Irish Language Lesson 1, "To Be"

I swear they'll get more exciting than this!!! It's my first video, give a man a break. Also my mic wasn't working...

For more on the Present Tense also see Lessons 4,6 & 7.

"Bheith, To be" : This is used to say HOW something is as opposed to WHAT something is.

Táim = I am
Tá tú/ (Taoi, Táir) = You are
Tá sé = He is, it is
Tá sí = She is, it is
Táimíd = We are
Tá sibh = Ye are
Tá siad/ Táid = They are

*Tá also means "there is/are".

Ní'lim = I am not
Ní'l tú / (Ní'lir) = You are not
Ní'l sé = He is not, it is not
Ní'l sí = She is not, it is not
Ní'limíd = We are not
Ní'l sibh = Ye are not
Ní'l siad / Ní'lid = They are not

*Ní'lim, etc. is short for Ní fhuilim, etc. Most people don't know this and so don't use the comma. I recommend that you use the comma.

An bhfuilim = Am I?
An bhfuil tú / (An bhfuilir) = Are you?
An bhfuil sé = Is he, is it?
An bhfuil sí = Is she, is it?
An bhfuilimíd = Are we?
An bhfuil sibh = Are ye?
An bhfuil siad / An bhfuilid = Are they?

I forgot to tell ye how to say "Am I not?" etc. There are two ways to say this, I'll do the standard version first, and the Munster dialect second. For now, maybe just learn the standard version;

Standard Version:
Nach bhfuilim = Am I not?
Nach bhfuil tú / (Nach bhfuilir) = Are you not?
Nach bhfuil sé = Is he not, is it not?
Nach bhfuil sí = Is she not, is it not?
Nach bhfuilimíd = Are we not?
Nach bhfuil sibh = Are ye not?
Nach bhfuil siad / Nach bhfuilid = Are they not?

Munster Version:
Ná fuilim = Am I not?
Ná fuil tú/ (Ná fuilir) = Are you not?
Ná fuil sé = Is he not, is it not?
Ná fuil sí = Is she not, is it not?
Ná fuilimíd = Are we not?
Ná fuil sibh = Are ye not?
Ná fuil siad / Ná fuilid = Are they not?

Usage of "Bheith, To be"
Again, "bheith" is used to say HOW something is as opposed to WHAT something is.
"Bheith marbh, To be dead" is correct, you're describing HOW something/someone is, "Tá sé marbh, He is dead". But when trying to say WHAT someone is, such as "He is a musician", you cannot say "Tá sé ceoltóir". You need to say "Tá sé i n-a cheoltóir", literally "He is in his musician". However it is better to say "Is ceoltóir é", which I'll do in Lesson 8.

Feel free to contact me and ask me questions.

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[SychoKids]

I'd love to learn Irish. I'm really interested in foreign languages and I'm 1/5 Irish!

The only thing is, do people really speak it anymore? I mean if I went to Ireland would people know how to speak it, or would they just speak to you in English. I know it's a minority language...

[AnLoingseach]

@SychoKids

You'll always find someone to speak in Irish to but if you don't speak it first, very few/no people will speak to you in Irish first. They'll only be delighted to speak to you in Irish so don't at all be discouraged!!!

[MollyXD124]

wow, Irish isn't a language.. its called Gaelic.

[AnLoingseach]

@MollyXD124

Wow, thank you for telling me the name of my own language, from my own country, where I actually live.

Just to clear up, Gaelic generally refers to Scottish Gaelic but can also refer to any of the Gaelic languages; Irish, Scottish, Manx. Saying "I speak Gaelic" meaning "I speak Irish" is like saying "I speak Anglic" when meaning "I speak English".

Irish people tend to call it Gaelic only when talking to someone who they think won't understand what they mean by "Irish". Wow.

[initformusic16]

What is the actual phrase for the verb "to be" and how do you say it?

[AnLoingseach]

I was going to do all this in 2 videos time but sure...the "verbal noun" (See Lesson 5) is "beith" (beh) but it generally appears as "bheith" (veh).

For example, "bheith marbh, to be dead" conjugated is "Táim marbh, I am dead", "Tá tú marbh, You are dead" etc.

Now, "bheith" cannot be used directly to say something/someone IS something/someone else.

"bheith ceoltóir (musician)" is wrong.

You need to say "bheith i do cheoltóir, to be in your musician"...I'll explain in 2 videos time...

[jordanaus75]

Good work! There are many people craving to learn Irish around the world but who don't have resources like this or people to practice with (outside of Ireland), particularly in the Munster dialect. Keep it up!

[foxycleopathra]

im irish i speak irish and i go to an all irish school ,we do not call it gaelic in ireland  we just simply say irish ,

[goji2099]

@AnLoingseach Gaelic is essentially a language tree, is it not? Sort of How English is a Germanic language, and Spanish is a Romance Language. Gaelic does not refer to the Irish Language, but the Irish Language is Gaelic. I'm actually trying to self teach, so I hope I'm at least in the ballpark....

[leFlook]

HAH! Finally! Awesome!

Thank you very much for this. Most of the textbooks I managed to find are absolutely useless. This is just what I need.

[CeciliaSkish]

very helpful! thanks :) i'm irish by birth, but my mother is australian so we moved here when i was very young and i don't have much contact with my irish family, so it's nearly impossible to learn irish! subscribing now :)

[knockcrogherymurray]

I love it too myself........I've gone the last 3 summers in a row and i loved every bit of it! I wish a few here would speak it!

[DragonZXDragster]

I appreciate the fact that there are people out there willing to teach this Language, because I want to be able to know this before I go to Ireland and also learn it for Heritage reasons. Thanks a great deal man. Ill be lookin through your vids a ton and hopefully memory serves me.

[C0UrtNay9]

@knockcrogherymurray I just returned from visiting Connemara today and they do speak entirely Irish! I love it!!!! Keep up the good work with this video series AnLoingseach

[kornchik94]

You seem so easily distracted! I love how you tell your buddy to turn it down! I love it!