Talking about pastimes
Can you use the structures below to answer three questions about your interests?
1. Cad iad na caithimh aimsire / suimeanna atá agat?
What pastimes / interests do you have?
| Is maith liom ... | I like ... |
| Ní miste liom ... | I don't mind ... |
| Is breá liom ... | I love ... |
| Is fearr liom ... | I prefer ... |
| Is fuath liom ... | I hate ... |
| Tá dúil as cuimse agam sa/i(n) ... | I have a great interest in ... |
| Tá mo chroí istigh sa/i(n) ... | I love ... |
| Caithim a lán ama ... | I spend a lot of time ... |
| Níl dúil dá laghad agam sa/i(n) ... | I haven’t the slightest interest in ... |
| Is maith liom ... |
| I like ... |
| Ní miste liom ... |
| I don't mind ... |
| Is breá liom ... |
| I love ... |
| Is fearr liom ... |
| I prefer ... |
| Is fuath liom ... |
| I hate ... |
| Tá dúil as cuimse agam sa/i(n) ... |
| I have a great interest in ... |
| Tá mo chroí istigh sa/i(n) ... |
| I love ... |
| Caithim a lán ama ... |
| I spend a lot of time ... |
| Níl dúil dá laghad agam sa/i(n) ... |
| I haven’t the slightest interest in ... |
2. Cad chuige a bhfuil dúil agat sa spórt sin?
Why do you have an interest in that sport?
Add a reason to your previous sentences.
| mar ... | because ... |
| tá sé suimiúil | it is interesting |
| tá sé maith don chorp | it is good for the body |
| tá mé maith aige | I am good at it |
| tá craic mhaith ann | it is good craic |
| is spórt traidisiúnta Gaelach í | it is a traditional Gaelic sport |
| is traidisiún é i mo theaghlach | it is a tradition in my family |
| imríonn mo chairde é | my friends play it |
| is cluiche gasta sciliúil é | it is a fast skilful game |
| bainim sult as / taitníonn sé liom | I enjoy it |
| mar ... |
| because ... |
| tá sé suimiúil |
| it is interesting |
| tá sé maith don chorp |
| it is good for the body |
| tá mé maith aige |
| I am good at it |
| tá craic mhaith ann |
| it is good craic |
| is spórt traidisiúnta Gaelach í |
| it is a traditional Gaelic sport |
| is traidisiún é i mo theaghlach |
| it is a tradition in my family |
| imríonn mo chairde é |
| my friends play it |
| is cluiche gasta sciliúil é |
| it is a fast skilful game |
| bainim sult as / taitníonn sé liom |
| I enjoy it |
3. Can you construct an oral response to the question below?
Question
Cad é an caitheamh aimsire is fearr leat?
What is your favourite pastime?
This is only an example of how you could structure a response.
Tá dúil as cuimse agam sa spórt agus imrím cúpla spórt mar atá: peil, iománaíocht agus sacar. Bhain mé triail as an ghalf cúpla uair ach níor thaitin sé liom. Sílim go bhfuil mé maith ag an spórt mar tá mé gasta nuair a bhím ag rith ar an pháirc. Deir mo mhúinteoir spóirt ar scoil go bhfuil a lán scileanna agam. Bím ag traenáil go rialta i rith na seachtaine agus bainim sult as.
I have a great interest in sport and I play a couple of sports such as football, hurling and soccer. I tried golf a couple of times but I didn’t enjoy it. I think that I am good at sport because I am fast when I am running on the pitch. My sports teacher at school says that I have a lot of skills. I train regularly during the week and I enjoy it.