An bhfuil tú ag obair?

Dáithí Mac Giolla. · **Joined:** Sat 01 Jun 2013 8:46 pm **Posts:** 466

Redwolf. wrote:

"Aige"? That seems odd in this context. I'd assume "an bhfuil tú sa bhaile?"
Redwolf

Sa bhaile is indeed correct, ive just got used to saying aige Baile, which is what people around here say. Maybe im misspelling, I dont think so, its certainly how its pronounced. Perhaps someone with a greater depth of knowledge of Munster Irish could clarify that.

galaxyrocker. wrote:

Yeah, but that's more like "What are you doing?" with an emphasis on the action (and could be translated as passive). You could also say Céard (a)tá tú a dhéanamh which is active without any emphasis. galaxyrocker

thats exactly what I was trying to say, Redwolf said she thought that "an bhfuil tú ag obair" felt like something youd say to someone preforming a task. I was trying to say I felt "cad atá á dheanamh agat" ,i.e what are you doing or something similar would be used for "are you doing a task" and "An Bhfuil tú ag Obair" would more refer to someones actual job. San Oifig doesnt fit if you work outdoors, in a school, on a boat etc, etc.

Gumbi · **Joined:** Tue 06 Sep 2011 8:09 pm **Posts:** 943

Ag a' baile is what you're hearing, a Dhaithí. A shortened form of ag an baile (at home).

As for the question, suggestions thus far are fine, Cad 'tá á dhéanamh agat, 'Bhfuil tú ag obair/san oifig, Cá bhfuil tú anois? etc.

Redwolf · **Posted:** Wed 29 Oct 2014 2:57 pm

Gumbi wrote:

Ag a' baile is what you're hearing, a Dhaithí. A shortened form of ag an baile (at home).

As for the question, suggestions thus far are fine, Cad 'tá á dhéanamh agat, 'Bhfuil tú ag obair/san oifig, Cá bhfuil tú anois? etc.

And another one (which I would use if I didn't know what the person did for a living, or if I called him at home or on his cell): An bhfuil tú gnóthach? ("Are you busy?")

Gumbi · **Joined:** Tue 06 Sep 2011 8:09 pm **Posts:** 943

Redwolf wrote:

Gumbi wrote:

Ag a' baile is what you're hearing, a Dhaithí. A shortened form of ag an baile (at home).

As for the question, suggestions thus far are fine, Cad 'tá á dhéanamh agat, 'Bhfuil tú ag obair/san oifig, Cá bhfuil tú anois? etc.

And another one (which I would use if I didn't know what the person did for a living, or if I called him at home or on his cell): An bhfuil tú gnóthach? ("Are you busy?")

That work too of course.

RobertKaucher · **Joined:** Thu 26 Dec 2013 3:21 pm **Posts:** 155

CaoimhínSF wrote:

I've found that, for English-speaking learners, what may help you to understand the sentence structure is to think of the way that people in the Appalachians in the US say (or traditionally said) things like: "Are you a-workin'?" (= "Are you at working?"). Just as in Irish, and as Redwolf explained, it's used in progressive forms (where the action is/was/or will be ongoing): " "He was a-workin' ", "He's a-workin' ", and (perhaps less likely in English) "He'll be a-workin' ".

Just a historical side note, that structure in English is really old when forming the progressive/gerundive and is actually thought to be caused, at least by some, by the influence of Brythonic Celtic languages on Old English. I think the only place were the structure survives in most standard dialects is the adjective "ongoing". Anyway, the origin/impact of the structure is still pretty disputed but those are some opinions on it.

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