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Cúpla Focal - Learn Irish
We are delighted to add this section to our website. We have been asked for some time now to have a "Learn Irish Section" and now that Michele has joined us full time we will be adding new lessons on a regular basis.
HERE ARE THE FIRST FOUR LESSONS. Good Luck!
Lesson 1
Phrase: Thank you
Irish: Go raibh maith agat
Pronunciation: Guh row mah aguth (row as in cow)
Phrase: You're welcome
Irish: Tá fáilte romhat
Pronunciation: Thaw foil-cheh roath
Phrase: Hello
Irish: Dia dhuit
Pronunciation: Djee-ah gwitch
Phrase: What is your name?
Irish: Cad is ainm duit?
Pronunciation: Codh is anam gwitch
Phrase: My name is Judith Flynn
Irish: Judith Flynn is ainm dom
Pronunciation: Judith Flynn is aman dhum
Phrase: How are you?
Irish: Conas tá tú?
Pronunciation: Kunas thaw thoo
Phrase: I am fine
Irish: Tá me go maith
Prounciation: Thaw may guh mah
Phrase: How old are you?
Irish: Cad is aois duit?*
Pronunciation: Codh is eesh gwitch
*Not a colloquially correct expression. Much better to use Cén aois thú? Kayn eesh hoo
Phrase: What time is it?
Irish: Cén t-am é?
Pronunciation: Kayn thom ay
Phrase: It's three o'clock
Irish: Tá sé a tri a chlog
Pronunciation: Thaw shay three a (c)hlug - not 'ch' as in 'chew', the 'c' is almost silent
Phrase: Today is Sunday
Irish: Inniu an* Dé Domhnaigh
Pronunciation: Djay dhough-knee * Omit 'an' - equivalent to saying Today is the Sunday
Word: Monday
Irish: Dé Luain
Pronunciation: Djay loo-in
Word: Tuesday
Irish: Dé Máirt
Pronunciation: Djay moyrch
Word: Wednesday
Irish: Dé Chéadaoin
Pronunciation: Djay Kay-dheen
Word: Thursday
Irish: Dé Déardaoin
Pronunciation: Djay Djayr-dheen
Word: Friday
Irish: Dé hAoine
Pronunciation: Djay-heenah
Word: Saturday
Irish: Dé Sathairn
Pronunciation: Djay Sah-harn
Phrase: Goodnight, see you tomorrow
Irish: Oiche mhaith, feicfidh mé ar ball tú*.
Pronunciation: Ee-heh wah,. feck-hee may er boll hoo *This is singular. To make it plural, replace tú with sibh'- shiv.
The problem here is that 'feicfidh' is used only in Connemara Irish (which is what we speak in this part of Ireland) but in Leinster, Ulster and Munster the word is 'cífidh', which has two different pronunciations. Leinster/Munster - kee-fee; Ulster - chee-fee.
Note: To keep things as simple as possible, we are going to use Michele's Connemara Irish.
Lesson 2 Phrase: Good morning/Good afternoon/Good evening
We don't really use specific phrases for greetings on meeting at any particular part of the day. So, for simplification, best not to split them and just use Hello at any time of the day - quite acceptable and widely used.
Irish: Dia duit (singular)
Pronunciation: djee-ah gwitch
Phrase: Dhia dhibh (plural) Pronunciation: djee-ah yeeve Phrase: What will you have?
Irish: Céard a bhéas agat?
Pronunciation: kay-rdh a vays aguth
Phrase: I'd like a Guinness (please)
Irish: Piont (leath-phiont) Guinness/Murphy's/Harp led' thoil
Pronunciation: Pionth Guinness/Murphy's/Harp ledh hell
Note: 'bar-speak' is a little more specific and people would tend to ask for "a pint" or "half-pint" without always mentioning the brand (means Guinness unless otherwise specified!), so I'm changing this slightly to suit more usually used idioms. We don't usually use the phrase "I'd like" as such (directly translated) but rather simply, give the item and add a shortish "please"
Phrase: I'd like an Irish Coffee (please)
Irish: Caifé Gaelach led' thoil
Pronunciation: Cah- fay gwael-och ledh hell
Phrase: I'd like a glass of water (please)
Irish: Gloinne uisce led' thoil
Pronunciation: Glinn-eh ish-geh ledh hell
Lesson 3
Phrase: Where is the nearest ________? (list of locations follows)
Irish: Cá bhfuil an _______ is cóngaraí (or is giorra) is a direct translation.
Pronunciation: Caw will on_______ is coan-gar-ee (or is girra)
NOTE: I would use 'I'm looking for a ________ " It's less stilted in Irish and probably easier for a beginner.
Phrase: I am looking for _______
Irish: Táim ag lorg _______
Pronunciation: Thaw-im a' lurg ___ (The 'g' is usually silent here)
Locations:
Men's Room
Irish: Seomra na bhfear
Pronunciation: Shome-reh na varr
Ladies' Room
Irish: Seomra na mban
Pronunciation: Shome-reh na mon (as in 'gone')
Hospital
Irish: Oispidéil
Pronunciation: Us -pi-djayl
Police Station
Irish: Stáisiún na nGárdaí
Pronunciation: Sthaw-shoon nah ngaw -dhee
Post Office
Irish: Ofig an phoist
Pronunciation: If-ig an fwisht
Pharmacy/Chemist
Irish: Poiticéir
Pronunciation: Puth-i-kayr
Grocery Store
Irish: Siopa gróiséar
Pronunciation: Shup-eh gross-ayr
Pub
Irish: óstlann
Pronunciation: oasth-lunn
Hotel
Irish: óstán
Pronunciation: oasth-awn
Hair Salon/barber
Irish: Gruaigeadóir
Pronunciation: Grew-ig-a-dhoor (as in door)
Lesson 4
Months of the Year
January
Irish: Eanáir
Pronunciation: an-aw-irr
February
Irish: Feabhra
Pronunciation: feow-rah
March
Irish: Márta
Pronunciation: mawr-thah
April
Irish: Aibreán
Pronunciation: ab-rawn
May
Irish: Bealtaine
Pronunciation: bahl-theh-neh
June
Irish: Meitheamh
Pronunciation: meh-huv
July
Irish: Iúil
Pronunciation: oo-il
August
Irish: Lúnasa
Pronunciation: loo-nah-sah
September
Irish: Meán Fomhair
Pronunciation: mahn foh-ir
October
Irish: Deireadh Fomhair
Pronunciation: djeh-reh foh-ir
November
Irish: Samhain
Pronunciation: sow (as in cow) -in
December
Irish: Nollaig
Pronunciation: null-ig
Lessons Five, Six and Seven
Till we meet,
Slan agus beannacht! |
