good irish phrases for essays

josiephone :

For some reason cooling down after studying involves helping other people study. Oh well! Here’s a handy list of phrases you can use in your Irish essays at either Junior or Leaving Cert level. For Topical Essays (the Irish language, littering, racism, the economy etc) ar an gcéad dul síos/i dtús báire - first of all/in the first place chun an fhírinne a rá - to tell the truth feictear domsa - it seems to me d'fheadfadh sé bheith níos measa - it could be worse is oth liom a rá - i hate to say/i’m sorry to say cur i gcás - for example le blianta beaga anuas - in recent years sa lá atá inniu ann - nowadays i láthair na huaire - at present sa todhchaí/amach anseo - in the future measaim - I think dul chun cinn - progress saineolaithe - experts conspóideach - controvertial achmhainní nádurtha - natural resources teocht domhanda - global temperature athrú aeráide - climate change ag dul i ngleic le fadhb an bhruscair - tackling the litter problem ina theannta sin - as well as that go bunúsach - basically níl lá lochta agam orthu - I don’t blame them at all ciníochas an-chaolchúiseach - very subtle racism blaiseadh dá gcultúr - a taste of their culture cead dom, cead duit - live and let live For Story Essasys - (Lá amháin chuaigh mé féin agus mo chara ar siúlóid. Go tobann, thánaig ollphéist as siopa milseán le trí pacáiste lán le cupán im pís thalún. Tá beirt chairde agam anois. 7rl) ar mhuin na muice - on the pig’s back ní raibh duine ná deoraí le feiceál - there was nobody to be seen gan aithne gan urlabhra - unconcsious go tobann/gan choinne - suddenly/without warning ceacht dóite foghlamtha - a lesson learned cúis áthais - reason to be happy taom scaoill - a panic attack níl fonn ná fiach orm x a dhéanamh - I really don’t want to do x sceimhlithe - terrified ag tiomáint go róghasta - driving too fast chomh tiubh géar is a thoicfadh leo - as fast as they could deis chaillte - lost opportunity chuamar amú - we got lost scréach ollmhór - a great scream i mbaol báis - in danger of dying díoscán rothaí agus coscán - the screech of wheels and breaks meangadh mór millteach - a great big smile Don’t forget to adjust tense and person accordingly when you’re using these here fancy phrases!

Bringing this back for exam chickens! 

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Irish: Ask a straight H1 student

We’re answering recurring questions from Snapchat ( six25points ) here. All answers relate to Higher Level Irish.

You may also like: Guide to Leaving Cert Irish (€)  and Irish HL Paper 1 and 2 timing

1. What is the best way to study for the essay question? Would you recommend learning phrases or complete essays?

2. Can I choose the poem I read in the Oral examination?

This part of the exam is often overlooked in preparation for the oral as people see it as ‘easy marks’

3. Can the Irish Oral examination be based around the content of the picture series (sraith pictiúr) you are given? For example, if my picture series is ‘cuairt ar aintín i Nua Eabhrac’ will i be asked about holidays, shopping, etc?

The important thing to remember is you lead the conversation in the Oral

For example, if you say you have a cousin in Australia, the examiner might ask you if you intend to pay them a visit. If you say you’re saving your money for the summer, the examiner might ask you about holidays. Anything you say in passing may be perceived as a hint to the examiner to ask you further questions on that topic.

4. Would you have any tips for the picture series (sraith pictiúr) element of the Irish Oral examination?

Say the picture number before you start on a new picture to keep you focused and to let the examiner know you have moved onto the next picture

• Níl tuile dá mhéad nach dtránn. (Every bad thing comes to an end).
• Imíonn an tuirse ach fanann an tairbhe. (the tiredness goes but the benefits stay)
• Tús maith leath na hoibre (a good start is half the work)
• Is maith an scéalaí an aimsir (time will tell)
• Ní thagann ciall roimh aois (sense doesn’t come before age)
• Is fearr súil le glas ná súil le huaigh (it’s better to be optimistic)
• Ní neart go cur le chéile (there’s strength in unity)

5. What topics should I prepare for the Irish Oral examination?

Never give one word answers.

6. Should I continue speaking in the Irish Oral examination or allow the examiner to ask questions?

Continue to expand on the question asked until the examiner interrupts.

7. What is the best way to prepare for the poetry and prose section of paper two?

8. grammar – when is ‘t’ used, for example ‘rithim an tsaoil’ vs ‘an saol’, 9. grammar- what is the rule for irish nouns beginning with ‘s’ in the tuiseal ginideach( genitive case) for example, ‘sochaí/suirbhé’.

If you are not sure how how to put a certain word into the genitive case in the exam, don’t guess, use a different word that you are more familiar with.

Masculine nouns beginning with ‘s’ don’t change after the word ‘an’, e.g. An sagart, an séipéal. But feminine nouns starting with ‘s’, take a ‘t’… an tseachtain, an tsaotharlann.

10. Would you have any predictions for the poetry or prose question?

11. our teacher provides us with excellent notes and were advised to learn everything off, is this a good method.

Always link back to the question.

12. I’m worried that my notes are too basic and not ‘flowery’ enough. I’ve been getting H1s all year but my work has only been corrected by my teacher. I fear that another examiner may not award me with the same mark. Should I be concerned? Is it possible to guarantee a H1 if you are not a native speaker?

• ‘I’m healthy’ : Tá sláinte an bhradáin agam / Táim chomh folláin le breac
• ‘Getting worse’ : ag dul ó ghiolla na sliogán go giolla na mbairneach
• ‘He’s working ‘ : Tá sé i mbun oibre
• ‘He did his best ‘ : Rinne sé a seacht ndícheall
• ‘They did great work’: Rinne siad obair na gcapall / D’oibrigh said go dian dícheallach
• ‘I hate it’ : Ní lú orm an diabhal ná é
• ‘I don’t have any time to myself ‘: Ní bhíonn faill suí ná seasamh agam
• ‘It cant be denied’: Ní féidir a shéanadh
• ‘There’s no sense to it’: Níl ciall ar bith leis
• ‘Forever and ever/always’: Fad is a bheidh an ghrian sa spéir
• ‘She couldn’t decide’ : Bhí sí idir dhá chomhairle
• ”The real truth’ : An fhírinne lom
• ‘The climax came’: Tháinig an buaicphointe
• ‘It’s clear we don’t have the same view’: Is léir nach é an dearcadh céanna atá againn go léir’
• ‘I don’t have a clue..’: Níl a fhios agam ó thalamh am domhain
• ‘First of all’ : Ar an gcéad dul síos/ I dtosach báire / Ar dtús

13. For question four on paper two, should I prepare ‘An Triail’ or spend my time preparing for the extra poetry?

Dia dhuit, a chara!

1. Tags under posts fetch related posts. 2. The search page is super comprehensive. Abuse it. 3. Double-click any word for its translation.

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Phrases for Essays

A bheag nó a mhór To a greater or lesser extent

Ag dul i bhfeabhas Getting better

Ag dul in olcas Getting worse

Ag dul ó smacht Going out of control

Ar an gcéad dul síos / i dtús báire First of all

Ar fud na cruinne Throughout the world

Bheadh gaois Sholaimh de dhíth You’d need the wisdom of Solomon

Caithfidh mé a admháil I have to admit

Ceacht dóite foghlamtha A lesson learnt

Cead dom, cead duit Live and let live

Chun an fhírinne a rá To tell the truth

Conspóideach Controversial

Cuireann sé alltacht orm It horrifies me

Cur i gcás For example

D'fheadfadh sé bheith níos measa It could be worse

Dar liomsa In my opinion

Dul chun cinn Progress

Feictear domsa go bhfuil It seems to me that

Go bhfios dom As far as I know

Go bunúsach Basically

I bhfad níos forleithne ná riamh Much more widespread than ever

I láthair na huaire At present

I ndeireadh na dála At the end of the day

Idir an dá linn In the meantime

Ina theannta sin As well as that

Is ait liom It seems strange to me

Is é mo thuairim láidir It is my strong belief that

Is éagóireach an ní é It is unjust

Is fearr déanach ná choíche Better late than never

Is mithid do X rud a dhéanamh X must do something

Is oth liom a rá I hate to say / I’m sorry to say

Is iomaí gearán a dhéantar Many complaints are made about

Le blianta beaga anuas In recent years

Maidir le In relation to; as well as

Measaim I think

Ní hamháin sin, ach Not only that, but

Níl aon amhras ach go There is no doubt that

Níl gár a shéanadh There’s no point in denying it

Níl insint béil ar Words can’t describe

Níl sé ceart, cóir ná cothrom It’s not right, just nor fair

Ó mo thaithí féin Based on my own experience

Ó thús ama From the beginning of time

Sa lá atá inniu ann Nowadays

Sa todhchaí / amach anseo In the future

Tá ábhar machnaimh ann It’s something to think about

Tá saol an mhada bháin ag… …have a great life

Tráth dá raibh Once

Specific Topics

Achmhainní nádurtha Natural resources

Ag dul i ngleic le fadhb an bhruscair Tackling the litter problem

Ag crá agus ag creimeadh na tíre Tormenting the country

Blaiseadh dá gcultúr A taste of their culture

Caitear go dona le daoine People are treated badly

Ciníochas an-chaolchúiseach Very subtle racism

Cruatan an tsaoil the hardship of life

Dearcadh caolaigeanta Narrow-minded attitude

Deis chaillte Lost opportunity

Dul i ngleic leis an fhadhb To tackle the problem

Géarchéim Crisis, emergency

Na boic mhóra The ‘big wigs; political heavyweights

Níos minice ná a mhalairt More often than not

Réiteach na faidhbe Solution to the problem

Saineolaithe Experts

Sciúirse na ndrugaí The scourge of drugs

Tá údar imní ann There’s cause for worry

Táthar ag tuar It is being predicted

Teocht domhanda Global temperature

Taom scaoill A panic attack

Tír ilchultúrtha Multicultural country

Tréimhse stairiúil Historical period

Narratives and Fiction

Ag tiomáint go róghasta Driving too fast

Ar mhuin na muice On the pig’s back

Ar nós na gaoithe (fast) Like the wind

Chomh riméadach leis na gcuacha As happy as the cuckoos

Chomh sleamhain le bolg eascainne As slippery as an eel’s belly

Chomh tiubh géar is a thoicfadh leo As fast as they could

An lámh in uachtar The upper hand

Chuamar amú We got lost

Cúis áthais A reason to be happy

Díoscán rothaí agus coscán The screech of wheels and breaks

Gan aithne gan urlabhra Unconcsious

Go tobann / gan choinne Suddenly / without warning

I mbaol báis In danger of dying

In umar na haimléise In the depths of despair

Meangadh mór millteach A great big smile

Ní raibh duine ná deoraí le feiceál There was nobody to be seen

Níl fonn ná fiach orm X a dhéanamh I really don’t want to do X

Níl lá lochta agam orthu I don’t blame them at all

Níor chreid mé mo shúile I didn’t believe my eyes

Scréach ollmhór A great scream

Seimhlithe Terrified

Tá an saol ina chíor thuathail Life is in turmoil

More on native phrases

https://toingaeilge.com/post/190202950228/phrases-for-essays

• 6 Feb, 2017
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Useful Irish phrases

A collection of useful phrases in Irish, a celtic language spoken in Ireland.

Key to abbreviations: sg = singular (said to one person), pl = plural (said to more than one person).

tú / agat / leat / ort / duit are used for one person sibh / agaibh / libh / oraibh / daoibh are used more than one person

Jump to phrases

See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder . If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me .

Recordings and/or corrections by John O'Brien and Siobhán Ní Chathasaigh and Ruairí Ó hEithir

Download all the recordings (Zip, 2MB)

There are no exact equivalents of yes or no in Irish. The way you answer questions depends on the verbs used. For example, if you are asked "Ar mhaith leat damhsa liom?" (Would you like to dance with me?) you could reply with "Ba mhaith" (I would) or "Níor mhaith" (I wouldn't). This is a feature of Irish English as well. You could also use "aye" (yes), "nah" (no) or "cinnte" (sure) if you're not sure which reply is appropriate.

If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me .

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Other collections of Irish phrases (some with audio) http://www.irish-sayings.com/ http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~irelandlist/phrases.html http://www.learn-irish-language-software.com/phrases/FSIrish.htm

Irish learning software http://www.linguashop.com/irish-language

Phrases in Celtic languages

Breton , Cornish , Cumbric , Irish , Manx , Scottish Gaelic , Welsh , Welsh (Gwentian)

Phrases in other languages

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Give Gaeilge a Go: Useful Irish Phrases and where to Practice

Dia Duit! Conas atá tú? An bhfuil aon Gaeilge agat? Well if your answer is níl, or you just couldn’t understand what we were saying above, then now is the perfect time to learn a bit of Irish!

Our native tongue is going through a bit of a resurgence at the moment, with growing numbers of young people speaking the language, various media campaigns being rolled out to encourage its use and organisations working to give it more prominence in our day-to-day lives. Here at This is Galway, we have a huge grá for promoting the language; it’s a great way to keep the unique culture of the West of Ireland alive and thriving.

So with Seachtain na Gaeilge running from March 1-17, you might be thinking it’s time to join the Gaeilge Gang, and we want to help! Below you’ll find some simple and useful everyday phrases you can use, as well as a couple of places where you can practice them to improve your confidence in speaking the language and to help spread the word (literally!).

Oh, and remember: Is fearr Gaeilge briste, ná Béarla clíste (Broken Irish is better than clever English!). So don’t be nervous!

How to say it as Gaeilge…

Hello! = Dia Duit [jee-ya gwitch) Hello (to more than one person) = Dia dhaoibh [jee-ya yeeuv) I would like… = Ba mhaith liom… [ba wah lum] Please = Mas é do thoil é [mosh ay duh hell ay] Thank you very much = Go raibh míle maith agat [guh row meela maw ogut] Where Is the…? = Cá bhfuil an… ? [kaw will on]

Where to say it as Gaeilge…

You can now shout some Gaeilge from the rooftops and help spread the word, but there are a few particular places across Galway which will help you hone your skills even more!

Over a coffee... If you want to practice your Irish daily, head to Plámás . The lovely folk at this cute and cosy little coffeeshop in Galway’s Westend go above and beyond to champion the Irish language. They’ve got phonetic instructions written on the wall (i.e. the sounds you need to make!) on how to place your order through Gaeilge, and you’ll even get a discount when you try it out. You don’t have to be a native speaker to get a coffee here, just give it a go!

Surrounded by culture… Speaking of keeping Irish culture alive, nothing goes better with Gaeilge than ceol agus ól (i.e. trad music and a pint of Guinness!). So we highly recommend heading to Taaffes , an iconic Irish pub on Galway’s Shop Street where a lot of the bar staff and customers speak fluently. There’s always GAA on the telly and a trad session in the corner so you can further surround yourself with the culture and language. Alternatively, if you like the sound of Irish culture but don’t fancy a pint, head to An Taibhdhearc to see an Irish language play!

At The Gaeltacht They say the West Coast of Ireland is home to the last remaining vestiges of old Éire, and it’s easy to see why as you explore those parts of Connemara and County Galway where Gaeilge is the primary language and our heritage is very much alive. From road signs to shop names and Sunday mass sermons to pub small talk, everything happens through the Irish language in these charming pockets in Galway and they are the ideal place to fully immerse yourself! For the city slickers who are afraid to stray too far into the countryside, sign up for the Irish language classes at Áras na nGael in Galway’s Westend.

Running from 1st-17th of March, Seachtain na Gaeilge is an international Irish language festival sponsored by Energia, which is the biggest celebration of our native language and culture that takes place in Ireland and in many other countries every year. So, this March, make use of our handy tips and start speaking our lovely language.

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Useful Irish Phrases and Words You Might Need

A (Very!) Short Introduction to the Irish Language

TripSavvy / Grace Heejung Kim 

Just how many Irish words do you need to get by in Ireland ? The simple answer: none. Literally everyone in Ireland speaks English, and the Irish language is seldom heard in everyday common usage except in the Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking areas mainly on the Western seaboard). But even here, English is generally the language used to communicate with any visitors.

Very few people still learn Irish as their first language so speaking Irish like the natives might fall beyond your linguistic abilities, however, it can be fun and helpful to learn a smattering of common words and Irish greetings.

You might, for instance, want to learn some Irish phrases and words in order to avoid coming across too touristy by wishing someone a "top o' the morning," which no Irish person would ever really say. In order to help you navigate Irish conversations, here is a helpful start. You won't actually get an Irish language course, but you will certainly notice that the local lingo can be quite different from plain English.

While you might not be able to actually hold a conversation in Irish , you should not feel too bad about that - almost no one can! Having said that, you can definitely spice up your English (and perhaps even find that Irish gift of the Blarney) with some Irish phrases and colloquialisms. This may actually endear the eachtrannach ("stranger"/"foreigner") to the locals. Just don’t expect them to buy you pints of Guinness to honor your effort.

Some useful phrases in Irish (that go beyond the essential words you should know in Irish), grouped by category:

Irish Greetings: Hello, Goodbye

• Hello - Dia duit. (literally "may God be with you")
• How are you? - Conas atá tú?
• I am ... - Is mise ...
• What's your name? - Cad es ainm duit?
• What's the news? - Cén scéal?
• Pleased to meet you - Tá áthas orm bualadh leat
• Welcome - Fáilte
• Goodbye (short and general form) - Slán
• Goodbye (if you are leaving) - Slán leat
• Goodbye (if you are staying) - Slán agat
• See you (later). - Slán go fóill.
• Stay safe, take care. - Tabhair aire.

Cheers in Irish

• Cheers - Sláinte (Literal meaning: health!)
• Cheers to the men and may the women live forever - Sláinte na bhfear agus go maire na mná go deo!

Small (but Important) Irish Words

Please note that while we have included "yes" and "no" here, this is not entirely correct. In fact, there are no such words in Irish, just approximations like "it is". This might have to do with the reluctance of the Irish to firmly commit to anything in life or just be a linguistic quirk; both theories have some merit.

• It is - Sea (used more often than "tá")
• It isn’t - Ní hea (used more often than "níl")
• Please - Le do thoil.
• Thank you - Go raibh maith agat
• I’m sorry - Tá brón orm
• Excuse me - Gabh mo leithscéal

Talking About the Irish Language (Or Not)

• Do you speak Irish? - An bhfuil Gaeilge agat?
• How do you say that in Irish? - Conas a déarfávsin as Gaeilge?
• I understand (you) - Tuigim (thú)
• I don't understand (you) - Ní thuigim (thú)
• Say again, please. - Abair aris é, le do thoil. 

Reading Irish Signs

• Mná - Women - yes, the big sign "MNÁ" on the lavatory door is not a mis-spelling of "MAN", so beware!
• Oscailte - Open
• Dúnta - Closed
• As seirbis - Out of service
• An lar - Town centre
• Garda - Police (the official title in the Republic of Ireland only, in Northern Ireland the Police Service is translated as Seirbhís Póilíneachta )
• Eolais - Information
• Oifig Eolais - Tourist Information
• Oifig an Phoist - Post Office
• Páirceáil - Parking

Irish Blessings and Curses

• Cáisc shona! - Happy Easter!
• Go n-éiri an bóthár leat! - Have a good journey!
• Go n-ithe an cat thú is go n-ithe an diabhal an cat! - May you be eaten by a cat that will be eaten by the devil! (the Irish version of "Go to hell!")
• Imeacht gan teacht ort! - May you just leave and never come back! (the Irish version of "Bugger off!")
• Nollaig shona! - Merry Christmas!
• Oíche mhaith! - Good night!
• Saol fada chugat! - A long life to you!
• Sláinte! - Your health! (the Irish version of "Cheers!")
• Sláinte is táinte! - May you be healthy and wealthy! (the Irish version of "All the best!")
• Titim gan eiri ort! - Fall down and never rise again! (the Irish version of "Drop dead!")

Counting in Irish

• 4 - ceathair
• 11 - aon déag
• 12 - dó déag
• 30 - tríocha
• 40 - daichead
• 60 - seasca
• 70 - seachtó
• 1,000 - míle

Days of the Week

• Monday - Dé Luain
• Tuesday - Dé Máirt
• Wednesday - Dé Céadaoin
• Thursday - Déardaoin
• Friday - Dé hAoine
• Saturday - Dé Sathairn
• Sunday - Dé Domhnaigh

Months of the Year

• January - Eanair
• February - Feabhra
• March - Márta
• April - Aibreán
• May- Bealtaine
• June - Meitheamh
• July - Iúil
• August - Lúnasa
• September - Meán Fomhair
• October - Deireadh Fomhair
• November - Samhain
• December - Nollaig
• spring - an t-earrach
• summer - an samhradh
• fall - an fómhar
• winter - an geimhreadh

And How Do You Pronounce These Irish Mouthfuls?

You might think "Ah, well, Ireland is next to Britain ... so even if the words are different the pronunciation should be much the same." But if you try to say Irish words using English rules for pronunciation you will probably be met with laughter or confused stares. Irish uses a lot of the same alphabet as English but this is only because a specially developed style of Irish writing failed to become standard.

Vowel Sounds

Irish uses the same five vowels as English, but the pronunciation is different at times; if there is an accent over the vowel it is a "long" vowel:

• a is pronounced as in "cat", but á is pronounced as in "saw".
• e is pronounced as in "wet", but é is pronounced as in "way".
• i is pronounced as in "fit", but í is pronounced as in "fee".
• o is pronounced as in "son", but ó is pronounced as in "slow".
• u is pronounced as in "put", but ú is pronounced as in "school".

Vowels are also divided into "slender" (e, é, i and í) and "broad" (the rest), influencing the pronunciation of the consonants before them.

Consonant Sounds

As a general rule, all single consonants are said as they are in English, with some important exceptions. When you see more than one consonant together then there may be very interesting tongue-teasers hidden in them, such as:

• bh - pronounced as in "village", it is similar to our v .
• bhf - pronounced as in "wall", it is similar to our w .
• c - always pronounced as in "cut", like a k .
• ch - pronounced as in "loch".
• d - pronounced as in "do" when followed by a "broad" vowel. - pronounced like the j in "joy" when followed by a "slender" vowel.
• mh - pronounced like the w in "will" (again).
• s - pronounced as a normal s when followed by a "broad" vowel. - pronounced like sh in "shop" when followed by a "slender" vowel. - pronounced like sh at the end of a word.
• t - pronounced like a normal t when followed by a "broad" vowel. - pronounced like the ch in "child" when followed by a "slender" vowel.
• th - pronounced just like the h in "home". - pronounced like the t in "bet". - pronounced not at all at the end of a word.

Other Oddities of Spoken Irish

While the above are good guidelines for speaking Irish, even people from neighboring villages in the gaeltacht (the Irish-speaking areas) don't always agree on the proper pronunciation.

You may notice that the Irish tend to roll their r more than other people, even when speaking English. At the same time, the horror of clustered consonants is obvious, the English "film" becoming "fillim" regularly. Oh, and a very good party trick is to have an Irishman read out "33 1/3" which may end up as "dirty tree and a turd".

Pulling It All Together

There also is a tendency to pull together several vowels and consonants into one sound—either through convention or laziness. Thus Dun Laoghaire is best pronounced " dunleary ". Which leads to the conclusion that...

Proper Irish Pronunciation Can Only be Learned by Interacting with Native Speakers

Trying to learn Irish from books is like trying to scale Mount Everest via virtual reality —not impossible but far from the real thing. Even with the help of tapes and CDs you simply will not come up the conversation standard. And, above all, avoid the dreaded Stage Irish of the standard tourists! It makes the real Irish cringe every time.

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Tips for your first conversation as Gaeilge: Our favorite Irish phrases

Get started on how to have a simple conversation 'as gaeilge' by learning these easy irish language phrases. .

For IrishCentral readers in the US who have yet to follow up on their dreams of learning Gaeilge (Irish), we thought we’d get you started with these top phrases and terms that will help you in your first conversation 'as Gaeilge'.

If you want to learn more about how you can learn Irish in the US, look below!

Gaeilge phrases for beginners:

1. Is mise … :

• OMG or OMD? How to text in the Irish language

2. Táim ag foghlaim na Gaeilge:

Tawm eg fowlim na Gwaol-geh

I’m learning Irish.

3. Céard í an Ghaeilge ar:

Kerd ee an Gwaol-geh air

What is the Irish for …?

4. An féidir leat labhairt níos moille, le do thoil?:

An fayd-jur laawirt niece mwi-leh, le do hull?

An you speak slower please?

5. Tá Gaeilge agam:

Taw Gwaol-geh ahgum.

I have Irish.

• Is the Irish language hard to learn?

6. Ní chainteoir líofa mé:

Knee kine-tour lee-o-fah may

I’m not a fluent speaker.

7. An bhfuil Gaeilge agat?:

An will Gwaol-geh ahgut?

Do you have Irish?

8. Bím ag foghlaim na Gaeilge ar líne:

Bee-um eg fowlim na Gwaol-geh air lee-nuh

I learn Irish online.

9. Bím ag freastal ar ranganna Gaeilge:

Bee-um eg fras-tal air wrong-anna Gwaol-geh.

I attend Irish classes.

10. Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam:

Tear gone tanga, tear gone an-im (pronounce these like they are in English e.g. tear - crying a tear.)

A country without a language is a country without a soul.

Another way to learn Irish: 

If you’re looking to start classes from scratch, brush up on what you know or are looking for further ways to practice, you can find more info on how to do so in our  guide to learning the Irish language for free.

• How learning the Irish language changed my view of my identity

Sign up to IrishCentral's newsletter to stay up-to-date with everything Irish!

* Originally published in January 2018. Updated in August 2022. 

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Up to 90: The best Irish words and phrases

St patrick’s day: from leprechauns, langers and eejits to boycotts, donnybrooks and tories.

A history of Ireland in our favourite words: 22 – leprechaun. Their place in Irish folklore was solidified by the 1959 Disney film Darby O’Gill and the Little People

Which words did the Irish invent for our own use, and which ones travelled around the globe? From words emerging from the Irish language via Hiberno-English classics to unexpected words coined by Irish people, this history of Ireland in 90 words covers everything from anatomy and gambling to avocados.

From the Irish “síbín”, this is the first of many words in this list related to general divilment and rúla búla. Perhaps nowhere was the concept of the shebeen more embraced than in South African townships, where they are an important part of the social and cultural landscape.

A history of Ireland in 100 words: 2 – Gubu. Charlie Haughey, whose response to the discovery of the murderer Charles Macarthur in the attorney general’s home, in 1982, Conor Cruise O’Brien turned into the acronym. Photograph: Eamonn Farrell/Photocall

The acronym for “grotesque, unbelievable, bizarre and unprecedented” can now refer to any political or legal wrangling. Conor Cruise O’Brien coined it as his pithy take on Charlie Haughey’s response to the discovery of the murderer Malcolm Macarthur in the attorney general’s home in 1982.

3. Begrudgery

Apparently still the default Irish disposition when greeted with another’s success and happiness. Feck them anyway. The Middle English word “bigrucchen” meant “to grumble about”; the Irish made “begrudge” a noun.

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Eighteenth- and 19th-century Scottish and English schoolboy slang (“sapskull”, “saphead”) that the Irish took and shortened. Internet slang now occasionally reinterprets it as the acronym for “sad and pathetic”.

“Craic” journeyed from Middle English (“crak”) via Shakespeare to 18th-century Scotland (both crack) and was then adopted into Hiberno-English in the mid-20th century and given its Gaelic spelling. A disposition, a state of being, a sin to not be any, the craic – like many quintessentially Irish things, from St Patrick to chippers – isn’t Irish at all but is very much our own.

6. Mot or moth

From the Irish “maith”, meaning “good” (but also “well” and “like”), the term for someone’s girlfriend. The word for yer burd, as it were.

A casual Irish word for “mouth” (the toast “gob fliuch”, for example); also used for “beak”.

8. Hooligan

This almost certainly comes from a twist on the surname Hoolihan. In the 1890s the English comic paper Nuggets featured an Irish immigrant family called the Hooligans, depicted in a typically pejorative way.

The illegal period of drinking in a closed pub after hours that Saoirse Ronan blew the cover on when she tried to explain the concept to Jimmy Fallon last year.

10. You dig?

The jazz and beat slang about being hip to the groove comes from the Irish “tuig” – or, more accurately, “dtuig”, as in “an dtuigeann tú?”; the “d” is an eclipsis, or urú, before the “t” of “tuigeann” (“understand”). Ya get me?

11. Acushla

An old term of affection, from “a chuisle mo chroí” (“pulse of my heart”). Awww.

12. Béal bocht

An Béal Bocht, the novel that Brian O’Nolan published in 1941 as Myles na gCopaleen, parodied the miserylit of Peig and An t-Oileánach, but “to put on the poor mouth” was an expression before na gCopaleen also parodied the title of An Béal Beo, Tomás Ó Máille’s 1936 collection of Irish words and phrases.

According to Condé Nast Traveler's article "How not to look like a tourist at an Irish pub" , "If you go out in a group with a bunch of Irish people, watch for your companions buying rounds. It's common here for people to buy a round for the group, then the next round is on the next person." They left out the social ostracisation and lifelong character assassination that can follow for those who don't get the round in.

A shortening of “traditional”; an entire music scene.

Possibly originating from the Irish “póca”, as in your pocket, or what’s in it.

A history of Ireland in our favourite words: 16 – Boycott. Capt Charles Boycott, agent for the absentee Mayo landlord Lord Erne during the Land War of 1878-1909. Photograph: Bullock Brothers/Sean Sexton/Getty

16. Boycott

From Capt Charles Boycott, agent for the absentee Mayo landlord Lord Erne during the Land War (1878-1909). Charles Stewart Parnell, as president of the Irish National Land League, kicked it off by urging people to ostracise anyone who attempted to take the farms of evicted tenants. Boycott became one of the first victims when he tried to evict tenants after they demanded a decent rent decrease following a poor harvest at Lough Mask near Ballinrobe. Stinger.

17. Donnybrook

This term, meaning a very public quarrel, or “brawl”, isn’t exactly common in Ireland, but it crops up in Britain, Australia, New Zealand and North America. It emerged from the notoriously disorderly Donnybrook Fair, which began in the 13th century and ran for 500 years, and itself is derived from Domhnach Broc, or Saint Broc’s Church. (In place names “Domhnach” means “Church”. It also means “Sunday” – or, more accurately given its origins in the Latin “dies Dominica”, “the Lord’s Day”.)

The name for the peaty wetland found across Ireland is the Irish for “soft”.

19. Culchie

The pejorative Hiberno-English term that urban sophisticates use to describe their rural cousins. But where does it come from? Many have suggested “cúl an tí”, as in the “back of the house”: down the country you enter through the back door rather than the front; or, as servants, you entered the back door of your bosses’ homes. Another origin could be from the Co Mayo town of Kiltimagh, or Coillte Mach, with “culchie” emerging from the Irish word “coillte”, or “woods”. Either way, it only really became popular to describe people from the country in the 1960s, when Dubliners needed something to counter . . .

20. Jackeen

Those east-coast Union Jack-waving eejits #DublinForSam.

A history of Ireland in 100 words: 21 – brogue. Photograph: Richard Boll/Photographer’s Choice/Getty

Long before Gucci was designing shoes, this basic footwear made from hide was worn in Ireland, and was so commonplace it needed only to be called “bróg”, or shoe.

22. Leprechaun

The earliest known reference to a leprechaun is in a medieval story about the king of Ulster being kidnapped by three of the wily sprites and dragged into the sea. Sound. Although leprechauns appear in little Irish mythology, their international reputation as being intrinsic to Irish folklore was solidified by the 1959 Disney film Darby O’Gill and the Little People – and, of course, by Jennifer Aniston’s 1993 movie debut, in the horror film Leprechaun, tag line “Your luck just ran out.”

23. Baloobas

A term originating from the name of the Baluba tribe, in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mistaking Irish United Nations peacekeeping troops for European mercenaries, some of its members launched an ambush and killed nine Irish soldiers at Niemba, in Katanga Province, in 1960.

From “sluagh-ghairm”, the call of a crowd (“sluagh” is now mostly “slua”), as in a battle cry. So “slogan” emerged from the battle cries of a clan.

Oddly enough, the common term for a member of the British Conservative Party comes from the Irish “tóraidhe”, referring to a bandit. In the late 17th century Whigs were those who didn’t want James, duke of York, to succeed Charles II, as he was Catholic. The duke’s sympathisers became known as Tories.

26. Banshee

From “bean sídhe”, woman of the fairies / supernatural / elves, and an Irish contribution to campfire ghost stories.

27. Shamrock

From the Irish “seamróg”, meaning young clover. Our symbol, St Patrick’s way of explaining the deities of Christianity, Aer Lingus’s logo, and a squiggle on the creamy head of Guinness in Irish bars across the globe.

The state you left the place in, and another adopted Irish slang word, from Middle Low German via Middle Dutch, a kip being a bundle of hides – which is probably what was strewn across your bedroom floor if I could even see it under all those clothes.

Could it be from the Irish “gall”, for foreigner? Or, more likely, “gabhal”, which has multiple meanings, including a fork in a road, gap, junction or, of course, crotch?

On that subject, this probably comes from “Sheela-na-gig”, or “Síla na gCíoch”, carvings of naked Irish women exposing their genitals, which are found across Ireland, primary on old stone churches, round towers and castles.

As in the character from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. His name potentially comes from the Irish “púca”, which, although it generally means “ghost”, is slightly more complex than a mere spirit, and could also be a shape-shifter, taking the form of a horse, a goat or another animal.

As in “go leor”, many.

Following the trend of using ordinarily negative words to describe things positively – wicked, sick, insane, killing it – “deadly” is a quintessential contemporary Dublin word with which to signify something’s coolness. “Deadly” is used by Aboriginal people in Australia in the same way. It’s not known which part of the world began using it first.

34. Cute hoor

Pretty self-explanatory if you’re Irish, from “cute”, as in sly, and “hoor”, as in whore. Particularly aimed at those in business, politics and anywhere else that deals are cut.

35. Chancing your arm

A phrase that was born in 1492, when the Butlers of Ormonde and the FitzGeralds of Kildare were involved in a dispute that culminated in the Butlers’ going to St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin, where they were followed by the FitzGeralds. When the FitzGeralds asked the Butlers to come out, so they could make peace, the Butlers refused, leading Gerald FitzGerald to suggest a hole be cut in the door, to offer his handshake – aka chancing one’s arm. The Door of Reconciliation is still there today.

A history of Ireland in our favourite words: 36 – scoop. The slang for a drink overtook “jar”. Photograph: E+/Getty

Slang for a drink that was for a time ubiquitous in Dublin, as it overtook “jar”.

Emerging from British slang, and not exactly deviating from its original etymology of being in a state of health, as in “safe and sound”, to mean decent.

38. Soft day

Although this type of weather isn’t unique to Ireland, our description of it is. When rain is misty to the point of invisibility yet still wet, when there’s poor visibility and a hazy sort of cloud, when the temperature isn’t too cold, when the drizzle seems to linger in suspended animation.

A history of Ireland in our favourite words: 39 – quark. Murray Gell-Mann (above, at Cern) called his subatomic particles quorks until he noticed the line “Three quarks for Muster Mark!” in Finnegans Wake. Photograph: Cern

The term for a subatomic particle was inspired by James Joyce. Murray Gell-Mann, the American theoretical physicist who proposed the existence of quarks, spelled it “quork” until he came across the lines “Three quarks for Muster Mark! Sure he hasn’t got much of a bark. And sure any he has it’s all beside the mark,” describing the sound of a gull, in Finnegans Wake.

The ultimate Irish response and affirmation that in any other context means something far . . . grander. As well as meaning “fine”, or just “okay”, “grand” can also mean substantial and pleasant, however, such as “grand stretch”, noting the brightness of an evening.

41. Session

Going on “the sesh” – as in going drinking, and possibly consuming other substances, followed by a party at someone’s house – has spawned a vocabulary all of its own. But could the term have emerged from another raucous Irish party, the traditional-music session?

42. Gallivanting

“That’s enough gallivanting for one week” may be a very Irish phrase – so much so that it has ended up on tea towels – but it comes from early 19th-century English (“gallant”), as a term for flirting with women, or “to gad about”.

43. Splitting the stones

As in the sun is... Comes from the Irish phrase “Tá an ghrian ag scoilteadh na gcloch.”

This slang for “house” is especially common in Ireland, Manchester and east London. Its origins are uncertain, but one theory is that derives from a Romany word for a market town. In the 18th century it came to mean an inexpensive theatre or music hall.

Another word the Irish have attached multiple meanings to. To go on the lash: to go drinking excessively. Lashing down: raining hard. He’s some lash: a good-looking fella. Give it a lash: attempt something.

The etymology of a side job, or a short-term gig for cash in hand, is unclear but surely has to be simply “nix” – from the German “nichts”, or “nothing” – with an -er at the end.

The word for a 200ml bottle of spirits comes from “noggin”, a drink measure whose name is derived from the Irish “naigín”, meaning a small wooden pail.

48. Give out

To give someone a talking to, from the Irish “tabhair amach”. Giving out yards, gave out stink, and so on.

49. Mar dhea

A great sceptical Irish term, it essentially means “yeah, right” or “as if”.

It’s unclear when “being thick with someone” came to mean being annoyed with them, but it’s a common term.

51. Shenanigans

An Irish-American favourite, it certainly sounds as if it derives from Irish, but its origins are unknown. There’s a theory that it comes from “sionnach”, as in fox – perhaps to be sly or devious, or to mess around.

A history of Ireland in our favourite words: 52 – banjaxed. Photograph: Chema Alba/Moment/Getty

52. Banjaxed

A peculiar word, meaning broken beyond repair, that originated around the 1930s, but its etymology is unknown. The Scottish might be able to shed some light on it, given that to be “banjoed” means to be hit as hard as possible, and subsequently “banjoed” almost means wrecked.

The Australian slang for “woman” comes from the Irish name “Síle”.

54. On the long finger

“Ar an mhéar fhada”, as in to postpone something; it comes from the Irish proverb “Cuir gach rud ar an mhéar fhada agus beidh an mhéar fhada róghairid ar ball”, which means “If you put everything on the long finger, then the long finger will be too short in time.”

Another word originating from the Irish for crowd, “sluagh”. See also word 24.

Less offensive than the other bad word, and popularised in Britain when Father Ted became a hit.

57. Whopper

Massive, and therefore great. Not to be confused with the burger.

A history of Ireland in our favourite words: 58 – tenterhooks. Dying cloth and then (left) drying it on tenter frames. Illustration: Jost Amman. Photograph: Universal via Getty

58. Tenterhooks

The hooks on a tenter, a tenter being a large wooden frame used in clothmaking. Fabric was stretched on the hooks and frame, giving rise to the saying “on tenterhooks”, as in to be in a state of tension. The hooks and frames were such a part of Dublin life that the city’s wool-producing district in the 16th and 17th centuries was known as the Tenters.

Derived from a Tudor term for toilet – jakes – back in the 1500s.

This term for a girl, attractive woman or someone’s girlfriend, which has various spellings, emerged from the term for “woman” in Shelta, the old Traveller language.

The ultimate Cork term, but where did it come from? Our favourite theory is the India-based Royal Munster Fusiliers being pestered by langur monkeys.

It’s no wonder the meaning of this word is always shifting, given that it’s used as a catch-all term, from a collar that attached a plough to animals to pretty much anything – grab that yoke – to an ecstasy pill.

A history of Ireland in our favourite words: 63 – A1. Tina Kellegher as Sharon in The Snapper

Roddy Doyle’s The Snapper predates the change in the Leaving Certificate grading system, but high praise is still A1, Sharon.

64. Malapropism

Mrs Malaprop is a character in Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s 1775 play, The Rivals, who misuses words, as in her request “to illiterate him, I say, quite from your memory”.

Are you after having your dinner, or only after washing your hair? The Hiberno-English use of “after” confuses other English speakers, but it represents the Irish conjunction “tar éis”. It makes sense to us, at least.

In English, German, Dutch and Icelandic it means a piece of earth covered with grass. In Ireland it means a sod or sods of peat, and there is no plural.

An intensifier to enhance the word following it. Pure sound, like.

68. The Shades

A term for police, often used to describe plain-clothes police, thought to have originated in Limerick, and may be related to their eyewear.

69. Hillbilly

The pejorative term for people living in rural areas of the United States, particularly around the Ozark Mountains (Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas) and Appalachia, initially related to the 18th-century Ulster Protestant settlers in the Appalachian Mountains. Some think the term comes from supporters of King William III, Billy’s Boys; others point to a Scottish word for companion, “billie”, combining with the hills both the Ulster and Scottish immigrants lived on.

A small, snug area of a bar where women who were less welcome in the main area of the pub could drink discreetly, as could others who wanted a private moment.

71. Hot press

The term for an airing cupboard that only the Irish use.

72. Spondoolicks

A term for cash that has journeyed around American, British and Irish slang and could actually comes from the Greek “spondulox”, a type of shell used as an early form of money. James Joyce used the word, in its spelling spondulics, in Ivy Day in the Committee Room, one of the short stories in Dubliners, in 1914.

The Hiberno-English pronunciation of “idiot”, which we took and made our own.

A history of Ireland in our favourite words: 74 – avocado. Its name emerged from the Aztec or Nahuatl word for testicle. Photograph: iStock/Getty

74. Avocado

Although variations of the word had been written down for years (aguacate, alvacata and avocatas, for example), the first recorded used of “avocado” was by Sir Hans Sloane, the naturalist born in Co Down. He published a catalogue of Jamaican plants in 1696 in which he described the avocado, whose name emerged from the Aztec or Nahuatl word for testicle, because of its shape. Remember that next time you’re smashing one on some toast.

75. Monoideal

A term meaning fixating on or conveying only one idea, as coined by James Joyce in Ulysses, from the psychological concept of monoideism.

76. A rake of

A lot of, or many.

77. Whiskey

From the Irish word for water, “uisce”. Not to be confused with Scottish “whisky”.

78. Yer man/Yer wan

One of the reasons referring to someone as “yer man” or “yer wan” is so interesting is that it has contradictory meanings. The first could be a reference to someone whose name or identity is uncertain or momentarily forgotten (“you know who I’m talking about, what’s his face, yer man from down the road”), the second a coded reference that intentionally omits the identity (“we all know what yer wan will think about that”).

79. Come here to me

Listen up and lean in, even though you’re right beside me.

An awful dose of an illness, as in a large measurement of something, but that can lead to having a bad dose itself, which in term can lead to someone themselves being an awful dose.

To make a hames of something has something in common with “yoke” (see word 62). Again, it’s a term related to fastening collars to animals. The hames are curved pieces of wood or iron attached to the collar of a draught horse, on which you then attach the traces. Put it on the wrong way and, well, you’ve made a hames of it.

This term seems to have taken the same route by which “cop” ended up referring to police, from the Old French “caper”, or seize. So “copping” something would mean acquiring it, and perhaps therefore became pared down to acquiring sense, but its origins are still a little muddy.

A pretty old word, dating back to the 15th century, that was used to describe a small knife, then various digging tools and, eventually, the vegetable itself. The term “pratie” comes from the Irish for potatoes, “prátaí”.

From the Old Irish “bard”, meaning poet or singer.

85. Minerals

In Ingenious Ireland: A County-by-County Exploration of Irish Mysteries and Marvels Mary Mulvihill mentions how Augustine Thwaites, the apothecary who founded Thwaites & Co, began making mineral waters in the mid-1700s. We can assume that Irish people’s use of “minerals” to refer to soft drinks and sodas comes from mineral waters. When its factory on Moore Lane in Dublin closed, in 1927, the company was taken over by Cantrell & Cochrane (now C&C Group). Ireland has an illustrious history of mineral-inventing. It’s claimed that Thwaites’s son developed soda water while studying medicine at Trinity College Dublin, and ginger ale was invented by the American doctor Thomas Cantrell in Belfast. Side fact: Club Orange was named after the Kildare Street gentleman’s club.

Although in British slang this refers to a huge error, in an Irish context “no bodge” means “no bother”.

87. Smithereens

From the Irish “smidirín”.

88. Sleeveen

A sly person. The term is often used in politics or business to refer to someone who uses smooth talk to get their own way, or borderline-nefarious means for personal benefit. It comes from the Irish word “slíbhín”, which means a trickster, particularly a silver-tongued one.

89. Fooster

Trying to find your keys in your bag, forgetting your phone and then having to go back again for your wallet, messing around with a bunch of belongings, putting things in and out of drawers. That’s right, you’re foostering. Would you ever stop? Comes from the Irish word “fúster”, meaning fussy sort of behaviour.

90. Up to 90

Stressed out, agitated, unbelievably busy. Could it mean at 90mph (similar to “going ninety”, or reaching boiling point, or with a heart rate of more than 90bpm? For some reason, “up to 90” tends to be used more by Irish women than men.

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Ireland-Information

Irish Phrases

The irish phrases and words below have appeared as a regular article in our free monthly newsletter about ireland . gaelic phrases and words, days of the week, days of the month, months of the year, colors, numbers, common greetings and much more..

51 Typical Irish Sayings And Phrases To Impress Your Irish Friends

If there is one thing Irish people are known for, and I am not talking about the drink, it is their famous Irish sayings and phrases. These phrases range from totally understandable to nonsensical and sometimes naughty and inappropriate. 

In all honesty, the blend of the native Irish language and English language forced upon the Irish a hundred or so years ago has led to some rather interesting sayings that can have you wondering what they mean.

But trust me, if you want to blend in with the local crowd and impress some of your Irish pals, you are going to want to know some common phrases and whether you should use them – don’t worry, I will let you know which ones you do not want to use.

Ready to learn about some Irish phrases you need to use and a couple you want to avoid?

Alright then, here we go.

7 Funny Irish Sayings

4 short irish sayings, 5 old irish sayings, 5 irish phrases, 6 famous irish sayings, 7 common irish sayings, 4 stereotypical irish sayings, 9 things irish people say, 5 irish phrases in english.

• The Irish Love Their Sayings 

“ God invented whiskey to prevent the Irish from ruling the world”

The Irish have a massive history of emigration, and it means there are likely more Irish people outside of Ireland than in it now. 

The stereotype that the Irish are drunkards definitely isn’t true. Yes, we love a good bevvy or two but we can also say no. But that is where this saying comes from. If it was not for the whiskey, we’d have taken over the world by now. 

“ My stomach thinks my throats been cut”

This one is a long-winded way of saying you are starving and could do with a good feeding.

“ She ’ d talk the hind legs off a donkey”

This phrase is still common in Ireland, even today. It is used to describe either someone who has some serious charm when it comes to their speech or to describe someone who just does not know when to shut up. 

“ He still has his communion money”

If you know anything about the Irish Catholics, their communion is a big deal. When you take communion at around eight years old, it is customary for friends and family to gift you a little bit of money.

So, this saying is a funnier way of telling someone they are tight-fisted with their finances. 

“ You could grow potatoes in them ears”

What do spuds grow in? Mud, that’s what. So, take a hazard of a guess at what this funny Irish saying is hinting at.

If someone says you could grow potatoes in your ears, it’s them telling you a bath would not go a miss because you look like you have mud behind your ears.

“ This isn ’ t a hangover – it ’ s the Irish flu”

I have put this one here because it is everywhere on the internet. Yeah, it’s a little funny and it does play on the alcoholic stereotype of the Irish. However, it’s not spoken here or at least I have never heard anyone use this saying. 

“ Don ’ t let the door hit you on the arse on the way out!”

Now, this one is definitely used today and I have heard it said many times. It is more sarcastic than funny and is generally used when speaking to someone you want to leave. 

In short, it means don’t linger in the doorway. Leave before the door closes. 

“ She ’ s/He ’ s away with the fairies”

You might have already heard of this saying but just in case you don’t know what it means, I had to add it here. 

Used often in Ireland, this saying describes someone who isn’t rooted in reality or is living in their own little daydream world. 

“ If you want praise, die”

It’s no secret, the Irish, as nice as we all are, aren’t very good at supporting and celebrating successes. I have no idea why but we’re also not very good at taking compliments either. 

However, the minute someone dies, they are praised from the rooftops by the entire town. So, if you want praise, you have to die to get any.

“ Two people shorten the road”

I love this short Irish phrase. It’s really sweet and also very true. It’s a more delicate way of saying a journey goes faster when you have company.

“ A good word never broke a tooth”

I know I said the Irish aren’t very good at taking a compliment or celebrating success but it’s no secret we’re a friendly and helpful bunch. This saying pretty much means you never lost anything by being good or doing something nice. 

“ It would fit Fionn Mac Cumhaill”

If you know anything about Irish mythology, you’ll have heard the stories of Fionn Mac Cumhaill. He was sometimes depicted as the leader of the Fianna warriors but also as a giant. Remember the Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland? Yeah, that was thanks to Fionn Mac Cumhaill and his war with the Scottish giant, Benandonner. 

So, this saying was used when you would have been handed an item of clothing way too big for your body. 

“ You can ’ t make a silk purse out of a sow ’ s ear”

I’ve heard this saying used outside of Ireland, so it no longer belongs to just the Irish. It’s often used when someone is asked to make something beautiful out of something ugly, cheap, or tacky. 

If you’re feeling particularly nasty, this saying can even be used to describe a person. 

“ All his geese are swans”

This Irish phrase, much like many other Irish sayings, uses imagery to convey its message and it’s not necessarily a good one. If you overhear someone using this saying to describe you, it means they think you love to exaggerate things. Especially things that make you sound or look better.

“ I knew him since his boots cost fourpence”

The Irish love to proclaim how long they have known someone and this saying describes just that. Although it’s not used anymore, it was used as a way of saying you had known someone since they were a young child. 

“ May everything turn green today except your gills”

Green is the colour of luck, money, and good fortune here in Ireland. However, if you’re green about the gills, it means you are under the weather and a bit ill.

So, this Irish phrase is wishing you luck and good fortune for the day but hoping you stay in good health. 

“ Who gossips with you will gossip of you”

Those you gossip about others with will have no problem gossiping about you to others. It’s an Irish phrase warning you from gossiping and also being able to spot those you can’t trust.

“ May the cat eat you and the devil eat the cat”

The Irish have come up with inventive ways of cursing at each other. This particular saying can also be spoken in Irish Gaelic “ Go n-ithe an cat thú is go n-ithe an diabhal an cat”  and it’s a fancy way of saying go to hell. 

It can also be interpreted as someone telling you that you will die with only a cat for company and then that cat will eat you. Nice!

“ May the lord keep you in his hand and never close his fist too tight”

The Irish have always loved a good religious phrase and this is one of the most popular. You might not hear it spoken often these days but some of the older generations still use it.

It’s a lovely way of telling someone you hope the lord keeps them safe and well. 

“ If you ’ re lucky enough to be Irish, then you ’ re lucky enough”

The Irish are proud to be, well, Irish. There’s no shame in it. Our entire nation is loved all over the world. So, this saying is a lovely way of telling someone being Irish in this life is more than enough lock on its own. 

“ May the good lord take a liking to you – but not too soon”

This is another religious saying wishing someone luck and safety. It’s a hope that God gives you goodness, joy, and happiness throughout your life but doesn’t like you enough to send you to heaven before your time. 

“ He ’ s talking a load of Blarney”

If you have heard the stories of the Blarney Stone in county Cork, you already know that by giving it a kiss you are supposed to be blessed with the gift of the gab, or the ability to chat your way into and out of any situation. 

However, if someone says that you are talking a load of Blarney, they probably mean you are talking a load of rubbish.

“ Póg mo thóin”

This Irish saying can be found in every gift shop, plastered over t-shirts, beer coasters, and even fridge magnets if you’re lucky. If you ask an Irish local for a phrase in Irish, they may prank you and tell you this one is a friendly greeting.

But it’s not. You could offend someone if you say this to someone you don’t know, as it means ‘kiss my arse’ in English. Still, want to know how to say it? You can pronounce this famous Irish phrase this way ‘ pog ma hon ’.

“ What ’ s the craic?”

This is one famous Irish saying that may baffle most visitors and have you questioning whether you look like a drug dealer or not. 

Do not fear, this saying has nothing to do with illegal recreation and actually means ‘How are you?’ Or ‘Any news?’ And is generally used as a greeting between friends.

“ Acting the maggot”

Forget those wiggly, cream-coloured maggots you’re familiar with. This famous Irish phrase has nothing to do with the offspring of the common household fly. 

Instead, it can mean someone is acting foolishly or someone is being a bit cheeky. 

“ On me tod”

Another phrase you can hear spoken in Ireland, this saying is a way of telling someone you are on your own. 

“ Sure, you know yourself”

This famous Irish saying is one of those sayings that is a little hard to explain because it’s used in different ways. 

For example, if someone were to ask you whether you were heading to the pub tonight, you could answer ‘sure, you know yourself’. It could mean sure, if you are, I probably am but it’s a nifty way of not locking yourself into any plans. 

“ Come here to me”

This common Irish phrase does not actually mean that someone wants you to come over to them. It is a saying used when someone is curious or wants information from you. When someone wants to ask you something, they will say ‘come here to me’ instead of ‘can I ask you a question’. 

“ Sure, look it”

This is another Irish saying that has multiple meanings but the most common use is close to saying ‘it is what it is’. 

For example ‘I lost my wallet when I was in Dublin’, ‘Oh no, that’s awful’, ‘Ah, sure, look it’. 

Who the hell is yer man? He seems to pop up in Irish society so often that it seems like everyone knows who he is. Sometimes, you may even find yer man is referring to a woman. 

Yer man is usually a saying someone uses if they can’t remember the name of someone. For example ‘Who’s yer man over there?’

“ There ’ s a grand all stretch”

Look, the weather in Ireland is my only gripe about living here. I swear there are at least 300 days of rain here in Donegal. So, it is not surprising that the weather is often on the lips of every Irish person. That includes when the evenings finally start getting longer as summer approaches.

A grand stretch is a fairly broad phrase used for a long stretch in the evening.

“ I will, yeah”

Now, this phrase can be used in an honest-to-goodness kind of way but more often, you’ll find it said in a sarcastic tone. So, don’t be confused when you realize that this phrase doesn’t mean someone is happy to do something. 

Usually, it will mean ‘I’m not doing that’.

“ Cop on to yourself”

We have all been in a situation where someone is being a bit silly. This is what this phrase was created for. It’s a longer, and more Irish way, of saying ‘get a grip’. 

“ Giving out”

I remember the first time I went home to Scotland after moving to Ireland and used this phrase with my mum. All I got was a blank stare, a pause, and then a ‘giving out what?’.

This Irish phrase is another way of saying someone was having a go at someone else, they were telling them what for, or they were shouting at someone. 

“ Top O The Morning To Ya!”

We have all heard of this one but I will say it right now, no one in Ireland says this. At least they don’t say it and mean it. It is a very old Irish way of saying good morning but the way it has become tied to the stereotype of the Irish has seen it disappear from the modern-day Irish language. 

“ And the rest of the day to yourself”

If you know ‘top o the morning to ya’ then you know that this is what you should reply to someone who says it. It means good morning as well. 

However, it is unlikely you will have to remember this one if you ever visit Ireland. Some Irish American communities still use these stereotypical Irish sayings but the only person I know who says this is my Irish father-in-law and even then he says it in jest. 

“ Christ on a bike!”

Just like you might shout ‘Jesus Christ’ or ‘Oh my god’, Christ on a bike is another phrase of exclamation and is usually used when something shocking or incredible has happened. 

“ The gift of the gab”

Now, this stereotypical Irish phrase is still used today. Anyone who is said to have the gift of the gab is thought to have a way with words. This saying is usually used to describe someone charming, who has a way with words and can chat with anyone and everyone. 

Grand can be used in many different ways. It can mean ok, no problem, good, sounds good to me, and even great. 

This word is used to describe people who live in the countryside or anyone who lives outside of Dublin. It has not always been a nice word to use, so you might want to avoid this one if you are visiting Ireland. 

Just like the saying ‘looks like a pig sty’, the word kip often describes a dirty room or living accommodation. Alternatively, it can be used as another word for a nap. 

I think this is one of the best words to come out of Ireland and it means idiot. Think someone is being stupid or they have done something a bit silly, they can be described as an eejit. 

This does not mean something dangerous or life-threatening. This word describes something really cool or exciting. 

The Irish have so many ways to say good or ok and this is another one and it can be used on its own or in a sentence. 

If you hear someone saying they are going to the jacks, this does not mean they are visiting someone called Jack, it means they are going to the toilet. 

“ Banjaxed”

If something is broken beyond repair and no longer good for its job, it is probably banjaxed. 

“ Feck/Feck it”

Look, the Irish love a curse word but they know it is not always appropriate. So, feck is as close to the word f*ck you can get without actually saying the word. 

“ Dia Duit”

The direct translation of this Gaelic phrase means ‘god bless you’ but it is more commonly used to say hello. You can pronounce this phrase as  dia doot .  

This Irish word, pronounced  slahn , means farewell or goodbye. 

If you have ever been to an Irish pub, you have probably heard this “ Slainte ” uttered once or twice, and it means health in English. It is used as an Irish Gaelic alternative to saying cheers when toasting drinks.

Pronounced  ful-cha , you will see this word plastered everywhere as you leave and enter different Irish towns. In English, it means welcome. 

 “Le do thoil”

This is an excellent phrase to know, especially if you are planning on visiting our Gaeltacht areas. It means please and is pronounced  leh da-hel .

The Irish Love Their Sayings  

The language used by Irish people is colorful, confusing, and full of fantastic imagery. One of the best bits about living in Ireland is being a part of what feels like a coded language at times.

Some of our sayings stem from our Christian religions, and others have just come about as a way of cursing without actually cursing. 

So, if you ever visit our emerald isle, now you are well educated on some of the best Irish sayings and phrases and you even know how to use them. 

Continue Reading:

• Famous Irish Americans In History
• Irish Birthday Blessings and Toasts
• How To Say Cheers in Gaelic?
• What is Ireland Known For?

Natasha Peters

I am a British-born copywriter who moved to Ireland over a decade ago and have been captivated by Irish culture, landscape and folklore. I enjoy sharing my passion for Ireland through my writing as a freelancer.

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99 Useful Irish Phrases and Words Perfect for Travellers

If you’re new to learning Irish or are travelling to Irish speaking (Gaeltacht) parts of Ireland, this useful Irish travel phrase guide is the perfect resource.

Just like all my other  phrase guides , this Irish travel phrase guide gives you a well-rounded set of practical phrases and vocabulary which will help you have meaningful conversations and interactions with the locals. For ease of use, I’ve included the transliteration for each phrase which means you can read as if you were reading English, but you’ll be magically speaking Irish!

Want to have fun whilst learning Irish? Struggling to find decent Irish language resources? I recommend getting uTalk . Available as a desktop site and app, uTalk is awesome for learning key words and phrases in Irish, especially if you want to use it for travel purposes.  It’s great for beginners getting started in a language and invaluable for intermediates looking to fill in gaps in their vocabulary and pronunciation. 

What I love most about uTalk is that you can jump around their extensive library of topics and choose what you want to learn, when you want, and at your own pace.  Because I believe in uTalk so much, I reached out to them and we’ve teamed up to offer you an exclusive 30% OFF reader discount across all of uTalk’s 140 languages! This offer isn’t available anywhere else! Click here to claim your exclusive 30% discount.

Let’s take a closer look at the Irish language. Here’s what we’ll cover:

Table of Contents

A quick history of irish (gaeilge), what is the irish language called, where is irish spoken, how many people speak irish, irish alphabet, irish grammar.

• Getting Around
• Emergencies
• Useful Irish Phrases for Travellers [Infographic]

Irish was spoken well before these written records on stone appeared and it is believed that the language reached Ireland around 500 BC.

When speaking English, the correct name for the language is “Irish.” When speaking Irish, the language is referred to as “Gaeilge.” You may also hear people say Irish Gaelic which is said in order to make it clear they aren’t talking about Gaelic, which means Scottish Gaelic and is spoken in Scotland along with Scots . Both, however, are related but still maintain considerable differences. 

According to this 2016 census , there are 73,803 people who speak the Irish language on a daily basis in the Republic of Ireland. A further 111,473 speak it weekly; 586,535 speak less frequently, and the rest rarely speak it. Which gives us a total of 1.76 million speakers of the Irish language.

Gaeltacht areas include northwest Donegal and Tory Island, parts of west Mayo and the islands of Inishkea and Achill, Connemara in south Galway and the Aran Island; the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry; Muskerry and the island of Cape Clear in County Cork; An Rinn (the Ring) in Waterford and Ráth Cairn and Baile Ghib (Gibbstown) in Meath.

Outside of Ireland, Irish speakers can also be found in the UK (Ríocht Aontaithe), the USA (Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá), Canada (Ceanada) and Australia (an Astráil).

Here are the letters of the Irish alphabet and their pronunciation.

Unlike English, has a word order of Subject Verb Object, the Irish word order is quick unique in that it is, Verb Subject Object. Only 9 per cent of the languages in the world use this word order. Let’s take the phrase, “I drank a Guinness”, in Irish it would be “Drank I a Guinness.”

How to Say ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ in Irish (It’s not how you think!)

A special characteristic of Irish is how there is no one word for saying “Yes” or “No”. Instead, the verb in the question is repeated in either it’s affirmative (yes) or negative (no) form. This system is found in all modern Celtic languages, except Breton (which is a special case).

So for example, the answer to the question “Can you speak Irish?” would be either “I can” or “I can’t” instead of “yes” or “no”.

How to count in Irish

Using numbers in Irish can be a complicated business. Irish has three number systems, one for counting numbers or referring to dates and times, another one used for people, and one for things. For example, the number two is “ a dó ” ( a daw ), but two coats is “ dhá chóta” ( kghaw khota ), and two boys is “ beirt bhuachaillí” ( berch vookallee ).

To keep things simple, this guide includes the numbers used in counting.

Useful Irish Phrases and Words for Travellers

Want the infographic to take with you? Scroll to the bottom of the page and save it.

P.S. If you’re reading this on your phone and can’t see the pronunciation column, turn it to landscape mode. For some reason, tables aren’t mobile friendly. Sorry!

Useful Irish Phrases and Words for Travellers [Infographic]

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Sources / Irish Phrasebook / Omniglot

Going to Ireland?

• Vikings in Ireland: Epic 3-Day Itinerary Along Ireland’s Stunning East Coast

Want to know more about learning languages? Start here!

• How to Learn Your First Foreign Language in 8 Simple Steps: A Beginner’s Guide
• Language learning tips: 11 Polyglots Reveal The Secrets of Their Success
• Top Language Learning Resources You Should Use
• 11 Life-Changing Reasons Why You Should Learn a Language
• 42 beautiful Inspirational Quotes for Language Learners
• Top 10 Best Ways to Learn a Language Better and Faster

Over to you!

Which of these Irish phrases did you find the most useful? Let me know using the comments section below or join me on social media to start a conversation. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this post. Like what you see? Subscribe using the form below to have all of my posts delivered directly to your email.

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Michele creates language learning guides and courses for travel. What separates her from other instructors is her ability to explain complex grammar in a no-nonsense, straightforward manner using her unique 80/20 method. Get her free guide 9 reasons you’re not fluent…YET & how to fix it! Planning a trip? Learn the local language with her 80/20 method for less than the cost of eating at a tourist trap restaurant Start learning today!

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Very much excited to visit after looking at these scenarios!!

Yay! I’m so happy to hear that 🙂

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Taylor Swift Has Given Fans a Lot. Is It Finally Too Much?

Swift has been inescapable over the last year. With the release of “The Tortured Poets Department,” her latest (very long) album, some seem to finally be feeling fatigued.

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By Matt Stevens and Shivani Gonzalez

Four new studio albums. Four rerecorded albums, too. A $1 billion oxygen-sucking world tour with a concert movie to match. And, of course, one very high-profile relationship that spilled over into the Super Bowl .

For some, the constant deluge that has peaked in the past year is starting to add up to a new (and previously unthinkable) feeling: Taylor Swift fatigue.

And it is a feeling that has only solidified online in the days following the release of “The Tortured Poets Department,” which morphed from a 16-song album into a 31-song, two-hour epic just hours after its release .

Many critics (including The New York Times’s own) have suggested that the album was overstuffed — simply not her best. And critiques of the music have now opened a sliver of space for a wider round of complaint unlike any Swift has faced over her prolific and world-conquering recent run.

“It’s almost like if you produce too much… too fast… in a brazen attempt to completely saturate and dominate a market rather than having something important or even halfway interesting to say… the art suffers!” Chris Murphy, a staff writer at Vanity Fair, posted on X .

Which is not to say nobody listened to the album; far from it. Spotify said “Poets,” which was released on Friday, became the most-streamed album in a single day with more than 300 million streams .

And of course, many of Swift’s most ardent fans, known as “Swifties,” loved her 11th album or, at least, have decided to air any reservations in private conversations. The first days of the album’s release have been greeted with the usual lyrical dissections for key allusions hidden within the songs, attention to every word that few other artists receive.

But others, including some self-identified Swift fans, have freely admitted frustration. Fans and critics alike have contended that Swift’s lyrics have become a tad verbose and that the tracks on this latest album — many of them breakup songs — sounded a whole lot like others she has already put out . The internet has also provided an almost unlimited supply of jokes about the length of the album .

Some admonished Swift for selling so many versions of “Poets” only to double its size after those orders were in, part of a cynically corporate rollout . (Care for the CD , vinyl or the Phantom Clear vinyl ?) The Daily Mail cobbled together what it deemed “The 10 WORST lyrics in Taylor Swift’s new album — ranked!”

For its part, Reductress , the satirical women’s magazine, offered a post titled “Woman Doing Her Best to Like New Taylor Swift Album Lest She Face the Consequences.”

Those who dare to publicly criticize Swift are acutely aware of the potential for backlash. Murphy, the Vanity Fair writer, made a dark joke about it . At least one X user who posted a lengthy thread eviscerating Swift, the album and its rollout took the post private after it got more than three million views. Paste Magazine opted not to put a byline on its harsh review of Swift’s album, citing safety concerns for the writer.

In an unusual twist, even Swift herself is widely viewed as admonishing her most militant defenders in one particular song on the new album, “But Daddy I Love Him.” Some contingents of Swift’s fanbase strongly disapproved of her brief relationship with Matty Healy of the 1975 and appear to now be bristling at the amount of record real estate Healy consumes on the latest album .

Weird, complicated times in Taylor land.

“It might be a tough few days for the fanbase,” Nathan Hubbard, a co-host of the Ringer podcast, “ Every Single Album ,” wrote in a social media thread about “Poets” on Friday . “They’ll hear some valid criticism they aren’t used to (if the critics dare), and for many they’ll have to reconcile their own truth that this isn’t their favorite, while still rightly celebrating it and supporting her.”

Indeed, grinding through the 31-song double album after midnight had felt like “a hostage situation,” Hubbard wrote.

On a new podcast episode, which was released over the weekend, Hubbard and his co-host, Nora Princiotti, were among those who pointed out that while the album may be imperfect, Swift simply may have needed to purge herself of the songs on “Poets” to process a turbulent time in her life.

Princiotti said she enjoyed much of the album and was careful to stipulate that “Poets” did contain several “special songs.”

But she also allowed for some “tough love.”

“Musically, I do not really hear anything new,” she said, adding that Swift “could have done a little bit more self editing.”

“I don’t think the fact that this is a double-album that is more than two hours in length serves what’s good about it,” Princiotti said. “And I think that for the second album in a row, I’m still sort of left going, ‘OK, where do we go from here?’”

Princiotti ultimately graded “Poets” a “B.” And in the world of her podcast and universe of Taylor Swift, Princiotti acknowledged — that might have been an all-time low.

An earlier version of this article misstated the title of Taylor Swift’s new album. It is “The Tortured Poets Department,” not “The Tortured Poets Society.”

How we handle corrections

Matt Stevens writes about arts and culture news for The Times. More about Matt Stevens

Shivani Gonzalez is a news assistant at The Times who writes a weekly TV column and contributes to a variety of sections. More about Shivani Gonzalez

Inside the World of Taylor Swift

A Triumph at the Grammys: Taylor Swift made history  by winning her fourth album of the year at the 2024 edition of the awards, an event that saw women take many of the top awards .

‘The T ortured Poets Department’: Poets reacted to Swift’s new album name , weighing in on the pertinent question: What do the tortured poets think ?  

In the Public Eye: The budding romance between Swift and the football player Travis Kelce created a monocultural vortex that reached its apex  at the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. Ahead of kickoff, we revisited some key moments in their relationship .

Politics (Taylor’s Version): After months of anticipation, Swift made her first foray into the 2024 election for Super Tuesday with a bipartisan message on Instagram . The singer, who some believe has enough influence  to affect the result of the election , has yet to endorse a presidential candidate.

Conspiracy Theories: In recent months, conspiracy theories about Swift and her relationship with Kelce have proliferated , largely driven by supporters of former President Donald Trump . The pop star's fans are shaking them off .