Little by Little Beag air Bheag

Introduction

Dè do bheachd?

What’s your opinion?

Here’s some ways in which you might express your opinion or ask others to express an opinion:

a’ buannachadh

winning

dè do bheachd?

what’s your opinion?

cluicheadair

player

ag aontachadh

agreeing

is mòr am beud

more is the pity

In Conversation 1 Pòl and Iain are debating a familiar topic in Scotland - football:

lìog

league

co-dhùnadh

decision

taghadh

choose

deasbad

debate

Conversation 1

Listen to the conversation:

Pòl:

Cò tha a’ dol a bhuannachadh na lìog am-bliadhna?

Who is going to win the league this year?

Iain:

Chan eil fhios a’m. Dè do bheachd fhèin?

I don’t know. What’s your own opinion?

Pòl:

Tha e doirbh a ràdh.

It’s hard to say.

Iain:

Uill, tha beachd agam, ach cha chòrd e riut.

Well, I have an opinion, but you won’t like it.

Pòl:

Siuthad. Innis dhomh.

Go ahead. Tell me.

Iain:

Hibs.

Hibs [an Edinburgh team].

Pòl:

Carson a tha thu ag ràdh sin?

Why do you say that?

Iain:

Oir tha cluicheadairean matha aca.

Because they have good players.

Pòl:

Chan eil mi ag aontachadh riut.

I don’t agree with you.

Iain:

Is beag an t-iongnadh! ’S e fear Rangers a th’ annad.

That’s [not much of] a surprise! You’re a Rangers man.

Pòl:

Tha mi coma mu Rangers. Ach chan eil Hibs math gu leòr.

I am indifferent about Rangers. But Hibs aren’t good enough.

Iain:

Chì sinn. Dè do bheachd air Celtic am-bliadhna?

We’ll see. What is your opinion of Celtic this year?

Pòl:

Tha droch bheachd agam orra.

I have a bad opinion of [on] them.

Iain:

A chionn ’s gur e fear Rangers a th’ annad!

Because you’re a Rangers man!

Pòl:

Uill, dè do bheachd fhèin orra?

Well, what’s your own opinion of them?

Iain:

Tha iad math gu leòr. Ach chaill iad deagh chluicheadairean.

They’re okay. But they lost good players.

Pòl:

An cuir thu geall air Hibs a bhith anns a’ chiad àite?

Will you [put a] bet on Hibs being in [the] first place?

Iain:

Cha chuir! Chan eil mi cho cinnteach sin!

No. I’m not that sure!

Pòl:

Is mòr am beud.

Great is the pity.

Iain:

Carson?

Why?

Pòl:

Bha mi ag iarraidh beagan airgid!

I was wanting a little money!

Conversation

Dè do bheachd?

What’s your opinion?

In Conversation 2, Ceitidh and Anna are discussing another common feature of life – clothing. Note the use of the noun tè – this refers to women or to objects which are feminine. The masculine equivalent is fear.

Conversation 2

Listen to the conversation:

Ceitidh:

Dè do bheachd air an dreasa seo?

What do you think of [what’s your opinion on] this dress?

Anna:

Tha i math. ’S toigh leam an dath.

It’s good. I like the colour.

Ceitidh:

Chan eil mi cinnteach. Chan eil i a’ tighinn rium.

I’m not sure. It doesn’t suit me.

Anna:

Seall air an tè seo. Dè do bheachd oirre?

Look at [on] this one [feminine]. What do you think of it?

Ceitidh:

Chan eil fhios a’m. Tha i a’ coimhead ro mhòr dhomh.

I don’t know. It looks too big for me.

Anna:

No an tè seo? Tha dath math oirre.

Or this one. It has a nice colour.

Ceitidh:

Tha sin nas fheàrr. Is toigh leam an tè sin.

That’s better. I like that one.

Anna:

A bheil thu ag iarraidh ad? Tha adan aca cuideachd.

Do you want a hat. They have hats as well.

Ceitidh:

Ist! Tha droch bheachd agam air adan. Chan e cailleach a th’ annam.

Be quiet! I have a bad opinion of hats. I’m not an old woman.

Anna:

Huh. Tha deagh bheachd agam fhìn air adan. Chan e cailleach a th’ annam.

Huh. I have a good opinion of hats. I’m not an old woman.

Ceitidh:

Uill, faodaidh tusa ad a chur ort fhèin.

Well, you can wear a hat yourself.

Anna:

Greas ort. Tagh dreasa.

Hurry up. Choose a dress.

Ceitidh:

Tha e doirbh co-dhùnadh a dhèanamh.

It’s difficult to make a decision.

Anna:

Feumaidh tu tè a thaghadh.

You must choose one.

Ceitidh:

Carson? ’S dòcha gun ceannaich mi na dhà.

Why? Perhaps I’ll buy the two.

Anna:

Ceart gu leòr. Tha mi sgìth dhen deasbad.

Okay. I’m tired of the debate.

Ceitidh:

Is toigh leam deasbad mu dhreasaichean.

I like debating dresses.

Anna:

Tagh an tè uaine.

Choose the green one.

Ceitidh:

Duilich. Chan eil mi a’ dol a cheannach gin.

Sorry. I’m not going to buy any.

Anna:

Carson?

Why?

Ceitidh:

Oir is toigh leam a bhith a’ coimhead air dreasaichean. Thèid sinn gu bùth eile.

Because I like looking at dresses. We’ll go to another shop.

Anna:

Mo chreach-sa thàinig!

Goodness gracious me!