I have been wondering about how to ask questions in Irish. Must there always be "an bhfuil" at the start of every question? Does it have to be at the beginning of the sentence? And is an bhfuil only used as the verb "to be?"
Go raibh maith agat.

No!

Look at any verb in "An Foclóir beag", and press the button "Ceisteach". But the verb always comes first.

http://www.csis.ul.ie/focloir/

Questions in the present tense usually start with "An" and the appropriate form of the verb.

An itheann tú cáise?	Do you eat cheese?
An ólann tú beor?	Do you drink beer?
An gcaithim an iomarca ama ar "Daltaí"?	Do I spend too much time on "Daltaí"?

An bhfuil mé = Am I...?
An bhfuil tú = Are you...?
An bhfuil sé = Is he...?
Etc.

The form "(bh)fuil" is a form of the verb "to be" (tá) in the present tense, that's all. For all other verbs, you don't use (bh)fuil.

quote:

An gcaithim an iomarca ama ar "Daltaí"?

Ní chaitheann ná baol air!

A Aonghus, I doubt that you spend too much time here. Your advice is one of the most valuable things on this forum.

Who said I was being serious in the question?

However, whether my wife and boss would agree with you...

A minor nitpick, a Ríona, "A Aonghuis" an tuiseal gairmeach de "Aonghus"

A Aonghus,

I was typing fast because I was in a great hurry to leave the house on time. It was simply a typo. That is the trouble of writing on here in the morning before I leave, names get misspelled and other calamities may insue due to hurried typing and no time to check what I'm doing.

Beir bua agus beannacht.

Oh okay so "An bhfuil" is only used for to be. When would someone not use "an" before a question? And is there a special verb form for asking a question?

As I understand it, "An" is used to signify a question.

An bhfuil tu... are you

An dtigin tu... do you understand

I may, and probably do, have too basic a level to be much help for you...wait for some of the others.

Thanks anyway. :)

Oh...you probably already know this but "An" is not always an interrogative particle (I think that's the proper term). It can also be used to intensify a word:

Mór = big An mhór = very big

Tirim = dry An Tirim = very dry

This is from Buntús Cainte, book one. If you have it, it's a pretty straightforward exercise.

Hope this is of some help.

Another time you don't use An..? is in the past of regular verbs. Then you use Ar..?
Ar chuala tú? Did you hear?
Ar inis sé an scéal duit? Did he tell you the story?
Ar dhún tú an doras? Did you lock the door?

It's also used for Would..?
Ar mhaith leat dul ann? Would you like to go there?

quote:

When would someone not use "an" before a question?

For starters, here are three situations that I can think of that might help answer the question.

1. When the question is in the past tense. For example,

"Ar chuala tú go raibh Seán tinn?" (Did you hear that John was sick?"

2. When the question is in the present tense and is of the negative form. For example: "Nach bhfeiceann tú an doras?" (Don't you see the door?)

3. When the question is in the past tense and is of the negative form. For example: "Nar cheannaigh tú e?" (Didn't you buy it?)

Oops, looks like my answer came in slightly after Caitriona's in regards to the use of "ar."

I'd like to point out that Caitriona's last example of the use of "ar" is actually the interogative form of the copula "is." (the other form for "to be")

Ní gá oops a bheith ann. No need for oops. You had more info. and it was well said.

Other ways of asking questions are with the
Who, What, Where, Why When, How, etc. type of words.
Cé a dhéanann é? Who does it?
Céard a dhéanann tú? What do you do?
Cá ndéanann tú é? Where do you do it?
Cén fáth a dhéanann tú é? Why do you do it?
Cathain a dhéanann tú é? When do you do it?
Cén chaoi a dhéanann tú é? How do you do it? etc.

Oops anois. FRC above. Spot the mistakes above.
Cén fáth a ndéanaim botúin mar sin? Stopfaidh mé anois mar tá mé tú mé ró-thuirseach agus tá mé ag smaoineamh i Spáinís. Beidh mé ar ais nuair atá na scrúdaithe thart agus mo chloigeann ag obair i gceart arís(Ar oibrigh sé i gceart ariamh?).

Go raibh maith agat, a Chaitriona.

I find this thread very, very interesting. Some time ago, I started putting together a list of all the different ways of asking a question, since I have this theory that when someone talks to you in Irish (or any language for that matter) they are often asking you a question. Well, I didn't get as far along as I wanted to with my list, because there seems to be so many ways of asking a question in Irish, ranging from the interrogatives form for "tá", to interrogative particles like "an," "ar," "nach" and the interrogative forms for the copula like "an." But, I still hold to the notion that most likely a conversation consists of being asked a question or questions, and if we can get a handle on the marker or indicator for the question (an,ar,nach, etc) we learners have a much better chance of being able to communicate back to the other person.

I especially like Caitriona's list of the "C" markers above (Cé, Cá, etc) because they're another group of question markers (or indicators) that occur so often in Irish.

Scríobh Ríona:

quote:

I was typing fast .... It was simply a typo

Sin go breá, bíonn an galar úd ormsa sách minic! Ní raibh mé cinnte go raibh a fhios agat, agus shocraigh mé an sniodh a phiocadh!

Cé a dhéanann é? Who does it?
Céard a dhéanann tú? What do you do?
Cá ndéanann tú é? Where do you do it?
Cén fáth a ndéanann tú é? Why do you do it?
Cathain a dhéanann tú é? When do you do it?
Cén chaoi a ndéanann tú é? How do you do it?

That's what Caitriona meant.

Ulster forms:
Cé a ghníos é? Who does it?
Cad é a ghníos tú? What do you do?
Cá ndéanann tú é? Where do you do it?
Cad chuige a ndéanann tú é? Why do you do it?
Cá huair a ghníos tú é? When do you do it?
Cad é mar a ghníos tú é? How do you do it?

It is quite strange to use céard, cén fáth, cathain and cén chaoi in the same set of sentences:
céard, cén fáth and cén chaoi are Connemara Irish, while cathain is Munster.

What? = Cad é (Ulster), Céard (Connemara), Cad (Munster)
Why? = Cad chuige (Ulster), cén fáth (Connemara), cad ina thaobh (Munster)
When? = Cá huair (Ulster), cén uair (Connemara), Cathain (Munster)
How? = Cad é mar (Ulster), cén chaoi (Connemara), conas (Munster)...

I did not know that, James. Wow, that's alot of answers. So if you're asking a who what when where or why question you don't need an?

I think that the who,what, when, where type questions would translate into English for example as:

Cé a dhéanann é? = Who is it that does it?

The "a" in the above example (I think?) is a relative particle, which equates to "that" in English.

I've always wondered if the "c" type questions (cé, cad, etc) contain within themselves the interrogative form on the copula "is."

I'm just a beginner, so the above is just a guess, but I hope would stir up some more conversation.

It is quite strange to use céard, cén fáth, cathain and cén chaoi in the same set of sentences

Sure.

Cé a dhéana(nn)s é? Who does it?
Céard a dhéana(nn)s tú? What do you do?
Cé ndéanann tú é? Cén áit a ndéanann tú é? Where do you do it?
Cén fáth a ndéanann tú é? Cén t-údar a ndéanann tú é? ‘Tuige a ndéanann tú é? Why do you do it?
Cén uair a dhéana(nn)s tú é? Cén uair a ndéanann tú é? When do you do it?
Cén chaoi a ndéanann tú é? Cé mar a dhéana(nn)s tú é? How do you do it?

Peter

I did not know that, James. Wow, that's alot of answers. So if you're asking a who what when where or why question you don't need an?

Exactly.

Go raibh maith agat Peter. Bhí deifir orm mar bhí scrúdú agam agus táim chomh craiceáilte sin go dtéann thar fóir leis na 'all nighters.' Is ar éigean a bhí mé in ann mo shúile a choinneáil ar oscailt. Rinne mé 'cut and paste' (gearr agus greamaigh?) ag iarraidh é a dhéanamh go tapaidh. Ag féachaint ar anois tá 'mé tú mé' ann freisin. Seans mhaith go bhfuil botúin anseo freisin mar tá mé díreach tar éis teacht isteach ón scrúdú deireanach.

Re.It is quite strange to use céard, cén fáth, cathain and cén chaoi in the same set of sentences:
céard, cén fáth and cén chaoi are Connemara Irish, while cathain is Munster.

Ceart agat Lughaidh. 'Yo soy yo y mis circunstancias,' mar a deireann señor José Ortega y Gasset.

Roghnaigh mé 'Cathain?' ag iarraidh rudaí a choinneál simplí (focail amháin in áit 'Cén uair?'). Ach is meascán ceart mé féin.
Thosaigh mé le múinteoir ón Muileann gCearr. Mar sin bhí Gaeilge na Stáit Séirbhísí agam. Chuaigh mé go Conamara ar an gcúrsa trí mhí nuair a bhí mé a haondhéag. Bhí múinteoir ó Chorcaigh agam sa mhéanscoil. On am a bhí mé san ollscoil chaith mé gach samhradh ag obair ar an gCeathrú Rua. San ollscoil bhí léachtóirí agam ó gach áit. Tháinig mo chairde ó Loch Gorman is na cailíní a bhí ag fanacht liom ó Dún Dealgan. O agus chaith mé roinnt mhaith ama i dtíortha eile. Tá mé meascaithe suas ceart go leor.

Fáilte romhat leis an duine a dúirt "Go raibh maith agat thuas."

Buíochas le Dia, tá sé thart... bhuel, an tréimhse seo ar aon nós. Ar aon nós, go raibh maith agaibh agus gabhfaidh mé a codladh. Oíche mhaith a cháirde.

Re.I'm just a beginner, so the above is just a guess, but I hope would stir up some more conversation. :)
Nach cliste an cheist atá agat mar sin féin. Tá mé ag dul ag múineadh damhsa. Beidh mé ar ais. :)

Sa chás seo tá
An...? agus Ar...? i ngaeilge cosúil le Do...? agus Did...? i mbéarla.
Tá na c ceisteanna mar an gcéanna leis na Interrogatives i mbéarla.
Anois, nuair a deireann muid "What did you see?" tá 'did' in áit eile ach b'fhéidir go bhfuil sé gar go
Céard (What) a (is it that) chonaic (saw) tú (you)?

Ach níl mé ach ag smaoineamh ós ard.

'Bhfuil tuairim agat féin faoi 198....?

Ní fiú é sin a mhíniú. Níl aimhreas orm dubh bán ná riabhach go bhfuil na rialacha, atá i gceist, ‘adsa. Agus maidir le meascán na nGaeilgeacha difriúla i gcaint duine amháin, níl neart ar chor ar bith air, tá toghchaí na Gaeilge ann.

Cogar, dúirt tú go raibh tú ag obair gach samhradh i gConamara. Cén chaoi bhfuil Gaeilge na Ceathrún Ruaidhe, ar aon chaoi? Cé acab is mó le cloisteáil, Gaelige nó Béarla ag muintir na háite? An baile is láidire ó thaobh na Gaeilge dhe a bhí ansin, cloisim, ní mé an bhfuil athrúintí eicínt i dtaobh a teanga le tabhairt faoi deara? An ndeachaigh tú ar cuairt go Teach Mór nó don Lochán Bheag le taithneamh a bhaint as cuid Gaeilge bhlasta Oirthear Chonamara? ;)

Le meas, Peter

Ba chóir dom a rá 'gach samhradh sula ndeachaigh mé thar sáile.' Nuair a bhí mé ann, bhí Béarla agus Gaeilge le cloisteáil sna siopaí ach bhí Gaeilge iontach ag muintir na háite. Chuala mé go raibh Gaeilge álainn i Ros Muc. Ag éisteacht le Cáit Ní Mhainnín (Sp?), múinteoir ó Ros Muc, thug mé faoi deara go raibh nathanna cainte aici nach raibh ag daoine eile mór thimpeall orm.
Téimid ar ais ó am go ham ag iarraidh bheith i gcuisle na Gaeilge. Nuair a bhíomar sa Spideal chuala mé, "Tá na leads landáilte ar na bicycles." Ach in Indreabhán ní raibh Béarla ar bith sa chaint ag an bhfear a' tí. Bhí mé ar ais ar an gCeathrú Rua cúpla bliain ó shin agus bhí daoine ag labhairt i nGaeilge fós i Réalt na Maidne. D'fhanamar ar Inis Mór uair feisin ach sin an méid. Ní dheachaigh mé aon áit eile.
Is álainn an áit í an Cheathrú Rua agus fanfaidh sí liom i gcónaí: Trá an Dóilín, an Gleann Mór, an Sruthán agus na báid... (osna).
Míle maith agat Peter.
C