PHRASES
IN ENGLISH—IRISH DICTIONARY
It admits of improvement, d'fhéadfaí feabhas a chur air.
His condition would not allow of his going out, ní fhéadfadh sé dul amach ag an mbail a bhí air.
He did it to the best of his ability, rinne sé é chomh maith agus d'fhéadfadh sé.
How could I but laugh? cén chaoi a bhféadfainn gan gáire?
I cannot allow that, ní fhéadfainn é sin a cheadú.
He could have done it if he had wanted to, d'fhéadfadh sé é a dhéanamh dá dtogródh sé é.
You cannot but succeed, ní fhéadfá cliseadh.
Candidly, I cannot say, déanta na fírinne, ní fhéadfainn a rá.
He had everything conceivable, bhí gach rud aige dá bhféadfá cuimhneamh air.
If I could find some congenial employment, dá bhféadfainn obair a fháil d'oiriúnódh mé.
I thought my eyes were deceiving me, ní fhéadfainn radharc mo dhá shúl a chreidiúint.
Can I speak to anyone else? bhfuil aon duine eile ann a bhféadfainn labhairt leis?
No doctor, be he ever so skilful, could heal him, ní fhéadfadh dochtúir dá chlisteacht é a leigheas.
He is not exactly a scholar, ní baileach go bhféadfaí scoláire a thabhairt air.
He is now unequal to the exertion of travelling, ní fhéadfadh sé anró an taistil a sheasamh faoi láthair.
You could see that with half an eye, d'fhéadfadh fear dall an méad sin a fheiceáil.
F: You may gamble on that, d'fhéadfá bheith cinnte de sin.
The finest thing imaginable, an rud ba bhreátha a bhféadfá cuimhneamh air; an rud ba bhreátha a d'fhéadfá a shamhlú.
It is open to improvement, d'fhéadfaí é a leasú, feabhas a chur air.
He was indispensable, ní fhéadfaí déanamh dá uireasa, gan é.
As an instance of his honesty I may mention . . ., mar fhianaise lena ionracas d'fhéadfainn a rá . . .
To prove sth. irrefutably, rud a chruthú sa chaoi nach bhféadfaí a bhréagnú.
You may leave us, féadann tú imeacht.
It was decided that the action would not lie, cinneadh nach raibh ábhar cúise ann, nach bhféadfaí an cúisiú a dhéanamh.
I could no longer see him, ní fhéadfainn é a fheiceáil a thuilleadh.
I could not wait any longer, ní fhéadfainn fanacht níos sia.
He was very non-commital (in answering), ní dhéarfadh sé focal a bhféadfaí adhmad a bhaint as; ní dhearfadh sé sea ná ní hea.
If only I could speak to him, dá bhféadfainn labhairt féin leis.
Severe to the point of cruelty, chomh dian agus go bhféadfá cruálach a rá leis.
He foresees all the possibilities, is léir dó gach rud a d'fhéadfadh tarlú.
What possible connection can he have with it? cén bhaint ar chor ar bith a d'fhéadfadh a bheith aigesean leis?
A possible event, rud a d'fhéadfadh tarlú.
It is possibly true, d'fhéadfadh sé bheith fíor.
With practical unanimity, d'aonghuth beagnach, d'fhéadfá a rá, geall leis de.
All that can be put in two words, d'fhéadfaí sin uile a rá in dhá fhocal.
There is (much) room for improvement, d'fhéadfadh sé bheith (cuid mhaith) níos fearr.
It is much the same, is é an rud céanna é, féadaim a rá.
Scarcely ever, am ar bith, riamh, féadaim a rá.
How can I serve you? an bhfuil gar a d'fhéadfainn a dhéanamh duit?
Can I be of service to you? an bhféadfainn aon chabhair a thabhairt duit?
He stepped aside so that I might enter, dhruid sé i leataobh sa chruth go, i dtreo go, sa chaoi go, bhféadfainn dul isteach.
That's something like a pipe! sin píopa a bhféadfá píopa a thabhairt air. S.a. LIKE1 I. 2.
I cannot for the soul of me say how it happened, ní fhéadfainn ar a bhfaca mé riamh a rá conas a tharla sé.
There is no trick that you can think of that he did not try, níl aon chleas dá bhféadfá cuimhneamh air, nár thriail sé.
Is it thinkable that. . .? an bhféadfaí a shamhlú go . ..?
I could not touch the history paper, ní fhéadfainn lámh ar bith a dhéanamh ar an bpáipéar staire.
It was unbearably hot, ní fhéadfaí an teas a fhulaingt, a sheasamh.
Can I be of any use (to you)? an bhféadfainn aon chúnamh a thabhairt dhuit?
You could just as well have stayed till to-morrow, d'fhéadfá chomh maith sin fanacht go dtí amárach.
You can have what few books are left, cibé beagán leabhar atá fágtha féadann tú a gcoinneáil.