Hi everyone!
I'm new and I'm just starting to learn this lovely language. I know just a few words and some grammar points or lenition or eclipsis rules, but now I have a problem.
I'm planning to be tattooed with the sentence "For somebody elegant, something elegant", the meaning I give to that is that you get what you give, and I like that way of thinking (I hope you understand my simple explanation ). I thought the sentence in Irish would be like:

"Do dhuine éigin galánta, rud éigin galánta"

But when I go to the Google translator (poor way of correcting, I know ), it just translate it correctly without the "h" in "dhuine", but if I'm not wrong (please tell me if I am!), the preposition "do" lenites the next word, so I'm a bit confused

Could you please tell me if I'm wrong or if it's another proof of the good level in Irish of the Google translator?
Thank you so much!

PS: the preposition "to, for" is "dó" or "do"? I have seen it in both ways and I don't know what say now

You're right about "do" causing lenition. Google trashlate is something that anyone who is serious about this language should just steer clear of, I'm afraid.

And the preposition "to/for" is "do." "Dó" is the prepositional pronoun "to him."

Not sure that's the way I'd word the translation, though. Perhaps...

Don té atá galánta tagann rudaí atá galánta: To the one who is elegant comes things that are elegant.

It just sounds better to my ear that way, but I'm not sure that it's any more correct. Wait for more input on that.

Redwolf

Hi Redwolf!

Thank you for answer me I think your way os saying it sounds better, so if I don't get any reply else I suppose I will consider your sentence.

So thank you again, and waiting for more answers!

I have two suggestions. The first has to do with the fact that, when moving from English to Irish, some types of sentences work better in Irish if they are, in a sense, "reversed". So for example, in your sentence you could change it to this, which I think sounds more natural: Rud éigin galánta do dhuine éigin galánta.

My second suggestion has to do with dropping the word éigin, at least in one place, but possibly in both places. I would definitely drop it after dhuine, because I don't see it as adding anything there: Rud éigin galánta do dhuine galánta

and I think it could also be dropped in the other place as well:
Rud galánta do dhuine galánta
"An elegant thing for an elegant person"

The literal meaning is a bit different from your English version, but I think it sounds more natural and actually conveys the same essential meaning. An added advantage is that it is shorter, always a good thing with a tattoo.

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I'm not a native (or entirely fluent) speaker, so be sure to wait for confirmations/corrections, especially for tattoos.

Thank you CaoimhínSF!

I heard that sentence in a song a few years ago and it was in that order so I wanted to try to keep that order as much as possible, but you are right about the lenght of tattooes

About the word "éigin", I couldn't understand completely what it means alone, could you please tell me a little bit about that?

Thank you so much!

"Éigin" means "some" (or, in some cases, "approximately"). "Duine éigin" = "some one." "Lá éigin" = "some day." Etc. It's an adjective, so it doesn't stand alone.

But, as Caoimhín pointed out, it isn't always necessary. You'll notice I left it off entirely in my rendering...instead I re-cast the sentence.


Redwolf

I agree it sounds better without the "éigin".

so-
Rud galánta do dhuine galánta

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It is recommended that you always wait for three to agree on a translation.
I speak Connemara Irish, and my input will often reflect that.
I will do an mp3 file on request for short translations.
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