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.

English	Gaeilge (Irish)
Welcome	Fáilte Tá fáilte romhat (sg) Tá fáilte romhaibh (pl) Fáilte romhat isteach! Céad míle fáilte (a hundred thousand welcomes)
Hello (General greeting)	Dia dhuit (sg) Dia dhaoibh (pl) Dia is Muire dhuit (sg) - reply Dia is Muire dhaoibh (pl) - reply
How are you?	Conas atá tú (Mun) Cén chaoi a bhfuil tú (Con) Cad é mar atá tú (Ul) Conas atá cúrsaí leat? An bhfuil aon scéal agat? An bhfuil tú go maith?
Reply to 'How are you?'	Tá mé go maith, go raibh maith agat, agus tú fein? (sg) Tá mé go maith, go raibh maith agaibh, agus sibh fein? (pl)
Long time no see	Ní fhaca mé le fada thú (sg) Ní fhaca mé le fada sibh (pl)
What's your name?	Cén t-ainm atá ort? (sg) Cén t-ainm atá oraibh? (pl) Cad is ainm duit? (sg) Cad is ainm daoibh? (pl) C'ainm atá ort? (sg) C'ainm atá oraibh? (pl) - Ul
My name is ...	Is mise ... Mise ... ... is ainm dom
Where are you from?	Cá as duit? (Mun) Cárb as duit? (Ul) Cé as thú? (Con)
I'm from ...	Is as ... dom Is as ... mé
Pleased to meet you	Tá áthas orm buaileadh leat (sg) Tá áthas orm buaileadh libh (pl)
Good morning (Morning greeting)	Dia dhuit ar maidin (sg) Dia dhaoibh ar maidin (pl) Maidin mhaith
Good afternoon (Afternoon greeting)	Tráthnóna maith duit (sg) Tráthnóna maith daoibh (pl)
Good evening (Evening greeting)	Tráthnóna maith duit (sg) Tráthnóna maith daoibh (pl)
Good night	Oíche mhaith Oíche mhaith agus codladh sámh (Good night and sleep well)
Goodbye (Parting phrases)	Slán Slán go fóill Slán agat (to one peron who is staying) Slán agaibh (to more than one person who is staying) Slán leat (to one person who is leaving) Slán libh (to more than one person who is leaving) Feicfidh mé ar ball thú (sg - See you later) Feicfidh mé ar ball sibh (pl - See you later) Chífidh mé ar ball thú (sg - See you later) - Ulster Chífidh mé ar ball sibh (pl - See you later) - Ulster
Good luck!	Go n-éirí an t-ádh leat! Ádh mór ort! Go n-éirí an bóthar leat!
Cheers! Good Health! (Toasts used when drinking)	Sláinte! (Health) Sláinte mhaith! (Good health) Sláinte agus táinte! (Health and wealth) Sláinte chuig na fir, agus go mairfidh na mná go deo! (Health to the men and may the women live forever) Croí folláin agus gob fliuch! (A healthy heart and a wet mouth) Fad saol agat, gob fliuch, agus bás in Éirinn! (Long life to you, a wet mouth, and death in Ireland)
Bon voyage / Have a good journey	Go dté tú slán (May you go safely) Slán abhaile (Safe home) Go n-éirí an bothar leat (May you(r journey/road) be successful)
I don't know	Níl a fhios agam Níl fhios agam
Do you understand?	An dtuigeann tú? (sg) An dtuigeann sibh? (pl)
I understand	Tuigim
I don't understand	Ní thuigim Cha dtuigim (Ul)
Please speak more slowly	An miste leat labhairt níos moille? An bhféadfá labhairt níos moille, le do thoil?
Please say that again	Abair sin arís, le do thoil
Please write it down	An féidir leat é sin a scríobh síos dom? An scríobhfaidh tú é sin síos dom?
Do you speak English?	An bhfuil Béarla agat? (sg) An bhfuil Béarla agaibh? (pl)
Do you speak Irish?	An bhfuil Gaeilge agat? (sg) An bhfuil Gaeilge agaibh? (pl)
Yes, a little (reply to 'Do you speak ...?')	Tá, beagán Tá, cúpla focal
I'm learning Irish	Tá mé ag foghlaim Gaeilge
Do you speak a language other than Irish?	An bhfuil teanga ar bith eile agat seachas Gaeilge? An bhfuil teanga ar bith eile agat diomaite den Ghaeilge? Seachas Gaeilge, an bhfuil teanga eile agat?
Speak to me in Irish	Labhair Gaeilge liom
How do you say ... in Irish?	Cad í an Ghaeilge ar ...?
Excuse me	Gabh mo leithscéal
I would like ...	Ba mhaith liom ...
How much is this?	Cá mhéad atá seo? Cá mhéad?
Sorry	Gabh mo leithscéal! Tá brón orm!
Please	Le do thoil (sg) Le bhur dtoil (pl) Más é do thoil é (sg) Más é bhur dtoil é (pl)
Thank you	Go raibh maith agat (sg) Go raibh maith agaibh (pl) Go raibh míle maith agat (sg) Go raibh míle maith agaibh (pl) Gura míle (inf)
Reply to thank you	’Sé do bheatha Ná habair é Tá fáilte romhat
Where's the toilet / bathroom?	Cá bhfuil an leithreas?
This gentleman will pay for everything	Íocfaidh an fear seo as gach rud
This lady will pay for everything	Íocfaidh an bhean seo as gach rud
Would you like to dance with me?	Ar mhaith leat damhsa liom?
Do you come here often?	An dtagann tú anseo go minic?
I miss you	Crónaím thú Airím uaim thú Is fada liom uaim thú
I love you	Gráím thú (I love you) Tugaim cion duit (I give you affection) Tá cion agam ort (I have affection for you) Tá mé ceanúil ort (I have affection for you) Tá grá agam duit (I have love for you) Táim i ngrá leat (I'm in love with you) Tá mo chroí istigh ionat (My heart is within you) Adhraím thú (I adore you)
Get well soon	Go raibh biseach ort gan mhoill!
Go away!	Lig dom
Leave me alone!	Fág i m'éinear mé!
Help!	Tarrtháil!
Fire!	Tine!
Stop!	Stad!
Call the police!	Glaoigh ar na gardaí! Cuir fios ar na gardaí!
Christmas greetings	Nollaig shona duit (sg) Nollaig shona daoibh (pl) Beannachtaí na Nollag Beannachtaí an tSéasúir (Season's Greetings)
New Year greetings	Athbhliain faoi mhaise duit (Prosperous New Year) Bliain úr faoi shéan is faoi mhaise duit (Happy New Year to you)
Easter greetings	Cáisc Shona duit (sg) Cáisc Shona daoibh (pl) Beannachtaí na Cásca
Birthday greetings	Breithlá sona duit Lá breithe sona duit
Congratulations!	Comhghairdeas! Go maire tú do nuacht!
St Patrick's Day Greetings	Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhuit (sg) Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhaoibh (pl) Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig dhuit (sg) Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh (pl)
One language is never enough	Ní leor teanga amháin
My hovercraft is full of eels	Tá m'árthach foluaineach lán d'eascanna Tá mo sciorrárthach lán d'eascanna

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

Download all the recordings (Zip, 2MB)

Note

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.

Links

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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