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 48: Halloween and Samhain

It's Trick or Treat in the USA and Help The Hallowe'en Party in Ireland, but wherever you are, this week's lesson focuses on words and phrases associated with the day before the Celtic New Year - Samhain (sow-en).

Word: Hallowe'en
Irish: oíche shamhna
Pronunciation: ee-heh how-nah

Word: Ghost
Irish: púca or taibhse
Pronunciation: pookah or thyve-sheh

Word: Hobgoblin:
Irish: bobodha
Pronunciation:bub-uh-dhah

Word: Costume
Irish: culaith
Pronunciation: kul-ah

Word: Turnip
Irish: tornapa
Pronunciation: thurn-ah-pah

Word: Pumpkin:
Irish: puimcín
Pronunciation: pim-keen

Word: Bonfire
Irish: tine cnámha
Pronunciation: chin-eh krawv-ah

Word: Fireworks
Irish: calaine
Pronunciation: kahl-neh

Word: Sparklers
Irish: spréachláin
Pronunciation: spraykh-law-inn

Word: Mask
Irish: masc
Pronunciation: mahsk

Phrase: Trick or Treat
Irish: cleas nó cóir
Pronunciation: class noh koh-ir

Phrase: Barm Brack
Irish: Bairín Breac or Arán Breac
Pronunciation: bahr-een brack or ah-rawn brack

Word: Apples
Irish: úlla
Pronunciation: oo-lah

Word: Nuts
Irish: cnó
Pronunciation: knoh

Word: Sweets/Candy
Irish: milseáin
Pronunciation: mill-shaw-inn

Word: Games
Irish: cluichí
Pronunciation: kliff-ee

Word: Party
Irish: cóisir
Pronunciation: koh-shirr

Word: Door
Irish: doras
Pronunciation: dhur-ahs

Phrase: Door-step
Irish: leac doiris
Pronunciation: lih-ahk dhur-ish

Word/Phrase: Witch/ Witch's Broomstick
Irish: cailleach/scuab chaillí
Pronunciation: kyle-yeukh/scoob khyle-ee

Halloween Phrases.
For the fun of it,this lesson is all about Halloween. Once again, we are most grateful to Aideen, our native Irish speaker, for making this lesson possible.

Phrase: Halloween Night happens next Thursday
Irish: Titeann Oíche Shamhna Déardaoin see chugainn
Pronunciation: Thith-inn Ee-heh how -na djayr-dheen shuh hug-inn.

Phrase: We'll have great fun at the party
Irish: Beidh spraoi mór againn ag an gcuireadh
Pronunciation: Bye spree more og-inn egg on gwir-eh.

Phrase: We played games and ate our fill of cakes, apples and nuts.
Irish: Bhíomar ag imirt cluiche agus d'alp muid ár gcuid den chiste, chnónna agus úlla
Pronunciation: Lvee-im-er egg im-irth cliff-eh ah-gus dholp muidge awr guidge djen kish-teh know-anah ah-gus oola.

Phrase: I got the ring in the Barm Brack tonight
Irish: Fuair mise an fáinne san Arán Breac anocht
Pronunciation: Foo-ir mish-eh an fawn-nyeh san ah-rawn brack ah-nochth.

Phrase: Hurry up, or we'll be late for the bonfire
Irish: Brostaigh ort*/oraibh**, nó béimíd déanach le haghaidh an tine cnámha
Pronunciation: brus-thee urth/ur-iv, noh bye-meedj jay-noch leh heye an chin-eh knaw-vah
*singular ** plural

Phrase: It's time to light the candles for the turnip
Irish: Tá sé in am na coinnle a lasadh don tornap
Pronunciation: thaw shay in om na quin-leh a loss-ah dhun thurnap.

Phrase: I love to hear ghost stories at Halloween
Irish: Is breá liom beith ag éisteacht leis na scéalta taibhsí um Shamhain
Pronunciation: Iss bra li-um veh egg aysh-thochth lesh nah shkayl-tha thigh-bh-shee um how-inn.

Phrase: The sky will be ablaze with the fireworks
Irish: Beidh an spéir ar lasadh leis na tine calaine
Pronunciation: bye on spay-ir err loss-ah lesh nah chin-eh col-an-eh.

Phrase: It's I who got the ring in last year's Barm Brack but I'm still not married
Irish: Is mise a fuair an fáinne san Arán Breac anuraidh ach táim fós gan posadh
Pronunciation:
iss mish-eh ah foo-ir on faw-in-yeh sahn ah-rawn brack ah-nurr-ee okh thaw-im fohs gon pohs-ah

Phrase: We have great fun when the apples are bobbing on the water
Irish:
Is mór an spraoi againne nuair a bhíonn na h-úlla ag bogadhál ar bharr an uisce
Pronunciation: iss mohr an spree ah-ginn-eh noo-ir ah vee-un nah hoo-lah egg bug-ah-dhawl err war on ish-geh

Phrase: Have we permission to go from house-to-house outdoors in the night air?
Irish: Bhfuil cead again dul amach ó dhoras-godoras faoi aer na h-oíche?
Pronunciation: will ki-ahdh ah-ginn dhul ah-mahkh oh ghur-ahs guh dur-ahs fwee air nah hee-heh

Phrase: Will we be able to see the witch on her broomstick in the dead of night?
Irish: An mbeidh deis againn an chailleach ar a scuab a fheiceáil i marbh na h-oíche?
Pronunciation: on my dhesh ag-ginn an khyle-yeukh err ah scoob ah ek-aw-il i mahrv nah hee-heh

Phrase: It's not fair to play a nasty trick on people, nor make fun of them. Stop that now!
Irish: Níl sé ceart ná cóir mealladh gránna a bhaint as dhaoine ná ceap a magadh. Éirí as sin anois!
Pronunciation: neel shay ki-arth naw koh-ir mahl-ah grawn-ah ah wahnch oss gween-ee naw ki-aho ah mah-gah. eye-ree oss shin ah-nish!

Phrase: I was scared stiff when they lit the turnip (pumpkin) with candles inside it
Irish: Bhí an t-anam scanraithe asam nuair a a las siad an tornapa (puimcín) leis na coinnle istigh ann
Pronunciation: vee on thah-nahm skon-reh-hih oss-ahm noo-r ah loss sheedh on thurn-ah-pah (pim-keen) lesh nag cwinn-leh is-chee onn

Phrase: I recognised him immediately when he dropped the mask
Irish: D'aithnigh mé é chomh luath is a d-éirí sé as an gcur i gcéill
Pronunciation: dhah-nee may ay khoh loo-ah iss ah dheye-ree shay oss on gur ih gale

Phrase: Children are full of devilment at Hallowe'en
Irish: Bíonn an diabhal i mboilg na bpáistí Oíche Shamhna
(literally: they have the devil in their bellies - nicely!!!)
Pronunciation: bee-un on jowl ih mull-ig nah bawsh-thee ee-heh how-nah

Phrase: (You, plural) Be careful with those fireworks
Irish: Bígí cúramach leis na gcailní sin
Pronunciation: bee-gee* koo-rah-makh lesh nah gahl-nee shin
* a hard 'g' sound, as in 'go' and not 'gym'

Phrase: I've never seen a ghost. Have you?
Irish: Ní fhaca me púca or taibhse riamh. Tú féin?
Pronunciation: nee ahkh-ah may pookah or thyve-sheh reev. thoo hayn?

All holidays, including Halloween, are the perfect time to try essentials oils in your home. Bottles of essential oils like Cinnamon, Cloves, and Frankincense are popular scents, which can be used on Halloween and throughout the autumn season. Making your own fragrant blends in essential oil bottles wholesale can be a fun holiday activity for the whole family.

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.