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Bunús na Gaeilge - Basic Irish Language
 There is no other way to revive Irish than for a crowd of people to spread it.
- Douglas Hyde
Note: The spellings and pronunciations used are based on Aideen's own natural use of Connemara Irish but they have been kept simple, so as to be understood where there are differences in the language.
For example, the word 'feicfidh' is used only in Connemara Irish; in Leinster, Ulster and Munster the word is 'cífidh'. There are two pronunciations; Leinster/Munster - kee-fee; Ulster - chee-fee.
The biggest problem for people whose native language is English is that the soft 't' and 'd' are in Irish, but not in English; it's difficult to 'reproduce' them in writing. Where I use 'th' and 'dh' here, they are best achieved by putting your tongue gently behind your front upper teeth."
Click here for our words & phrases Index.
Lesson 67: The Big Dinner
With the holidays right around the corner, this month's lesson focuses on the all-important festive feast. Our resident Irish speaker gave this offering a most appropriate title: An Dinnéar Mór - The Big Dinner.
Photo Credit: Ivan Elsas
Phrase:
Irish: An Dinnéar Mór
Pronunciation: on din-ayr mohr
Word: Dinner
Irish: dinnéar
Pronunciation: din-ayr
Phrase: Dinner Party
Irish: dinnéar chóisir
Pronunciation: din-ayr kohsh-ir
Phrase: Holiday dinner
Dinner: dinnéar ócáide
Pronunciation: din-ayr oh-kaw-dje (literally: an 'occasion' dinner)
Word: Table
Irish: bord
Pronunciation: burdh
Phrase: Place Setting
Irish: cur suíomh (literally: seating place)
Pronunciation: kurr seev
Word: Knife
Irish: scian
Pronunciation: shkeen
Word: Fork
Irish: forc
Pronunciation: furk
Word: Spoon
Irish: spúnóg
Pronunciation: spoon-ohg
Word: Teaspoon
Irish: taespúnóg
Pronunciation: thay-spoon-ohg
Phrase: Carving knife
Irish: scian sníodóireachta
Pronunciation: shkeen snee-oh-dhoh-ir-ukth
Phrase: Dinner service
Irish: foireann dinnéir
Pronunciation: fwirr-un din-ayr
Word: Plate (as in dinner plate)
Irish: pláta
Pronunciation: plaw-thah
Word: Dish (as in food item/course)
Irish: mias
Pronunciation: mee-ahs
Phrase: Bread Plate
Irish: pláta aráin
Pronunciation: plaw-thah ah-raw-in
Phrase: Soup Bowl
Irish: babhla anraith
Pronunciation: bow(as in cow) ahn-rah
Phrase: Salad Bowl
Irish: babhla sailéid
Pronunciation: bow(as in cow) sahl-aydh
Word: Glass
Irish: gloinne
Pronunciation: glin-eh
Word
Irish: Crystal criostal
Pronunciation: kris-thahl
Phrase: Wine glass
Irish: gloine fíona
Pronunciation: glinne feen-ah
Phrase: Champagne flute
Irish: cuisleann seaimpéin
Pronunciation: kwish-lunn champagne
Qord: Cocktail
Irish: manglam
Pronunciation: mahn-glahm
Word: Aperitif or Starter/Appetizer
Irish: greadóg
Pronunciation: grah-dhohg
Word: Silver (cutlery)
Irish: sceanra airgid
Pronunciation: shkahn-rah ahr-gidh
Phrase: Linen Tablecloth
Irish: línéadach boird
Pronunciation: leen-ay-dhukh bwirdh
Word: Napkin (Serviette)
Irish: naipcín
Pronunciation: nap-keen
Word: Centrepiece (flowers)
Irish: gréagán bhláthanna
Pronunciation: gray-gawn blaw-ah-nah
Word: Candles
Irish: coinnle
Pronunciation: qwinn-leh
Phrase: Candle sticks
Irish: coinnleoiraí
Pronunciation: qwinn-lioh-ree
Phrase: Full-course meal
Irish: béala lán-chúrsa
Pronunciation: bay-lah lawn-khoor-sah
Word: Dessert
Irish: milseog
Pronunciation: mil-shohg
Word: Cake
Irish: ciste
Pronunciation: kish-the
Phrase: Rich fruit cake
Irish: ciste torthaí saibhir
Pronunciation: kish-theh thur-hee sever
Word: Host/Hostess
Irish: óstach/beanóstach
Pronunciation: ohs-thukh/ bahn-ohs-thukh
Word: Gift
Irish: bronntanas
Pronunciation: brun-than-ahs
Word: Guest(s)
Irish: Aoí (Aoíeanna)
Pronunciation: ee (ee-unn-ah)
Phrase: It's fun to set a holiday table
Irish: Nach brea an spraoi é an bord saoire a chur in eagrú
Pronunciation: nahkh on burdh see-reh ah khur in ah-groo
Phrase: We polish the silver right before all the big holidays
Irish: Cuireann muid snas ar an sceanra airgid díreach roimh na saoire móra
Pronunciation: kwirr-un mwidh snahs err on shkahn-rah ahr-gidh djeer-ukh rev nah see-reh moh-rah
Phrase: We always bring out (use) our best linen, dinner service, cutlery and crystal during the holidays
Irish: Bíonn an línéadach, sceanra, foireann dinnéir, shkahn-rah agus criostal is fearr in úsáid againn i rith na saoire
Pronunciation: bee-un on leen-ay-dhukh, shkahn-rah, fwirr-un din-ayr ah-gus kris-thahl iss fahr inn oo-sawdj ah-ginn ih rih nah see-reh
Phrase: We've invited the entire family for dinner
Irish: Thug muid cuireadh don chlann uilig teacht le haghaidh dinnéar
Pronunciation: Hug mwidj kwirr-eh dhun khlahn ill-ig
Phrase: We will serve dinner at 8 o'clock
Irish: Beidh dinnéar á ndáil againn ag a h-ochth a chlog
Pronunciation: bye din-ayr aw naw-il sh-ginn egg ah hukth ah khlug
Phrase: Is everything ready in the kitchen now?
Irish: Bhfuil gach rud réidh sa chistin anois?
Pronunciation: will gahkh rudh ray sah khish-thin ah-nish?
Phrase: Has everybody got a drink?
Irish: Bhfuil deoch ag gach éinne?
Pronunciation: will diokh egg gahkh ayn-yeh?
Phrase: Who will say Grace?
Irish: Cé tá chun an Ghrásta a rá?
Pronunciation: kay thaw on ghraws-thah (hard 'g) ah raw?
 Note: This caught our eye. Yes, we know it isn't gaeilge, but it is fascinating. If nothing else, it is certainly language (and Irish language as well.)
Slanguage
by Bernard Share
...for all 'decent skins', 'crawthumpers', horse-protestants', 'hard chaws' and 'strong farmers'...a dictionary of Irish slang that's as amusing as it is informative.
Click here for Slanguage
For More Basic Irish please click here: Irish Index
Image: Gaeilge Beo from All Posters and Prints.
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Sun, Mar 4, 2018
Bitesize Irish Gaelic
Start learning on line with a free trial!
Why Learn Irish with Bitesize Irish Gaelic?
Eoin is a native Irish speaker who you can listen to in the online lessons.
Sasa has helped develop the lessons from the perspective of a complete beginner.
Audrey has created conversation lessons to get you speaking Irish.
And last but certainly not least, they are proud of the Irish language and want more people to speak it.
Affordable, fun and effective - To learn more, Click Bitesize Irish
Irish Grammar
by Noel Mogonagle
This book is excellent for beginners who are wanting a book that gives basic grammar without all the extra information that confuses beginners. The book is well laid out, with information very easy to find. Amazon Reviewer
Here is a good follow-on to our words and phrases.
Click for Irish Grammar.
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Irish - English
English - Irish
Dictionaries
Note: We have yet to see a dictionary with phonetic pronunciations for each word. We suspect this is partly due to the variations. Providing for all four 'green fields' (Connacht, Leinster, Ulster and Munster), would be cumbersome at best. Still, someone may do it some day. Until then, these are all very good and recommended. Serious students will have more than one; they are inexpensive.
These two (either or both) are the handy-references needed to go with a good grammar or 'teach yourself' course.
We would need both (and some other help) if found wandering in a Gaeltacht late at night.
Amazon has an offer of either one combined with a grammar for a reduced price.
Click for Collins Gem
Click for Oxford Pocket.
As a total beginner in Irish, this has taught me quite a few words. The illustrations are beautifully done, and best of all, each word is given a rough English spelling of its pronunciation. Edited from an amazon review.
Click here for Kid's Irish Dictionary.
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While I wouldn't recommend you use many of these phrases, this is a terribly funny book. I picked it up after leafing through it at the store and finding phrases about sheep and inns and the hazards of driving in Ireland without insurance. Each little section starts out innocuously enough, then quickly degenerates into truly funny comments. If you like Monty Python or BlackAdder, this will really make you laugh. If you liked the Father Ted tv show, this little book will make you keel over giggling. Ah, go on, ya eejit, buy it already! Amazon Reviewer
(We want this, you may see a few on these pages - watch out).
Click for Wicked Irish
An easy-to-use program for learning on your own, or can be used as supplemental material for your classes. These new editions have been thoroughly revised and updated to include the engaging dialogues and helpful exercises you have come to expect from the Teach Yourself series.
Click for Teach Yourself
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The Best Irish Course Available! Three years ago I decided to learn Irish, and in the next two years I bought three different courses. The first two were simply useless, (that's the obvious reason for my buying new courses) you could learn some phrases, but not construct sentences yourself. Learning Irish, on the other hand, is an excellent book, which gives you a thorough vocabulary and grammatical knowledge. It consists of 36 lessons, all containing vocabularies, grammar instructions, texts and excercises. Amazon Reviewer.
Click for Learning irish
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