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- "Tá an cat ar an turtar."
53 Comments
That's lovely! Agus, bog an cat an turtar? Does that work? (The cat kisses the turle.) Or would thug an bog an cat ar an turtar? also work? The cat gives the turtle a kiss.)
I am sure both those sentences are incorrect, and I'm only spelling 'kiss' from memory. Probably the second sentence is the worst. But if anyone can guide me on this I'd be glad.
The present tense forms would be Pógann an cat an turtar and Tugann an cat póg don turtar respectively.
There is an exception to the eclipsing rule here: you don't eclipse a d or t after a word that ends with n. It probably has something to do with how similarly these sounds are made with your mouth, so it's easier to say without eclipsing. I haven't been able to view any tips or explanations in the mobile app, but I hope they plan on adding them. Otherwise, this system will be as bad as Rosetta Stone. At least this is free, though! But remember, flash card type stuff is to reinforce things you've already learned elsewhere, so be mindful as you use this system.
We have included extensive tips and notes, but at present these can only be viewed on the web version of the course.
It's disappointing that Collins Irish Grammar does not include that exception, as far as I can tell. Duolilngo spells it out early on.
The funny thing is I just watched a video of a cat sitting on a turtle whille it walks across the room :-D
2023
How does this sentence differ from "the cat has a turtle"? Just a different preposition in place of "ar"?
The sentence uses the word ar; your sentence would need the word ag!
The cat has a turtle would be Tá turtar ag an gcat. (The "g" will be explained in the Eclipsis skill.)
Im confused sir, with ¨the cat has a turtle΅ should it not be tá cat ag an turtar?
- 2100
The phrase "to have" in Irish literally translates to "is at." Your suggestion literally translates to "a cat is at the turtle," so the turtle has a cat. Lancet's version is "a turtle is at the cat," so the cat has a turtle. I hope that makes sense.
- 49
Russian does the same thing for the concept of "having" and with the same preposition "at" if I remember correctly.
But to stay in English, think of a somewhat similar example since possession is a type of "having" :
The shoes of John
John's shoes
While the first one isn't very grammatical, it is understandable ... and the nouns are in the opposite order.
The shoes are at John
John has the shoes.
I imagine that Irish, like Scots Gaelic, uses "le" (with) with another meaning of having or owning as well.
I feel like Duo should put a few more useful phrases rather than this. Even 'the cat is on the chair' would be better.
This course doesn't just make you memorise phrases; we try to teach you the nuts and bolts of the language so that you can build your own sentences. This particular sentence reinforces a grammar rule that is taught in the Eclipsis skill, which you will encounter later.
I was initially annoyed by the prevelance of elephants in the last lesson, but it dawned on me later that the lesson was predominately about plurals, and it's fair to say I remembered the rule. I also think I will never forget the image of a cat on a turtle, so this is likely to stick in my memory too.
but when you see the same sentence 5 times in one lesson, I wonder if I'm really learning the language or merely memorizing the sentence. this is especially true when going back through past lessons.
Seeing the same sentence helps you memorize the words and how they act with certain other words. The sentences are structured to show grammar and going over similar sentences means that even if you don't remember the whole sentence (which usually isn't necessary) you might remember the important interaction between some of the words. that's really the point. And even though it can be odd, reusing the same animal, for example, (because we have all been through that) helps us focus on the rest of the sentence instead of being distracted by heaps of different animals when we are meant to be reinforcing something else. :)
Like little kids wanting the same book read to them over and over... that's how I learned to read my native language. No matter what anyone fusses about, Duolingo's methods work for me. Im starting to think tge Irish words in my head. Conceptual knowledge... agus is bréa liom é!!
How would I say "There is a cat on the turtle"? It was my answer and wrong. Anyone?
