Irish Words You Can Learn Before You Go-Audio Edition!

Eoin from Bitesize Irish Gaelic (shown her with his wife Saša) teaches us some basics of Irish Gaelic.

The Irish language can be elusive.

When you visit Ireland, it’ll be there. You’ll see bits of it written down. You probably won’t hear it spoken. However, if you say a few phrases while in Ireland, it’ll put a smile of amazement or wonder on a local’s face when the words come from your lips.

Eoin from Bitesize Irish Gaelic has stepped in to help you learn some useful Irish Gaelic phrases that you can spring on the locals… and you don’t need to limit yourself just to the Gaeltacht regions, either. Irish people in every part of Ireland will generally understand these basic phrases.

Irish people love talking about the weather, perhaps because there’s no shortage of it! So the phrases below will arm you with the ability to introduce yourself, and say something about that day’s weather.

The Irish Gaelic Phrases

The text /between slashes/ is an approximate pronunciation.

Dia dhuit. /Jee-ah gwitch./Hello.

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Dia is Muire dhuit. /Jee-ah iss Mwir-ah gwitch./ Hello. (as a reply)

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Conas tá tú? /Cun-oss taw too?/ How are you?

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Tá mé go maith. /Taw may guh mah./ I’m fine.

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Tá sé go hálainn ar maidin. /Taw shay guh haw-lin air modgin/ It’s beautiful this morning.

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báisteach /bawsh-chok/ rain

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gaofar /gway-fer/ windy

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Tá sé fuar. /Taw shay foo-er./ It’s cold.

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Tá sé fuar inniu. /Taw shay foor in-new./ It’s cold today.

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Tá sé te. It’s hot.

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Feicfidh mé amárach thú. /Fec-hig may a-mawr-okh hoo./ See you tomorrow.

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Slán. /Slawn./ Good-bye.

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Eoin — a native Irish Gaelic speaker — founded Bitesize Irish Gaelic with his wife Saša… that’s where you can learn Irish Gaelic online. All the recordings in this article come from that online course.