Tip of the Week 9

Learners often have difficulty with the word "ask". As is often the case, this depends very largely on exactly what you mean. This week, let us look at the phrase "ask someone for something"
 
The basic expression is:
 
iarr [rudeigin] air [cuideigin]   ask [something] on [somebody]
 
Let's see how this is used in practice.
 
Dh'iarr e aran is caise air na daoine.
He asked the men for bread and cheese.
 
Dh'iarr i airgead orra.
She asked them for money.
 
Iarraidh mi spaid air Calum.
I'll ask Calum for a spade.
 
Thèid mi a dh'iarraidh na spaid air Calum.
I'm going to ask Calum for the spade.
 
N.B. 'iarraidh' in the penultimate sentence is the future tense, but in the last sentence it is the verbal noun in the infinitive form after the verb of 'intention'. In this construction the following noun is in the genitive case if it is definite.
 
Cailean
Am Marcair Dubh
 
Is i a' Ghàidhlig Cànain mo Dhùthcha.
 
 
Date: Wed, 1 Mar 2000 09:34:14 -0800
From: FrankWilson <[email protected]>
Subject: tip of the week 9
 
A Chailein,
 
Could you give me some sentences using Faighnich (DO)? can it mean to ask of as well as to
 
I tried a few but not really sure how to use this verb works.
 
Faighnichidh mi ceist do Chalum
I'll ask a question of Calum ie I'll ask Calum a question.
 
Bha feareigin a' faighneachd do / mu
someone was asking (about something or to do something ?)
 
Dh'fhaighich mi a faicinn
I asked to see her
 
Appreciate your comments on the use of this verb
 
F.
 

Date: Thu, 2 Mar 2000 17:53:18 -0000
From: In2Home User <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: tip of the week 9
 
Fhraing,
This Tip of the Week is part of a series on the word 'ask'. I'll be coming to 'faighnich' in a couple of weeks. However, I will say now that it is 'faighnich de [chuideigin]' followed by the question form of the verb. This verb is only used for 'asking if .....'
 
Mar sin leat,
Cailean
Am Marcair Dubh
 
Is i a' Ghàidhlig Cànain mo Dhùthcha
 

Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2000 19:42:22 -0000
Sender: Scottish Gaelic Language beginners forum <[email protected]>
From: In2Home User <[email protected]>
Subject: Tip of the week 9 (correction)
 
Ann an 'Tip of the week 9' sgrìobh mi:
 
> Théid mi a dh'iarraidh na SPAID air Calum
> I'm going to ask Calum for the spade.
 
Bu chòir dhomh NA SPAIDE a sgrìobhadh, ach sin mar a bhiodh e air a fhuaimneachadh mar as trice roimh fhuaimreig.
I ought to have written NA SPAIDE but that is how it is frequently pronounced before a vowel.
 
Mar sin leibh,
Cailean
Am Marcair Dubh
  
Is i a' Ghàidhlig Cànain mo Dhùthcha.
 
 
Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2000 09:20:23 -0000
Sender: Scottish Gaelic Language beginners forum <[email protected]>
From: In2Home User <[email protected]>
Subject: Tip of the Week 9 (further comment)
 
* This Tip of the Week is part of a series on the word 'ask'. I'll be
* coming to 'faighnich' in a couple of weeks. However, I will say now
* that it is 'faighnich de [chuideigin]' followed by the question form
* of the verb. This verb is only used for 'asking if .....'
 
I must hasten to add that many native speakers say and write 'do' for 'de', but learners should avoid this.
 
Mar sin leat,
Cailean
Am Marcair Dubh
 
Is i a' Ghàidhlig Cànain mo Dhùthcha