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Chapter 15 of 17 · Explore the Irish path

Reading · Chapter 15 of 17

First reading with help: two animals meet

Read a short scene between Mina the mouse and Dara the fox, one line at a time. The respelling and the English stay visible while you practise finding the verb first.

≈ 4 min of reading · Practise at your own pace

What’s in this chapter
  • Read the Irish line first, then use the pronunciation and the English underneath.
  • When a line will not come apart: first word is the action, then who, then to what — and undo any h or bolted-on letter.
  • Re-read it once without looking at the English.

One new clue before the story

One small word in the story is new. Meet it now so it does not stop you mid-line.

i gcrannih GRAN“in a tree”
sa chrannsuh KHRAN“in the tree”
sasuh“in the” is i and an welded together. Where i eclipses, sa softens — so sa choillsuh KHWIL is “in the forest”.

Mina and Dara on the road

Read the Irish line first and try it aloud. The respelling and the English are there when you need them.

  1. Tá Mina an luch ag siúl ar an mbóthar.

    taw MIN-uh un lukh egg shool err un MOH-hur.

    Mina the mouse is walking on the road.

  2. Feiceann sí Dara an sionnach.

    FEK-un shee DAR-uh un SHUN-ukh.

    She sees Dara the fox.

  3. “Dia duit, a Dhara,” arsa Mina.

    “JEE-uh ditch, uh GHAR-uh,” AR-suh MIN-uh.

    “Hello, Dara,” said Mina.

  4. “Dia is Muire duit, a Mhina,” arsa Dara.

    “JEE-uh iss MWIR-uh ditch, uh VIN-uh,” AR-suh DAR-uh.

    “Hello to you too, Mina,” said Dara.

  5. “Cá bhfuil tú ag dul?” a d’fhiafraigh Mina.

    “kaw wil too egg dul?” uh JEE-uh-free MIN-uh.

    “Where are you going?” asked Mina.

  6. “Tá mé ag dul go dtí an choill, mar tá ocras orm,” arsa Dara.

    “taw may egg dul guh JEE un KHWIL, mar taw UK-rus OR-um,” AR-suh DAR-uh.

    “I am going to the forest, because I am hungry,” said Dara.

  7. “Tá mo theach sa choill,” arsa Mina.

    “taw muh hakh suh KHWIL,” AR-suh MIN-uh.

    “My house is in the forest,” said Mina.

  8. “Slán agat, a Dhara.” “Slán leat, a Mhina.”

    “slawn AH-gut, uh GHAR-uh.” “slawn lat, uh VIN-uh.”

    “Goodbye, Dara.” “Goodbye, Mina.”

Two delayed recalls before the new story

  1. orm
    Show answer +
    ormOR-um“on me” — the word feelings sit on.
  2. arsa
    Show answer +
    arsaAR-suh“said” — and the next word is the speaker.
Come back to these chapters whenever you need them.All Irish chapters ↗