Maireann an Chraobh ar an Fhál ach Ní Mhaireann an Lámh do Chuir

If you have a ‘cúpla focal’;

The branch lives on the tree but the hand that planted it does not.

The verb here ‘maireann’ (lives) and ‘ní mhaireann’ (does not live) comes from the verb ‘mair’.

There is aspiration on the inital consonants of words in four cases in this sentence. ‘chraobh’, ‘fhál’, ‘mhaireann’, ‘chuir’ Aspiration is shown by a ‘h’ following the consonant and affects the sound of the consonant. In ‘chraobh’ and ‘chuir’ the ‘c’ is softened, in ‘fhál’ the ‘f’ is silenced, in ‘mhaireann’ the ‘m’ is changed to a ‘w’ sound. There is also aspiration on the final consonant of ‘lámh’ giving it the same sound as ‘mh’ in ‘mhaireann’. As you progress in your learning you will find out why aspiration happens in these cases.

In the middle of the word ‘chraobh’, we have a diphthong which is sounded like ‘ee’ in English.

The phrase ‘do chuir’ (that planted, put) consists of the relative particle ‘do’ which in standard Irish is ‘a’ and ‘chuir’, past tense of the verb ‘cuir’.

If you’re an advanced learner;

Maireann an chraobh ar an fhál ach ní mhaireann an lámh do chuir.

The branch lives on the tree but the hand that planted it does not.

There are three verbs in this proverb, ‘maireann’ (lives), ‘ní mhaireann’ (does not live), the present tense third person of the verb ‘mair’, and ‘do chuir’ (that planted, put), the past tense of the verb ‘cuir’ preceded by the relative particle ‘do’ which in standard Irish is ‘a’.

‘Craobh’ (branch) is a feminine noun and therefore its initial consonant is aspirated after the definite article > ‘an chraobh’.

‘Fál’ is aspirated because it is preceded by the preposition ‘ar’, and the definite article ‘an’ > ‘ar an fhál’.

‘Ní’ is the negative verbal particle used before verbs in the present tense and it aspirates the first consonant of the following verb > ní mhaireann’.

If you’re fluent but would like to improve your grammar;

Maireann an chraobh ar an fhál ach ní mhaireann an lámh do chuir.

Cuireann an seanfhocal seo i gcuimhne dúinn go bhfuil saol an duine sealadach ach tá ár dtimpeallacht níos buaine.

Tá briathar againn trí huaire san abairt, ‘maireann’, an aimsir láithreach tríú pearsa den bhriathar ‘mair’, ‘ní mhaireann’ an briathar ar lorg mír bhriathartha dhiultach ‘ní’ a chuireann séimhiú ar an túschonasn, agus ‘chuir’ aimsir chaite den bhriathar ‘cuir’ agus ó tharla gur clásal coibhneasta atá againn anseo tá an mhír bhraithartha ‘do’ roimhe. Sa chaighdeán bheadh ‘a’ againn in áit ‘do’.

Tá séimhiú againn ar an ainmfhocal ‘craobh’ i ndiaidh an ailt mar gur ainmfhocal baininscneach é > ‘an chraobh’. Tá séimhiú ar ‘fál’ mar go bhfuil se faoi réir an réamhfhocail ‘ar’ móide an t-alt ‘an’ > ar an fhál’.