FAQS
How do I type the Gaelic accents?
You can just copy and paste these
Lowercase letters
Uppercase letters
Keyboard shortcuts
Windows
Some simple ways to type grave accents in MS Windows, depending on which version you use. The grave accent ` is next to the number 1 at top of keyboard
à, è, ì, ò, ù Ctrl+`, release and type letter;
À, È, Ì, Ò, Ù Ctrl+Shift+`, release and type letter
OR
Alt key + character code on the numeric keypad on right of keyboard (laptops will vary). Ensure that the NUMLOCK is on.
à Alt+133 or 0224
è Alt+138 or 0232
ì Alt+141 or 0236
ò Alt+149 or 0242
ù Alt+151 or 0249
À Alt+0192
È Alt+0200
Ì Alt+0204
Ò Alt+0210
Ù Alt+0217
Mac
Push and hold a character to bring up a menu and choose.
E.g. hold the letter e to choose the letter è
What is the Gaelic Alphabet?
> Aa, Bb, Cc, Dd, Ee, Ff, Gg, Hh, Ii, Ll, Mm, Nn, Oo, Pp, Rr, Ss, Tt, Uu
For more information visit LearnGaelic’s Scottish Gaelic Alphabet https://learngaelic.scot/scottish-gaelic-alphabet.jsp
How do I pronounce Gaelic sounds?
SpeakGaelic always gives you a sound file for the word you are learning. For more information on individual sounds, visit LearnGaelic’ Sounds section https://learngaelic.scot/sounds/index.jsp
What are slender and broad vowels?
The slender vowels are e and i.
All the others are broad.
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You should be able to scroll and expand each topic to see which one has a step missed out. In the following example, all the sections apart from the intro and completed topic section have been completed, so the topic is incomplete.
Go into the incomplete section and follow the all the steps in the section to complete the topic.
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You can tell how many steps are in each section by the score on the counter at the top of the page.
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Can you translate something for me?
We are a tiny wee team and our main focus is on our resources. There are also professional translators who will talk you through your requirements and provide appropriate translations (some words may be context-dependent). We can send you a list of professional translators if you need them.
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Breithneachadh na sìde
Predicting the weather
Listen to this recording from the radio program Dealan-Dè, where Mòr NicLeòid (Marion MacLeod) can be heard talking about the weather forecast (03:06-08:40). A transcript can be found on the same page.
Read the introductory section from the programme about weather signs first (00:00—00:46)
Jo NicDhòmhnaill: Madainn mhath dhuibh.
Jo Macdonald: Good morning to you.
Dà ghrian, cearcall mu ghealach làn, an t-seann ghealach an glaic na tè ùir, brag reòthaidh aig an fhairge, caoraich a’ cruinneachadh còmhla air talamh ìosal ri fasgadh.
Two suns, a circle around a full moon, the old moon is brighter than the new one, an icy blast at the sea, sheep gathering together on low ground for shelter.
Sin seann chomharraidhean aimsir air nach eil guth againne an-diugh.
Those are old weather signs that we just don’t have today.
Tha sinne aig Radio nan Gàidheal ann an Steòrnabhagh air a bhith a’ feuchainn bho chionn ghoirid ri cruinneachadh a dhèanamh air na dòighean anns am biodh na seann daoine a’ fàidheadaireachd mun aimsir a bha ri tighinn.
We at Radio nan Gàidheal in Stornoway have recently been trying to collect the ways in which the old folk used to forecast the weather to come.
Tha sinn air a bhith a’ feuchainn ri lorg a-mach dè na lathaichean sònraichte, mar Diluain Traoighte, no Latha a’ Chuilein, air am biodh iad gu h-àraid a’ gabhail ealla ris an t-sìde.
We have been trying to find out which special days, such as DiLuain Traoighte (Handsel Monday—first Monday of the year), or Latha a’ Chuilein (Cub’s Day—3 February), on which they would particularly keep an eye on/observe weather.
Cuideachd, tha mòran sheanfhacail co-cheangailte ris a seo, mar eisimpleir: Tha an seillean fo dhìon, thig gailleann ‘s sian.
Also, there are many proverbs related to this, for example: The bee is sheltering, storms are coming.
Do you know what any of these signs would tell us about the weather?
dà ghrian
two suns
cearcall mu ghealach làn
circle about a full moon
an t-seann ghealach an glaic na tè ùir
the old moon wrapped/enclosed in the new (moon)
brag reòthaidh aig an fhairge
the frosty crack of the sea/ocean
caoraich a’ cruinneachadh còmhla air talamh ìosal ri fasgadh
sheep gathering together on low ground to shelter
Listen to the recording again to find out what these signs mean.
Ciamar a chaidh dhut?
How did you get on?
| dà ghrian | two suns | atharrachadh sìde | change of weather |
| cearcall mu ghealach làn | circle about a full moon | garbh-shìon gaoithe agus uisge | rough weather, wind and rain |
| an t-seann ghealach an glaic na tè ùir | the old moon wrapped in the new (moon) | chan e comharra math a tha seo | this is not a good sign |
| brag reòthaidh aig an fhairge | the frosty crack [sound] of the sea/ocean | cha bhi turadh ann gus an till na siùil-mhara | it won’t clear up (no dry spell) until the tide turns |
| caoraich a’ cruinneachadh còmhla air talamh ìosal ri fasgadh | sheep gathering together on low ground to shelter | sìde gharbh | rough weather |
Sentences with verbs in the tràth theachdail/làthaireach fhulangach (future/present passive tense) were heard throughout this recording.
And we have seen the tràth theachdail/làthaireach fhulangach (future/present passive tense) many times at level B2 until now.
Listen to two short clips from the recording and write what you hear in the following two sentences:
04:12—04:26
05:31—05:38
| _____________________________bho thoiseach gu deireadh an fhoghair, agus tha i seo gu bhith na rìgh air na seachd a tha a’ tighinn às a dèidh. | |
| _______________________________, is comharra cinnteach air uisge a th’ ann. |
Ciamar a chaidh dhut?
How did you get on?
Theirear Gealach Shatharnach Foghair rithe ma thig i air Disathairne sam bith bho thoiseach gu deireadh an fhoghair, agus tha i seo gu bhith na rìgh air na seachd a tha a’ tighinn às a dèidh.
It is is called the Saturday Autumn [Autumn Saturday] Moon if comes on any Saturday from the beginning to the end of autumn, and this is going to rule the seven that come after it.
Nuair a chithear srianagan de chop geal air uachdar na mara, is comharra cinnteach air uisge a th’ ann.
When streaks of white foam are seen on the surface of the sea, it is a sure sign of rain.
Two irregular verbs in the future/present passive tense were heard in these clips: theirear (it will be said/it is said) and chithear (it will be seen/it is seen).
A complete list of the irregular passive verbs can be found in 23A Duilleag Mìneachaidh.
Regular verbs (gnìomhairean riaghailteach) in the future/present passive tense were also seen in Cuspair 4 and Cuspair 10: cuirear (will be added), lùghdaichear (will be reduced) and pàighear (will be paid).
Don’t worry if you didn’t understand every word of the recording.
It wasn’t easy!
You can come back to it after a while, and try to work on pieces of it, bit by bit.
You’re doing really well!
😊 📚
Can you translate the words in bold into the future/present passive?
| Lùghdaichidh am pàrtaidh riaghlaidh cìsean ron ath thaghadh choitcheann. | The ruling party will reduce taxes before the next general election. |
| Seinnidh iad port air a’ phìob aig toiseach an tachartais. | They will sing a tune on the bagpipes at the beginning of the event. |
| Tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gun can iad ‘Eilean na h-Òige’ ri Èirisgeigh. | I think that they will call Eriskay ‘Eilean na h-Òige (‘the ‘Island of Youth’). |
| Lùghdaichidh am pàrtaidh riaghlaidh cìsean ron ath thaghadh choitcheann. | The ruling party will reduce taxes before the next general election. |
| Lùghdaichear cìsean (leis a’ phàrtaidh riaghlaidh) ron ath thaghadh choitcheann. | Taxes will be reduced before the next general election |
Seinnidh iad port air a’ phìob aig toiseach an tachartais. | They will play a tune on the bagpipes at the beginning of the event. |
| Seinnear port air a’ phìob aig toiseach an tachartais. | A tune on the bagpipes will be played at the beginning of the event. |
Tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gun can iad ‘Eilean na h-Òige’ ri Èirisgeigh. | I think that they call Eriskay ‘Eilean na h-Òige (‘the ‘Island of Youth’). |
| Tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gun canar ‘Eilean na h-Òige’ ri Èirisgeigh. | I think that Eriskay is called ‘Eilean na h-Òige (‘the ‘Island of Youth’). |