Dul Chun Tosaigh

We’re less than a few weeks away from the next session of Speak Irish classes, held at the “world famous” PJ McIntyre’s, on Tuesday evenings. In past lessons, both here and in Speak Irish classes, I’ve stressed the importance of using the Irish we know in our everyday conversations with friends and family.

I’ve added to our original list of “Everyday  Irish” and included some more casual greetings and responses. We know from past lessons, that there is no one word that can be used universally for yes or no. BUT, this list is for conversations in English where we can interject Irish words or phrases and still be understood by others. If I use an Irish phrase, I follow up with it’s translation and let people know I’m studying the Irish language.

Vocabulary

Tá (taw) yes   níl (neel) no  Sea (shah)  yes    ní hea   (nee-hah)  no

Dia duit   (dee-uh gwit) God to you (hello)    Dia’s Muire duit   (dee-us morra gwit) God and Mary to you (response to hello)

Go raibh maith agat  (gorra mah ah-gut)  (thank you)       go maith  (guh mah) (good)

Tá fáilte romhat (taw fahl-cha roe-it)  (you’re welcome)   le do thoil  (led hall)  (please)

Gabh mo leithscéal (guh mo leshshkale)  (excuse me)   an mhaith  (ahn wah)  (very good)

Maith thú (mah who) (good job or fair play to you)    fáilte (fawl-cha)  (welcome)

Maidin mhaith  (mo-jin wah)  (good morning)   Oíche mhaith  (ee-ha wah)  (good night)

Tráthnóna maith  (tra-no-na wah) (good afternoon)   maith go leor (mah guh lore)   (good enough)

Ceart go leor (kyart guh lore) (right enough/ok)    tá brón orm (taw brawn or-um)   (I’m sorry)

An bhfuil sé ceart go leor? (ahn will shay kyart guh lore) (is it ok?)                Tá sé sin go maith (taw shay shin guh mah) ( it’s good)

Is maith liom é (iss mah lum ay) (I like it)    Mar seo  (mar show) (like so)

Tuigim (tiggum) (I understand)     An dtuigeann tú mé?  (ahn diggin too may) (do you understand me)

Ní thuigim (nee higgum) ( I don’t understand)  Níl a fhios agam (neel iss ah-gum)  ( I don’t know)

 Tá an ceart agat  (taw ahn kyart ah-gut) (that’s right)  Conas atá tú? (kun-us ah-taw too)(how are you)

Táim go maith (time guh muh) (i’m good)   Feicfidh mé thú (feck-ee may who) (I’ll see you)

Tá an lá go bréa (taw ah law guh brah) ( It’s a fine day)    Dia linn (dee-uh lynn) (used as a blessing when someone sneezes)

An bhfuil Gaeilge agat?(ahn will gway-la-ga ah-gut) (do you speak Irish)                                                                        
Tá beagáinín Gaeilge agum  (taw bee-uh gohning gway-la ga agum) (I speak a little Irish)

Cuir Gaeilge ar— dom, le do thoil? (kur gway-la-ga ar… dum led hall)   (how do you say— in Irish please)

Cad is brí le—-?  (kahd iss bree leh)   (what does— mean?)                                                                                                                Ná labhair chomh tapa san, le do thoil. (nuh loher kuv tapa sahn led hall) (speak more slowly please)           

Abair arís é, le do thoil. (ah-ber ah-reesh ay led hall) (repeat it please) 

Scríobh é, le do thoil. (skreeb ay led hall) (write it please)

Cén scéal agat? (kayn shkale ah-gut)  (what’s up?)

Níor tharla mórán (neer har-la morawn) (Nothing much)        

Tóg go bog é  (toeg guh bog ay) (take it easy) 

Conas atá gach rud? (kuh-nuss ah-taw gokh rud)  (How’s everything?)

Mar is gnáth (mar iss gnaw) (Same as always)

Tar isteach! (tar ish-tahk) (Come in)

Tar anseo (tar un-sho) Come here

Cé? (kay) (who?)  Cad? (kahd) (what?) Cathain? (kah-hin) (When?) Cá? (kaw) (where?) Cén fáth? (ken fah) ( Why?)

The phonetics in this lesson are from the Munster dialect, to hear the words pronounced in the Connacht or Ulster dialects, you can use the free on-line dictionary teannglann.ie. If you haven’t signed up for the class, there’s still time. Go through the vocabulary a couple of times and pick out a word or phrase. Use it tomorrow and add another the following day. You will be surprised at how easy it becomes with just a wee bit of practice.