91Èȱ¬

Criomag: Bill Innes (air ‘Mac'illeMhìcheil’)

1. NA BU SHINE | ‘OLDER’ : comparative in a past or conditional sentence

Bill:
“Bha sin na bu mhiosa buileach – bheireadh tu latha gu leth a’ faighinn air ais às a’ Ghearastan an uair ud.”
“That was worse by far – you would spend a day and a half getting back from Fort William in those days.”

‘was / would be older, better, easier, hotter, worse, etc.: nas → na bu
nas fhasa → na b’ fhasa
nas fheàrr → na b’ fheàrr
nas miosa → na bu mhiosa
nas sine → na bu shine
nas teotha → na bu teotha

A bheil e beagan nas blàithe? ‘Is it a bit warmer?’
Cha robh e / Cha bhiodh e na bu bhlàithe. ‘It wasn’t / It wouldn’t be warmer.’

Tha e nas dorra. ‘It’s harder, more difficult.’
Bha i / Bhiodh e na bu dorra. ‘It was / It would be more difficult.’

Tha e nas fhasa. ‘It’s easier.’
Bha sin / Bhiodh sin na b’ fhasa. ‘That was / That would be easier.’

Tha mi nas fheàrr, tapadh leat. ‘I’m better, thanks.’
Bha mi / Bhithinn na b’ fheàrr. ‘I was / I would be better.’

Tha i nas fhuaire. ‘It’s colder.’
Bha i / Bhiodh i na b’ fhuaire. ‘It was / It would be colder.’

Tha sin nas miosa. ‘That is worse.’
Bha sin / Bhiodh sin na bu mhiosa. ‘That was / would be worse.’

Tha iad nas sine a-nise. ‘They’re older now.’
Bha iad / Bhiodh iad na bu shine. ‘They were / They would be older.’

Tha I gu math nas teotha. ‘It’s a lot hotter’.
Bha i / Bhiodh i na bu teotha. ‘It was / It would be hotter.’

2. ‒I±·±· ‘I would, I could’ (faic Prògraman 1 & 6)

Bill:
“Dh’aontaich ise gum faodainn a dhol a Dhalabroig.”
“She agreed I could go to Daliburgh school.”
“Bha mi dìreach aig aois far am faodainn a bhith rudeigin feumail anns a’ chruit.”
“I was just at an age where I could be a bit useful around the croft.”
“Ach cha dèanainn cruitear uabhasach math gu sìorraidh.”
“I wouldn’t make a very good crofter ever.”