In second-person singular verbs in the conditional mode (for example "déarfá" or "chaithfeá"), is the "f" supposed to be pronounced or no? Seems I've heard it both ways...is it a dialect thing?

Also, someone asked me how to distinguish, in speech, between certain conditional verbs and corresponding verbs in the imperfect tense (say "chaithfinn" and "chaithinn"). My inclination is to say that they sound pretty much the same, so you'd have to go by context...am I off base with that?

Redwolf

http://forvo.com/search/déarfá/

Of course a dialect thing.
In Cois Fharraige /h/, in most (?) other dialects /f/


There are 4 moods/tenses with similar endings (3 x -adh etc., 1 x -fadh) which you often cannot distinguish:

- Conditional: (do) ligfeadh sé, (do) chuirfeadh sé, (do) chaithfinn
- Past subjunctive: dá ligeadh sé, dá gcuireadh sé, dá gcaithinn (often replaced by conditional forms)
- Imperfect or past habitual (usually different context). (do) ligeadh sé, (do) chuireadh sé, (do) chaithinn
- Imperative (in 3rd person, different because of no lenition, different context): ligeadh sé, cuireadh sé, (*)

In verbs like lig decoicing of -g- occurs: ligfinn, ligfeadh (= "licinn", "liceadh")
in verbs like cuir a devoiced -r- (or /r/+/h/) occurs: chuirfinn, chuirfeadh
In verbs like caith -f- is often pronounced as /f/ in Munster and Ulster (even /x´/ in some Northern places):
chaithfinn, chaithfeadh.
But as well often /h/ (as usually in Connacht), so there's no difference between chaithinn/chaithfinn.

(*) caithim in first person imperative

In Donegal, the f of the future and conditional endings is pronounced h, never as f, except in certain places in the only verbal form "tchífidh" (I dunno why).



this is true in Donegal too.

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GRMMAgaibh! This helps me tremendously!

In Gaoth Dobhair it is /h/
I read in some paper I don't have at hand in the moment (AFAIR a nice reliable synopsis of the pronunciation of -f- in future and conditional endings)
that in South Donegal either /h/ or /f/ following -igh, -idh or -ith (e.g. léighfeadh, rithfeadh) is used
and in some areas in the North of Donegal it is /x'/ (a devoiced /j/ or /ɣ​´/)

aye but certain people use an f in the verbal form "tchífidh". I heard it there, I can even say whom I heard it from


that's right, "rithfidh mé" is pronounce like "rruiche mea" and "léighfidh tú" like "lléiche tu", for instance

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Agus is í Gaeilg Ġaoṫ Doḃair is binne