LC Irish flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Cluastuiscint: three listenings

The recording is normally played three times. Use the first playing for overall meaning, the second for specific answers, and the third to check each written answer against what was actually said.

Correction markers in listening

Words such as ach, i ndáiríre, bhuel and ar ndóigh usually introduce a correction. The first-stated detail is often a distractor, and the corrected detail is the answer.

Déag versus fichead

Déag forms the teens (aon déag to naoi déag), while fichead forms the twenties (fiche a haon, fiche a dó). Confusing them is the commonest number error in listening tasks.

Briathar saor in bulletins

The autonomous verb form, such as tuairiscítear, deirtear or ceaptar, means 'it is reported/said/thought'. News and weather bulletins use it heavily because the agent is unknown or unimportant.

Sraith pictiúr sequencing

Narrate a picture series with ar dtús, ansin, ina dhiaidh sin, ag an am céanna and ar deireadh. Use the progressive present, tá sé ag siúl, for what is happening in each frame.

Modh coinníollach in oral answers

The conditional expresses polite opinion and hypothesis: cheapfainn, ba mhaith liom, bheinn sásta. Using two or three conditional forms lifts the grammar band in the topic discussion.

Caol le caol, leathan le leathan

A slender vowel (e, i) sits next to a slender consonant and a broad vowel (a, o, u) next to a broad consonant. This rule explains why suffixes change spelling, as in capall to capaill.

Oral component structure

The oral normally combines personal details, a picture series or role-play, a topic discussion, and recitation of prescribed material. Each component is marked separately, so a weak section does not cancel a strong one.

Formal letter opening and closing

A formal Irish letter opens with A Chara after the address and closes with Is mise, le meas, followed by the signature. An informal letter may close with Slán go fóill or Beir bua.

Aimsir chaite for narrative

Past tense is the default for recounting events: chuaigh mé, chonaic mé, d'fhan mé. Switch to the present only for description or for stating a general opinion.

Cohesive phrases for essays

Paragraph boundaries carry the structure marks. Use ar an gcéad dul síos, ina theannta sin, mar shampla, os a choinne sin and mar fhocal scoir to signal each move.

Genitive after compound prepositions

Prepositions such as ar chúl, i lár and ar feadh are followed by the genitive: ar chúl an tí, i lár na cathrach, ar feadh an lae. The article form changes with gender and number.

Composition registers

The main prescribed registers are alt nuachta, litir fhoirmiúil, litir neamhfhoirmiúil, aiste, cuntas and óráid. Each has its own conventions of address, tense and closing.

I d'fhocail féin

This instruction means 'in your own words'. A verbatim lift from the passage does not earn full marks, so paraphrase the content and keep the key information intact.

Briathar saor and hidden agents

In foilsíodh an tuarascáil the verb is autonomous, so no publisher is named. When a comprehension question asks who acted, the passage may not supply an answer.

Relative clause with a

An fear a bhí ag caint means 'the man who was speaking'. The particle a causes séimhiú in the present and past, and the verb agrees with the antecedent.

Scanning strategy for passages

Read the questions before the passage, then locate proper nouns, numbers and dates. These anchor points identify the relevant paragraph faster than a full linear read.

Genitive parsing in reading

Teach an phobail means 'the community's house' and barr an chnoic means 'the top of the hill'. Recognising the genitive prevents misreading the head noun of a phrase.

Prose answer structure

A literature answer covers theme, character, setting and style, each supported by a short quotation or close reference. Naming the text and author in the opening sentence is expected.

Poetic techniques in Irish

Name techniques precisely: meafar, samhail, siombail, athrá, allitreachas, rím and rithim. Each should be linked to its effect on meaning or mood, not merely listed.

Comparison question requirement

A comparison answer must state a similarity or difference and support it with evidence from both texts. Discussing only one text caps the available marks regardless of quality.

Prescribed lists change yearly

The prescribed poetry and prose change between examination years. Confirm the current list before preparing notes, because marks depend on texts actually set for your year.

Séimhiú triggers

Séimhiú follows an, mo, do, a (possessive), the vocative particle a, and the past-tense negative níor. It also follows má in conditional clauses and precedes a following vowel in some forms.

Urú triggers

Urú follows i, as, le, go before a vowel, ár, bhur, and a meaning 'their'. It also appears after na before a genitive plural, as in na bpáistí.

Is versus tá

Is and ba classify or identify: Is múinteoir í. Tá describes state, location or existence: Tá sí sa seomra. Choosing the copula wrongly is a frequent accuracy error.

Aidiacht shealbhach forms

Mo and do cause séimhiú; a meaning 'his' causes séimhiú; a meaning 'her' causes none but adds -e to a following adjective; ár, bhur and a meaning 'their' cause urú.

Aimsir ghnáthchaite

The habitual past ends in -adh or -tí: bhíodh, dhéanadh, cheannaítí. It marks repeated or customary past action, not a single completed event, which uses the simple past.

Modh coinníollach formation

Build the conditional from the past stem plus -fadh or -feadh: cheannóinn, dhéanfá, thiocfadh sé. It expresses condition, politeness and hypothesis in both speech and writing.

Tuiseal ginideach basics

Masculine nouns slenderise in the genitive (an chnoic), while feminine nouns add -e (na cathrach). The article shifts between an and na to agree with gender, number and case.

Headline tense convention

Irish headlines use the present tense for past events and often omit the copula: Bua ag an bhfoireann rather than Bhí bua ag an bhfoireann. Recognise this when reading news texts.

Formal versus conversational register

Formal written Irish favours the autonomous verb and passive constructions, while conversation favours active verbs with prepositional pronouns. Register mismatch loses marks in communicative tasks.

Communicative task triad

Every formal communicative task needs an address form, a stated purpose, and a closing formula. All three are marked, so a well-argued text without a closing still loses marks.