Thank you, Seán. Your RUclips Irish lessons are such a big help to me and others for understanding and putting to use some very fundamental elements of Irish. Making these videos must take you a lot of time and effort. We appreciate it and hope you will continue. Go raibh míle maith agat! Jim
I watched the video a second time this morning, and after finishing it went back to begin watching the chart of sentences with verbal nouns forming the meaning that the suffix 'ing' gives in English. At 5:28 you said something very helpful about the sample sentence 'Tá mé ag déanamh mo dhíchill' ('I am doing my best'). You said: 'So, "déan,' and then "ag déanamh," "doing," you're really saying, 'déanamh' means "the act of doing," so you're at the act of doing.' That is an excellent explanation and makes it much easier to understand how verbal nouns work. When I first saw verbal nouns in Irish, I mistook them for verbs. Your explanation shows how they work really well. It is similar to how 'at war,' functions in the English sentence 'Germany is at war.' 'Tá mé ag déanamh mo dhíchill' translates more literally as 'I am at doing my best,' that is how 'ag déanamh' manages to function as a noun in the sentence, even though to someone not familiar with the language it might be mistaken for a verb, as I mistook it for such, initially.
Go raibh míle maith agat a Shéain - this is exactly what I need! Keep going making these wonderful videos, straight forward explainations of Irish grammar at this level is so needed :-)
You are a terrific teacher. This was very helpful. Can you do a whole video on the copula? It starts of easy (is fear mé etc) but with more complex sentences the copula gets confusing.
I would love if you kept these up, like you (well ten years older) I want to get back into it. These are so helpful, I find it nice if when you explain the exact Irish-English translation like in the first videos, that was very helpful. Also, your videos explain why we all seem to love the word 'the' in Ireland!
Físeán iontach! GRMMA! 'Ibhid' is the original verb for 'to drink'; 'ól' was originally the verbal noun of ibhid, but ól began to take over as the verb from the Middle-Irish period onwards.
This has come at just the right time, having got myself into a tizz with the verbal noun. You've put it all so clearly. Thank you! Are you planning an modh coinníollach video, by any chance?
Seán Mór Absolutely! Thank you. I'll pass the news on to my friends. I've just ordered the book and CD you recommended in a reply below. Looking forward to working with those too.
Hi Sean, do you know of any good audio stuff for Irish. I'm going to try and get back into it this year. It is a shame there is no Michel Thomas for Irish.
Check out An Ghaeilge ó Lá go Lá and Bunchomrá Gaeilge agus Gramadach from Ben Madigan Press (google should take you there). They come with CDs with native speakers. Good luck!!
Iontach! an-chabhrach. will help me in my rang Gaeilge. Go raibh mile maith agat. both to you for the instruction and to the Scoil Ghaeilige Ghearóid Tóibin for providing links to your videos. I will certainly be viewing your other posts. Frank / Proinnsias.
Go raibh maith agat for the videos, Seán! A question: in the sentence, "Ba mhaith leo teach a thógail", why is there no "ag" before the word, "teach"? Like, "Ba mhaith leo ag teach a thógail"?
Wait, I get it. When we are referring to a specific, known thing, we use "an" (the). But when we are referring to something in general (a house but not a specific house, a car but not a specific car ("I would like a car to drive", as opposed to, "I would like to drive the car"), we don't use any kind of article. Is that correct?
The article would be 'an' not 'ag' . Ag is an adverb particle that roughly corresponds to -ing in English but of course it goes in front of the verbal noun. Incidentally you can find a similar construction in Portuguese (estoy a fazer) and even in old-fashioned English as in the 12 days of Christmas (a-milking).
I watched the whole video. I intend to watch it again. I am trying to teach myself Irish. I am confused by the concept of the verbal noun, because the words that are described as verbal nouns often seem to simply be verbs to me. I will use the verbal noun 'ag ól,' in the sentence 'Tá an cailín ag ól,' as an example. 'Ag ól,' means 'drinking,' the sentence, in full, means 'The girl is drinking,' on the surface it seems 'ag ól' is verb phrase, not a verbal noun, because it is describing an action, the girl's drinking. I know what 'ag ól,' and similar phrases such as 'ag ithe,' 'ag rith,' etc mean, but the idea of labeling them as 'verbal nouns' I find confusing.
I had the concept explained to me on Quora. I basically understand it now. 'Ag,' in 'Tá an cailín ag ól,' is essentially a preposition, although it is classified as a particle, it basically means 'at,' so 'Tá an cailín ag ól,' means 'The girl is at drinking,' in that context 'drinking,' is a noun instead of a verb in a similar way to how in the English sentence 'Germany is at war,' 'war' is a noun instead of a verb. I think that 'ag' is strictly speaking a particle, not a preposition, in that sentence, but thinking of it as a preposition, even though not strictly speaking, accurate, makes one able to understand how 'ag ól' is a verbal noun in the sample sentence.
"The verbal adj. describes the state of things." What a great and straightforward way to describe that. Super helpful. GRMA!
Thank you, Seán. Your RUclips Irish lessons are such a big help to me and others for understanding and putting to use some very fundamental elements of Irish. Making these videos must take you a lot of time and effort. We appreciate it and hope you will continue. Go raibh míle maith agat! Jim
I watched the video a second time this morning, and after finishing it went back to begin watching the chart of sentences with verbal nouns forming the meaning that the suffix 'ing' gives in English. At 5:28 you said something very helpful about the sample sentence 'Tá mé ag déanamh mo dhíchill' ('I am doing my best'). You said: 'So, "déan,' and then "ag déanamh," "doing," you're really saying, 'déanamh' means "the act of doing," so you're at the act of doing.' That is an excellent explanation and makes it much easier to understand how verbal nouns work. When I first saw verbal nouns in Irish, I mistook them for verbs. Your explanation shows how they work really well. It is similar to how 'at war,' functions in the English sentence 'Germany is at war.' 'Tá mé ag déanamh mo dhíchill' translates more literally as 'I am at doing my best,' that is how 'ag déanamh' manages to function as a noun in the sentence, even though to someone not familiar with the language it might be mistaken for a verb, as I mistook it for such, initially.
"There's a wee bit more chaos in the language than sometimes the grammar books would have you believe." Love it!
I love your videos! You explain things so well
Yes mate legend ! Your daughter showed me these videos god bless ya ya legend !
Go raibh míle maith agat a Shéain - this is exactly what I need! Keep going making these wonderful videos, straight forward explainations of Irish grammar at this level is so needed :-)
Go díreach. Níor fhoglaim mé riamh faoin gramadach seo i scoil
Your videos are excellent, very helpful. I am taking an beginner course and supplement that course with your videos. Thank you and keep them coming!
It's great to have you back.
Go raibh maith agat a Sheán! Tá an video seo iontach! Is múinteoir maith thú!
Please make more videos. We are hungry for the knowledge of Irish. You make it alive and useful.
You are a terrific teacher. This was very helpful. Can you do a whole video on the copula? It starts of easy (is fear mé etc) but with more complex sentences the copula gets confusing.
You are back. Hooray
Go raibh míle maith agat a Sheáin !
Finally, thank you for explaining so clearly
I would love if you kept these up, like you (well ten years older) I want to get back into it. These are so helpful, I find it nice if when you explain the exact Irish-English translation like in the first videos, that was very helpful. Also, your videos explain why we all seem to love the word 'the' in Ireland!
So easy to understand when you explain it. Is there a pdf for this lesson?
Really well done, thank you so much for making this!
Físeán iontach! GRMMA! 'Ibhid' is the original verb for 'to drink'; 'ól' was originally the verbal noun of ibhid, but ól began to take over as the verb from the Middle-Irish period onwards.
an-spéisiúil!!!
This fella has a great way about him!
Mínithe thar cionn uilig... Very well explained altogether...
This is great. GRMA.
This has come at just the right time, having got myself into a tizz with the verbal noun. You've put it all so clearly. Thank you! Are you planning an modh coinníollach video, by any chance?
I am actually working on a Modh Coinníollach one, Jamie. I will put one together within the next fortnight if that is any use to you?
Seán Mór Absolutely! Thank you. I'll pass the news on to my friends. I've just ordered the book and CD you recommended in a reply below. Looking forward to working with those too.
Hi Sean, do you know of any good audio stuff for Irish. I'm going to try and get back into it this year.
It is a shame there is no Michel Thomas for Irish.
Check out An Ghaeilge ó Lá go Lá and Bunchomrá Gaeilge agus Gramadach from Ben Madigan Press (google should take you there). They come with CDs with native speakers. Good luck!!
And Gaeilge i mo chroí, learn Irish, bitezise irish and they have a website, celtic exile and séan mór
Iontach! an-chabhrach. will help me in my rang Gaeilge. Go raibh mile maith agat. both to you for the instruction and to the Scoil Ghaeilige Ghearóid Tóibin for providing links to your videos. I will certainly be viewing your other posts. Frank / Proinnsias.
Go raibh maith agat Sean. Le do thoil make a video on tenses. I really appreciate it.
Is maith liom se! Tá mé a' subscribing!
Go rabh maith agat a Sheáin. Bhain mé sult as agus d'fhoghlaim mé cuid mhór rudaí úra.
Hi, is faoi means under too? I think is a preposition.Isn't it?
Yes, it has several meanings, depending on context. Under, is one of them.
Go raibh maith agat for the videos, Seán! A question: in the sentence, "Ba mhaith leo teach a thógail", why is there no "ag" before the word, "teach"? Like, "Ba mhaith leo ag teach a thógail"?
Wait, I get it. When we are referring to a specific, known thing, we use "an" (the). But when we are referring to something in general (a house but not a specific house, a car but not a specific car ("I would like a car to drive", as opposed to, "I would like to drive the car"), we don't use any kind of article. Is that correct?
The article would be 'an' not 'ag' . Ag is an adverb particle that roughly corresponds to -ing in English but of course it goes in front of the verbal noun. Incidentally you can find a similar construction in Portuguese (estoy a fazer) and even in old-fashioned English as in the 12 days of Christmas (a-milking).
I watched the whole video. I intend to watch it again. I am trying to teach myself Irish. I am confused by the concept of the verbal noun, because the words that are described as verbal nouns often seem to simply be verbs to me. I will use the verbal noun 'ag ól,' in the sentence 'Tá an cailín ag ól,' as an example. 'Ag ól,' means 'drinking,' the sentence, in full, means 'The girl is drinking,' on the surface it seems 'ag ól' is verb phrase, not a verbal noun, because it is describing an action, the girl's drinking. I know what 'ag ól,' and similar phrases such as 'ag ithe,' 'ag rith,' etc mean, but the idea of labeling them as 'verbal nouns' I find confusing.
I had the concept explained to me on Quora. I basically understand it now. 'Ag,' in 'Tá an cailín ag ól,' is essentially a preposition, although it is classified as a particle, it basically means 'at,' so 'Tá an cailín ag ól,' means 'The girl is at drinking,' in that context 'drinking,' is a noun instead of a verb in a similar way to how in the English sentence 'Germany is at war,' 'war' is a noun instead of a verb. I think that 'ag' is strictly speaking a particle, not a preposition, in that sentence, but thinking of it as a preposition, even though not strictly speaking, accurate, makes one able to understand how 'ag ól' is a verbal noun in the sample sentence.
S
Michael Cavanaugh i hope that S is not followed by a h, and then an i, and a t, and an e. 😂😂
No predicate - no need for “a”
GRMMA