I understand tar éis means "only just", je viens de faire qch. What about perfect tense with no "only just"?

I have studied Irish for 2 years - tá an Ghaelainn foghlamtha agam le 2 bhliana??

Or táim ag foghlaim Gaelainne le 2 bhliana?

I have bought 2 houses in Cork - tá dhá thigh ceannaithe agam i gCorcaigh??

As you can see these are probably not right. What is the best way of translating the perfect?

What about perfect continuous? "I have been selling houses since the recession began?"

Does anyone else have a perfect tense blindspot?

What is the best way of translating the perfect?

Generally, I would say, with the simple past. The Irish perfect construction is rarer than its English counterpart. (For British English, at least; there are American varieties that make scant use of the perfect as well.) It seems to be used most often for actions that are recent, but not as recent as with the tar éis/i ndiadh construction.

quote:

I have studied Irish for 2 years - tá an Ghaelainn foghlamtha agam le 2 bhliana??

Or táim ag foghlaim Gaelainne le 2 bhliana?

The latter or:
Foghlaimím Gaelainn le dhá bhliain. (If you still study Irish)
Or:
D'fhoghlaimíos (nó: D'fhoghlaim mé) Gaolainn le dhá bhliain. (If you already has stopped learning Irish).

Usage of Irish perfect is much more restricted than English perfect tenses.
Perfect tense is normally not used with expressions like "since 2007" or "for 2 yrs." in Irish.

BTW: dhá bhliain, ach: trí bliana

Lars

(Message edited by lars on April 25, 2009)

Yes, thank you. Dhá bhliain with the dual.

I think if I am saying Gaelainn, to Munsterize it properly it would have to be:

foghlamaím Gaoluinn le dhá bhliain

d'foghlamaíos Gaoluinn le dhá bhiain

d'fhoghlamaíos with lenited f