TACHARTAS A1+ GIBL. ’26

ALL-LEVELS EVENT APR. ’26

[English]

On Saturday 12th April, we ran another event for Gaelic beginners and learners! 20 people came, with some travelling quite a distance to be with us.

First of all, we introduced ourselves at our tables. After this we played a game featuring 15 sentences in Gaelic. We took a good look at them all, with the learners reading them out and then translating them to English. For example, we went through all the question words (Ciamar…, Carson…, Cuin…, etc.), and through questions using “A bheil…?” and “Tha/Chan eil”.

Once that was done, we did a short conversation exercise (for 15 minutes). At each table, someone (namely Stephen, Doreen, Fiona and Janet) asked questions like “Ciamar a tha thu an-diugh?” (How are you today?), “Cò às a tha thu?” (Where are you from?) and “Carson a tha thu ag ionnsachadh Gàidhlig?” (Why are you learning Gaelic?) to the other people at their tables. Everyone did their best to answer these questions and put a wee conversation together in Gaelic.

☕🫖🍵

Following a break, we took at look at English-language words that aren’t easy to translate into Gaelic in one word – for instance, annoyed, bored, experience, impressive, reality, etc. We tried to find Gaelic versions of these, as you’ll see on the slides below. Big thanks go to Dòl Eoin and Fiona for their help with this – I’ve amended a slide or two in line with your suggestions!

To build upon this learning, each table then wrote a wee story using some of these sayings. Here are two samples for you (Gaelic versions further below):

The weather in Glasgow is annoying. Poor Andy was walking to An Lòchran – the weather changed, it poured down, and he didn’t have a jacket. However, he did see the university buildings, and he thought they were impressive.

- David’s table

Alexis and Laura were thinking An Lòchran would be exciting. They’re learning on Duolingo – which is fun, but it annoys them sometimes.

- Janet’s table

After Andy had said one or two more things about An Lòchran’s services, we rounded the afternoon off by splitting the room into two halves – one for chatting in English, and one for chatting (with no fixed format) in Gaelic. We did some clearing away, five of us had a pint in the Lismore, and that brought another afternoon at An Lòchran to a close.

Big thanks to you all for coming in and enjoying the afternoon with us! We’ll see you next time.

Love to all

Andy, David, Stephen and your An Lòchran team xx

[Gàidhlig]

’S e Disathairne, an 12mh dhen Ghiblean, a bh’ ann. Chùm sinn tachartas eile do luchd-tòiseachaidh is luchd-ionnsachaidh na Gàidhlig! Bha 20 neach ann, agus thàinig cuid a dhaoine bho fhad is farsaing airson a bhith ann.

An toiseach, chuir sinn ann an aithne a chèile aig na bùird againn. Às dèidh sin, chluich sinn geama le 15 seantansan Gàidhlig. Thug sinn sùil orra uile, agus bha an luchd-ionnsachaidh gan ràdh agus gan cur gu Beurla. Mar eisimpleir, chaidh sinn tro na faclan-ceist uile (Ciamar…, Carson…, Cuin…, amsaa.), agus tro cheistean le “A bheil…?” agus “Tha/Chan eil”.

An uair sin, chùm sinn seisean-cabadaich beag (fad 15 mionaidean). Aig gach bòrd, chuir cuideigin (Stephen, Doreen, Fiona is Seonaid) ceistean leithid “Ciamar a tha thu an-diugh?”, “Cò às a tha thu?” agus “Carson a tha thu ag ionnsachadh Gàidhlig?” air na daoine eile aig na bùird aca. Rinn a h-uile duine a dhìcheall airson na ceistean seo a fhreagairt agus còmhradh beag a thogail ann an Gàidhlig.

☕🫖🍵

Às dèidh fois, thug sinn sùil air faclan Beurla fa-leth nach gabh eadar-theangachadh gu Gàidhlig ann am facal a-mhàin – mar eisimpleir, annoyed, bored, experience, impressive, reality, amsaa. Dh’fheuch sinn ri tionndaidhean Gàidhlig a lorg air an son, mar a chì thu air na sleamhnagan (slides) gu h-ìosal. Mòran taing do Dhòmhnall Eòghan agus Fiona airson an cuid taice le seo – tha mi air sleamhnag no dhà a cheartachadh a rèir ur cuid mholaidhean!

Airson togail air an ionnsachadh seo, sgrìobh gach bòrd an uair sin sgeulachd bheag anns an deach cuid dhe na h-abairtean seo a chur gu feum. Seo dà shampall dhuibh:

[include Janet’s pic!]

Tha aimsir Ghlaschu a’ dol nar n-aghaidh [annoying us]. Bha Anndaidh bochd a’ coiseachd chun An Lòchrain – dh’atharraich an aimsir, thàinig dìle, agus cha robh seacaid aige. Ge-tà, chunnaic e togalaich an oilthighe, agus bha buaidh mhòr aca air [he thought they were impressive].

- Bòrd Dhàibhidh

Bha Alexis agus Laura a’ smaoineachadh gum biodh An Lòchran glè inntinneach [exciting]. Tha iad ag ionnsachadh air Duolingo – rud a tha spòrsail, ach gan dèanamh feargach [annoying them] uaireannan.

- Bòrd Seonaid

Às dèidh do dh’Andy facal no dhà eile a ràdh mu sheirbheisean An Lòchrain, chuir sinn crìoch air an fheasgar tro bhith a’ roinn an t-seòmair ann an dà leth – airson còmhradh sa Bheurla agus còmhradh (gun fhòrmat sònraichte) sa Ghàidhlig. Rinn sinn beagan sgioblachaidh, ghabh còignear nar measg pinnt aig an Lismore, agus le sin, thàinig feasgar eile aig An Lòchran gu ceann.

Ar taing dhuibh uile airson tighinn a-steach agus spòrs a ghabhail còmhla rinn! Chì sinn an ath thuras sibh.

Le gaol

Andy, Dàibhidh, Stephen agus sgioba An Lòchrain xx