Been busy with another resource. Good practice idea:

I had read that there was no "yes" but then I thought "Sea" was yes ? In common every day use would people just say: yes?

or:
Sin Iontach, Glione leanna uill, le do thoil.

that's great, a glass of cider please.

JulieA

"sea" can only mean "yes' in certain situations, though you will see learner's using it as a generic yes. But, really, to say yes, you repeat the verb (and "sea" is just that with some forms of the copula -> "Is ea")

"Ar rith tú?" (Did you run?)
"Rith" (I ran)
"Níor rith" (I didn't run)

Yep...that's it exactly.

You will hear people using "'sea" as kind of a generic "uh huh" or "yeah, yeah, right, I get it," but it can only be used as "yes" in answer to a question when the copula is involved (and even then only in particular circumstances):

An múinteoir thú? 'Sea.

An tusa an múinteoir? Is mé.

With questions based on "Ar mhaith," you would say "Ba mhaith" for "yes" or "Níor mhaith" for "no."

Of course, you can always take a route that doesn't involve saying "yes" or "no"...for example "cinnte" ("certainly"). People often do. The reason I specifically asked for "yes" or "no" in this thread, however, is that I wanted people to practice spotting and re-stating the verb. It's an important concept in Irish that many beginners find daunting (I'm also guessing it's what the teacher of the OP in the other thread was expecting).

It's a good idea, when you learn a verb, to learn the interrogative form in conjunction with the correct "yes/no" response. That way it starts to become automatic.

Redwolf

ah so!

thanks for that - would take a lot to get used to rephrasing, instead of just: yes or no


JulieA

It does take practice...that's why I think it's important to practice questions and answers, and to learn the correct responses when you learn the interrogative. Eventually it does become more or less automatic, but it's not intuitive (unless you grew up with it).

Redwolf

Not to cut across the conversation, but just wanted to say that this is a great idea for a thread. Maith thú, a Redwolf!

_________________

Thanks! Doing these classes has me in full-blown teaching mode!

So, to sum these up:

If someone asks you "Ar mhaith leat deoch," the answer is either "Ba mhaith" or "Níor mhaith."

If someone asks you "An mbeidh deoch agat?" the answer is "Beidh" or "Ní bheidh."

Of course, being polite folks, we'd also add "go raibh maith agat" (thank you).

To expand on this, how would you answer if someone asked you if you like a particular drink (rather than if you WOULD like a drink). For example:

An maith leat leann dubh? (Do you like stout?)

Hint: The answer here will also contain a form of the copula.

Redwolf

Touchy question this one:

In the spirit of the exercise: 'Sea, or Ba mhaith

but in reality: Nior mhaith

?? and thanks Redwolf these are good brain stretches. Is it insulting not to like stout in Ireland?

JulieA

Close Julie. Check the mood you're using and the mood of the question.

Hint: One is conditional, one isn't.