Irish Gaelic Handout

Irish Lesson with Celtic Harpist Dennis Doyle

English	Irish	Phonetic
1. Greetings
Good Day	Dia duit!	djiah gwich
Good Morning	Dia duit ar maidin	djiah gwich air mahdjeen
--reply-	Dia is Muire duit.	djiahs murrah gwich
2. Naming People
What is your name?	Cad is ainm duit?	cahd iss anim ditch?
--reply-- is my name	------is ainm dom.	---- iss anim dyum
Dennis is my name	Donnacadh is ainm dom.	Don-nikah iss anim dyum
Mary is my name	Maire is ainm dom.	Moirah iss anim dyum
3. Pleasantries
How are you?	Conas tá; tú?	co-nas tah tu
I'm well...or	Tá mé go maith	tah may go mah or
I'm well	Táim go maith.	tah-im go mah
I'm not good.	Níl mé go maith.	neel may go mah
I'm ......	Tá me....	tah may...
wonderful	Tá mé go hiontach.	tah-may go hee-un-tachk
fine	Tá mé go breá.	tah-may go brah
bad	Tá mé go dona	tah-may go doe-nah
medium	Tá mé go measartha.	tah-may go mas-ser-ah
drunk	Tá mé ar meisce.	tah-may air meeish-kah
very drunk	Tá mé ólta.	tah-may ole-tah
mad (crazy or angry)	Tá mé ar buille.	tah-may air bu-ill-yah
tired	Tá mé tuirseach.	tah-may ter-shock
4. Parting
Good bye	Slán	shlahn
--reply	Slán leat	shlahn lyaht
Goodbye for now	Slán go fóill	shlahn goh foihll

5. Around the Table
Would you like..	Ar mhaith leat...	air why lyat..
No	Níl..	neel
Yes	Ba mhaith liom	bah hwah lyum..
What would you like?	Cad ba mhaith leat?	cahd ba hwah lyat?
I would like...	Ba mhaith liom..	bah hwah lyum..
I wouldn't like..	Ní maith liom...	nee my lyum
I'd prefer	B'fhearr liom...	bar lyum..
a cigarette	toitín	toit-tcheen
coffee, please	caife, le do thoil	ccoffey, ledah hel
lemonade	líomanáid	lemon-adj
a coke	cóc	coke
tea	tae	tay
milk	bainne	bahn-nyeh
ice cream	uachtar reoite	oo-akter roycheh
eggs & bacon	uibheacha agus bagún	ovv vahah ugus bahgoon
fruit	torthaí	tor-hee
bread	arán	ahr-rahn
butter	im	im
jam	subh	soov
meat	feoil	feeoil
fish	iasc	ee-asc
water	uisce	ishkah
whisky	uisce beatha	ishkah bahhah
beer	beoir	beeyore
wine	fíon	feeon
breakfast	bricfeasta	brick-festah
lunch	lón	lahn
supper	suipéar	sup-air'
Thank you	Go raibh maith agat.	gura mie ugut

6. Colors
What color is it?	Cén dath atá ar?	kane dah ahtah' air?
It is..	Tá sé...	tah shay..
red	dearg	djareg
blue	gorm	gorum
yellow	buí	bwee
green	glas	glahs
orange	oráiste	orrahshtah
black	dubh	doov
white	bán	bahn
grey	liath	lee-ah
brown	donn	dun
pink	bándearg	bahn-djareg
purple	corcra	kor'-krah

7. Time
What time is it?	Cén t-am é?	cane tom ay?
It's..	Tá sé..	tah shay..
1 AM	Tá sé a haon a chlog ar maidin	..a hayn uh clug air mahdjeen
2 AM	Tá sé a dó a chlog ar maidin	..a doeh uh clug air mahdjeen
3 AM	... a trí a chlog...	..a tree uh clug
4 AM	... a ceathair a chlog...	..a ca-her uh clug
5 AM	... a cúig a chlog..	. ..a ku-ig uh clug
6 AM	... a sé a chlog...	..a shay uh clug
7 AM	... a seacht a chlog...	..a shockt uh clug
8 AM	... a hocht a chlog...	..a hokt uh clug
9 AM	.. a naoi a chlog..	..a nyee uh clug
10 AM	... a deich a chlog...	..a djay uh clug
11 AM	... a haon déag a chlog..	..a hayn djeg uh clug
12 PM	.. a dó dhéag a chlog	..a doe yeg uh clug
or Noon	meán lae	..man lay
1 PM	Tá sé a haon a chlog um tráthnóna	..a hayn uh clug um trahnoena
2 PM	Tá sé a dó a chlog um tráthnóna ..	a doeh uh clug um trahnoena
etc.
12 PM	a dó dhéag a chlog um tráthnóna.	a doeh yeg uh clug um trahnoena
or Midnight	meán oíche	..man ee-hah
2:30	Tá sé leathuair tar éis a dó..	..leh-ooar tar eysh a doe
3:15	Tá sé ceathrú tar éis a trí..	..cahroo tar eysh a doe
7:45	Tá sé ceathrú chun a hocht...	..cahroo hun a hokt
7:10	Tá sé a deich tar éis a seacht.	a djay tar eysh a shockt
half hour after	leathuair tar éis	leh-ooar tar eysh
quarter after	ceathrú tar éis	cahroo tar eysh
quarter to	ceathrú chun	cahroo hun
ten after	deich tar éis	djay tar eysh
8. Some Nouns
What's that?	Cad é sin?	cahd ay shin?
It's a...	Is ... é.	Iss.......ay.
It's a...radio	Is raidió é.	Iss rahdee-oh ay.
cabinet	cófra	coffrah
window	fuinneog	fwin-ngog
curtains	cuirtíní	kurt-chin-nee
newspaper	nuachtán	noo-ak-tan
book	leabhar	lyore
wall	balla	bahllah
flowers	bláthanna	bla-ha-nah
mirror	scáthán	scah-hen
clock	clog	clug
fire	tine	chinneh
the man	an fear	un far
the woman	an bhean	un van
the floor	an t-urlár	un ter-ler
classroom	seomra scoile	shome-rah skullyeh
bathroom	seomra folctha	shome-rah folk ha
Where is the bathroom?	Cá bhfuil an seomra folctha ?	cah hwill un shome-rah folk ha ?
class	rang	rahng
pencil (lead pen)	peann luaidhe	paen loo-ey
desk	deasc	dayshk
table	bord	bord
teacher	múinteoir	moo-un-cheore
scholar	scoláire	sko-larleh
student	mac léinn	mac-layn
black board	clár dubh	clar-doov

9. The Verb "to be"
sentence structure=	verb + subject + modifiers
I am	Tá mé	tah may
you are	Tá tú	tah too
He is	Tá sé	tah shay
It is...	Tá sé	tah shay
She is...	Tá sí	tah shee
We are...	Táimid	tah mwidj
You all are..	Tá sibh	tah shiv
They are...	Tá siad	tah shee-id
10. The Prepositional Pronoun "ar"
on..., on me, on you, on him or it, on her, on us, on you (plural), on them	ar...orm,ort, air, uirthi, orainn, oraibh orthu	air, orum, ort, air, orinn, oriv, or-hoo
sentence structure=	verb +condition + on.....
I am sick (The sickness is on me)	Tá slaghdán orm.	tah shlayden ourm
He is sick (The sickness is on him)	Tá slaghdán air.	tah shlayden air
I am happy	Tá áthas orm.	tah a-has orum
She is happy	Tá áthas uirthi.	tah a-hass er-hee
I am sorry	Tá brón orm.	tah broan orum
I am afraid	Tá eagla orm.	tah uglah orum
I am angry	Tá fearg orm.	tah fareg orum
I am ashamed	Tá náire orm.	tah nareh orum
I am hungry	Tá ocras orm.	tah ocrus orum
I am thirsty	Tá tart orm.	tah tart orum
11. Some Adjectives
They are early	Tá siad go luath.	tah sheeid gu lu-ah
You are late or slow	Tá tú mall.	tah too guh mahl
He is fast.	Tá sé go tapaidh.	tah shay guh tahpee
He is laying down.	Tá sé ina luí.	tah shay innah gnlu-ee
He is old.	Tá sé sean.	tah shay shan
It is new.	Tá sé nua	tah shay noo-ah
She is beautiful.	Tá sí go hálainn.	tah shee guh hall-in
He is tall.	Tá sé ard.	tah shay ard
He (or it) is soft.	Tá sé bog.	tah shay bog
'Tis a soft day.	Lá bog é.	lah bog ay
It is hard (surface).	Tá sé go crua.	tah shay go cruah
It is hard (work).	Tá sé go deacair.	tah shay guh djakker
It is dirty.	Tá sé salach.	tah shay sallahck
It is clean.	Tá sé glan.	tah shay glahn
It is cold outside.	Tá sé fuar amuigh.	tah shay foo-ar amwee
It is wet.	Tá sé fliuch.	tah sahy fluhck
It is dry	Tá sé tirim.	tah shay chirrim
It is hot inside	Tá sé te istigh.	tah shay chay ishtgee
It is fat	Tá sé ramhar.	tah shay rour
It is thin.	Tá sé tanaí.	tah shay tanee
Was it hot outside?	An raibh sé te amuigh?	un roe shay chay amwee
No	Ní raibh..	nee roe
Yes	Bhí.	vee
I was cold.	Bhí mé fuar.	vee may foo-ir
12. Some Verbs
I was...	Bhí mé ....	vee may
eating my lunch	ag ithe mo lón	eg eehah moe lone
watching TV	ag féachaint ar an teilifís	eg fehckent air un tellefish
drinking whiskey	ag ól uisce beatha	eg ole ishkah bah-hah
fighting with my wife	ag troid leis mo bhean céile	eg troid lesh moe van kaylah
reading a book	ag léamh an leabhar	eg lay-uh un lyore
walking on the road	ag siúl ar an bothar	eg shooil air un boe-her
going to..	ag dul go dtí..	eg dull go djee
the store	an siopa	eg dull go djee un shoappah
the bathroom	sa seomra folctha	eg dull go djee sah shumrah foelkah
big fair	aonach mhór	eg dull go djee un aynohck wore

13. Useful Phrases:
I am..	Is mise..	iss mishheh..
please	Más é do thoil é	mushayduh-hulyah
Thank you	Go raibh maith agat	guramahhagut
Thank God	Buíochas le Dia	bweeahhkus lay djeeah
Take it easy	Tóg bog é	toge boag ay
Never mind	Ná bac leis	nah bahk lesh
Be careful	Bí curamach	be kuramakh
Be quiet	Bí ciúin	be ku-in
shut your mouth	Dún do bheal	dun doe vale
Kiss my arse	Póg ma thoin	poag mah hone
good bye ( if staying)	Slán leat	shlahn lyaht
goodbye (if going)	Slán agat	shlahn ugut
good night	oíche mhaith	ee-ha-why
pardon me	gabh mo leithscéal	gomolyesh-kale
alright	ceart go leor	kyart go lyore
listen to me	eistigi liom	eshtigee lyum
say it again, please	Abair é sin arís, le do thoil	abber ay shin areesh, ledah hell
14. Blessings & Curses
Go raibh míle maith agat do Dennis King

Things to say to your friends and lovers

May you have a thousand good things = Many thanks!	Go raibh míle maith agat!	guh ruh meel'uh mah uhguht
My thousand loves	Mo mhíle grá	moh veela grah
My fair darling	mo mhúirnín bán	moh vor-neen bahn
My thousand treasures = darling	Mo mhíle stór	moh veelah shtore
I love you	Tá grá agam duit	tah grah ugum ditch
Your honey-mouth	Do bhéilín meala	doh vayleen mahlah
My secret (love)	Mo rún	moh roo-in
Happiness on you = Thank you!	Sonas ort!	sonuhs ort
A gold ring on you = Bravo! Thank you!	Fáinne óir ort!	fahn'uh oer' ort
Good you = Good for you!	Maith thú!	mah hoo
My music you = Bravo! Good for you!	Mo cheol thu!	muh kyoel hoo
My seven blessings on you	Mo sheacht mbeannacht ort!	muh haext baenuhxt ort
May God not weaken your hand = More power to you!	Nár lagaí Dia do lámh!	nahr lagee d'eeuh duh lahv
May you live long!	Go maire tú!	guh mar'uh too
May you go live to the hundred	Go dté tú an céad!	guh d'ay too uhn k'ayd
Prosperity from God on you	Bail ó Dhia ort!	bal' oe jeeuh ort
God's bounty on you = God bless you!	Rath Dé ort!	rah d'ay ort
May God put luck on you = Best of luck to you!	Go gcuire Dia an t-ádh ort!	guh gir'uh d'eeuh uhn tah ort
God's blessing with you	Beannacht Dé leat!	baenuhxt d'ay l'aet
May your trip succeed with you = Have a successful trip!	Go n-éirí do thuras leat!	guh n'ayr'ee duh huruhs l'aet
May the road succeed with you	Go n-éirí an bóthar leat!	guh n'ayr'ee uhn boehuhr l'aet

Things to say to your enemies

To hell with you	Go hifreann leat!	guh hif'r'uhn l'aet
Go in the devil's house	Téigh i dtigh diabhail!	t'ay uh d'ee d'aul'
May the devil take you with him	Go mbeire an diabhal leis thú!	guh mer'uh uhn d'aul l'es' hoo
Your soul to the devil	D'anam don diabhal!	danuhm duhn d'aul
Your body to the devil	Do chorp don diabhal!	duh xorp duhn d'aul
Go to the devil	Imigh sa diabhal!	im'ee suh d'aul
Damnation on you	Damnú ort!	damnoo ort
Scorching and burning on you	Loscadh is dó ort!	loskuh uhs doe ort
Smothering and drowning on you	Múchadh is bá ort!	mooxuh uhs bah ort
A shroud on you	Marbhfháisc ort!	maruhvahs'k' ort
May the devil choke you	Go dtachta an diabhal thú!	guh daxtuh uhn deel hoo
May the cat eat you, and may the devil eat the cat!	Go n-ithe an cat thú, is go n-ithe an diabhal an cat!	guh nee-ha un caht hoo, iss guh nee-ha un deel un caht
15. More Prepositional Pronouns
I like...	Is maith liom...	iss mah lyum..
I don't like...	Ní maith liom...	nee mah lyum..
Would you like tea?	Ar mhaith leat tae?	air why lyat tay?

The preposition "ag" (at) will combine with "mé" (I or me) to form "agam" (at me). The preposition is combined with the pronouns "mé, tú, sé,sí, etc." into one word. This feature with "agam", "agat","againn", etc. also form an idiom that means "having". "Tá cóta agat" literally means: "The coat is at you", but really means "You have the coat". This mixing of prepositions with the pronouns also works with the preposition "le" (with). For example:

with	le	leh
with me	liom	lyum
with us	linn	lyinn
with you	leat	lyat
with you (plural)	libh	liv
with him/on it	leis	lesh
with them	leo	loe
with her	léi	lay-hee

"Le" means "with", but it can also be used as a idiom which means to own.
Here are some different ways that "le" is used:

I'm here with Martin.	Tá mé anseo le Máirtín.	tah may unshaw leh mar-tcheen
I agree with Martin (I am with Martin)	Tá mé le Máirtín.	tah may leh mar-tcheen
I own that new car. (car is with me)	Tá carr nua seo liom.	tah carr nooah shaw lyum
Health with you!	Slán leat!	shlahn lyaht
Move thyself!	Bog leat!	bug lyaht
It's good with me (I like .....)	Is maith liom...	iss mah lyum
You don't like...	Ni maith leat...	nee mah lyum
I don't care.	Is cuma liom.	iss cumma lyum
I prefer.......	Is fear liom.	iss far lyum
If you can.	Más féidir liom.	mahs faydjer lyum
You can't.	Ní féidir leat.	nee faydjer lyat
Cheers!	Sláinte!	shlahntcheh

16. Recommended Books

"Irish for Beginners" (Usborne Language Guides, London) which is very colorful, easy to read, has many illustrations, uses a conversational approach and has plenty of simple vocabulary. High priced! ($12.95 at the some Irish import shops) with only 48 pages.
"The Irish Phrase-Book" (Bord na Gaeilge, Mercier Press, Dublin) is not illustrated but is lower priced ($9.95) and has plenty of great examples and 91 pages.
"The Pocket Irish Phrase Book" (Appletree Press,Belfast) is well written, easy to read with phonetic pronunciations, and has over 1,000 phrases. At $5.57 it is the best value, but the little book tends to fall apart (71 pages).
"Irish: Languagé30" (Educational Services Corporation, Washington D.C.) is a cassette tape with a very useful phrase book. You have the advantage of the oral model on tape and the phrase book has the phonetic pronunciation as well (39 pages, 2 tapes). Not as much material as the others. $15-$23.
"Irish is Fun" (Y Lolfa, Wales) is a fun, illustrated, somewhat racy first course in Irish. Weak on pronunciation, but strong in basic conversational stuff with memorable cartoons. About $7. (92 pages).
Most of these are at most Irish import shops You can send for them from Irish Books and Media 612-871-3505, or possibly from Irish Books and Graphics (212) 962-4237.

17. Internet Sites

Dennis Doyle's Web Site is at http://english.glendale.cc.ca.us/doyle.a.html. Send him mail at ddoyle@mail.glendale.cc.ca.us

A list of Irish and Celtic Resources is at http://english.glendale.cc.ca.us/irish.html. .

Information about the Celtic harp music of Dennis Doyle is at http://english.glendale.cc.ca.us/tapes.a.html. .

Interactive Irish Gaelic Course on the Internet http://www.maths.tcd.ie/gaeilge/gaelic.html Short course from Trinity College. Includes a wonderful section on curses, blessings and terms of endearment.

Irish Gaelic Course http://www.phil.uni-sb.de/~brandy/gaelic/ Kurs/index.html Short course with dictionary. (There have been some quibbles with the method, but there are links to other Gaelic sites here.)

Gaelic/Irish Language Home Page http://sunsite.unc.edu/gaelic/gaelic.html

Other Gaelic/Irish Language Information http://www.bess.tcd.ie/gaeilge.html from Trinity College, Dublin
and http://nexus.brocku.ca/rogawa/gaelic/ by Ronald Ogawa. Contains extra practice lessons by Nancy Stenson for Learning Irish by O/ Siadhail.
and http://futon.sfsu.edu/~jtm/Gaelic/

Irish-Gaelic Word of the Day Site Focal an Lae http://www.lincolnu.edu/~focal/ Short lessons which help you build vocabulary. This is the archive related to an e-mail list. If you want to subscribe to the list send the message "subscribe focail-list (your first and last name)" to "listproc@eskimo.com"

Sabhal Mor Ostaig http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk Scottish Gaelic Information from Scotland's Gaelic-medium college on the island of Skye. Includes Gaelic-English online dictionary, newsletter and world-wide courses available.

Irish-Gaelic Summer Courses in Ireland http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaidhlig/gaeilge/ranganna/
and (agus) http://www.xs4all.nl/~conaill/Oideas_Gael/oideas.html

Connemara, County Galway http://mike.rtc-galway.ie/~folan/connemara.html Map and information about Connemara in English and in Irish

Gaelic Jokes http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaidhlig/gaeilge/corpus/greann/

Appreciate this resource? Check out Mr.Doyle's recordings:

Irish Blessings

Lovely peaceful all instrumental Celtic Harp with fiddle, oboe, tin whistle and guitar. Traditional Irish airs including "She Moves Through the Fair", "Wild Mountain Thyme", the "Wild Geese" and many more.

more about the cd

More Workshop Notes by Mr. Doyle:

This was last updated January, 2004.

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Send comments, questions, or corrections to Dennis Doyle
ddoyle@glendale.cc.ca.us.