Speaking
Can you try to answer four questions about feelings and illnesses? Use the sample answers to get you started.
Question
Cad é mar atá tú? - How are you?
| Tá mé go measartha. | I am fair. |
| Tá mé ar fheabhas. | I am excellent. |
| Níl caill orm. | I am not too bad. |
| Tá mé ar mhuin na muice. | I am on the pig’s back (over the moon). |
| Tá mé breoite / tinn. | I am ill. |
| Tá mé ar buile. | I am raging. |
| Tá gach rud ag gabháil i gceart. | Everything is going well. |
| Tá mé ag streachailt liom. | I am struggling on. |
| Tá saol an mhadaidh bháin agam. | I have a great life. |
| Tá mé go measartha. |
| I am fair. |
| Tá mé ar fheabhas. |
| I am excellent. |
| Níl caill orm. |
| I am not too bad. |
| Tá mé ar mhuin na muice. |
| I am on the pig’s back (over the moon). |
| Tá mé breoite / tinn. |
| I am ill. |
| Tá mé ar buile. |
| I am raging. |
| Tá gach rud ag gabháil i gceart. |
| Everything is going well. |
| Tá mé ag streachailt liom. |
| I am struggling on. |
| Tá saol an mhadaidh bháin agam. |
| I have a great life. |
Question
Cad é atá ort? / Cad é atá cearr leat? - What is wrong with you?
When we talk about our feelings in Irish we describe them as being ‘on’ a person. For example I am sad would be sadness is on me and is translated into Irish as Tá brón orm.
Here is the preposition ar to help you.
ar + mé = orm = on me
ar + tú = ort = on you
ar + sé = air = on him
ar + sí = uirthi = on her
ar + muid = orainn = on us
ar + sibh = oraibh = on you (plural)
ar + siad = orthu = on them
ar + name = ar Ghráinne = on (with a person’s name)
Question
An raibh tú tinn riamh? - Were you ever sick before?
Here are some useful phrases and vocabulary to help you answer this question.
| Bhí mé tinn. | I was sick. |
| Ní raibh mé tinn. | I was never sick. |
| Ghortaigh mé mo ... | I hurt my ... |
| Chonaic mé ... | I saw ... |
| altra, banaltra | nurse |
| ceimiceoir / poitigéir | chemist / pharmacist |
| dochtúir | doctor |
| fear dóiteáin | fireman |
| fiaclóir | dentist |
| radharceolaí | optician |
| tiomanaí | driver |
| tréidlia | vet |
| Bhí mé tinn. |
| I was sick. |
| Ní raibh mé tinn. |
| I was never sick. |
| Ghortaigh mé mo ... |
| I hurt my ... |
| Chonaic mé ... |
| I saw ... |
| altra, banaltra |
| nurse |
| ceimiceoir / poitigéir |
| chemist / pharmacist |
| dochtúir |
| doctor |
| fear dóiteáin |
| fireman |
| fiaclóir |
| dentist |
| radharceolaí |
| optician |
| tiomanaí |
| driver |
| tréidlia |
| vet |
Question
Cad é a tharla? - What happened?
Bhris mé ... - I broke ...
You can use these A word used to describe an action or state of being. / structures to get you started. Remember to check the tense.
| bris | to break |
| cuir amach | to vomit |
| déan coinne le | to make an appointment with |
| déan scrúdú ar / scrúdaigh | to examine |
| gearr | to cut |
| gortaigh | to hurt |
| leon | to sprain |
| líon | to fill |
| mothaigh | to feel |
| téigh faoi scian | to have an operation |
| tit | to fall |
| bris |
| to break |
| cuir amach |
| to vomit |
| déan coinne le |
| to make an appointment with |
| déan scrúdú ar / scrúdaigh |
| to examine |
| gearr |
| to cut |
| gortaigh |
| to hurt |
| leon |
| to sprain |
| líon |
| to fill |
| mothaigh |
| to feel |
| téigh faoi scian |
| to have an operation |
| tit |
| to fall |
Tá/Bhí mo ______ briste. - My ______ is / was broken.
| ata | swollen |
| gearrtha | cut |
| leonta | sprained |
| gortaithe | hurt |
| ag cur fola | bleeding |
| nimhneach | sore |
| ata |
| swollen |
| gearrtha |
| cut |
| leonta |
| sprained |
| gortaithe |
| hurt |
| ag cur fola |
| bleeding |
| nimhneach |
| sore |
