Leat and agat

Beer Werewolf · 11-05-2009 01:02PM #1

Hello again

From what I've read just recently (or deduced from what I've read, anyway): when you say 'thank you' to somebody, you say 'go raibh maith agat'. When you say goodbye to someone who is still there (when you're the one leaving), you say slán agat. Right? Or 'Maidin mhaith agat' when saying good morning.

I've read that slán leat is said to someone who is leaving. I can't seem to find online the specific uses and such, and am growing confused about when you should use 'leat' and when you use 'agat' and why you do. Is 'agat' only used when the person is there? So 'at you' sort of thing? So you are saying good morning to somebody who is there, or thank you to someone who is there.

Thank you for your patience!

arse..biscuits · 11-05-2009 01:19PM

The goodbye thing can be a bit confusing alright.

An bhfuil ........ agat? Do you have.........?
An bhfuil ......... leat? Is ......... with you?

Beer Werewolf · 11-05-2009 01:25PM

arse..biscuits wrote: »

The goodbye thing can be a bit confusing alright.

An bhfuil ........ agat? Do you have.........?
An bhfuil ......... leat? Is ......... with you?

I've only just started to learn Irish so forgive my ignorance

"An bhfuil" is another one that is constantly confusing me and I have seen as a question.

If 'leat' is 'with you' this means 'slán leat' = 'health with you' as a goodbye?

Thank you very much for your help!

I also don't get the 'go' thing at the beginning of 'go raibh maith agat' and 'go maith'. I've got so many resources I'm looking at and this stuff is biting me on the arse.

arse..biscuits · 11-05-2009 01:38PM

Slán is used as "Goodbye" but I think it means "safe" of "safety" so safety with you maybe. (I'm not an expert)

Tá mé go maith. - I'm good
Tá mé go dona - I'm bad

The "go" pops up in lots of places, I'm not really sure how to explain it in english. Its pronounced gu.
Are you learning with audio?

FlutterinBantam · 11-05-2009 02:52PM

Beer Werewolf wrote: »

Hello again

From what I've read just recently (or deduced from what I've read, anyway): when you say 'thank you' to somebody, you say 'go raibh maith agat'. When you say goodbye to someone who is still there (when you're the one leaving), you say slán agat. Right? Or 'Maidin mhaith agat' when saying good morning.

I've read that slán leat is said to someone who is leaving. I can't seem to find online the specific uses and such, and am growing confused about when you should use 'leat' and when you use 'agat' and why you do. Is 'agat' only used when the person is there? So 'at you' sort of thing? So you are saying good morning to somebody who is there, or thank you to someone who is there.Thank you for your patience!

"go raibh maith agat" Literaly translated means "may good be with you" or "may you have good" there is an element of possession there.

Whereas "Slán leat" literally translated means "health to you"

Both basically are the same thing just different ways of saying them as in English

"Good health to you"
"may you have good health"

Both mean the same even though different in composition.

Beer Werewolf · 12-05-2009 12:59AM

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

"go raibh maith agat" Literaly translated means "may good be with you" or "may you have good" there is an element of possession there.

Whereas "Slán leat" literally translated means "health to you"

Both basically are the same thing just different ways of saying them as in English

"Good health to you"
"may you have good health"

Both mean the same even though different in composition.

Oh...I think I get it. I'll go and have a look at some other examples after work and see if it continues to make sense to me. Why is it you can't say "Maidin mhaith leat" to somebody, then? "Good morning to you" whereas "Maidin mhaith agat" is 'Have a good morning'? in a sense, so it's got that element of possession as you said? Or am I still getting this wrong?

Thanks for your help!

12-05-2009 12:41PM

I may be wrong here, but I think there are two different situations where you say goodbye.

If someone is leaving, and you are staying put, you say "Slán leat" to the person who is leaving.

If you are leaving, and the other person is staying put, you say "Slán agat" to the person who is staying put.

Hopefully someone can confirm this as correct or utter crap!

An gal gréine · 12-05-2009 01:50PM

Yes, An Breadán Feasa, that would be my understanding of Slán leat and slán agat. If ever in doubt, just say "Slán"

Beer Werewolf · 13-05-2009 07:21AM

An gal gréine wrote: »

Yes, An Breadán Feasa, that would be my understanding of Slán leat and slán agat. If ever in doubt, just say "Slán"

Thanks guys.

I just wanted to know why that was the case

ColmDawson · 13-05-2009 08:29AM

arse..biscuits wrote: »

The "go" pops up in lots of places, I'm not really sure how to explain it in english.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think a simple explanation is that it makes the adjective that follows it an adverb.

e.g.
mall = slow
go mall = slowly

Múinteoir · 13-05-2009 10:50AM

An Bradán Feasa is correct:

You say Slán leat if the person you're talking to is departing from you.

You say Slán agat if you are departing from the person you're talking to.

arse..biscuits · 14-05-2009 05:31PM

ColmDawson wrote: »

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think a simple explanation is that it makes the adjective that follows it an adverb.

e.g.
mall = slow
go mall = slowly

That would be the one

Beer Werewolf · 15-05-2009 01:15AM

ColmDawson wrote: »

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think a simple explanation is that it makes the adjective that follows it an adverb.

e.g.
mall = slow
go mall = slowly

Ahhh...I see, I see. Makes sense, thanks mate, will go and get some more examples to look at!

arse..biscuits wrote: »

Slán is used as "Goodbye" but I think it means "safe" of "safety" so safety with you maybe. (I'm not an expert)

Tá mé go maith. - I'm good
Tá mé go dona - I'm bad

The "go" pops up in lots of places, I'm not really sure how to explain it in english. Its pronounced gu.
Are you learning with audio?

Not with audio at the moment. I have some, but I might have to get some to listen to when I'm NOT at my computer.

Could you also say ' Níl mé go maith' - (I'm not good)? or would more people generally say 'Tá mé go dona' (I'm bad)? I guess it depends on the situation, would for me anyway.

Thanks again!

FlutterinBantam · 15-05-2009 08:46AM

Beer Werewolf wrote: »

Ahhh...I see, I see. Makes sense, thanks mate, will go and get some more examples to look at!

Not with audio at the moment. I have some, but I might have to get some to listen to when I'm NOT at my computer.

Could you also say ' Níl mé go maith' - (I'm not good)? or would more people generally say 'Tá mé go dona' (I'm bad)? I guess it depends on the situation, would for me anyway.

Thanks again!

What you might say there is "Nílim ro mhaith" (I'm not too good)

people would be more likely in ordinary conversation to say "Táim" and "Nílim" instead of Tá mé" or "Níl mé" kind of like "I'm" iso of "I am" in English.

Hope that makes sense to you.

Beer Werewolf · 16-05-2009 10:45AM

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

What you might say there is "Nílim ro mhaith" (I'm not too good)

people would be more likely in ordinary conversation to say "Táim" and "Nílim" instead of Tá mé" or "Níl mé" kind of like "I'm" iso of "I am" in English.

Hope that makes sense to you.

It does, thanks for that! I've seen that around before.

Leat and agat

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