Aonad 30 Unit 30
NOTE: Click the sound file above to hear the Lesson.
Cúpla Focal
The follow-through question from the previous unit is
Cén dáta breithe atá agat?
What is your birthday/date of birth?
Cén dáta breithe atá agat?

We usually begin this with
Rugadh mé… – I was born…
Rugadh mé...
And we build largely on last week’s work. We will look at some examples only to avoid execessive repetition. Remember to give the year of birth.
Rugadh mé ar an chéad lá de Mhí Eanáir, míle, naoi gcéad, seasca is a dó.
I was born on the 1st of January, 1962
Rugadh mé ar an chéad lá de Mhí Eanáir, míle, naoi gcéad, seasca is a dó.
Rugadh mé ar an dara lá déag de Mhí Iúil, míle naoi gcéad, ochtó is a dó
I was born on the 12th of July 1982
Rugadh mé ar an dara lá déag de Mhí Iúil, míle naoi gcéad, ochtó is a dó
Rugadh mé ar an deichiú lá de Mhí na Bealtaine, míle naoi gcéad nócha is a naoi
I was born on the 10th of May, 1999
Rugadh mé ar an deichiú lá de Mhí na Bealtaine, míle naoi gcéad nócha is a naoi
Rugadh mé ar an aonú lá is tríocha de Mhí na Nollag, dhá mhíle
I was born on the 31st of December, 2000.
Rugadh mé ar an aonú lá is tríocha de Mhí na Nollag, dhá mhíle
Rugadh mé ar an dara lá is fiche de Mhí Mheán Fómhair, dhá mhíle is a dó
I was born on the 22nd of September, 2002
Rugadh mé ar an dara lá is fiche de Mhí Mheán Fómhair, dhá mhíle is a dó
Your teacher will help you formulate your own date of birth.
Other key words to describe the calendar/ dates in Irish include:
séasúr – season
féilire – calendar
mí, an mhí – month, the month
tús na míosa – the start of the month
lár na míosa – middle of the month
deireadh na míosa – end of the month
coicís – fortnight
tús na bliana – the beginning of the year
an bhliain seo caite – last year (or, an bhliain seo chuaigh thart)
an bhliain seo chugainn – next year
bliain bhisigh – leap year
And as we are looking at the opening words - rugadh mé - it might be useful to add where you were born. Listen carefully to replicate the sounds as there will be additional letters at times:
Rugadh mé i gCamloch
I was born in Camlough
Rugadh mé i gCamloch
Rugadh agus tógadh mé i nDún Dealgan
I was born and raised in Dundalk
Rugadh agus tógadh mé i nDún Dealgan
Rugadh agus tógadh mé i mBaile Hill
I was born and raised in Hilltown
Rugadh agus tógadh mé i mBaile Hill
Rugadh agus tógadh mé i Nua Eabhrac
I was born and raised in New York
Rugadh agus tógadh mé i Nua Eabhrac
You may also place the “mé” at the end of the sentence:
Rugadh agus tógadh i nDeisceart Ard Mhacha mé
I was born and raised in South Armagh
Rugadh agus tógadh i nDeisceart Ard Mhacha mé
Rugadh agus tógadh sa Pholainn mé
I was born and raised in Poland
Rugadh agus tógadh sa Pholainn mé
Rugadh i dTír Chonaill ach tógadh in Albain mé
I was born in Donegal but I was raised in Scotland
Rugadh i dTír Chonaill ach tógadh in Albain mé
And just as an aside, note the difference between
Albain – Scotland
and
Albáin – Albania
The ‘fada’ accent, you will have noted often, has a major role in helping us to pronounce words.
Slán go fóill.