tá gaeilge á foghlaim agam
To say "I am learning irish" in Irish, you use tá gaeilge á foghlaim agam.
This phrase is used to state that you are currently in the process of studying the Irish language.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "is Irish being learned by me". This is because Irish uses a construction where the object (Irish) is the subject of the verb "to be".
Which one should you use?
The default form tá gaeilge á foghlaim agam uses the construction where the language is the subject. An alternative is Tá mé ag foghlaim Gaeilge, which uses the standard progressive aspect.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase tá gaeilge á foghlaim agam uses the structure tá [noun] á [verb] agam to express a continuous action currently being performed by the speaker.
Did you know?
- In Ireland, people may use the phrase tá gaeilge á foghlaim agam even if they have been studying for years. There is no fixed point where a learner suddenly stops 'learning' and becomes 'fluent' in the eyes of the community.
- The verb foghlaim is rooted in the ancient concept of 'gathering' or 'collecting' information, rather than just the modern idea of studying.
- The word gaeilge is derived from gael, meaning 'the people'. To say you are learning Irish is literally to say you are learning the language of the Gaels.
Example conversation
Cian and Siobhán are chatting about their hobbies.
- CianCad áttu ag dóí?What are you doing?
- SiobhánTá Gaeilge á foghlaim agam.I am learning Irish.
- CianSin go hiontach, a Siobhán!That is wonderful, Siobhán!
- SiobhánGo raibh maith agat, a Chian.Thank you, Cian.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries agam, foghlaim, á, CC BY-SA 4.0.
