Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Can anyone explain the briatha saor

Options
  • 12-01-2016 7:43pm
    #1
    Kaitlyn2424
    Registered Users Posts: 32 ✭


    I see it everywhere in my Irish leaving cert course my teacher hasn't explained it to me at all and tied looking it up but it doesn't say anything can someone please try and help me understand this tense?


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,190 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    It's the form you use when you don't know who exactly did/does/will do something, so (allowing I'm over thirty-five years out of an irish class)...

    The house will be sold tomorrow
    Díolfar an teach amárach.

    A lot of wine is drunk at Christmas
    Óltar a lán fíona ar Nollaig

    If the door is opened, the cat will run out
    Má osclaítear an doras, ritheann an cat amach.

    The bread was eaten, but the milk was not drunk.
    Itheadh an t-arán, ach níor óladh an bainne

    He wouldn't be believed, no matter what he said.
    Ní chreidfí é, ba chuma cad déarfadh sé.


  • Options
    #3
    Kaitlyn2424
    Registered Users Posts: 32 ✭Kaitlyn2424


    Hii sorry I still do not quite fully understand it as in for example, the house will be sold tonight we know it's the house so can we not just use the future tense verb of díol? Also would you know how to form this tense?


  • Options
    #4
    Kaitlyn2424
    Registered Users Posts: 32 ✭Kaitlyn2424


    Hii sorry I still do not quite fully understand it as in for example, the house will be sold tonight we know it's the house so can we not just use the future tense verb of díol? Also would you know how to form this tense?
    spurious wrote: »
    It's the form you use when you don't know who exactly did/does/will do something, so (allowing I'm over thirty-five years out of an irish class)...

    The house will be sold tomorrow
    Díolfar an teach amárach.

    A lot of wine is drunk at Christmas
    Óltar a lán fíona ar Nollaig

    If the door is opened, the cat will run out
    Má osclaítear an doras, ritheann an cat amach.

    The bread was eaten, but the milk was not drunk.
    Itheadh an t-arán, ach níor óladh an bainne

    He wouldn't be believed, no matter what he said.
    Ní chreidfí é, ba chuma cad déarfadh sé.


  • Options
    #5
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,190 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    You could say 'díolfaidh siad an teach amárach', (they will sell the house tomorrow), but grammatically it's not the same thing.

    Sorry I'm on the phone and not sure the fadas came out right.


  • Options
    #6
    Edgarfrndly
    Registered Users Posts: 489 ✭✭Edgarfrndly


    As previously stated, it's used when the author of an action is unknown.

    The door was closed. (It's not stated specifically "who" closed the door).

    Think of the game of Cluedo. Colonel Mustard was killed with the candlestick in the library. We know he was killed, but we don't know "who" killed him.

    An Briathar Soar is as advertised, it is to be "freely" used when you can't identify the author of an action.

    It's a simple concept. Try not to over-think it in your head.

    Just try to remember all of the commonly used verbs, and you'll do fine.


  • Advertisement
Advertisement