Little by Little Beag air Bheag
Introduction
I hope so
This unit introduces you to some vocabulary and phrases which will allow you to make comments about your hopes or expectations. One important word is dòchas (expectation, hope). The phrase tha dòchas ann means 'there is hope' (which there always is for Gaelic learners!) In the following conversation, you will come across phraseology which looks strange to the unaccustomed eye, as it uses a double negative.
Here is how it works. If you can master it, the listener will think you extremely accomplished.
A bheil Seonaidh ann an Glaschu?
Is Johnny in Glasgow?
I don't think so.
A bheil e ann an Obar Dheathain?
Is he in Aberdeen?
I think so.
You will see that the final statement 'cha chreid mi nach eil' means literally 'I don't think that [he] isn't'. This is a natural Gaelic phraseology in informal situations. Look out for it in the following conversation. Note also the way we say 'me also' with a repetition of the verb: e.g. tha mi sgìth (I am tired), tha is mise (me too).
Conversation 1
Now listen to Iain and Seònaid, who are talking about going to a concert.
Conversation 1
Listen to the conversation:
- Iain:
- Am bi thu aig a' chuirm-chiùil an ath-oidhche?
- Will you be at the concert tomorrow night?
- Seònaid:
- Tha mi an dòchas gum bi.
- I hope so.
- Iain:
- Tha dùil agamsa a bhith ann
- I expect to be there.
- Seònaid:
- Tha mi an dòchas gum bi i tioram.
- I hope the weather will be dry.
- Iain:
- Tha is mise.
- So do I.
- Seònaid:
- Cha chreid mi nach bi co-dhiù. Tha coltas math air an aimsir.
- I think it will be, anyway. The weather looks good.
- Iain:
- Cha chreid mi nach eil thu ceart.
- I think you are right.
- Seònaid:
- A bheil dùil aig Alasdair a bhith ann?
- Does Alasdair expect to be there?
- Iain:
- Cha chreid mi gu bheil.
- I don't think so.
- Seònaid:
- O, tha sin duilich.
- O that's a pity.
- Iain:
- Bidh e ag obair, ach is dòcha gum faigh e ann fhathast.
- He will be working, but he might make it yet.
- Seònaid:
- Tha mi an dòchas gum faigh.
- I hope he does.
- Iain:
- Cha chreid mi nach eil e ag obair cus.
- I think he works too much.
- Seònaid:
- Fada cus.
- Much too much.
- Iain:
- Cha chreid mi gu bheil thusa ag obair cus.
- I don't think you work too much.
- Seònaid:
- No thusa!
- Or you!
- Iain:
- Tha thu ceart!
- You're right!
- Seònaid:
- Chì mi an ath-oidhche thu.
- I'll see you tomorrow night.
- Iain:
- Chì. Tha mi an dòchas gum faic co-dhiù.
- Will do. I hope so anyway.
I hope so
I hope so
Did you notice in the last line of Conversation 1, that Iain said Chì (I will see) and then 'tha mi an dòchas gum faic' ('I hope that I will see'). You might be surprised at first glance to hear that there is a close relationship between chì and faic. In fact they are the same verb! They belong to faic (see), one of the ten irregular verbs in Gaelic. Don't be alarmed by this phenomenon - it occurs in English as well. Think of the past tense of the verb 'to buy': it is not 'buyed', as it would be with a regular verb, but 'bought'. These irregularities simply have to be learned through familiarity with the language.
Conversation 2
Look out for occurrences of faic (in the forms am faca, chan fhaca, chunnaic, chan fhaic and chì) in this conversation between Ceitidh and Alasdair.
This is the end of unit 16. Why not test yourself to see how much you've learnt.
If you would like to learn how to express a wish or desire in Gaelic, go on to Unit 17.
Conversation 2
Listen to the conversation:
- Ceitidh:
- Ciamar a tha thu?
- How are you?
- Alasdair:
- Chan eil guth ri ràdh.
- Okay (literally: there is nothing to be said).
- Ceitidh:
- Am faca tu Iain an-dè?
- Did you see Iain yesterday?
- Alasdair:
- Chan fhaca. Càite an robh e?
- No. Where was he?
- Ceitidh:
- Bha e aig Pàirc Hampden airson geama na h-Alba.
- He was at Hampden Park for the Scotland game.
- Alasdair:
- Ach cha robh mise aig a' gheama.
- But I wasn't at the game.
- Ceitidh:
- O gabh mo leisgeul.
- O, sorry (excuse me).
- Alasdair:
- Bha dùil agam a bhith ann.
- I expected to be there.
- Ceitidh:
- Bha amharas agam gu robh.
- I suspected you would.
- Alasdair:
- Ach chunnaic mi an geama air an telebhisean.
- But I saw the game on television.
- Ceitidh:
- Chunnaic, is mise.
- So did I (see).
- Alasdair:
- Chan fhaic mi an ath-gheama, ge-tà.
- I won't see the next game, however
- Ceitidh:
- O chì mise e. Tha mi an dòchas gum faic co-dhiù.
- O, I'll see it. At least, I hope I will.
- Alasdair:
- Bidh mise ag obair.
- I'll be working.
- Ceitidh:
- Tha thu ag obair cus.
- You work too much.
- Alasdair:
- Ist! Is toigh leam m' obair.
- Rubbish! (be quiet!) I like my work.
- Ceitidh:
- Cuin a chì mi a-rithist thu?
- When will I see you again?
- Alasdair:
- Chì a dh'aithghearr.
- Soon.
- Ceitidh:
- Tha mi an dòchas gum faic.
- I hope so.