Read the passage in the next paragraph slowly without looking at the key below it. Then read it a second time, making use of the key if you are unsure. Do not try to make sense out of the words; merely concentrate on the pronunciation:

Tá sé socraithe agam airgead a iarraidh ón bhfear a thug córas ceoil dom. Nuair a bhí rogha le déanamh, dúirt daoine eile gur chaith siad lón le Gréagaigh cheartradharcacha. I ngach uile cheann, déarfar gur chuir cairde dílse go fóill go bhfuil an méid sin aicme agus dreamanna éagsúla ann nach aon mhaith a bheith a mealladh sa Taispeántas Ealaíne.

Key: taw* shay* SOHK-ruh-he uh-GUHM AR-i-guhd uh EER-ee ohn VAR uh hug KOH-ruhs KYOH-il duhm. NOO-ir uh vee ROU-uh le DAY*N-uhv, DOO-irt DEEN-uh EL-e gur k*ah SHEE-uhd lohn le GRAY*-gee hyart-REYE-uhr-KAHK*-uh. ing AHK* IL-e hyoun, DYAY*R-fuhr gur k*ir KAHR-de DEEL-she goh FOH-il goh vwil un may*d shin AK-me AH-gus DRAM-un-nuh ay*g-sool-uh oun nahk* ay*n vwah uh ve uh MYAL-uh suh tash-PAW*N-tuhs AH-leen-e.

GRAMMAR

The Irish word for "on" is "ar" (er). It usually aspirates the initial consonant of the next word, although there are many exceptions to this, as you will see. Here are examples of usage of "ar":

ar Shéamas (er HAY*-muhs), on James

ar charr (er K*AHR), on a car

ar mo charr (er muh K*AHR), on my car

ar an gcarr, on the car

féach ar an mbean (FAY*-uhk* er un MAN), look at the woman

In many common expressions, there is no aspiration of the following consonant:

ar buile (er BWIL-e), angry

ar crocadh (er KROHK*-uh), hanging

ar díol (er DEE-uhl), for sale

ar ball (er BOUL), presently

Like "ag" and "le", the preposition "ar" joins with "mé, tú, sé", etc, to form words meaning "on me, on you, on him", etc. Learn these forms thoroughly now, to be ready for the Drill below.

orm (OH-rum), on me

ort (OH-ruht), on you

air (er), on him

uirthí (IR-ee), on her

orainn (OH-rin), on us

oraibh (OH-riv), on you (pl)

orthu (OHR-huh), on them

An important use for "ar" is in such expressions as "I am angry" or "he is afraid". In Irish, these can become "Tá fearg orm" (taw* FAR-uhg OH-ruhm), there is anger on me; and "Tá eagla air" (taw* AH-gluh er), there is fear on him. Often sickness, too, is "on" a person, in sentences such as "Tá slaghdán uirthi" (taw* sleye-DAY*N IR-ee) there is a cold on her.

VOCABULARY

Masculine nouns

mac (mahk), son

áthas, an t-áthas (AW*-huhs, un TAW*-huhs), joy, happiness

brón (brohn), sorrow

ocras, an t-ocras (OHK-ruhs, un TOHK-ruhs), hunger

tart (TAHR-ruht), thirst

amhras, an t-amhras (OU-ruhs, un TOU-ruhs), doubt

ionadh, an t-ionadh (OON-uh, an TOON-uh), surprise

Feminine nouns

eagla, an eagla (AH-gluh), fear

fearg, an fhearg (FAR-ruhg, un AR-ruhg), anger

náire (NAW*-re), shame

imní, an imní (IM-nee), anxiety

iníon, an iníon (in-EEN, un in-EEN), daughter

mínigh, ag míniú (uh MEEN-yoo), explain

mhíníomar (veen-EE-uh-muhr), we explained

cleacht, ag cleachtadh (klak*t, uh KLAK*-tuh), practice

glaoigh, ag glaoch (GLAY*-ee, uh GLAY*-uhk) ar (er), call on, telephone

anocht (uh-NOHK*T), tonight

aréir (uh-RAY*R), last night

anuraidh (un-NOOR-ree), last year

DRILL

Go through a progressive drill with "ar" and the pronouns, starting with:

An bhfuil áthas orm? Níl áthas orm. Tá áthas ort. An bhfuil áthas ort? Níl áthas ort. Tá áthas air. An bhfuil áthas air? etc. Your last sentence will be: Tá áthas orm.

Repeat the progressive drill with as many of these words as possible: brón, fearg, eagla, ocras, tart, náire, imní, amhras, ionadh.

"Cad tá air?" (kahd taw* er) means "What's wrong with him?" Aks this question and then answer it with some of the vocabulary words. For example: Cad tá air? Tá brón air. Make use of "Cad tá ort? Cad tá oraibh?" etc.

CONVERSATION

Sinéad (shin-AY*D): Dia duit, a Réamoinn.

Réamonn (RAY*-mohn): Dia's Muire duit, a Shinéad. Conas tá tú?

Sineád: Ó, tá slaghdán orm. Bhí mé istigh an lá go léir inné.

Réamonn: Tá brón orm é sin a chloisteáil (K*LISH-taw*-il). Glaoigh (GLAY*-ee) mé ort timpeall (TIM-puhl) a deich a chlog, ach ní bhfuair (VOO-ir) mé freagra ar bith (FRAG-ruh er BI).

Sinéad: Chula mé (K*OO-uh-luh may*) an teileafón (TEL-e-fohn), agus ní raibh áthas orm ar chor ar bith é a chloisteáil.

Réamonn: Níl ionadh ar bith orm. Féach! Tá dochtúir ag teacht!

Janet: Hello, Raymond.

Raymond: Hello, Janet. How are you?

Janet: Oh, I have a cold. I was inside all day yesterday.

Raymond: I'm sorry to hear that. I called you around ten, but I got no answer at all.

Janet: I heard the phone, and I wasn't happy at all to hear it.

Raymond: I'm not at all surprised. Look! A doctor's coming!