Excuses Colin is walking home from a night in the pub. He bumps into David and Merv who invite him for a nightcap. Colin tries to make his excuses and leave.
| Would you like to come to mine for a drink tonight? | Ar mhaith leat cúpla deoch a ól i mo theachsa anocht? |
| Would you like to come to ours for a drink tonight? | Ar mhaith leat cúpla deoch a ól inár dteachsa anocht? |
| Yes, I would. Thanks. | Ba mhaith. Go raibh maith agat. |
| Yes. That would be nice. | Ba mhaith. Bheadh sin go deas. |
| Yes. That would be great. | Ba mhaith. Bheadh sin go hiontach. |
| Yes. I'd like that. | Ba mhaith. Ba bhreá liom sin. |
| Yes, indeed. | Ba mhaith, cinnte. |
| No. I'm busy. | Níor mhaith. Tá mé gnóthach. |
| No. I'm tired. | Níor mhaith. Tá mé tuirseach. |
| No. I'm ill. | Níor mhaith. Tá mé tinn. |
| No. It's late. | Níor mhaith. Tá sé mall. |
| No. I'm in a hurry. | Níor mhaith. Tá deifir orm. |
| No. I don't have time. | Níor mhaith. Níl an t-am agam. |
| Yes. I would. Thanks. | Ba mhaith. Go raibh maith agat |
| Yes. Thanks. That would be nice. | Ba mhaith. Go raibh maith agat. Bheadh sin go deas. |
| Yes. That would be great. | Ba mhaith. Bheadh sin go hiontach. |
| Yes. Thanks. I'd like that. | Ba mhaith. Go raibh maith agat. Ba bhreá liom sin. |
| Yes, indeed. Thanks. | Ba mhaith, cinnte. Go raibh maith agat. |
| Thanks but I've got a headache. | Go raibh maith agat ach tá tinneas cinn orm. |
| Thanks but I'm washing my hair. | Go raibh maith agat ach tá mé ag ní mo chuid gruaige. |
| Thanks but I don't drink much. | Go raibh maith agat ach ní ólaim mórán. |
| Thanks but I'm meeting a friend. | Go raibh maith agat ach tá mé ag bualadh le cara de mo chuid. |
| Thanks but I've got a back ache. | Go raibh maith agat ach tá pian i mo dhroim. |
| Thanks but I've got a stomach ache. | Go raibh maith agat ach tá pian i mo bholg. |
ach = but
Colin still thinks it's strange that more often than not, he can't utter a straightforward 'Yes / No' to a simple question in Irish. So if he is asked 'Would you like something?', he can't just say 'Yes / No'. He has to say 'I would like / I wouldn't like'. But now that Colin knows this, he can bluff his way through any conversation simply by stealing part of the question he's just been asked e.g. "Ar mhaith leat deoch?" (Do you want a drink?) : "Ba mhaith (liom deoch) / Níor mhaith (liom deoch)".
"go raibh maith agat" = thank you
"ach" = but
"tinneas" = sickness
"ceann" = head
"tinneas cinn" = headache
"gruaig" = hair
"mo chuid gruaige" = my hair
"mórán" = much
"cara" = friend
"bolg" = stomach
"mo bholg" = my stomach
"droim" = back
"mo dhroim" = my back
