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 50: Post/Mailing and Shipping

In England, the Royal Mail delivers the post. In the USA, the United States Post Office delivers the mail. In Ireland, there is no confusion - customarily, the word mail isn't used at all.

Phrase: The Post (Postal Service)
Irish: An Post
Pronunciation: on pussth

Word: Letter
Irish: litir
Pronunciation: lih-chir

Phrase: Post Card
Irish: cárta phoist
Pronunciation: kawr-thah fwishth

Word: Parcel/Package
Irish: beart
Pronunciation: bahrth

Phrase: Sticky Tape
Irish: téip greamannach
Pronunciation: thayp grahm-on-okh

Word: Postage
Irish: postas
Pronunciation: puss-thahs

Phrase: Postage Stamp
Irish: stampa poist
Pronunciation: sthahm-pah pwishth

Word: Address
Irish: seoladh
Pronunciation: shoh-lah

Phrase: Return Address
Irish: seoladh an tseoltóra
Pronunciation: shoh-lah on tchohl-thoh-rah

Phrase: Post Office
Irish: Oifig an Phoist
Pronunciation: eff-ig on fwishth

Phrase: Post Office Box (as in address)/Letter Box (where you deposit mail)
Irish: Bosca Phoist
Pronunciation: buss-kah fwishth

Word: Delivery
Irish: seachadadh
Pronunciation: shokh-ah-dhah

Word: Street
Irish: sráid
Pronunciation: sraw-ij

Word: Road
Irish: bóthar
Pronunciation: boh-thahr

Word: Town
Irish: baile
Pronunciation: bahl-yeh

Word: City
Irish: cathair
Pronunciation: kah-hirr

Word: Ireland
Irish: Éire or Éireann
Pronunciation: ay-reh or ay-run

Word: (The) USA
Irish: (Na) Stáit Aontaithe
Pronunciation: (nah) sthaw-itj ayn-the-heh

Word: Europe
Irish: Eoraip
Pronunciation: yohr-up

Word: Australia
Irish: An Astráil
Pronunciation: on oss-thraw-il

Word: Canada
Irish: Ceanada
Pronunciation: cah-nah-dah

Phrase: Postal Code (zip)
Irish: cód phoist
Pronunciation: kohdh fwishth

Word: Postman/woman/Mailman/woman
Irish: fear/bean a' phoist
Pronunciation: fahr/bahn ah fwishth

Phrase: Air Mail
Irish: Aer Phost
Pronunciation: air fusth

Phrase: Express Mail
Irish: Post Luais
Pronunciation: pussth loo-ish

Phrase: Priority Mail
Irish: Post Tosaíochta
Pronunciation: pussth thus-ee-ukh-thah

Phrase: Surface Mail
Irish: Post Dreacht
Pronunciation: pussth dhrahkth

Word: Overnight
Irish: thar oíche
Pronunciation: hahr ee-heh

Word: International
Irish: idirnáisiúnta
Pronunciation: idjir-naw-shoon-thah

Word: Overseas
Irish: thar lear
Pronunciation: hahr lih-ahr

Phrase: Customs Form
Irish: Foirm Custaim
Pronunciation: fwirm cuss-thim

Word: Duty
Irish: dleacht
Pronunciation: dhlahkhth

Phrase: Return to sender
Irish: Fill ar Sheolthóir
Pronunciation: fill err hih-ol-hoh-ir

Phrase: I'd like this parcel to arrive in time for Christmas
Irish: Is mian liom an beart seo a bheith i láthair le h-aghaidh na Nollaig
Pronunciation: iss meen li-um on bahrth shuh ab veh ih law-hir leh heye nah null-ig

Phrase: How soon do I need to mail Christmas cards to/from the USA to Ireland, Canada......?
Irish: Cé chomh luath is gá dom cártaí Nollaig a chur sa phost go dtí/ó Na Stáit Aontaithe....... go...?
Pronunciation: kau khoh loo-ah iss gaw dhum nah kawr-thee nill-ig ah khur sah fussth guh djee/oh nah sthaw-itj ayn-the-heh.....guh....?

Phrase: My goal is to have all my cards written and sent by the beginning of (the month of) December
Irish: Tá sé d'intinn agam mo chártaí uilig a beith scríte agus curtha sa phost faoi thús mí na Nollag
Pronunciation: thaw shay dhinn-chin ah-gum muh khawr-thee ill-ig ah veh shcree-tjeh ah-gus kur-hah sah fusth hoos mee nah null-ahg

Phrase: I would like a sheet (page)/book of stamps please.
Irish: Ba maith liom leathanach/leabhrán stampaí led' thoil
Pronunciation: bah wye li-um li-ah-ahn-ahkh/li-ow-rawn sthahm-pee ledh hell

Phrase: How much is it to send this parcel by priority mail to Ireland?
Irish: Cé mhéid an beart seo a chur ar an bpost tosaíochta go hÉireann
Pronunciation: kay vayidj on bahrth shuh ah khur err on bussth guh hay-run

Phrase: It's a gift (when filling out a customs form)
Irish: Is bronntanas é
Pronunciation: iss brun-thahn-ahs ay

Phrase: I love receiving cards from (countries) all over the world
Irish: Is breá liom cártaí a fháil ó thíortha ar fud an domhain
Pronunciation: iss brah li-um kawr-thee ah aw-il oh heer-hah err fudh on dhow-inn

Phrase: It was returned for insufficient postage
Irish: Seoladh ar ais é toisc ganntanas postas
Pronunciation: shoh-oo err-ash ay thushk gahn-thahn-ahs puss-thas


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.