By Bob Carney
I scath a chéile a mhaireann na daoine – In each other’s shadow the people live
Conas atá sibh? In past lessons we have learned how to ask for things(our visit to the pub), how to ask and respond to how are you?, greet people, ask the time, and some polite phrases we can use with others. This month we’ll meet some new words and phrases we can use to interact with others; that is the purpose of any language. The first thing after greeting someone we have just met is to find out their name, and introduce ourselves.
Cén t-ainm atá ort? (kayn tan-um uh-taw ort) What is your name?
Is mise ….. (iss mishuh) I am ……
If you are asking someone else’s name in return, we would use the tone of our voice to show emphasis when speaking in English. In Irish we can change the last word in the phrase as well as using tonal inflection.
Cén t-ainm atá ortsa? (kayn tan-um uh-taw ort-suh)
Ar mhaith leat (air why lyat) Would you like
Ba mhaith liom (bah hwah lyum) I would like
Cad é sin ? (cahd ay shin) What’s that ?
Is …… é (iss …… ay) It’s a ……
Cá bhfuil (kah hwill) Where is
Cé as tú? (kay oss too) Where are you from?
Is as …… mé (iss oss …… may) I am from
Cá bhfuil tú i do chónaí? (kaw will too ih duh khoe-nee) Where do you live?
Tá mé i mo chónaí ( taw may ih muh khoe-nee) I live in
Tá sé anseo ( taw shay un-shuh ) It is here
Tá sé ansin ( taw shay un-shin) It is there
Níl sé anseo ( neel shay un-shuh ) It is not here
Stáit Aontaithe ( stoych ayn- tih huh ) United States
Eirinn (air-in ) Ireland
Meiriceá ( mair- ih kaw ) America
Sasana (soss-uh nuh) England
Albain (all-uh bin) Scotland
trá (traw) a beach
an trá (un traw) the beach
óstán (oess-tawn) a hotel
an t-óstán (un toess-tawn) the hotel
siopa (shoop-uh) a shop or store
an siopa (un shoop-uh) the store
fuinneog (fwin-ngog) window
nuachtán (noo ak-tan)
newspaper leabhar (lyore) book
an fear (un -far) the man
an bhean (un-van) the woman
múinteoir (moo-un-cheore) teacher
fiaclóir (fee -uh- klor) dentist
úll (ool) apple
bainne (bon yuh ) milk
briosca (bris-kuh) cookie
rothar (ruh-her ) bicycle
cóta (ko-tuh ) coat
sráid (tryed ) street
an sráid (un-tryed) the street
rud éigin (row de gan) something
ól (oel) drink
Cá bhfuil an sráid? Where is the street?
Tá sé anseo It’s here
Ar mhaith leat rud éigin a ól? Would you like something to drink?
Ba mhaith (buh- wah) Yes
Níor mhaith (neer-wah) No
Ba mhaith liom uisce I would like water
Tá mé i mo chónaí i Meiriceá (taw may ih muh khoe-nee ih mair-ih-kaw) I live in America
Agus tusa? (ah-gus tuh-suh) And you?
Is as Béal Feirste mé (iss oss bell farshta may) I’m from Belfast
We can go back to past issues and use words we have learned to create many new phrases. I know you will be very surprised at how much Irish you have! Please feel free to e-mail me with any questions or things you would like to see covered in future Speak Irish columns.
Use your “cúpla focal”, couple of words, of Irish as often as you can. Irish language is growing worldwide and is as important as our music, food, sports and all of our history that makes up our Irish-American heritage. Share it with pride!
Slán Go Foill