Hello everyone,

I might seem a bit thick for asking this, but I can't quite get the gist of Michael O Siadhall's tables in Learning Irish.

When he covers is, it seems that there are some things missing, or is it just me? For example, he gives Is and Ni for the first person, but no question forms?

Should the forms be: (for is)

Is dochtuir me- I am a doctor
Ni dochtuir me- I am not a doctor
An bhfuil doctor me? Am I a doctor?
Nach bhfuil doctor me? Am I not a doctor?

What are the forms for second person? Are they:

Is thu an doctuir- You are the doctor
Ar thu an doctuir- Are you the doctor?
Nach bfuil thu an doctuir?- Aren't you the doctor?

Thanks for your responses...I think this set is very good, but the lack of examples and these funny tables are confusing me. If anyone could give me handy hints on using these tables without getting the wrong end of the stick, please let me know.

Go raibh maith agaibh

Clare

Is dochtúir mé- I am a doctor correct
Ni dochtúir mé- I am not a doctor correct
An bhfuil doctor mé? Am I a doctor? An dochtúir mé
Nach bhfuil doctor mé? Am I not a doctor? Ní dochtúir mé

What are the forms for second person? Are they:

Is thu an doctuir- You are the doctor Is tú/tusa an dochtúir
Ar thu an doctuir- Are you the doctor? An tú/tusa an dochtúir
Nach bfuil thu an doctuir?- Aren't you the doctor? Nach tú/tusa an dochtúir

I am not familiar with Ó Siadhail's book nor with the dialect he uses, so I don't know if he uses 'is tHú' and 'ar tHú'. However 'is tú' and 'ar tú' are used in standard Irish. 'Tusa' would be used if the emphasis is on the word 'you'.

I hope I am correct. Don't worry everybody finds these constructions puzzling at first. I still am not sure of the correct forms.

Antóin

The forms are the same for every person:

Is dochtúir mé - I am a doctor
Is dochtúir thu - You are a doctor
Is dochtúir é - He is a doctor
Is dochtúir í - She is a doctor
Is dochtúirí muid - We are doctors
Is dochtúirí sibh - You are doctors
Is dochtúirí iad - They are doctors


The question words are also the same in every persone, just substitue "mé"
An dochtúir mé - Am I a doctor
Ní dochtrúir mé - I am not a doctor
Nach dochtúir mé - Am I not a doctor

You can never say something like
"An bhfuil mé dochtúir", you have to use the copule in identification sentences.

Please remember that the Irish in Ó Siadhail's book is based on one of the Irish dialects, that of Cois Fhairrge. It is not the strongest of the dialects, but it is of course just as valuable as any other dialect. Some beginners who read Learning Irish often make the mistake of thinking that Cois Fhairrge is "correct Irish" and that other dialects are "incorrect". Such a thinking is absurd. But do stick to Learning Irish, it is an excellent book. If you're interested, here are how the same table would look in Munster and in Ulster. Don't let it confuse you, it is just for reference

MUNSTER IRISH
Dochtúir is ea mé - I am a doctor
Dochtúir is ea tú - You are a doctor
Dochtúir is ea é - He is a doctor
Dochtúir is ea í - She is a doctor
Dochtúirí is ea sinn - We are doctors
Dochtúirí is ea sibh - You are doctors
Dochtúirí is ea iad - They are doctors

ULSTER IRISH
Dochtúir atá ionam - I am a doctor
Dochtúir atá ionat - You are a doctor
Dochtúir atá ann - He is a doctor
Dochtúir atá innti - She is a doctor
Dochtúirí atá ionainn - We are doctors
Dochtúirí atá ionaibh - You are doctors
Dochtúirí atá iontu - They are doctors

bhfuil is for the verb bí.
For questions with the copula, you just use An and Nach.
For example:
An Mac Léinn tú?
Is ea. Is Mac Léinn mé.
Nach dochtúir í?
Ní hea. Is múinteoir í.