a bheil Beurla agad?
The English phrase "do you speak English?" is translated into Gaelic as a bheil Beurla agad?
This phrase is a question used to ask if someone has the ability to communicate in the English language.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "Is English at you?"
How does it change in a sentence?
The word for the English language, Beurla, is a proper noun and is capitalized.
Did you know?
- In some Gaelic-speaking communities, asking a bheil Beurla agad? may be seen as an admission that the speaker cannot communicate in the local language, which can be a sensitive cultural point.
- Because Gaelic describes skills as being 'at' a person, the same structure is used to ask if someone has a cold or a certain physical trait.
- The word Beurla is derived from the Old Irish bélrae, which is believed to be related to the word for 'mouth' or 'speech'.
Examples in context
- A bheil Beurla agad?Do you speak English?
- Tha mi gu math, ach a bheil Beurla agad?I am well, but do you speak English?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Beurla, a, agad, bheil, CC BY-SA 4.0.
