蜜芽传媒

If you have a ‘cúpla focal’;

This proverb translated literally is ‘(it) is not strength until unity’ i.e ‘there is no strength without unity.’

As we know in Irish the verb usually comes before its subject. The verb in this case is ‘ní’. This should not be confused with the negative verbal particle used before verbs ‘ní thugann sí’ (she does not give) or with the noun ‘ní (a thing) – ‘ní nach ionadh’ (a thing that is not surprising).

The ‘ní’ in our case is the negative of the verb ‘is’ also known as the copula. Without going into detail there are two verbs in Irish for ‘be’. One the copula usually describes a permanent state, classifying or identifying a noun:

‘Is capall é’ (it is a horse) – ‘ní capall é’ (it is not a horse)

The other verb ‘bí’ usually describes a temporary state and is followed by a an adjective or an adverb:

‘Tá sí beag’ (she is small) ‘Níl sé beag’ (she is not small).

The verb in the sentence is followed by the noun ‘neart’ which in this case means strength.

Then comes the preposition ‘go’ (to) which does not affect the initial consonant of the following noun –

‘Chuaigh siad go Doire’ (They went to Derry).

The following phrase ‘cur le chéile’ (unity) consists of the verbal noun ‘cur’ of the verb ‘cuir’ (put) and the phrase ‘le chéile’ (together).

If you’re an advanced learner;

There is no strength without unity

‘Ní’ can be a negative verbal particle, coming before the verb and aspirating the initial consonant of the following verb.

‘Ní bhriseann sí’ (she does not break).

It can also be a noun meaning ‘a thing’, ‘an ní is ansa liom’ (the thing most precious to me).

In this case it is the negative form of the copula ‘is’. There are two verbs that translate as ‘be’ in Irish – the copula (‘is’, negative ‘ní’) which is used usually before a noun and describes a permanent state. It is used for classification or identification.

‘Is crann é’ (It is a tree), ‘Ní crann é’ (It is not a tree’).

The seond verb ‘bí’ usually describes a temporary state and since it describes a noun it is followed by an adjective.

‘Tá sí tanaí.’(she is thin), ‘Níl sí tanaí.’ (she is not thin.)

The second element of the sentence is the noun ‘neart’ (strength). ‘Neart’ can also mean ‘plenty’, in which case it puts the following noun in the genitive case - ‘airgead’ (money), ‘neart airgid’ (lots of money). It is also used in phrases such as ‘Níl neart agam air’ (I cannot help it.)

‘Neart’ is followed by ‘go’ a preposition meaning ‘to’ which does not affect the initial consonant of the following noun’ – ‘Chuaigh siad go Corcaigh’. (They went to Cork).

The following phrase ‘cur le chéile’ (unity) comprises of the verbal noun ‘cur’ of the verb ‘cuir’ (put) and the phrase ‘le chéile’ together which consists of the preposition ‘le’ (with) and ‘céile’ (partner). Interestingly ‘le’ does not normally aspirate the initial consonant of the following noun, ‘le mála’ (with a bag), but it does aspirate in this phrase.

If you’re fluent but would like to improve your grammar;

Ní neart go cur le chéile.

Ciallaíonn an seanfhocal seo gur láidre i bhfad grúpa/ foireann daoine má oibríonn siad i gcomhar le chéile.

Tabhair faoi deara gurb é ‘ní’ an fhoirm dhiúltach aimsir láithreach den chopail ‘is’. Ní hionann é agus ‘ní’ an mhír bhriathartha - ‘ní raibh’.

Ciallaíonn ‘neart’ anseo ‘láidreacht’. – ‘níl neart ar bith ann’ (tá se lag).

Úsáidtear ‘neart’ fosta le cainníocht a chur in iúl agus leanann an tuiseal ginideach é –

‘tá neart Spáinnise aigeNí neart go cur le chéile

If you have a ‘cúpla focal’;

This proverb translated literally is ‘(it) is not strength until unity’ i.e ‘there is no strength without unity.’

As we know in Irish the verb usually comes before its subject. The verb in this case is ‘ní’. This should not be confused with the negative verbal particle used before verbs ‘ní thugann sí’ (she does not give) or with the noun ‘ní (a thing) – ‘ní nach ionadh’ (a thing that is not surprising).

The ‘ní’ in our case is the negative of the verb ‘is’ also known as the copula. Without going into detail there are two verbs in Irish for ‘be’. One the copula usually describes a permanent state, classifying or identifying a noun:

‘Is capall é’ (it is a horse) – ‘ní capall é’ (it is not a horse)

The other verb ‘bí’ usually describes a temporary state and is followed by a an adjective or an adverb:

‘Tá sí beag’ (she is small) ‘Níl sé beag’ (she is not small).

The verb in the sentence is followed by the noun ‘neart’ which in this case means strength.

Then comes the preposition ‘go’ (to) which does not affect the initial consonant of the following noun –

‘Chuaigh siad go Doire’ (They went to Derry).

The following phrase ‘cur le chéile’ (unity) consists of the verbal noun ‘cur’ of the verb ‘cuir’ (put) and the phrase ‘le chéile’ (together).

If you’re an advanced learner;

There is no strength without unity

‘Ní’ can be a negative verbal particle, coming before the verb and aspirating the initial consonant of the following verb.

‘Ní bhriseann sí’ (she does not break).

It can also be a noun meaning ‘a thing’, ‘an ní is ansa liom’ (the thing most precious to me).

In this case it is the negative form of the copula ‘is’. There are two verbs that translate as ‘be’ in Irish – the copula (‘is’, negative ‘ní’) which is used usually before a noun and describes a permanent state. It is used for classification or identification.

‘Is crann é’ (It is a tree), ‘Ní crann é’ (It is not a tree’).

The seond verb ‘bí’ usually describes a temporary state and since it describes a noun it is followed by an adjective.

‘Tá sí tanaí.’(she is thin), ‘Níl sí tanaí.’ (she is not thin.)

The second element of the sentence is the noun ‘neart’ (strength). ‘Neart’ can also mean ‘plenty’, in which case it puts the following noun in the genitive case - ‘airgead’ (money), ‘neart airgid’ (lots of money). It is also used in phrases such as ‘Níl neart agam air’ (I cannot help it.)

‘Neart’ is followed by ‘go’ a preposition meaning ‘to’ which does not affect the initial consonant of the following noun’ – ‘Chuaigh siad go Corcaigh’. (They went to Cork).

The following phrase ‘cur le chéile’ (unity) comprises of the verbal noun ‘cur’ of the verb ‘cuir’ (put) and the phrase ‘le chéile’ together which consists of the preposition ‘le’ (with) and ‘céile’ (partner). Interestingly ‘le’ does not normally aspirate the initial consonant of the following noun, ‘le mála’ (with a bag), but it does aspirate in this phrase.

If you’re fluent but would like to improve your grammar;

Ní neart go cur le chéile.

Ciallaíonn an seanfhocal seo gur láidre i bhfad grúpa/ foireann daoine má oibríonn siad i gcomhar le chéile.

Tabhair faoi deara gurb é ‘ní’ an fhoirm dhiúltach aimsir láithreach den chopail ‘is’. Ní hionann é agus ‘ní’ an mhír bhriathartha - ‘ní raibh’.

Ciallaíonn ‘neart’ anseo ‘láidreacht’. – ‘níl neart ar bith ann’ (tá se lag).

Úsáidtear ‘neart’ fosta le cainníocht a chur in iúl agus leanann an tuiseal ginideach é –

‘tá neart Spáinnise aige’ (tá cuid mhór Spáinnise aige).

Úsáidtear fosta é i bhfrásaí mar an ceann seo a leanas:

‘Chaill mé an t-airgead ach ní raibh neart agam air’ (Chaill mé an t-airgead ach is de thaisme a chaill mé é).

Sa fhrása ‘cur le chéile’, tá an t-ainm briathartha againn den bhriathar ‘cuir’, an réamhfhocal ‘le’ agus an t-ainmfhocal ‘céile’. Díol suntais é anseo go gcuireann ‘le’ séimhiú ar ‘céile’ cé gur réamhfhocal é ‘le’ nach gcuireann séimhiú de ghnáth ar thúschonsan an ainmfhocail a leanann é ach a chuireann ‘h’ roimh ghuta.

Tháinig mé le Pól agus d’imigh mé le hAnna.

(tá cuid mhór Spáinnise aige).

Úsáidtear fosta é i bhfrásaí mar an ceann seo a leanas:

‘Chaill mé an t-airgead ach ní raibh neart agam air’ (Chaill mé an t-airgead ach is de thaisme a chaill mé é).

Sa fhrása ‘cur le chéile’, tá an t-ainm briathartha againn den bhriathar ‘cuir’, an réamhfhocal ‘le’ agus an t-ainmfhocal ‘céile’. Díol suntais é anseo go gcuireann ‘le’ séimhiú ar ‘céile’ cé gur réamhfhocal é ‘le’ nach gcuireann séimhiú de ghnáth ar thúschonsan an ainmfhocail a leanann é ach a chuireann ‘h’ roimh ghuta.

Tháinig mé le Pól agus d’imigh mé le hAnna.