Date: Mon, 15 Apr 2002 10:07:29 +0100
From: Colin Mark <[email protected]>
Subject: Tip of the week 45 - How do I say 'if'?
Tip of the week 45 - How do I say 'if'?
'Ma' is used for 'if' when you are stating a fact.
e.g.
Ma tha thu sgìth, leig d' anail
If you're tired, take a break.
Théid sinn ann ma dh'fheumas sinn.
We'll go there if we [will] have to.
Ma tha am biadh cho math sin, feumaidh sinn dol ann uaireigin.
If the food's as good as that, we must go there sometime.
Note that, when 'cho' is followed by 'sin', the 'ri' is omitted.
Note also that 'ma' is always followed by the past, present or future
tense - never the imperfect conditional.
'Nam', on the other hand, is used when a supposition is being stated.
Nam b' e duine beartach a bh' annam ....
If I were a rich man ....
The following are from the Scotsman:
[Thuirt iad] nam biodh iad air son éisdeachd ri ceòl is
òrain dhen t-seòrsa gum faodadh iad a dhol gu
stéisean sam bith éile air an aidhear.
[They said] if they wanted to listen to music and songs of the sort, that
they could go to any other station on the air.
(Lit. 'if they were for listening')
Agus nam bithinn-sa 'nam phàrant, bhithinn a' faighneachd
dé feum a bha a' chlann a' dol a dh'fhaighinn ás [...]
And if I were a parent, I would be asking what good the children were
going to get from [...]
Ach, [...] cha b' urrainn dhomh gun a bhith a' smaoineachadh, nam b'e
mise bha seo aig a h-aois, cho f�or eadar-dhealaichte 's a bha c�isea
n r a bhith.
But [...] I couldn't help thinking, if it had been me that had been here at
her age, how very different things would have been.
Bha e fortanach nam faigheadh e eadar sia sgillinn agus tastan air gach
giomach
He was lucky if he got between sixpence and a shilling for each
lobster.
Shaoil iad gum biodh e sgoinneil fhéin nan robh cothrom aig sean
's òg a bhith 'cruinneachadh 's a' bruidhinn ri
chéile
They thought that it would be just great if young and old had an
opportunity to be getting together and talking to each
other.
�
Nach e biodh math nan tigeadh cuideigin a-nall a ghabhadh an
clas?
Wouldn't it be good if someone would come over to take the class?
�
It should be noted that 'nam' is used before verbs beginning with B, F, M
or P, and 'nan' before all other letters.
It should also be noted that the past tense of 'bi' i.e. 'bha / robh' may
be used conditionally.
e.g.
�... bidh sinn ag aideachadh [....] gum biodh e na b fheàrr nan
robh duais-sgrìobhaidh Gàidhlig air leth ann.
.... we admit [....] that it would be better if there were a separate
Gaelic writing prize.
�
Cailean
Am Marcair Dubh
Is i a' Ghàidhlig Cànan mo Dhùthcha.
URL: http://www.gaeldesign.com/colinmark
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