Speak Irish: Community
By Bob Carney
It’s hard to believe we’ve started our seventh year of Speak Irish Cleveland classes. We’ve talked often about the reasons many of us have become involved in the study of Irish, but I’ve neglected one of the biggest and maybe the most important benefits of being a part of this great group of people. We have become a community within a community.
I have witnessed friendships that have formed and have continued even when someone stops actively participating on a weekly basis. Our goal has always been an introduction to the Irish language, and for some that was what they were seeking, to be able to acquire a “cúpla focal”. To be able to greet a friend using Irish or be able raise a toast at a holiday dinner with family.
Others are here for the long haul and over the years we’ve become very close, we’ve lost some good friends who will always be remembered and we’ve welcomed many new ones. For this I’ll always be grateful. Go raith míle maith agaibh.
As long as we’re talking about time we may as well continue on that topic with some new vocabulary and phrases.
Vocabulary in Irish
Anois (ah-nesh) now Mean lae (me-ahn lay) midday
Níos luaithe (nee-uss loo-e-ha) earlier Mean oíche (me-ahn ee-ha) midnight
Níos déanaí (nee-uss day-nee) later Breacadh an lae (braka ahn lay) sunrise
Roimh (riv) before Lúi na gréine (lee na grain-ah) sunset
Tae éis (tar aysh) after Maith (mah) good
Admhaidin (ah-waj-inn) early morning Maidin mhaith (moj-inn wah) good morning
Maidin (moj-inn) morning Dia duit ar maidin (jee-uh ghitch er moj-inn)
Tráthnóna (trah-no-na) evening God to you this morning
Oíche (ee-ha) night Tráthnóna maith (trah-no-na mah) good evening
Ist oíche (isst ee-ha) at night Oíche Mhaith (ee-ha wah) good night
Anocht (ah nahkt) tonight Aréir (ah-rare) last night
Basic Numbers 1 thru 12 in Irish
A h-aon (uh hayne) one A seacht (uh shokht) seven
A dó (uh doe) two A h-ocht (uh hawkht) eight
A ceathair ( uh kya-her) four A deich (uh jeh) ten
A cúig (uh koo-ig) five A h-aon déag (uh hayne jayug) eleven
A sé (uh shay) six A dó dhéag (uh doe yayug) twelve
CÉN T-AM É?
Cén t-am e? (kayn tom ay) What time is it?
A h-aon a chlog (uh hayne ah khluhg) one o’clock
A trí a chlog (uh tree ah khluhg) three o’clock
A h-aon a chlog ar maidin (uh hayne ah khlugh err moj-in) one o’clock AM
A ceathair a chlog san iarnóin ( uh kya-her ah khlugh san ear-noe-inn) four o’clock PM
Nóin (noe-inn) noon
Meanoíche (mann-ee-ha) midnight
Tá sé a sé a chlog. (taw shay uh shay ah khlugh) It is six o’clock.
Níl sé a cúig a chlog. (neel shay uh koo-ig ah khlugh) It is not five o’clock.
An bhfuil sé a seacht a chlog? (ahn will shay uh shokt ah khlugh) Is it seven o’clock?
Nach bhfuil sé a deich a chlog? (nahk will shay uh jeh ah khlugh) Isn’t it ten o’clock?
Tá sé a ceathair a chlog anois. (taw shay uh kya-her ah khlugh uh-nish) It is four o’clock now.
Ceathrú (kya-hroo) a quarter
Leathuair (lah-hooir) a half
Ceathrú roimh (kya-hroo riv) a quarter till
Tá sé ceathrú roimh a h-aon a chlog. (taw shay kya-hroo uh hayne ah khlug)
It’s a quarter to one o’clock.
Nach bhfuil sé leathuair tar éis a dó dhéag a chlog? (nahk will shay lah-hooir tar aysh uh doe yayug uh khlugh) Isn’t it half past twelve o’clock?
Nóiméad (noe made) minute(s)
Uair (oor) hour(s)
Lá (lay) day
Láethanta (lay-hint-ah) days
Seachtain (shokt-inn) week
Mí (mee) month
Blian (blee-un) year
Days in Irish
Inniu (inn-yoo) today
Inné (inn yay) yesterday
Amárach (am-aw-rok) tomorrow
An tseachtain seo (ahn chokt-inn shuh) this week
An tseachtain seo caite (ahn chokt-inn shuh cotch-ah) last week
An tseachtain seo chugainn (ahn chokt-inn shuh koo-inn) next week
Days of the Week in Irish
Domhnach (dow-nok) Sunday Déardaoin (dare-deen) Thursday
Luain (loo-inn) Monday Aoine (ee-nah) Friday
Máirt (maw-rt) Tuesday Satharn (sah-harn)) Saturday
Céadaoin (kay-deen) Wednesday
Months of the Year in Irish
Eanair (ann-arr) January Lúil (oo-ill) July
Feabhra (fyow-rah) February Lúnasa (loon-assah) August
Márta (mawr-tah) March Mean Fomhair (mann foe-arr) September
Aibreán (ab-rawn) April Deireadh Fomhair (derr-ah foe-arr) October
Bealtainne (byowl-tin-neh) May Samhain (sow-inn) November
Meitheamh (meh-hiv) June Nollaig (null-igg) December
New Speak Irish Cleveland classes will start in January; watch for information in next month’s iIrish.We’d love to see you there! Slán go fóill!
*Bob Carney is a student of Irish history and language and teaches the Speak Irish Cleveland class at PJ McIntyre’s every Tuesday. He is also active in the Irish Wolfhound and irish dogs organizations in and around Cleveland. Wife Mary, hounds Morrighán and Rían and terrier Doolin keep the house jumping. He can be reached at [email protected]