Little by Little Beag air Bheag

Introduction

A bheil thu fallain?

Are you healthy?

In this Unit, we’ll look at some ways to discuss your own health or the health of others. First, we need some new vocabulary:

Conversation 1

Listen to the conversation:

Pòl:

Ciamar a tha thu an-diugh?

How are you today?

Iain:

Chan eil ro mhath, tha eagal orm.

Not too well, I’m afraid.

Pòl:

Dè tha ceàrr ort?

What’s wrong with [on] you?

Iain:

Tha an cnatan orm.

I have a [the common] cold.

Pòl:

Is truagh sin. Dè cho dona ’s a tha e?

That’s a pity. How bad is it?

Iain:

Dona gu leòr. Tha mi a’ sreathartaich fad na h-ùine

Bad enough. I’m sneezing the whole time.

Pòl:

Dè cho fada ’s a tha an cnatan ort?

How long have you had a cold?

Iain:

Airson seachdain. Agus tha tinneas eile orm.

For a week. And I have another illness [on me].

Pòl:

Dè th’ ann?

What is that?

Iain:

Tinneas nan alt.

Arthritis [lit. disease of the joints]

Pòl:

Obh obh. Cha tig an aois leatha fhèin.

Oh dear. Age does not come by herself.

Iain:

Chan eil mi cho sean sin.

I’m not that old.

Pòl:

Ach chan eil thu fallain gu leòr.

But you’re not healthy enough.

Iain:

Bidh mi nas fheàrr nuair a gheibh mi cuidhteas an cnatan

I’ll be better when I get rid of the cold.

Pòl:

Ach a bheil leigheas ann do thinneas nan alt?

But is there a cure for arthritis?

Iain:

Tha eagal orm nach eil.

I’m afraid there isn’t.

Pòl:

Dè tha thu a’ dol a dhèanamh?

What are you going to do?

Iain:

Thèid mi don dotair.

I’ll go to the doctor.

Pòl:

Dè nì esan dhut?

What will he do for you?

Iain:

Chan eil fhios a’m.

I don’t know.

Pòl:

Uill, tha mi an dòchas gum fàs thu nas fheàrr.

Well I hope you get [grow] better.

Iain:

Tapadh leat, a charaid.

Thanks, [my] friend.

In the hospital

In Conversation 2, Ceitidh is visiting Anna who is sick in hospital. Here is some extra vocabulary to help you along. Note that when we are talking about duration of time we say eg dà uair a thìde or dà uair an uaireadair (according to dialect), both of which mean two hours duration. Dà uair on its own means 'two times' or 'twice'.

* The word banaltram is sometimes still used to describe nurses, the word literally means a woman who provides care and harks back to the time that nurses were all women.

banaltram

nurse

Conversation 2

Listen to the conversation:

Ceitidh:

Ciamar a tha thu a-nise?

How are you now?

Anna:

Tha beagan nas fheàrr, tapadh leat.

A little better, thanks.

Ceitidh:

Tha thu a’ coimhead rud beag nas fheàrr.

You’re looking a bit better.

Anna:

Is math sin. Bha mi a’ coimhead tinn an-dè.

That’s good. I was looking ill yesterday.

Ceitidh:

A bheil na nursaichean laghach?

Are the nurses nice?

Anna:

Tha na nursaichean uile laghach. Tha aon nurs à Leòdhas.

All of the nurses are nice. One nurse is from Lewis.

Ceitidh:

A bheil Gàidhlig aice?

Does she speak Gaelic?

Anna:

Tha – agus tha sin fhèin gam leigheas – a bhith a’ cluinntinn na Gàidhlig!

Yes – and that [itself] is curing me – hearing Gaelic!

Ceitidh:

Ciamar a bha an lannsair agad?

How was your surgeon?

Anna:

Rinn e obair mhath. Bha mi fon lannsa fad dà uair a thìde.

He did good work. I was operated on [lit. under the scalpel] for two hours.

Ceitidh:

Agus cuin a gheibh thu a-mach às an ospadal?

And when will you get out of [the] hospital?

Anna:

Chan eil fhios a’m. Bidh e greis fhathast.

I don’t know. It’ll be a while yet.

Ceitidh:

Am bi thu air chomas coiseachd?

Will you be able to walk?

Anna:

Cha bhi airson seachdain. Bidh mi ann an cathair-chuibhle an toiseach.

Not for a week. I’ll be in a wheelchair to begin with.

Ceitidh:

Bidh thu nas fheàrr dheth san ospadal ma-thà.

You’ll be better off in hospital, then.

Anna:

Bithidh. Gheibh mi mo bhiadh an seo.

Yeah. I get my food here.

Ceitidh:

Am bu toigh leat fhèin a bhith nad lannsair?

Would you like to be a surgeon?

Anna:

Cha bu toigh l'. B’ fheàrr leam a bhith nam nurs.

No. I’d prefer to be a nurse.

Ceitidh:

Carson?

Why?

Anna:

Cha bu toigh leam a bhith a’ cleachdadh lannsa!

I wouldn’t like to use a scalpel!

Ceitidh:

O uill, tha mi an dòchas nach fhada gum bi thu nas fheàrr.

Oh well, I hope it won’t be long until you are better.

Anna:

Tha is mise. Tapadh leat.

So do I. Thank you.