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The Workplace

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Dè seòrsa obrach a th' ann?

What kind of work is it?

We can ask someone about their work by asking, ‘Dè seòrsa obrach a th’ ann?‘. In answering, we can use the same kind of sentence we used in section 1: ‘S e … a … 

‘S e obair dhùbhlanach a th’ innte. 

It’s a challenging job  (It’s challenging work that is in her.) 

It’s very useful to know the words neach (person) and luchd (people) to talk about jobs. On its own neach means ‘person’ but it is used in a range of job titles. Luchd can also indicate groups of people or plurals. 

neach‑obrach (m)

worker/member of staff

luchd‑obrach (m)

workers/staff

neach‑smàlaidh (m)

firefighter

luchd‑smàlaidh (pl)

firefighters/group of firefighters

neach‑leasachaidh (m)

developer

luchd‑leasachaidh (pl)

developers

neach‑aithris (m)

reporter

luchd‑aithris (pl)

reporters/reporting staff

neach‑sgrùdaidh (m)

inspector

luchd‑sgrùdaidh (pl)

inspectors/group of inspectors

neach‑reic (m)

salesperson

luchd‑reic (pl)

salespeople

neach‑frithealaidh (m)

waiter/waitress/attendant

luchd‑frithealaidh (pl)

waiting staff/attendants/table staff

neach‑taic (m)

assistant

luchd‑taic (pl)

assistants/group of assistants

neach‑glanaidh (m)

cleaner

luchd‑glanaidh (pl)

cleaners/group of cleaners

neach‑lagha (m)

lawyer

luchd‑lagha (pl)

lawyers/group of lawyers 

neach-teagaisg (m)

teacher

luchd-teagaisg (pl)

teaching staff 

In describing what kind of a person someone is we can also use neach: Dè seòrsa neach a th’ ann? If you are using a sanas-dreuchd (job advert) to look for luchd-obrach (staff) you may be looking for a neachobrach gnìomhach (an industrious worker). 

dìcheallach (adj)

diligent/conscientious

gnìomhach (adj)

industrious

comasach (adj)

capable

leisg (adj)

lazy

trang (adj)

busy

claoidhte (adj)

shattered

dùbhlanach (adj)

challenging

cudromach (adj)

important

dòrainneach (adj)

boring

And we saw and heard in the conversation 

beòshlaint (f)

livelihood

cùmhnant (m)

contract

tuarastal (m)

salary, earnings

fastadh (m)

hiring/employing

Nì iomadh làmh an obair aotrom 

And if the luchd-obrach work together as a sgioba (team) we can say:  

Nì iomadh làmh an obair aotrom

Many hands make light work

And this neach-obrach is perhaps less suited to teamwork, being more of an neach-iomairt (entrepreneur): 

An rud a chuireas e na cheann, cuiridh e na chasan e

He is determined to do things his own way (literally, the thing he puts in his head, he will put in his feet)

Let’s hope you don’t have to make use of these: 

Is fheàrr leisgeul salach na gun leisgeul idir

A bad excuse is better than no excuse

Is fheàrr droch leisgeul na bhith gun leisgeul idir.

A bad excuse is better than no excuse

Play with the sentences below. There are no wrong answers! 

Dè seòrsa neach-obrach a th’ annta? 

‘S e neach-obrach

They are a
dìcheallach diligent/conscientious gnìomhach industrious comasach capable leisg lazy trang busy dùbhlanach challenging cudromach important dòrainneach boring

a th’ annta

worker (literally, that is in them)