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Alba Nuadh

B1
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Complete for 2 points

Chaidh na daoine a chur a-null 1

The people were sent over 1

We saw the passive structure in Cuspair 11 which uses chaidh and thèid in sentences where they don’t mean ‘went’ or ‘will go’.

In English we can say something ‘got/was done’, that people ‘got/were sent’.

In Gaelic we use the verb rach (go) to do this.

This structure causes inversion when used with direct objects.

As we saw with previous inversion sentences, the verb is lenited where possible and preceded by an a, except where verbs start with a fuaimreag (vowel), or f + fuaimreag (f + vowel).

Chaidh na daoine a chur a-null.

The people were/got sent over.

Thèid Gàidhlig ionnsachadh san sgoil.

Gaelic will be/get learned in the school.

An deach na Gàidheil fhuadach?

Did the Gaels get cleared? Were the Gaels cleared?

Chaidh an dachaighean a thoirt bhuapa.

Their homes got/were taken from them.

When we do this we need to use the possessive adjectives instead of the noun subject: mo, do, a, a (h-), ar (n-), ur (n-), an/am.

Chaidh na daoine a chur a-null.Chaidh an cur a-null.
The people got/were sent over. They got/were sent over.
Thèid Gàidhlig ionnsachadh san sgoil.Thèid a h-ionnsachadh san sgoil.
Gaelic will get/be learned in the school. It (She) will get/be learned in the school.
An deach na Gàidheil fhuadach?An deach am fuadach?
Did the Gaels get / Were the Gaels cleared? Did they get cleared? Were they cleared?
Chaidh an dachaighean a thoirt bhuapa.Chaidh an toirt bhuapa.
Their homes got/were taken from them. They got/were taken from them.
Chaidh a’ Ghàidhliga thoirt a-null a Chanada aig Àm nam Fuadaichean.
Chaidha toirt a-null a Chanada aig Àm nam Fuadaichean.
Chaidh bailtean ùraa stèidheachadh leis na Gàidheil Albannach.
Chaidh an stèidheachadh leis na Gàidheil Albannach.
‘S e Glaschu Ùr a th’ air. Chaidh am baileainmeachadh às dèidh Ghlaschu.
‘S e Glaschu Ùr a th’ air. Chaidh[a] ainmeachadh às dèidh Ghlaschu.
Cha deach a’ Ghàidhliga dhèanamh na cànan oifigeil ann an Canada.
Cha deacha dèanamh na cànan oifigeil ann an Canada.
Thèid na taigheana thogail anns a’ bhaile ùr.
Thèidan togail anns a’ bhaile ùr.

Scroll down for the translation.

Chaidh a’ Ghàidhlig a thoirt a-null a Chanada aig Àm nam Fuadaichean.

Gaelic was brought over to Canada at the time of the (Highland) Clearances.

Chaidh a toirt a-null a Chanada aig Àm nam Fuadaichean.

It [she] was brought over to Canada at the time of the (Highland) Clearances.

Chaidh bailtean ùra a stèidheachadh leis na Gàidheil Albannach.

New towns/villages were established by the Scottish Gaels

Chaidh an stèidheachadh leis na Gàidheil Albannach.

They were established by Scottish Gaels.

‘S e Glaschu Ùr a th’ air. Chaidh am baile ainmeachadh às dèidh Ghlaschu.

It’s called New Glasgow. The town was named after Glasgow.

‘S e Glaschu Ùr a th’ air. Chaidh ainmeachadh às dèidh Ghlaschu.

It’s called New Glasgow. It was named after Glasgow.

Cha deach a’ Ghàidhlig a dhèanamh na cànan oifigeil ann an Canada riamh.

Gaelic has never been made an official language in Canada.

Cha deach a dèanamh na cànan oifigeil ann an Canada.

It [she] has never been made an official language in Canada.

Thèid na taighean a thogail anns a’ bhaile ùr.

The houses will be built in the new town.

Thèid an togail anns a’ bhaile ùr.

They will be built in the new town.