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Bunús na Gaeilge - Basic Irish Language
 There is no other way to revive Irish than for a crowd of people to spread it.
- Douglas Hyde
Note: The spellings and pronunciations used are based on Aideen's own natural use of Connemara Irish but they have been kept simple, so as to be understood where there are differences in the language.
For example, the word 'feicfidh' is used only in Connemara Irish; in Leinster, Ulster and Munster the word is 'cífidh'. There are two pronunciations; Leinster/Munster - kee-fee; Ulster - chee-fee.
The biggest problem for people whose native language is English is that the soft 't' and 'd' are in Irish, but not in English; it's difficult to 'reproduce' them in writing. Where I use 'th' and 'dh' here, they are best achieved by putting your tongue gently behind your front upper teeth."
Click here for our words & phrases Index.
Lesson 52: Wrapping up the Holidays
We hope you are enjoying a safe and happy holiday season. This week's offering features words and phrases which should have been included in previous lessons.
Phrase: Celebration of Christmas
Irish: Ceiliúradh na Nollaig
Pronunciation: kell-oor-ah nah null-ig
Phrase: Little Christmas/Epiphany
Irish: Lá Chinn (an Dá Lá Déag)
Pronunciation: lay khinn (on ghaw law djayg)
{literally: the final day (the twelfth day) }
Word/Phrase: Wren/Wren Boys
Irish: Dreoilín/Buachaillíní an Dreoilín
Pronunciation: dhroh-leen/boo-khahl-een-ee on dhroh-leen
(literally: little boys of the wren)
Word: Pantomime
Irish: Geamaire
Pronunciation: gi-ah-meh-reh
Phrase: Christmas Bonus
Irish: Bónas na Nollaig
Pronunciation: bonus nah null-ig
Phrase: Happy Hannukah (to you/you plural)
Irish: Hannukah faoi mhaise leat/libh
Pronunciation: Hannukah fwee wash-eh lih-ath/liv
Phrase: Boxing Day/St. Stephen's Day
Irish: Lá le Stiophán
Pronunciation: law leh sthiff-awn
Word/Phrase: Sleigh/Sleigh Ride
Irish: carr sleamhnáin/turas sleamhnáin
Pronunciation: cawr shlow-naw-in/thruss shlow-naw-in
Word/Phrase: Advent/Advent candles
Irish: Aidbhint/coinnle Aidbhint
Pronunciation: ahdh-vinth/quin-leh ahdh-vinth
Phrase: (The) Baby Jesus
Irish: An Leanbh Íosa
Pronunciation: on lih-an-uv eesah
Phrase: Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Irish: Íosa, Muire agus Iosaph
Pronunciation: eesah, mwuir-eh ah-gus yo-seph
Word: Camel
Irish: camall
Pronunciation: kah-mull
Phrase: Three Wise Men/Three Kings
Irish: Na Trí Ríthe ón Oirthir
Pronunciation: nah three ree-heh ohn err-hir
(literally: the three kings from the east)
Phrase: Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh
Irish: Ór, Túis agus Miorr
Pronunciation: ohr, thoosh ah-gus myrrh
Word: Toys
Irish: bréagain
Pronunciation: bray-gaw-in
Phrase: Mince Pie
Irish: Píog Mhionra
Pronunciation: pee-ohg mih-un-rah
Phrase: Apple Pie
Irish: Píog Úlla
Pronunciation: pee-ohg ool-ah
Phrase: Christmas Crackers
Irish: Pléascóig Nollaig
Pronunciation: playss-koh-ig null-ig
Phrase: The Twelve days of Christmas
Irish: Dá Lá Déag na Nollaig
Pronunciation: ghaw law djayg nah null-ig
Phrase: Family Gathering
Irish: Baillú Chlainne
Pronunciation: bahl-you khlin-eh
Phrase: Holiday Feast
Irish: Féasta na Saoire
Pronunciation: fay-sthah nah seer-eh
Phrase: Lump of coal
Irish: Cloch ghuail
Pronunciation: khlukh goo-il
Word: Host/Hostess (for the holiday party)
Irish: Fear/Bean a' Tí
Pronunciation: fahr/ban ah tchee
(literally: man/woman of the house - 'house' would also mean the venue for any occasion)
Phrase: Office Party
Irish: Cóisir Oifige
Pronunciation: koh-shirr iff-ih-geh
Phrase: I'm/we're going home for the holidays
Irish: Táim/táimid ag dul abhaile le haghaidh na saoire
Pronunciation: thaw-im/thaw-midj egg dhull ah-wahl-yeh leh heye nah seer-eh
What did Santa/Father Christmas bring you?
Irish: Céard a chur Deadaí na Nollaig ar fáil dhuit?
Pronunciation: kay-rdh ah khur daddy na null-ig err faw-il gwitch?
Phrase: All the very best in the new year (to you/you plural)
Irish: Athbhlian faoi mhaise dhuit/dhíbh
Pronunciation: ah-vleen fwee wash-eh gwich/yeev
 Note: This caught our eye. Yes, we know it isn't gaeilge, but it is fascinating. If nothing else, it is certainly language (and Irish language as well.)
Slanguage
by Bernard Share
...for all 'decent skins', 'crawthumpers', horse-protestants', 'hard chaws' and 'strong farmers'...a dictionary of Irish slang that's as amusing as it is informative.
Click here for Slanguage
For More Basic Irish please click here: Irish Index
Image: Gaeilge Beo from All Posters and Prints.
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Sun, Mar 4, 2018
Bitesize Irish Gaelic
Start learning on line with a free trial!
Why Learn Irish with Bitesize Irish Gaelic?
Eoin is a native Irish speaker who you can listen to in the online lessons.
Sasa has helped develop the lessons from the perspective of a complete beginner.
Audrey has created conversation lessons to get you speaking Irish.
And last but certainly not least, they are proud of the Irish language and want more people to speak it.
Affordable, fun and effective - To learn more, Click Bitesize Irish
Irish Grammar
by Noel Mogonagle
This book is excellent for beginners who are wanting a book that gives basic grammar without all the extra information that confuses beginners. The book is well laid out, with information very easy to find. Amazon Reviewer
Here is a good follow-on to our words and phrases.
Click for Irish Grammar.
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Irish - English
English - Irish
Dictionaries
Note: We have yet to see a dictionary with phonetic pronunciations for each word. We suspect this is partly due to the variations. Providing for all four 'green fields' (Connacht, Leinster, Ulster and Munster), would be cumbersome at best. Still, someone may do it some day. Until then, these are all very good and recommended. Serious students will have more than one; they are inexpensive.
These two (either or both) are the handy-references needed to go with a good grammar or 'teach yourself' course.
We would need both (and some other help) if found wandering in a Gaeltacht late at night.
Amazon has an offer of either one combined with a grammar for a reduced price.
Click for Collins Gem
Click for Oxford Pocket.
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While I wouldn't recommend you use many of these phrases, this is a terribly funny book. I picked it up after leafing through it at the store and finding phrases about sheep and inns and the hazards of driving in Ireland without insurance. Each little section starts out innocuously enough, then quickly degenerates into truly funny comments. If you like Monty Python or BlackAdder, this will really make you laugh. If you liked the Father Ted tv show, this little book will make you keel over giggling. Ah, go on, ya eejit, buy it already! Amazon Reviewer
(We want this, you may see a few on these pages - watch out).
Click for Wicked Irish
An easy-to-use program for learning on your own, or can be used as supplemental material for your classes. These new editions have been thoroughly revised and updated to include the engaging dialogues and helpful exercises you have come to expect from the Teach Yourself series.
Click for Teach Yourself
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The Best Irish Course Available! Three years ago I decided to learn Irish, and in the next two years I bought three different courses. The first two were simply useless, (that's the obvious reason for my buying new courses) you could learn some phrases, but not construct sentences yourself. Learning Irish, on the other hand, is an excellent book, which gives you a thorough vocabulary and grammatical knowledge. It consists of 36 lessons, all containing vocabularies, grammar instructions, texts and excercises. Amazon Reviewer.
Click for Learning irish
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