Irish - Gaeilge


Once spoken throughout the whole of the island of Ireland, these days Irish is the language of the home mostly along the west coast. Irish has a very long history. Stone inscriptions in the language go back to about 450 AD, and the first written documents date from about 700 AD, though Irish words had been written in the margins of Latin documents since about 550. Irish is similar to Scottish Gaelic, though the Irish spelling reform of 1948, which eliminated silent consonants, has made the two languages appear more different than before.

1. deartháir    brother        1. *    yes        1. Cé mhéid a chosnaíonn se?    How much is that?
2. deirfiúr    sister        2. *    no        2. Cén áit a n-íocfaidh mé as?    Where do I pay?
3. mac    son        3. le do thoil    please        3. Tuig    To understand
4. iníon    daughter        4. go raibh
maith agat		    thank you        4. Tuigim    I understand
5. athair    father                  5. Ní thuigim    I don’t understand
6. máthair    mother        1. Dé
Domhnaigh		    Sunday        6. Tá a fhios agam    I know
          2. Dé Luain    Monday        7. Níl a fhios agam    I don't know
1. earrach    spring        3. Dé Máirt    Tuesday          
2. samhradh    summer        4. Dé
Céadaoin		    Wednesday        1. tá mé / is mé    I am
3. fómhar    autumn        5. Déardaoin    Thursday        2. tá tú / is tú    you are (informal)
4. geimhreadh    winter        6. Dé hAoine    Friday        tá tú / is tú    you are (formal)
          7. Dé Sathairn    Saturday        3. tá sé / is é    he is
1. capall    horse                  tá sí / is í    she is
2. madra    dog        1. baile mór    town          
3. cat    cat        2. baile beag    village        1. táimid / is sinne    we are
4. bó    cow        3. sráid    street        2. tá sibh / is sibhse    you are (plural)
5. tarbh    bull        4. cearnóg    square          
6. muc    pig        5. droichead    bridge        3. tá siad / is iad    they are
7. caora    sheep        6. teach    house          
8. mac tíre    wolf        7. gairdín    garden          
9. luchóg    mouse        8. eaglais    church          
10. éan    bird        9. scoil    school        1. aon    one
11. gé    goose        10. stáisiún    station        2. dhá    two
12. iasc    fish                  3. trí    three
                    4. ceithre    four


* There is no single word for "yes" or "no" in Irish. Instead, the verb of the question is repeated as a positive, or negative statement.


Óir ghráigh Dia an domhan chomh mór sin gur thug sé a Aonghin Mic uaidh i dtreo, gach duine a chreideann ann, nach gcaillfí é ach go mbeadh an bheatha shioraí aige.

For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3,16


9. Ár nAthair, atá ar neamh: go naofar d’ainm. 10. Go dtaga do ríocht. Go ndéantar do thoil ar talamh mar a dhéantar ar neamh. 11. Ár n-arán laethúil tabhair dúinn inniu, 12. agus maith dúinn ár bhfiacha, mar a mhaithimid dár bhféichiúnaithe féin. 13. Agus ná lig sinn i gcathú, ach saor sinn ó olc.

9 Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Matthew 6


The older language:
Recent Irish (1750-1948)
Old Irish (550-900)


My other websites:
Languages of the World
New Nutshell
Christianity in a Nutshell

My wife's websites:
Meaning of Life
Bits



I'd just like to share with you some words from the Bible which you might not otherwise have had the opportunity to read:




Click here for more


Back