| |
Traditions, folklore, history and more. If it's Irish, it's here. Or will be!
"People will not look forward to posterity who never look backward to their ancestors."
-Edmund Burke
Quotes
Library: Books, Movies, Music
Prints & Photos
Poetry
Jokes
Shops Ireland
Bunús na Gaeilge
(Basic Irish)
Circle of Prayer
Blessings
Did You Know?
Himself/Herself
Write to Us
Readers Write..
Links/Link to Us
Advertise with us
Awards & Testimonials
Submissions Guide
Help keep us free
Throughout the site you will see many items available for purchase from well-known merchants such as Amazon. Not interested in what we're featuring? It doesn't matter. Click on any link and then shop for whatever you wish - we will still get credit, if you buy something.
Thanks for your help.
|
|
|
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 69: A New year
A New Year, A New You? Whether or you succeed in taking off the pounds or giving up the smokes, why not make this year the year you resolve to learn some Irish? We have close to seventy lessons, beginning with the very basics all the way to greetings and toasts! Athbhlian faoi mhaise! (Happy New Year! (pronunciation: Ah-vleen fwee wash-eh)
Word: Smoking
Irish: caitheamh tabac
Pronunciation: kah-huv thah-bahk
Word: Weight
Irish: meachan
Pronunciation: mah-khun
Word: Exercise
Irish: aclaíocht
Pronunciation: ahk-lee-ukth
Word: Diet (food)
Irish: aiste bia
Pronunciation: ash-theh bee-ah
Word: Job
Irish: post
Pronunciation: pusth
Word: Drinking
Irish: ól or ólachán
Pronunciation: ohl or ohl-ah-khawn
Word: A drink
Irish: deoch
Pronunciation:dih-ukh
Word: Debt
Irish: fiach
Pronunciation: fee-ukh
Word: Credit (as opposed to debt)
Irish: creidiúna
Pronunciation: khredj-oon-ah
Word: Organise
Irish: eagrú
Pronunciation: ahg-roo
Word: Course
Irish: cúrsa
Pronunciation: koor-sah
Word: Programme
Irish: clár
Pronunciation: klawr
Word: Promise
Irish: geallúint
Pronunciation: gi-ahl-oo-inch
Phrase: New Year's Resolutions
Irish: Deá-Ruinna thbhliana
Pronunciation: djah-roo-in nah hah-vleen-ah
Phrase: New Year's Day
Irish: Lá Coillte
Pronunciation: law kwell-cheh
Phrase: I'll start on New Year's Day.
Irish: Tosnóidh me Lá Coillte.
Pronunciation: thuss-noh-ee may law kwell-cheh
Phrase: I intend to.......
Irish: Tá sé de rún (or ar aigne or d'intinn agam)...........
Pronunciation: thaw shay dheh roon (or err ahg-neh or dhin-chin ah-gum)
Phrase: I must lose some weight.
Irish: Ní mór dom roinnt meachain a chailliúint.
Pronunciation: nee mohr dhum rinch mah-khun ah khahl--oo-inch
Phrase: I'm going to take more care of my body by taking exercise.
Irish: Táim chun níos mó cúram a dhéanamh ar mo chorp tré aclaíocht a chleachtadh.
Pronunciation: thaw-im khin nees moh koo-rahm ah yay-nuv err muj khurp thray ahk-lee-ukth ah khlahk-thah
Phrase: Can you recommend a good diet programme for me?
Irish: An féidir leat clár aiste bia mhait a mholadh dom?
Pronunciation: on fay-djir lih-ahth klawr ash-theh bee-ah wye ah wull-ah dhum
Phrase: I intend to quit smoking.
Irish: Tá sé de rún (or ar aigne or) d'intinn agam éirí as chaitheamh tabac.
Pronunciation: thaw shay dheh roon (or err ahg-neh or dhin-chin ah-gum) eye-ree oss khah-huv thah-bahk
Phrase: I don't want to stop drinking alcohol altogether but I intend to cut down.
Irish: Ní theastaíonn uaim éirí as ólachán alcól go hiomlán ach tá sé de rún (or ar aigne or) d'intinn agam é a laghdú
Pronunciation: nee hahs-thee-un wem eye-ree oss oh-ah-khawn guh hum-lawn okh thaw shay dheh roon or err ahg-neh or dhin-chin ah-gum ay ah lye-dhoo
Phrase: I'd like to look for a new job soon.
Irish: Ba mhaith liom post nua a lorg go luath.
Pronunciation: bah wye lih-um pisth noo-ah ah lurg guh loo-ah
Phrase: I've enrolled for an educational course.
Irish: Táim tar éis chlárú le haghaidh chúrsa oideachais.
Pronunciation: thaw-im thahr aysh khlaw-roo leh heye khoor-sah edj-okh-ish
Phrase: I promised my husband/wife that ...........
Irish: Thug mé geallúint dom fhear chéile/bhean chéile go...........
Pronunciation: hug may gi-ahl-oo-inch dhum ahr-khay-leh/vahn khay-leh guh.......
Phrase: I will spend more time with my family and friends.
Irish: Beidh mé ag caitheamh níos mó ama lem' chlann agus mo cháirde
Pronunciation: bye may egg kah-huv nees moh ah-mah lem khlahn ah-gus muh khawr-djeh
Phrase: I'm in debt, so I will cancel my credit cards.
Irish: Táim i bhfiaich, dá bhrí sin, táim chun mo chártaí chreidiúna a chur ar ceal.
Pronunciation: thaw-im ih vee-ukh, dhaw vree shin, thaw-im khun muh khawr-thee khredj-oon-ah ah khur err kih-ahl
Phrase: I'm going to organise my life better.
Irish: Táim chun mo shaol a eagrú níos fearr.
Pronunciation: thaw-im khun muh heel ah ahg-roo nees fih-ahr
Phrase: I will eat more healthy food.
Irish: Ithfidh mé bia níos sláintiúla.
Pronunciation: ih-hee may bee-ah nees slaw-in-choo-lah
Phrase: I must help other people.
Irish: Ní mór dom daoine eile a chabhrú.
Pronunciation: nee mohs dhum dhee-nee el-eh ah khow (as in cow)-roo
Phrase: I'd like to enjoy life more.
Irish: Ba maith liom níos mó aoibhneas a bhaint as mo shaol.
Pronunciation: bah wye lih-um nees mo eev-ness ah wahnch oss muh heel
Phrase: I'm going to ask for a raise.
Irish: Táim chun chur isteach ar árdú tuarastal.
Pronunciation: thaw-im khun khur iss-tshi-ahkh err awr-dhoo thoor-ahs-thahl
Phrase: I have no new year resolutions.
Irish: Níl aon deá-rúin na hathbhliana agam.
Pronunciation: neel ayn djah-roo-in nah hah-vleen-ah ah-gum
 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.
|
|
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.
|
|
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.
As a total beginner in Irish, this has taught me quite a few words. The illustrations are beautifully done, and best of all, each word is given a rough English spelling of its pronunciation. Edited from an amazon review.
Click here for Kid's Irish Dictionary.
|
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
|
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
|
|
|
