"Itheann an buachaill agus Pól arán."

Translation: The boy and Paul eat bread.

[deactivated user]

THIS WORD ORDER IS SO CONFUSING!!!!!!!!!! D': D': D': D': D':

[-Madmartigan-]

It trips me up at times, too. I read it first as the boy eats and paul bread. Just takes a bit of practice.

[scilling]

The word order is VSO — verb (itheann), then subject (an buachaill agus Pól), then object (arán).

[deactivated user]

So, the only difference is that the verb goes to the very beginning. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!! :D

[AnneNoone1]

GRMA

[Pnguinoo]

Yes, i agree

[Heithr]

We would more generally say "Paul and the boy eat bread." in English.

[faol]

I typed in "Paul and the boy" without thinking since it sounds more natural! Obviously got it wrong ...

[Hart-Kevin]

Yes I opted for eat as well. It sounds more natural

[Millie59511]

I guess "the boy and Paul eats bread " is wrong. That little "s" is not liked I guess...

[Becca442253]

Yeah thats dumb though, the s shouldnt make a difference

[Knocksedan]

English is a weird language with strange irregularities.

"eats" is 3rd person singular only, and "the boy and Paul" is not singular. That "s" makes all the difference in the world.

"The boy eats"
"Paul eats"
"The boy and Paul eat"

[silentsaturn]

I said, "The boy eats bread with Paul." I am guessing 'with' and 'and' aren't the same idea in Irish. :\

[Alexander805162]

It's not quite the same in English either. "With" implies thaf they are eating together, while "and" just implies that they are both eating

[itsferibeiro]

Why can't it be in the form of "are eating bread", just "eat bread"? I mean... they kinda mean the same

[Knocksedan]

In both Irish and English the habitual present and the present progressive don't mean the same thing, even "kinda".

Itheann an buachaill agus Pól arán - "The boy and Paul eat bread" - habitual present
Tá an buachaill agus Pól ag ithe aráin - "The boy and Paul are eating bread" - present progressive

[Becca442253]

The action is a different verb. Tá siad 'ag ithe' arán.

[Anita380570]

How do we know for sure that Paul is not eating the boy?
"Paul eats bread and the boy"? Is syntax the only clue?

[Knocksedan]

Is syntax the only clue telling you that Paul isn't eating the boy in the English sentence "The boy and Paul eat bread"?

agus connects an buachaill and Pól. They are the subject of the verb, and arán is the object.

[Smiley0889]

Is there much of a difference between 'eats' and 'eat'?

[Knocksedan]

In English, "eats" is only used for the 3rd person singular:
"I eat"
"you eat"
"he/she/it/Paul/the man eats"
"we eat"
"you guys eat"
"they eat"

"the boy and Paul" is more than one person, so plural, not singular - "the boy and Paul eat".