Dedicated to the Gaelic Language of the Isle of Man
Lessoonyn Meanagh

Intermediate Lessons

lesson 6: By vie lhiam - I would like

C'raad t'ou cummal? - Where do you live? [C'raad t'ou cummal.] ---------- C'raad t'ou cummal?

Ta mee cummal ayns Purt Çhiarn.

Mie lhiat cummal ayns Purt Çhiarn?

S'mie lhiam. Here we're simply using what we learned in the last lesson and applying it to see if someone likes living somewhere. C'raad t'ou cummal?

Ta mee cummal ayns Doolish.

Mie lhiat cummal ayns Doolish?

S'mie lhiam. As oo hene? C'raad t'ou cummal?

Ta mee cummal ayns Kionedroghad.

Mie lhiat cummal ayns Kionedroghad?

S'mie lhiam. There's a difference between asking 'Do you like?'and asking 'Would you like?'

To ask, 'Do you like _____?' we use 'Mie lhiat?' To ask someone, 'Would you like _____?' we say 'By vie lhiat _____? [By vie lhiat _____?] ---------- By vie lhiat?

Would you like to live in Peel? By vie lhiat cummal ayns Purt ny hInshey? [By vie lhiat cummal ayns Purt ny hInshey?] ---------- By vie lhiat cummal ayns Purt ny hInshey?

To say that you would like to, the answer would be: By vie lhiam, I'd like to. [By vie lhiam.] ---------- By vie lhiam. By vie lhiat cummal ayns Laksaa?

By vie lhiam.

If the answer is that you wouldn't like to, then the answer would be: Cha by vie lhiam, I wouldn't like to. [Cha by vie lhiam.] ---------- Cha by vie lhiam.

By vie lhiat cummal ayns Purt ny hInshey?

Cha by vie lhiam.

And now what about Juan and Mary? Just as we ask, Mie lesh Juan _____? and Mie lesh Mary____? for do Juan and Mary like, as in Mie lesh Juan cummal ayns Purt Çhiarn? Does Juan like living in Port Erin? Mie lesh Mary bainney? Does Mary like milk? So we can ask, Would Juan like something, By vie lesh Juan __? or Would Mary like something, By vie lesh Mary ____?

By vie lesh Juan caffee? Would Juan like coffee? [By vie lesh Juan caffee?] ---------- By vie lesh Juan caffee?

By vie lesh Mary cummal ayns Skyll' Andreays? Would Mary like to live in Kirk Andreas? [By vie lesh Mary cummal ayns Skyll' Andreays?] ---------- By vie lesh Mary cummal ayns Skyll' Andreays?

Just as before, we can change who we're talking about to suit the situation. By vie lhiam, I would like. By vie lhiat? Would you like. Cha by vie lhee, she wouldn't like. By vie lesh, he would like, and we also use lesh when we refer to someone such as Juan or Mary. By vie lesh Juan, Juan would like, cha by vie lesh Mary, Mary wouldn't like. We often use this phrase to find out if you would like something to eat or drink.

By vie lhiat caffee?

By vie lhiam.

By vie lhiat bainney?

Cha by vie lhiam, agh by vie lhiam shugyr, my sailt.

I asked Maralyn, By vie lhiat caffee? Would you like coffee? By vie lhiat caffee? She said that she would.

By vie lhiam.

I then asked her if she'd like milk. By vie lhiat bainney? She said that she wouldn't.

Cha by vie lhiam,

And then she added,

agh by vie lhiam shugyr, my sailt.

Agh is the word for but. She wouldn't like milk, but . . .

By vie lhiam shugyr, my sailt.

I'm sure you can guess that she'd like sugar. By vie lhiam shugyr. And, as she's asked for something, she says, If you please, which is my sailt. [My sailt.] ---------- My sailt. Let's hear that whole conversation again.

By vie lhiat caffee?

By vie lhiam.

By vie lhiat bainney?

Cha by vie lhiam, agh by vie lhiam shugyr, my sailt.

Here they are – Shoh ad. And, of course, remembering our manners, we would always say thank you, gura mie ayd.

If someone says 'gura mie ayd' to you, you may want to say, 'she dty vea', you're welcome [she dty vea] ---------- she dty vea.

By vie lhiat caffee as brishtag?

By vie lhiam, my sailt.

Shoh ad.

Gura mie ayd.

She dty vea.

As shen eh voish lessoon shey.

Download MP3

Return to Index