November :: page 1
Dè ghabhas tu? (What would you like?)

Seanair holds the purse strings so he’s in charge of buying the drinks. Have a listen to his conversation with Melodaidh to find out what she wants to drink. You can be sure that Munro Jr will be hovering in the background surreptitiously picking up the phrases so he can try them out on some unsuspecting young lady … like Melodaidh?

Seanair	Feasgar math. Ciamar a tha thu a-nochd? Good evening. How are you tonight?
Melodaidh	Tha gu math, tapadh leat. I’m fine, thank you.
Seanair	Dè ghabhas tu? What would you like? (Literally: What will you take?)
Melodaidh	Gabhaidh mi glainne fìon. I would like a glass of wine. (Literally: I will take a glass of wine.)
Seanair	Glè mhath ma tha. Fìon dearg no fìon geal? Very good then. Red wine or white wine?
Melodaidh	Fìon dearg, mas e do thoil e! Red wine, please!

Now listen to their conversation.

Play MP3 file

You will see that Melodaidh uses the informal ‘tapadh leat’ when she speaks to Seanair because she now knows him well. The phrase she’s used to say ‘please’ is also the informal version. Can you remember what the polite or formal version is?

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