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Aonad 2 Unit 2
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Click the Sound File above to hear the Lesson
Learning to ask how someone is feeling and giving a variety of responses.
A key social courtesy is to ask how someone is. We inquire about someone in Irish usually by asking:
Cad é mar atá tú?
How are you?
Cad é mar atá tú?
Cad é mar atá tú?
Do shealsa – your turn
Cad é mar atá tú?
Most people are positive in their replies, regardless of how they actually feel and might typically say in Irish
Tá mé go maith go raibh maith agat
I am well thank you
Tá mé go maith go raibh maith agat
Tá mé go maith go raibh maith agat
Do shealsa – your turn
Tá mé go maith go raibh maith agat
If you feel really good you might say, in a particularly Ulster Irish way
Tá mé ar dóigh
I am great
Tá mé ar dóigh
Tá mé ar dóigh
Do shealsa – your turn
Tá mé ar dóigh
Other responses could be
Tá mé go measartha
I’m middling or fairly good
Tá mé go measartha
Tá mé go measartha
Do shealsa – your turn
Tá mé go measartha
Or níl mé ach go measartha I’m only middling
Níl mé ach go measartha with a stress on the word ach
Níl mé ach go measartha
You could also say, more idiomatically, níl caill ar bith orm
I can’t complain
Níl caill ar bith orm
And if you happen to be in tiptop form, the answer to Cad é mar atá tú? could be
Tá mé ar mhuin na muice
I’m on the pig’s back
Tá mé ar mhuin na muice
Do shealsa – your turn
Tá mé ar mhuin na muice
When you reply by saying how you are, you would usually add
Agus cad é mar atá tú féin? And how are you? Note the words tú féin
Agus cad é mar atá tú féin?
Agus cad é mar atá tú féin?
tú féin can also be pronounced as tú féin
Agus cad é mar atá tú féin?
Listen to the following two exchanges.
Exchange 1
Cad é mar atá tú a Phóil?
Tá mé go maith go raibh maith agat. Agus cad é mar atá tú féin?
Níl caill ar bith orm.
Agus arís, and again
Cad é mar atá tú a Phóil?
Tá mé go maith go raibh maith agat. Agus cad é mar atá tú féin?
Níl caill ar bith orm.
Exchange 2
Cad é mar atá tú?
Níl mé ach go measartha? Cad é mar atá tú féin?
Tá mé ar dóigh!
Agus arís, and again
Cad é mar atá tú?
Níl mé ach go measartha? Cad é mar atá tú féin?
Tá mé ar dóigh!
How are you? or cad é mar atá tú? is often expressed as Cad é an dóigh atá ort? in Ulster.
Cad é an dóigh atá ort?
Cad é an dóigh ata ort?
Listen to the following exchange:
Bhuel a Phóil. Cad é an dóigh atá ort?
Tá mé go hiontach go raibh maith agat. Agus cad é an dóigh atá ort?
Níl caill ar bith orm
Did you hear? tá mé go hiontach – I am great
Tá mé go hiontach
Eíst arís
Bhuel a Phóil. Cad é an dóigh atá ort?
Tá mé go hiontach go raibh maith agat. Agus cad é an dóigh atá ort?
Níl caill ar bith orm
Until Aonad 3/Unit 3, slán go fóill – bye for now.
