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It was not easy

Cha robh e soirbh 

There were a few words and phrases there which you can use when talking about Faireachdainnean nan Gàidheal (Feelings of the Gàidheil). Let's look at some of them again in context.

gun sgillinn ruadh aca
without a penny
seòrsa de thràilleachd
a form of servitude/slavery
gu deònach
willingly, voluntarily
cùl a chur ris an dachaigh aca
turn their back on their home
diofar adhbharan no eileamaidean
different reasons or factors
eileamaidean putaidh
push factors
eileamaidean tarraing
pull factors
… cruaidh fheum air …
… a desperate need for …
Thugadh geallaidhean seachad
Promises were given/made
an do shoirbhich leis na daoine sin …?
did these people succeed …?
cha robh e soirbh
it was not easy
tha fianais againn
we have evidence

We'll catch up with some more of these as well as adding some new words and phrases to our vocabulary as we progress through this lesson. 

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FAQs

What does “Level” mean (A1, A2, B1, B2)?

All courses and resources on SpeakGaelic are organised according to internationally recognised language levels. If you have learnt a language before you may be familiar with this terminology—the SpeakGaelic levels map onto those defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Within SpeakGaelic, levels are colour-coded to help you find your way about.

A1 is “Inntrigeadh” (Entry). Absolute beginners should start here!

A2 is “Bunaiteach” (Foundation). Widen your knowledge of sentences and frequently-used expressions. Communicate simple tasks and basic descriptions.

B1 is “Eadar-mheadhanach” (Intermediate). Start becoming an independent user of Gaelic.

B2 is “Adhartach” (Advanced). Complete your journey to becoming an independent user of Gaelic.

How do I type the Gaelic accents?

Tap or click on a letter to put it on your clipboard, you can then paste it anywhere:

Lowercase letters:

Uppercase letters:

Alternatively, these methods may work for you:

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

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.

What are slendar and broad vowels?

The slender vowels are e and i.

All the others are broad.

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