Tá mé ag foghlaim Gaeilge. I am using Buntús Cainte and some words are wrecking my head.

For example, Ceacht 31:

An ndeachaigh daidí ar Aifreann fós? = Did daddy go to mass yet?

Ar imigh fear on phoist fós? = Did the postman go yet?

My question is could you use imigh in the first sentence, if not, why not?

I'm not the best here to answer grammar question.

But the second one would be better translated as -
Did the postman leave yet?
"Go" has different meanings in English, where we would use two different verbs in Irish.

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It is recommended that you always wait for three to agree on a translation.
I speak Connemara Irish, and my input will often reflect that.
I will do an mp3 file on request for short translations.
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Thanks Bríd, that makes more sense now.

Breandán will be able to explain it better.

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It is recommended that you always wait for three to agree on a translation.
I speak Connemara Irish, and my input will often reflect that.
I will do an mp3 file on request for short translations.
___________________________________________________________

I would have said exactly what you said, a Bhríd.


To summarise:

Imigh means to go as in "go off, leave".

Chuaigh means to "go" to a specific destination.

The question forms are ar imigh? and an ndeachaigh?.

The yes/no answers would be imigh/níor imigh and chuaigh/ní dheachaigh, respectively.


Buntús is a great course but sometimes it is short on explanations. Feel free to ask about it here any time.

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Múinteoir Gaeilge - Irish Teacher
My "specialty" is Connemara Irish, particularly Cois Fhairrge dialect, but I can also speak Ulster and Munster Irish with native-level pronunciation.
Is fearr Gaeilge ḃriste ná Béarla cliste, cinnte, aċ i ḃfad níos fearr aríst í Gaeilge ḃinn ḃeo na nGaeltaċtaí.
Gaeilge Chonnacht (GC), go háraid Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge (GCF), Gaeilic Uladh (GU), Gaelainn na Mumhan (GM), agus Gaeilge an Chaighdeáin Oifigiúil (CO).

Táim ag dul go dtí an siopa anois. (I am going to the shop now - the focus is where I am going)

Táim ag imeacht anois. (I'm leaving now - the focus is that I am leaving with no mention of the destination.)

Fáilte anseo! Welcome to ILF!

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Another similar situation is "tell".

Tell a story. - Inis scéal.
Tell him. - Inis dó.
Tell him the way home. - Inis dó an bealach abhaile.
When you are giving information.

BUT-

Tell him to go home.
Abair leis a ghabháil abhaile.
You are "saying" to him to go home.

One verb in English, two verbs in Irish.

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___________________________________________________________

It is recommended that you always wait for three to agree on a translation.
I speak Connemara Irish, and my input will often reflect that.
I will do an mp3 file on request for short translations.
___________________________________________________________

Go raibh maith agaibh to all who answered.

I suppose much of this is my own fault, I am not learning the ceaths by heart. I try to remember what the correct word is.

Could you also say?

An fágann an fear an phoist fós?

Also I found this glance card very useful (all I need to do now is remember it! ).

http://www.dfwgaelicleague.com/files/GlanceCard.pdf

Fág is "leave" as in to "leave sth behind".

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Múinteoir Gaeilge - Irish Teacher
My "specialty" is Connemara Irish, particularly Cois Fhairrge dialect, but I can also speak Ulster and Munster Irish with native-level pronunciation.
Is fearr Gaeilge ḃriste ná Béarla cliste, cinnte, aċ i ḃfad níos fearr aríst í Gaeilge ḃinn ḃeo na nGaeltaċtaí.
Gaeilge Chonnacht (GC), go háraid Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge (GCF), Gaeilic Uladh (GU), Gaelainn na Mumhan (GM), agus Gaeilge an Chaighdeáin Oifigiúil (CO).

you can't use fág if you donb't say what has been left by the subject.
You can say:
Ar fhág fear an phoist an teach fós?
(Did the postman leave the house already?)

If you just want to ask if he's gone, then it's
Ar imigh fear an phoist fós?
or
An bhfuil fear an phoist imithe fós?

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Is fearr Gaeilg na Gaeltaċta ná Gaeilg ar biṫ eile
Agus is í Gaeilg Ġaoṫ Doḃair is binne