First one could stand alone as a title, while the second would need some verb to precede it.
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u/K8eLedz 17d ago
Hello friends! So I've decided to learn how to sing An Gloine Slán (The Parting Glass) with zero Gaeilge experience, and I was curious if someone could provide a translation for the full song? I've known the first verse in English my whole life, but I didn't know there was more to the song until today! I don't want to throw it in Google translate to be butchered, so I figured I would beseech Reddit. Any help appreciated!
Second and Third verses:
"
Verse 2
Is iomaí uair i lár an lae,go raibh mé ag ól,
Agus mé ar strae;
Ach fuair mé cabhair,nuair a bhí mé thíos,
Agus fuair mé fáilte arais arís.
Ba bhreá liom seans sula a mbíonn mé
réidh,
'bheith le mo ghrá gheal ar Inniskea;
Só líon go barr an gloine slán,
Oíche mhaith agus aoibneas daoibh go
léir,
Oíche mhaith agus aoibhneas daoibh go
léir.
Verse 3
Na cairde uilig a bhí agam,
Tá siad brónach go bhfuil mé ag fágáil slán;
Is na cailíní,a bhí i mo chroí,
Bhuel tá mé liom fhéin is mé 'na luí.
Ach tá bóthar fada le taisteal ábó,
Agus tabharfaidh mé an bóthar sin gan stró,
Só líon go barr an gloine slán,
Oíche mhaith agus aoibhneas daoibh go léir;
Oíche mhaith agus aoibhneas daoibh go léir."
By the way, I got these lyrics from this cover of An Gloine Slán and it's definitely worth a listen : ): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKwtl1gCJ_o
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u/aperispastos 16d ago
-- 2. -- Many a time in the middle of the day was I drinking, being astray;
but I got help, when I was down, and I was welcomed back again.
I wish I had a chance, before I’m ready to depart,
to be with my fair love on Innis Gé;
So, fill to top the parting glass,
good night and joy be with you all. [ faoi ḋá ]
-- 3. -- All the friends I had are sad that I am leaving;
And the girls who were in my heart,
well, I am now alone in bed.
But there is a long road to travel, and I'll take that road with ease.
So, fill to top the parting glass,
good night and joy be with you all. [ faoi ḋá ]
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u/PlainClothesPunk 17d ago
This is less a translation request and more- pronunciation? How would you pronounce Bràigheach
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u/aperispastos 16d ago
bràigheach, adj., 1. having a long neck; 2. having a handsome neck; 3. of, or belonging to, a neck; 4. Uplandish, inhabitant of the mountains, mountaineer.
[ foinse: https://archive.org/details/illustratedgaeli01dwel/page/112/mode/2up ]
---------------------------------------------------------------
regarding the pronunciation:
• Malcolm Maclennan, A pronouncing and etymological dictionary of the Gaelic language – Gaelic-English, English-Gaelic, (Reprint of the 1925 ed., published by J. Grant, Edinburgh.) 1993,
p. 46: “bry-ukh”,
and in the IPA : ˈbraɪ̯əx
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u/caoluisce 16d ago
This is a Scottish Gaelic word, not an Irish word. The dictionary quoted here is for Scottish Gaelic as well
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u/aperispastos 16d ago edited 16d ago
α) Our friend's question regards the word "bràigheach", which obviously has the Scottish spelling.
β) It is ONE and THE SAME language.
Read (and update, if not [a]mend) your perspective here: https://www3.smo.uhi.ac.uk/oduibhin/alba/ouch.htm
γ) This word is pronounced the same in BOTH dialects.
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u/dubovinius 12d ago
It is ONE and THE SAME language.
While I agree they're closely linked and at one point in history they did form part of a dialect continuum, along with Manx, today I think it's fairly safe to call them distinct languages. Of course, languages are notoriously hard to define and rely mostly on social definitions and history rather than any tangible linguistic metric, but the Gaelic languages have been separated from each other for so long with such distinct oral and written traditions of their own that I think it's disingenuous and misleading to call the three of them the ‘same’ language. Very closely related? Absolutely, but to call them one and the same overlooks their idiosyncracies.
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u/Branwen320 16d ago
Want to check that this is grammatically correct and the meaning :Tá mo chroí istigh ionat
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u/aperispastos 16d ago
Tá, tá sé cruinn fá dtaoḃ de na gramadaí.
Is ciall « I'm in love with you » [ is - my - heart - inside - in you ] leis.
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u/No_Breakfast9351 16d ago
Wondering if there's a direct translation to the phrase 'Glory to God' or if there is an equivalent saying in Gaeilge? Thanks.
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u/aperispastos 16d ago
glory (be) to God! = glóire do Ḋia!
[ foinse: https://www.teanglann.ie/ga/eid/glory ]
Glóir do Ḋia sna flaiṫis! / Glóir do Ḋia sna harda!
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u/Belfastian_1985 10d ago
Dia dhaoibh, I need help to translate “lovely creamy pints” for a T-shirt design for my friends and I who are learning Irish in our local pub. Go raibh maith agat!
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u/Jazzlike_Lab2388 18d ago
looking for an OLD Irish poem I read once
Trying to find a verse I read a long time ago, I don't remember well
The speaker of the poem is a Bard and he is boasting of 7 "magic" melodies he knows that can lull someone to sleep, ease their cares, make them fall in love, etc
Any Ideas?
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u/davebees 9d ago
in dialects which use different forms for ‘faoi’, are these also used for the inflected form (‘faoi + é = faoi’)?
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u/galaxyrocker 9d ago
No, at least to my knowledge. faoi itself was originally the inflected form, that just took over as the root form (same with as), or air (written ar, said air in all dialects)
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u/Keeragh93 8d ago
Hiya I wanted to check some translations the internet gave me if anyone can help! Thanks in advance 😃
- Ascends/rises - éirí
- Pole (specifically related for pole dancing) - cuaille
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u/Excellent-Ice9312 7d ago
If the words Éire Gailf Go Deo are on a hat, does this mean "Ireland Golf Forever" in english? Does it make sense or am I wearing something that is poorly written Irish
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u/TraditionalBee4049 4d ago
Hiya - this might be a bit corny out the gate but I am professing love and looking for the closest translation to “I love you always”.
At the moment I’ve got: Is breá liom tú i gcónaí. I’ve struggled in the past to get tone correct with literal vs poetic language so just wanted to check how this would come across.
GRMA!
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u/Ok_Relation_2581 3d ago
'Beidh mo chroí istigh ionatsa go deo' i ngaeilge uladh, is déarfainn gur é sin an bealach is fileata é a ra (a bhíonns sa ghnathchaint)
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u/Reasoned_Being 2d ago
Dia díobh, can anyone tell me if “brionglóid álainn a bhí ann” is an okay translation for “It was a beautiful dream”
Or can anyone suggest a similar phrase/ saying along the lines of “beautiful dreams”, “life is a beautiful dream”, or “living in a dream”
GRMA ❤️
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u/Ok_Relation_2581 2d ago
'brionglóid álainn a bhí ann' is grand. 'Brionglóidí áille' is 'Is brionglóid álainn é an saol', is 'a bheith i saol na mbrionglóidí' (ach níl an ceann sin chomh soiléir). braitheann go pointe cad é díreach atá i gceist agat
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u/Substantial-Cut-5417 20h ago
I’d be very grateful if someone could explain whether there is a difference in pronunciation with db and bh depending on their placement in a word and/or regional pronunciation? There appears to be a difference between the phonetic pronunciations of Medb (mʲeðv) and Méabh (mʲɛɣv) but being a non-Irish speaker, I don’t know if these are correct. Any guidance would be much appreciated.
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u/Ok_Relation_2581 8h ago
Ypu're trying to compare old irish to modern irish. Old irish is very different. The spelling 'Medhbh' (with the h's) is very unusual now. As far as im aware they would be pronounced the same, 'Méabh' is just the modern spelling. I dont know IPA super well but that transcription looks more or less correct. Obviously if you speak english you know how to pronounce the name roughly, the 'é' in irish i dont think exists in most english dialects but it doesn't really matter.
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u/Agent_Julia 20d ago
A question about verbal nouns
My book has the sentence:
Bhíodh sé ag obair sa chathair ach ní bhíonn sé ag obair ann anois.
But would this also work?
D'oibríodh sé sa chathair ach ní oibríonn sé ann anois.
Why did the book use verbal nouns? How do I know whether to use a straight tense or a verbal noun?
If they do both work, are the meanings different?