TORTHAÍ
IN FOCLÓIR GAEILGE—BÉARLA
ea1, 3 sg. neuter pron. (Used only in conjunction with the copula) 1. (With indefinite predicate in classification sentences) (a) (Followed by noun) Múinteoir is ea an bhean, an fear, the wife, the husband, is a teacher. (b) (Followed by pronoun) Múinteoir is ea é, í, he, she, is a teacher. Múinteoirí is ea iad, they are teachers. 2. (With adverb or adverbial phrase or clause as predicate) Thall ansiúd is ea atá sé ina chónaí, over yonder is where he lives. Ó tháinig sé anseo is ea a d’fhoghlaim sé an Ghaeilge, it is since he came here that he learned Irish. Deir sé nuair a chuaigh sé siar san uaimh gurbh ea a chonaic sé an t-iontas, he says it was when he went into the back of the cave that he saw the wonder. 3. (Referring back to predicate) Is bréag é agus tá a fhios agat gurb ea, it is a lie, and you know it is. Dá mb’fhíor sin, ach nuair nach ea, if that were true, but seeing that it is not. Deartháireacha iad, nach ea? They are brothers, are they not? Ceoltóir eisean agus ní hea mise, he is a musician and I am not. 4. (Stereotyped in question, affirmation or denial) É a dhíol a rinne sé, an ea? Is ea. Did he sell it? Yes. Seán, an ea? Is it Seán you refer to? Abair is ea nó ní hea, say yes or no. Is ea go deimhin, yes, indeed. Nárab ea! May it not be so! I hope not! 5. (a)Más ea (féin), even so. Fear léannta é, ach más ea féin, níl aon Bhéarla aige, he is a learned man, but even so, he knows no English. Níor thit sé ach, más ea, ba dhícheall dó, he didn’t fall but, even so, he almost did. Más ea, is breá an bhean í, as to that, she is a fine woman. (b) Lit: Cé ea, however. Cé ea, rachad ann leat, I will go there with you, however. (c) (Corrective) Ní hea (ach), no but, nay. Ní hea ach fíoradh an chaint ó shin, no but the statement has since been proved true. Is dócha, ní hea, is deimhin, go ndúirt sé é, it is probable, nay, certain, that he said it. (d) (Introductory) Is ea anois, tá tú anseo romham, well now, here you are before me. Is ea, is cuimhin liom í, yes, I remember her. Is ea más ea! Is ea, cheana! Well, now! 6. (Anticipatory use, followed by a phrase) (a) Ní hea nár mhaith liom é, it is not that I wouldn’t like it. An ea nach dtuigeann tú mé? Is it that you don’t understand me? Dá mba ea nár mhiste leis, if it were that he didn’t care. Is ea a chuamar timpeall na tíre, what we did was to go round the country. Is ea a bhí sé ag caint leis féin, he was actually talking to himself. (b) Lit: Ní hea amháin a chreachadar an dún (ach), not only did they plunder the fortress (but).
ea2, m. (gs. ~). 1. Lit: Space, interval; length, distance, extent. ~ idir dhá rud, interval between two things. ~ a láimhe uaidh, at arm’s length from him. Chuir sé ~ urchair é, he sent it as far as he could throw it. Le h~ uaire, for a whole hour. Fuair sé ~ na haithrí, he got time to repent. ~ agus cairde a ligean le duine, to give s.o. time and respite. S.a. inn2 2. 2 = feadh1.
ea3 = nath.
ABAIRTÍ
IN FOCLÓIR GAEILGE—BÉARLA
Ní hea (go) ~, not exactly.
Dá mba ea féin, even if it were, even so.
Fear maith is ea é, he is a good man.
Cailín ciúin is ea í, she is a quiet girl.
Fir mhóra (is ea) ~, they are big men.
Ar ~ ar ea, ar ~ ar éigean, barely, by dint of extreme effort.
D’imigh sé orthu ar ~ ar ea, he escaped from them by the skin of his teeth.
~ ba ea an lá inné le fearthainn, yesterday was an exceptionally rainy day.
Is ~ is gurb ea, it practically is.
ea) Fear maith is ea é, he is a good man.
Ó d’imigh tú is ea a tharla sé, (it is) since you went away (that) it happened.
An gloine é? Is ea. Is it glass? It is.
É a dhíol a rinne sé, an ea? He sold it, did he?
Dá ~ is ea is fearr é, the sooner the better.
Dá mhinice is ea is fearr, the oftener the better.